Lonesome Ghosts (1937)

 

It's October! 🎃 

Let's start this month off with a cartoon, Disney's Lonesome Ghosts (1937). It's a near perfect film that captures the spookiness and mysterious genre of films decently. 

There's some great backgrounds at the start. My guess is that Bill Herwig did some of the scenes because I researched into the original layouts and sketches and noticed his signature in one of the drawings like the haunted house.

This is the best way to start a cartoon in my opinion. We get to see what's inside and meet the zany and mischievous ghosts. 

I also loved how Mickey, Donald and Goofy looked back in the late 30s when they paired together. In my opinion this their best designs. I miss the simple oval eyes for Mickey and the white sailor hat for Donald. 

I love this few second scene of the trio walking in the snow. Backgrounds also are warm and calming. Animated by the legendary Milt Kahl!

Both Bob Wickersham and Izzie Klein animated my favorite moments of the film where Mickey tries to chase after a ghost and he dashes rapidly in drybrush frames. 

Alot of the shorts from this time period also remind me of The Three Stooges, and watching the other films, like Mickey's Service Station and Boat Builders, I can tell there's obvious tints of inspiration.

I also think the old Disney movies were at their best with camera angles and where to face the character in different circumstances and situations. Like with the multiplane camera, they knew how to make their films even their short subjects cinematic. 

Here's more great backgrounds, smart color scheme too.

I love this cartoon, I would highly recommend it now that Halloween is coming. Here's a few bonus treats for ya. 

Some ink publicity drawings. 

I would also like to credit the animators. 

Izzie Klein, Ed Love, Milt Kahl, Marvin Woodward, Rex Cox, Bob Wickersham, Gerry Geronimi, Dick Heumer, and Roy Williams.

Thanks to Mark Mayerson for the mosaics, feel free to experience his blog, he's done other mosaics and highly check those out.

https://mayersononanimation.blogspot.com/search/label/Mosaics?m=0

It's beautifully remastered on Disney+, but you can also experience it on Toontales if you don't have the app. Your choice. 

https://www.toontales.net/short/lonesome-ghosts/