"A Silly Symphony"

Release Date April 1, 1938

Running Time 7:45

Synopsis

A swarm of moths tear into "Ye Olde Costume Shop" as one pretty girl moth is beguiled by a hypnotic candle flame.

Credits

Director : Bert Gillett

Animation : Ed Love

Videos

United States

Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions : Silly Symphonies

Italy

Gold Editions : Il Meglio di Disney

Il Meglio di Disney

Laserdiscs

Japan

Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions : Silly Symphonies

DVD

United States

Disney Treasures : More Silly Symphonies

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #38 : Infested Silly Symphonies

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Comments

A Silly Symphony.

From Rod Bennett : A wildly elaborate update of early 30's efforts like "The Spider and the Fly" and "Midnite in a Toy Shop" now features the fully mature "Snow White" house style which the Symphonies were so instrumental in bringing about.

From Jerry Edwards : The story is generally not that interesting to me - I just can't get interested in the boy and girl moth main characters. The only saving grace to the short is the amazingly realistic flame that the special effects animators create as a character onto itself.

From Amanda J : This was another one of my favorite Disney animated shorts. I thought the girl moth was so pretty, and the boy moth was goofy looking. The animation was so fun and creative, like when the moth ate the hat like it was a turkey. The music for this Disney short was chosen well, like when the girl moth was dancing near the flame. This is definitely one of the most memorable Disney cartoons from my childhood.

From Matthew Cooper : Okay, this short is awsome! Very good animation and excellent character design. I especially like the beginning when the boy and girl moth look through the window and vision the clothes as food (great animation here!) The flame is animated both very realistically and excellently. This short also has great effects like when the flame grows giant from the gasoline or turns blue from the ink! The only thing I don't enjoy about this short is the goofy look of that Scottish manequin the moths get the bagpipes from! It's not that I think Disney was trying to be offensive to the Scotts, it's just that I'm sure it could have been drawn prettier.

From DaVon : This is another addition to my top ten list of favorite Silly Symphonies. I agree that the effects with the flame are great. That female moth surely is fine. I like how the male moth and other moths come to rescue her and manage to save, and prevent, the shop from burning down before it could all simultaneously. So in the end, there are two victories in the same night. I find everything else about this cartoon great, from the characters to the colorful artwork to the backgrounds. For me, I consider it to be one of the more outstanding Silly Symphony shorts of the latter half of the '30s and to outdo some, certain others. In the league with the best of the best of them, recommended, I give it a 10/10 and A+.

Referenced Comments

Mickey Plays Papa (1934)

Gallery

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