It all started with Alice...
September 23, 2009 3:04 PM   Subscribe

 
I love the 1923 Alice's music! So charming, especially matched with the dialogue cards. Great find, I'm looking forward to going through all of these.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 3:15 PM on September 23, 2009


What a coincidence, I recently was introduced to these cartoons at The Alamo Drafthouse (the South Lamar location). They play silent movies and films in the lobby.

The Alice cartoon they played was "Alice's Egg Plant" where an evil Commie Chicken tries to get Alice's hens to stop laying eggs and brainwash them with some kind of crazy idea about unions or fair pay or something.
posted by fontophilic at 3:23 PM on September 23, 2009


That was the first one I saw too, fontophilic! Little Red Henski!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:29 PM on September 23, 2009


Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?
posted by OwlBoy at 3:42 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'd seen the 1923 Alice and had no idea there were so many shorts with her. I'll have to watch them all. Thanks!
posted by immlass at 3:42 PM on September 23, 2009


I really should have added a link for those who did not get my reference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsrfovOPcjk
posted by OwlBoy at 3:43 PM on September 23, 2009


There are around 40 more Alice Comedies with other actresses out there, which I haven't compiled here, immlass!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:46 PM on September 23, 2009


OMG she was *soooo* cute! The warning was not enough! *ded*

These short films are just so lovely. Perfect for the afternoon, thank you!
posted by saturnine at 4:20 PM on September 23, 2009 [1 favorite]


I know some of the old Mickey shorts were later synched with sound, were any of the Alice shorts redone in such a way?
posted by filthy light thief at 4:20 PM on September 23, 2009


filthy light thief: yes, I know Alice's Egg Plant was... this version seems to be pretty old and I'm sure most of them were, at some point. The question of what exactly qualifies as sync sound depends, in a sense, on the exhibition practice. I'd be very interested to see an elucidation on the history of the adjustments to silent shorts' soundtracks, though.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 4:37 PM on September 23, 2009


Are these films still under copyright?
posted by Jubal Kessler at 5:06 PM on September 23, 2009


Now THAT's classic cartoons!
posted by briank at 5:07 PM on September 23, 2009


Nice post! Just wanted to point out that a bunch of these Alice Films have the bobbed-hair Margie Gaye as the star (her first Alice film is Alice Solves the Puzzle); Alice's Egg Plant stars Dawn O'Day (which is a completely awesome name!).

There was a fourth Alice in 1927, Lois Hardwicke.

BTW, Margaret Winkler was the first female film distributor.

More info here.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:18 PM on September 23, 2009


Jubal Kessler: Disney didn't copyright any films at all until late 1926.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:19 PM on September 23, 2009


So she was 90 in 2009, so that makes her 0 in 1919, or 4 in 1923. Wow.

And what's gonna happen with the big DANGER she's standing in front of...
posted by DU at 5:30 PM on September 23, 2009


hero.
posted by Hammond Rye at 6:35 PM on September 23, 2009


Rest in peace, Alice. Now she really HAS gone down the rabbit hole. I bet she took the red pill.
posted by jamstigator at 6:52 PM on September 23, 2009


Great post Ambrosia Voyeur.
posted by Sailormom at 7:32 PM on September 23, 2009


Wonderful post AV, thanks.
posted by -t at 9:50 PM on September 23, 2009


Terrific post, thanks!
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:08 PM on September 23, 2009


OH NOES! those lions almost eated her!
posted by sexyrobot at 1:40 AM on September 24, 2009


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