Amature Nite

Plot

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit attends an Amateur Night show where he watches various performances including the 'Hippy Hippos,' 'St. Louie Blues,' and 'Quacky Quacks.' Unlike the rest of the audience who enthusiastically applaud each act, Oswald's reactions are consistently opposite to theirs. The other audience members become increasingly agitated by Oswald's contrary responses and eventually force him to conform to their collective reactions. The short serves as a commentary on conformity versus individuality, with Oswald maintaining his unique perspective despite pressure from the crowd. The film ends with Oswald either escaping or being compelled to join in the audience's synchronized reactions.

Historical Background

1929 was a watershed year in American history and cinema. The stock market crash in October marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which would profoundly affect the entertainment industry. In animation, this was the year of the great sound revolution, with 'Steamboat Willie' (1928) having demonstrated the commercial viability of synchronized sound cartoons just months earlier. The Oswald character transfer from Disney to Lantz represented one of the most significant business disputes in early animation history. This period saw animation evolving from simple novelty acts to a legitimate cinematic art form with increasing technical sophistication. The variety show format reflected the dominant entertainment style of the 1920s, before the Great Depression would shift American tastes toward escapist entertainment.

Making Of

The production of 'Amature Nite' occurred during a tumultuous period in animation history. Walter Lantz had recently taken over the Oswald series after Universal Pictures, which owned the character, ended its distribution deal with Walt Disney. This transition meant Lantz had to establish his own version of Oswald while maintaining the character's established popularity. The film was created during the industry-wide shift to sound, requiring new techniques for synchronizing animation with audio tracks. The animation team would have worked with early sound equipment, likely using the Photophone system or similar technology. The variety show format reflected the popular entertainment of the era, drawing from vaudeville traditions. The pressure to produce Oswald shorts quickly was intense, as Universal needed to maintain the character's market presence without Disney's creative input.

Visual Style

The visual style of 'Amature Nite' reflects the animation techniques of the late 1920s, featuring the rubber hose animation style characteristic of the period. The black and white cinematography would have been standard for animated shorts of this era, with careful attention to contrast and clarity to ensure the images would read well on theater screens. The animation likely used cel animation on paper, with backgrounds painted separately. The film would have been shot on 35mm film, the industry standard. The camera work would have been relatively static by modern standards, focusing on clear presentation of the animated action. The visual storytelling emphasizes character expressions and physical comedy, with Oswald's reactions providing the central comedic element.

Innovations

The primary technical achievement of 'Amature Nite' lies in its implementation of synchronized sound during the early days of sound animation. The coordination of audio with animation required new workflows and technical innovations that were still being developed in 1929. The film demonstrates the sophisticated use of sound effects and music to enhance comedic timing, a technique that was still being perfected during this period. The animation itself shows the increasing complexity of character movement and expression possible by the late 1920s. The production would have utilized the latest animation equipment and techniques available in 1929, representing the state of the art in commercial animation at that time.

Music

As a 1929 production, 'Amature Nite' would have featured synchronized sound, which was revolutionary for animation at the time. The soundtrack would have included musical accompaniment, sound effects, and possibly dialogue or vocalizations. The 'St. Louie Blues' performance mentioned in the plot suggests the inclusion of popular music of the era. The sound technology would have been cutting-edge for 1929, likely using systems like Photophone or Movietone. The audio would have been recorded on optical tracks printed directly on the film. The sound design would have emphasized the contrast between the audience's reactions and Oswald's contrary responses, using audio cues to enhance the comedy. The musical score would have reflected the popular styles of late 1920s America.

Memorable Scenes

• The sequence where Oswald consistently reacts opposite to the audience during the various performances, creating comedic tension and highlighting the theme of individuality versus conformity.

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception of 'Amature Nite' is difficult to document due to the limited coverage of animated shorts in 1929 publications. However, Oswald cartoons were generally well-received by audiences and critics during this period, with the character maintaining popularity despite the change in creative leadership. Animation historians have since noted the technical sophistication of late 1920s shorts like this one, particularly in their use of synchronized sound. Modern critics and animation scholars view these early Lantz Oswald shorts as important historical artifacts that show the rapid evolution of animation techniques and storytelling during the transition to sound. The film is appreciated for its documentation of early animation practices and its place in the broader narrative of character animation development.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1929 would have received 'Amature Nite' as part of a typical theater program, likely shown before a feature film. Oswald remained popular with moviegoers despite the change from Disney to Lantz, though the character's popularity would eventually decline in the early 1930s. The variety show format would have been familiar and entertaining to contemporary audiences, reflecting the popular entertainment styles of the era. The humor of Oswald's contrary reactions to the performances would have appealed to the comedy sensibilities of late 1920s audiences. Modern audiences viewing the film today primarily experience it as a historical artifact, appreciating its place in animation history and its documentation of early sound animation techniques.

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