"Bimbo's Initiation" by Max Fleischer (1931)

This 1931 Max Fleischer cartoon captures the dangers and humiliations of "secret" initiations, which had reached epic and dangerous proportions during the later days of the "Roaring Twenties." It's amazing to me that initiations have not been banned in today's "politically correct" environment.

This is not to say that I have not been involved in an initiation, or two, during my life. Or, that I am against such practices. No one makes you partake of the rituals involved. And peer pressure is a lame excuse. Like the old carnival barker said, "To get your ticket- you pay the price." I am, after all, a "Loyal and Trusted Shellback" - a member in good standing of the "Ancient Order of the Deep".

Shellbacks are sailors who have crossed the Equator. Until the first time you have crossed that line separating the Northern and Southern hemispheres, you are a pollywog, a snipe, a lowly bottom dweller. The initiation takes a full day under the blazing equatorial sun. Those unwilling to participate in the ritual are allowed to sit the ceremony out in some other part of the ship, where they are unable to observe the festivities. There is no pressure to join, and no penalty for not doing so. (I believe that the iniation has actually been eliminated these days - and everyone just gets their card.)

I won't bore you with the details of the initiation, although I will tell you it involves copious amounts of garbage, which the initiate is forced to crawl through, being beaten with fire hoses as you walk a gauntlet of Shellbacks, crawling across the blazing metal of the main deck, kissing the Bosun's belly, and then being anointed with lube oil by the High Priest, who in our case was the ship's Chaplain. (Note the error on line 4, which shows me as having crossed the Equator at 39 degrees and 5 minutes "M" of longitude. The "M" should be a "W" for West longitude.)

The reward for all of this? Just a bit of pride at being found acceptable, along with the pleasure of having faced something which was made out to be much worse than it actually was, and come out laughing in the end. Kind of like this cartoon.

"All's Fair at the Fair" by Max Fleischer (1938)

I'm considering posting an old classic cartoon each Saturday. The response to the Christmas related cartoons I posted was very positive, so I'm thinking of doing this regularly. It really serves two purposes; I get a day off, and the grandkids can enjoy some of the things I watched as a kid. If nothing else, it will at least expose them to the unique quality of these old classics.

This cartoon was released just in time for the World's Fair in 1939, which was held in Flushing, New York. That same site was later used for the World's Fair in 1964-65. Also of interest is that this is another solo effort on the part of Max Fleischer, who along with his brother Dave, produced the oldest, and still the best, of the Popeye features during the 1930's. Enjoy the cartoon; it's a nice break from reality; while I think of something to post tomorrow!

"Let's Celebrake" with Popeye the Sailor (1937)

I just wanted to end the year out on a fun note, so here's Popeye going out to celebrate New Year's Eve with Olive's grandmother in tow. This is one of Max Fleischer's solo efforts, although his brother Dave did direct it. They are among the best of the Popeye cartoons, with their brief, but barbed statements, always delivered in such a tone as to make the viewer need listen more carefully, lest he miss the joke. Have a safe New Year's Eve, whatever you are doing. See you tomorrow, or next year, if you prefer!

"Peace On Earth" (1939)

Okay, getting back, as promised, to some seasonal cartoons, this one was released around the time that Germany invaded Poland, which marked the beginning of World War Two. The memory of the First World War was still fresh in everyone's minds in 1939, and this cartoon carried a very clear message about the ravages of war and the associated consequences. Beautiful animation, and clear, crisp sound quality make this cartoon a real pleasure to watch. From it's opening number, "Peace On Earth", this is a perfect cartoon for the season. Grab the grandkids for this one!

"Christmas Comes But Once A Year" by Max Fleischer (1936)

I thought I would post a few cartoons from Christmas past in the weeks leading up to the holiday. I always loved these old classic cartoons, and this one is a great example of the quality of the animation being produced in the 1930's. Max and Dave Fleischer were two of the best. They often worked separately on various projects, though their best works are probably the collaborations they produced with the Popeye cartoons. But this is a wonderful little story about an orphanage on Christmas morning. I hope that you enjoy it.