I prefer this short to The Spider and the Fly because I like spiders, and the main character of this cartoon is a likable arachnid. Like the spider in the later short, he also plays his web like a harp, but here, rather than using it to seduce his prey, he seems to be playing to entertain himself. He then immediately breaks the forth wall as he beckons us, the viewers, to accompany him on a visit into an Egyptian tomb. There’s not much plot to Egyptian Melodies, but that doesn’t mean it’s not breathtaking. The corridor scene anticipated first-person shooter video games by more than 40 years, and the 2D/3D experimentation rendering the art on the wall was a breakthrough. (By the way, the attached image shows our hero parodying Al Jolson, by getting down on two (out of 4) knees and singing “Mummy!”).

Don’t forget to visit The Silly Symphony Collection page for details on the massive vinyl box set.

One of the best of the early Silly Symphonies, The Clock Store is a tour de force of animation technique, beginning with the opening shot of a lamplighter walking down the street and illuminating the screen, and continuing through the rest of the short, featuring vignettes of anthropomorphic figures in the clock store. It’s not unlike The China Shop (3 years later, also directed by Wilfred Jackson) in that the gags escalate until the the short descends into violent comical chaos, but the animation breakthroughs in this short, particularly the minuet scene, are still breathtaking today.

Don’t forget to visit The Silly Symphony Collection page for details on the massive vinyl box set.

Since we’re counting backwards, the plot of The Spider and The Fly will probably remind you of Bugs In Love (or even The Clock Store). In this short, it’s the villainous Spider who has grabbed the lovely Fly from her beau. Before he can eat her, an army of houseflies (some riding the backs of horseflies) come to her aid, and dispose of the spider in (ironically) flypaper. Disney has always done a good job with animating spiders (wait until we get to Egyptian Melodies in 2 days!), and this short is no exception. Clever gags abound in the battle scenes, and the music supplies a functional backdrop to the action.

Don’t forget to visit The Silly Symphony Collection page for details on the massive vinyl box set.

The Fox Hunt is an odd cartoon for me. On one hand, it’s a funny, gag-filled short that mocks the upper-class “gentlemen” on the fox hunt – and of course, the fox gets away. On the other hand, it’s about a fox hunt. Thinking back, my entire knowledge of fox hunts came from cartoons, especially this one and the Donald & Goofy short made later in the decade. Perhaps looking at it through the viewpoint of the 21st century does it an injustice. As always, the animation is top-notch and Frank Churchill’s score is memorable.

And don’t forget to check here for updates on The Silly Symphony Collection!

This short is an oddity for a couple of reasons. Firstly, while there were a few Silly Symphonies to merit sequels (Three Little Pigs, Water Babies, Three Orphan Kittens, The Tortoise and the Hare…), there’s only one that got a remake: The Ugly Duckling. And since we’re counting backwards, today’s short is the original. The other reason that this short is odd is that while the remake follows the spirit of the Hans Christian Anderson story, this version does not. In the original Anderson story, a cygnet is born into a family of ducks – he’s a “ugly duckling” because he’s not a duckling at all. In this short, the main character is indeed a duckling, born into a family of chickens. But I guess “the ugly chick” didn’t carry the right message, even in 1931.

And if you haven’t already seen it – the mini-documentary for the Silly Symphony project that inspired this countdown hit the web today. You can check it out here.

Another pared down short that really emphasizes the soundtrack. The Bird Store spends most of its first 5 minutes introducing one kind of bird after another, with their birdsong playing an integral part of the score. The progression from songbirds to more surreal birds with elaborate calls (and sound effects) is a joy to watch. Eventually, there’s some action – a cat gets into the shop and is dispatched by the birds operating in concert – but the beauty of this cartoon is the interaction between the clever animation and Frank Churchill’s score.

Click here for more on The Silly Symphony Collection

There’s a moment about halfway into The Bears and The Bees that perfectly summarizes the entire raison d’être of the Silly Symphonies series, which modern viewers may take for granted. The short is a simple one: two cute bear cubs (who bear more than a passing resemblance to Mickey Mouse) are playing, and looking for good things to eat. When they find a berry bush, an older bear takes it from them and chases them off. Then they find a hollow tree where bees have built a hive and start to gorge on honey. The bees are alerted to their trespass, and by the time they return to defend their hive, the older bear is now in place for his ultimate comeuppance. As the short starts, Frank Churchill’s melody plays a typically lovely background to the action on screen. But a couple of minutes in, when the bees realize that their hive is threatened, they rise from the flowers and their humming buzz joins the soundtrack. The melody is now coming from the onscreen characters. When the Silly Symphony series started just three years earlier, Carl Stalling’s idea was to merge the action with the music. For contemporary audiences, these shorts weren’t just an entertainment, they were a revelation.

After a dozen appearances in Mickey Mouse cartoons, Pluto made his first Silly Symphony appearance in Just Dogs, a simple but memorable short. True to its title, Just Dogs doesn’t feature many surreal gags – most of the jokes are situational – but instead tells the story of a cute little terrier who’s determined to win Pluto’s favor. Bert Lewis’ score helps tell the story (there’s no dialogue other than barking) and the Disney animators under the direction of Burt Gillett show quite a bit of restraint, letting the charm of the characters carry this cartoon.

(The Silly Symphony Collection will available as a 16-record vinyl set at the D23 EXPO on August 14-16 and at the Disney Music Emporium on August 17)

Because it was the first Disney cartoon released in Technicolor, Flowers and Trees holds an esteemed place in animation history. Perhaps it was because of the breakthrough (and Walt Disney’s forward-thinking adoption of the technology) that it captured the Academy Award for best cartoon short. But take away the milestone, and you’re left with a great short nonetheless. It should probably be called Flowers, Trees, Bugs and Birds, because the animators have a field day (no pun intended) with all of the different characters. What makes this short exceptional for me is the way that all of the different characters interact with each other, showing a sort of hyper-real and cartoony symbiosis. However you approach this short, it’s a triumph.

(remember – you can only find The Silly Symphony Collection on vinyl here)

This cartoon is a tough one. On one hand, it’s the very first Disney short that was planned as a color cartoon (Flowers and Trees came first, but it was originally supposed to be black & white), and the animation is humorous and engaging. On the other hand, this is the kind of short that needs an “it’s of its time” apology. Many of the gags revolve around topics that Disney wouldn’t touch today (or for the past several decades), and much of the violence is played for laughs. While groundbreaking, this is one to enjoy without the kids.