Alice Rattled by Rats

About the production

This was the 19th film in the Alice Comedies series. The film combined live-action sequences with animation, a pioneering technique for the time. The production faced challenges with synchronizing the live-action footage of Margie Gay as Alice with the animated sequences. The rats were animated using the traditional cel animation method, with each frame hand-drawn and painted.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Archival paperwork links Alice Rattled by Rats to a 1925 release handled by Walt Disney Productions.

Why this film matters

The plot's emphasis on while alice is away, her cat is guarding the house mirrors popular narrative habits of the 1925 period.

Making of

The Alice Comedies were created after Disney lost the rights to his earlier character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks worked tirelessly in their small studio in Los Angeles, often working late into the night to meet deadlines. Margie Gay, who played Alice, was just a child actress and had to be carefully directed during the live-action segments. The animation team would shoot the live-action footage first, then create animated sequences around it. The rats' dance sequence was particularly challenging to animate, requiring careful timing to match the musical accompaniment that would be played during theater screenings. The production team often reused animation cycles to save time and money, a practice that was common in the industry at the time.

What critics said

Film historians reference Alice Rattled by Rats in surveys of 1925 output from its studio tier.

Did you know?

• This was part of Disney's Alice Comedies series, which ran from 1923 to 1927 and produced 57 short films
• Margie Gay, who played Alice, was one of several actresses to portray the character in the series
• The film features an early example of cartoon violence that would later become a staple of animation
• The home-brew sequence was considered somewhat controversial for its depiction of alcohol consumption
• This short was released just before Disney created his first fully animated character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
• The rats in this film were animated by Ub Iwerks, Disney's key collaborator at the time
• The film's title follows the alliterative pattern Disney used for many Alice Comedies
• The bathtub scene was reused animation from earlier Alice Comedies to save production costs
• This was one of the last Alice Comedies before Disney lost the rights to the character
• The explosion finale was achieved using multiple animation cels layered to create the effect

Visual style

The film combined live-action cinematography with traditional cel animation. The live-action segments were shot in black and white using standard cameras of the era, with careful attention to lighting to ensure smooth integration with the animated elements. The animation was created using the cel technique, where characters were drawn on transparent celluloid sheets and photographed over background paintings. The film used innovative matting techniques to blend the live-action and animated elements, creating the illusion that Alice was interacting with the cartoon characters. The explosion sequence utilized multiple exposure techniques to create a more dynamic visual effect.

Innovations

The film's primary technical achievement was the seamless integration of live-action and animation elements. Disney and his team developed innovative matting and compositing techniques to create the illusion of interaction between the live-action Alice and the animated characters. The animation itself showed increasing sophistication in movement and character expression compared to earlier entries in the series. The film also demonstrated advances in timing and rhythm, particularly in the synchronized dance sequence of the rats. The explosion finale utilized multiple animation layers to create a more complex visual effect than was typical for shorts of this period.

Music

As a silent film, Alice Rattled by Rats would have been accompanied by live music during theater screenings. The musical score would have been performed by a theater organist or small orchestra, often using compiled music from various sources. The score would have included popular songs of the era and classical pieces chosen to match the on-screen action. The rats' dancing sequence would have been accompanied by upbeat jazz music, reflecting the Roaring Twenties aesthetic. The bomb sequence would have featured dramatic, tension-building music typical of silent film accompaniment. No original score was composed specifically for this short.

Memorable scenes

• The cat's intoxicated antics after falling into the home-brew vat, where he stumbles and sees double
• The rats' elaborate dance sequence in the now-empty house, showcasing synchronized animation
• The bathtub scene where the rats play in the water, creating bubbles and splashes
• The climactic explosion sequence where the bomb detonates, sending characters and trees flying

What audiences thought

The Alice Comedies were popular with theater audiences in the mid-1920s, particularly with children and families. Alice Rattled by Rats would have been shown as part of a theater program alongside newsreels and feature films. The combination of a real girl (Alice) with cartoon characters was novel and appealing to audiences of the time. The slapstick comedy and visual gags translated well across language barriers, making the series popular internationally. The film's playful tone and exaggerated action sequences were well-received by audiences looking for lighthearted entertainment during the prosperous Roaring Twenties.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Felix the Cat cartoons
• Out of the Inkwell series by Max Fleischer
• Early Warner Bros. animation
• Mutt and Jeff comics

This film influenced

• Later Alice Comedies
• Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shorts
• Early Mickey Mouse cartoons
• Silly Symphonies series

Film restoration

The film is preserved in the Disney archives and has been restored as part of the Alice Comedies collection. Some original prints exist in film archives and private collections. The film has been released on home video as part of Disney Treasures collections and is available through various archival sources.

Where to watch

• Disney+ streaming service
• Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities DVD collection
• Various public domain archives
• Film archives and museums
• Classic animation streaming services