Betty Boop: The Movie

[Randall]

Ah, The Fleischer Story… 'twas one of a few animation books that I purchased from the terrific Whole Toon Catalog around 1993, along with Maltin's Of Mice and Magic, the making of Fantasia book, and more. That catalog was a godsend back then, and was also my source for Bosko Video product (Superman, Private Snafu) and Cartoons That Time Forgot VHS tapes.

I didn't really care for the penciling job on First's Betty Boop comic, but Gisele did a nice job on Dynamite's series. I had her sign the paperback collection for me when I met her a year or two ago at a show.

Those LD sets are grand, just for the sheer amount of cartoons on them. (But I really hated that Popeye wasn't included with the other cartoon character guest appearances, like Henry and The Little King.) I didn't really notice the DVNR at the time, as I was not a sophisticated viewer; but once it was pointed out to me... well, it's hard to un-see it. It's particularly bad if you try stepping through the frames, but not so bad in-motion if you try not to pay attention to it.

Yes, let's hope that a decent attempt is made to get her back on the big screen again!

[Ben]

I love the Cabarga book, and lucky to get one direct and signed!

The Republic sets were among my first LD purchases too, along with all the regular pickups like the Golden Age Looneys and the MGM sets, plus the Disneys, of course. Before I knew what DVNR was, I enjoyed them for their design and surrealability, though I’d already been on a steady diet of Popeye (yes, the real ones!j by then. I had seen the Hooray "movie" first, I think, or around the same time, as well as Gulliver and Mr Bug — someone at the BBC knew a thing or two about animation outside of Walt Disney in the early 80s, and we got a steady stream of quality animation.

At the same time, the main Beeb channel used to play The All-New Popeye Show, and while I did enjoy seeing more of Popeye, there was something more Popeye about the black and white ones! I remain a massive Fleischer fan (I think the stepping through the frames on the LDs, Rand, might also have been the digital still grabber playing havoc with the interlacing, since those were CLVs not CAV discs and not progressive video).

I like the look of both those strips — how cool would either be as a live-action/animation combo in the Roger Rabbit style...!?

[Daniel]

On Saturday there will be a live stream event in celebration of Betty Boop's 90th anniversary. If you don't mind paying and have a few hours to kill, sounds worth it! Boop-Oop-a-Doop.

[droosan]

Yeah; it's right in the middle of my Saturday online class time.

Still .. it seems like a fun festival lineup.


Here's another early Betty Boop cartoon (assisted by Bimbo & Koko).

This was the first of her cartoons with the "Sweet Betty" opening song. It also features Betty singing "Do Something" and "Don't Take My Boop-Oop-A-Doop Away" .. both of which were Helen Kane hits.

It's also one of the few cartoons where Koko (rather than Bimbo) comes to Betty's rescue!

[ShyViolet]

Bimbo actually starred in that cartoon in the 1983 Twilight Zone remake of “It’s a good Life”, which Jeremy Licht’s imprisoned sister is watching. (You know....that girl without a mouth! ). That part terrified me so much that I always get a little nervous when I see Bimbo. Lol.


Here’s the scene:


https://youtu.be/fvUJBcuLl6U

EDIT: OK found it. (IMDB)

In the story "It's a Good Life" the old black and white cartoon being played on both upstairs TV's, especially the one being watched by Anthony's sister, Sara, is called Bimbo's Initiation from 1931 and is part of the Betty Boop cartoon series. The cartoon being played on the living room t.v. watched by Anthony and Helen is a Heckle and Jeckle cartoon called The Power of Thought from 1948. The next cartoon being played while they're all eating is a Loony Tunes cartoon called "It's Hummer Time" from 1950. The cartoon that ate Ethel is an original work done specifically for the film and was designed by Sally Cruikshank.

[EricJ]

The next cartoon being played while they're all eating is a Loony Tunes cartoon called "It's Hummer Time" from 1950.

"No!..Not 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY'!!!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1bqrCN3tkI