All Wet

Plot

In this classic 1927 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon, Oswald takes a job as a beach lifeguard primarily to keep a close eye on the lovely Miss Rabbit. Seeing Oswald in his official capacity, Miss Rabbit becomes smitten and devises a plan to get his romantic attention by staging a boating accident in the ocean. When she deliberately capsizes her boat and begins calling for help, Oswald rushes to her rescue, creating a series of comedic mishaps and underwater adventures. The short culminates in Oswald successfully saving Miss Rabbit, leading to a romantic resolution between the two characters. The entire cartoon is filled with the rubber-hose animation style typical of the era, featuring exaggerated physical comedy and fluid character movements.

Historical Background

All Wet was released in 1927, a transformative year in cinema history as the industry was transitioning from silent films to 'talkies.' The Jazz Singer had premiered just days before this cartoon's release, revolutionizing the film industry. In animation, 1927 represented a period of rapid technical and artistic advancement, with studios like Disney, Fleischer, and Van Beuren competing to develop more sophisticated characters and storytelling techniques. The Oswald series was particularly significant as it represented Disney's first major success with a recurring animated character. The year also saw the rise of Hollywood's studio system and the establishment of animation as a profitable commercial enterprise. Socially, the Roaring Twenties was in full swing, with audiences seeking escapist entertainment during a period of economic prosperity preceding the Great Depression.

Making Of

All Wet was created during a pivotal but challenging period in Disney's early history. The studio was operating on a tight budget while producing the Oswald series for Universal Pictures. Walt Disney and his team, including key animator Ub Iwerks, were developing their signature animation style, with Oswald showcasing more personality and fluid movement than previous animated characters. The production process involved Disney creating story sketches, which were then handed to animators who would draw the key poses, followed by in-betweeners who created the smooth motion. The beach setting allowed for creative water effects and splash gags that pushed the boundaries of what was possible in 1927 animation. The romantic subplot between Oswald and Miss Rabbit was one of the first examples of ongoing character relationships in animated shorts, helping to establish narrative continuity in the medium.

Visual Style

All Wet was created using traditional cel animation techniques with black and white film stock. The cinematography, while not camera-based in the traditional sense, involved careful planning of shot composition and movement within the animated frame. The water scenes demonstrate innovative techniques for depicting liquid animation, using multiple overlapping cels to create the illusion of depth and movement. The beach setting allowed for wide shots establishing the location, followed by medium and close-up shots focusing on character expressions and actions. The animation team employed the emerging 'rubber-hose' style, where characters had no joints and could bend and stretch in impossible ways, creating a fluid, dreamlike quality that was characteristic of the era's best animation.

Innovations

All Wet showcased several technical innovations for its time, particularly in the animation of water effects. The Disney team developed new techniques for creating realistic water movement using multiple layers of animation cels, a method that would be refined and used throughout their later films. The cartoon also demonstrated advanced character animation, with Oswald showing more personality and emotional range than many animated characters of the period. The smoothness of the animation, achieved through careful timing and spacing of drawings, represented a significant improvement over earlier cartoons. The production team also experimented with camera effects, such as panning and zooming within the animated frame, to create more dynamic sequences. These technical achievements helped establish Disney's reputation for innovation and quality in animation.

Music

As a silent cartoon, All Wet was originally accompanied by live musical performance in theaters. The typical score would have been performed by a theater organist or small orchestra, using popular songs of the era along with original musical cues synchronized to the on-screen action. The music would have been light and comedic during the humorous scenes, becoming more dramatic and romantic during the rescue sequence. When the cartoon was later re-released or shown in revival screenings, it was sometimes accompanied by recorded music from the period. No original score or specific musical cues were composed specifically for this short, as was standard practice for animated shorts of 1927.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence where Oswald enthusiastically takes the lifeguard job, complete with uniform and whistle, showcasing his eager personality and establishing the beach setting with animated waves and sunbathers

What Critics Said

Contemporary reviews of All Wet and other Oswald shorts were generally positive, with critics praising the cartoon's humor, smooth animation, and charming characters. The Motion Picture News noted the series' 'exceptional quality of animation and storytelling' compared to competing cartoons of the era. Modern film historians and animation scholars regard the Oswald series as technically innovative for its time, with All Wet cited as an example of Disney's early mastery of physical comedy and character animation. The cartoon is now appreciated as a significant artifact showing Disney's development before Mickey Mouse, with particular praise for its water effects and fluid character movement. Animation historians often point to this period as when Disney first began implementing the principles of animation that would later be formally documented by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1927 responded enthusiastically to All Wet and the Oswald series, which became popular attractions in theaters across the United States. The cartoons were particularly successful with family audiences, who appreciated the combination of visual humor and romantic elements. Oswald's mischievous yet charming personality resonated with viewers, making him one of the most popular animated characters of the late 1920s. The beach setting and water gags were especially well-received, as they offered visual spectacle that took advantage of the medium's capabilities. Modern audiences who have access to the restored versions of these cartoons often express fascination with the historical significance and early animation techniques, though some find the pacing slower than contemporary animation.

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