Tweet Rattled By Rats (1925)

I am always learning something new. According to the book, "Tinker Belles And Evil Queens", Walt Disney made short silent films termed "carnivalesque". Unlike his later successes, these apparently had chaotic and even risque themes. For instance the Alice series, which starred Virginia Davis and Margie Gay. (Alice Gets In Dutch, Alice's Tin Pony, Alice Rattled By Rats). This book fleshes out the sexual symbolism apparent in 1920's Disney productions. That alone captured my interest. Do these silent shorts exist, and has anyone seen them?

Danny

Most still exist, a few have been issued by Disney in their archival "Treasures" series, others have found their way into home-made compilations and a whole bunch can be found on youtube, from Walt's earliest efforts c. 1922.

Still waiting for Disney to follow up "Rarities" (containing just six of the Alice shorts) with more of the same - meanwhile, Rattled by Rats can be seen here:

I While some of the people in charge seem to have a screw loose (I can't look at Charles Lamont's BUSTER BROWN silents or, POLLY TICKS IN WASHINGTON without wondering what audience, exactly, they were aiming these movies at), I think a lot of the things that people see in them are simply symptomatic of changes in society. My mother would tell me to pick up a carton of cigarettes (Kent, as I recall, although she might have shifted to MERIT) for her on the way back from the library. I have also seen accounts of children sent for a bucket of beer. Nowadays, of course, such parents would wind up in jail, because we all know that children are so delicate they must be watched every second lest they melt like snowflakes.

As a result I think ALICE RATTLED BY RATS not particularly remarkable. Nor particularly good, either.

Bob

I know very little about the ALICE shorts. Did they add a music and FX track for reissues?

I know very little about the ALICE shorts. Did they add a music and FX track for reissues?

Yes, W. Ray Johnston bought the negs and rights to a number of the ALICE cartoons from Winkler/MIntz or whomever owned them at the time and reissued then in new "Rayart Raytone" editions in the early 30's. These versions are not bad, the music and effects are a lot like most early 30's cartoons, and they can be seen in this form on the VCI/Kit Parker Films DVD ALICE IN CARTOONLAND, also in rather good quality from those original nitrate negatives.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

I know very little about the ALICE shorts. Did they add a music and FX track for reissues?

Yes, W. Ray Johnston bought the negs and rights to a number of the ALICE cartoons from Winkler/MIntz or whomever owned them at the time and reissued then in new "Rayart Raytone" editions in the early 30's. These versions are not bad, the music and effects are a lot like most early 30's cartoons, and they can be seen in this form on the VCI/Kit Parker Films DVD ALICE IN CARTOONLAND, also in rather good quality from those original nitrate negatives.
RICHARD M ROBERTS

Thanks

These versions are not bad, the music and effects are a lot like most early 30's cartoons, and they can be seen in this form on the VCI/Kit Parker Films DVD ALICE IN CARTOONLAND, also in rather good quality from those original nitrate negatives.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Save for some DVNR, sadly....

I once owned a 50-foot eight millimeter version of this title. It was among the first home movies I ever owned. And that was in 1960.