Eveready Harton in Buried Treasure
Plot
This underground animated short follows the adventures of Eveready Harton, a character with exaggerated anatomical features, as he travels through various landscapes searching for treasure. The film consists of a series of vignettes where Harton encounters different characters and situations, all presented with explicit sexual content typical of stag films of the era. The narrative progresses through countryside scenes, urban settings, and various encounters, maintaining a comedic approach to its adult themes throughout. The animation style is characteristic of late 1920s cartoons, with rubber hose animation and exaggerated character movements.
Director
E. HardonAbout the Production
This was an underground stag film created anonymously, believed to be produced by a group of animators from major studios working on the side. The film was made without sound, as was typical for animations of 1928-1929, and was distributed privately rather than through conventional channels. Multiple animators are believed to have contributed, though exact credits remain unknown due to the clandestine nature of the production.
Historical Background
Created during the transition from silent to sound cinema and just before the enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934, this film represents a brief window when adult content could be produced more freely in American cinema. The late 1920s saw a flourishing of underground stag films, with animation being a relatively new medium for such content. This period also marked the height of the rubber hose animation style, which is evident in the film's technique. The Great Depression was beginning, which may have motivated some animators to take on underground work for additional income.
Why This Film Matters
This film holds a unique place in animation history as one of the earliest examples of adult-oriented animated content. It demonstrates that from animation's earliest days, the medium was used for adult themes, not just children's entertainment. The film has become a subject of academic study for animation historians interested in underground cinema and pre-Hays Code productions. Its existence challenges common perceptions about the history of animation as primarily a family-friendly medium.
Making Of
The production of 'Eveready Harton in Buried Treasure' remains shrouded in mystery due to its underground nature. It's believed that professional animators from major studios created it anonymously, possibly as a side project or private joke. The animation quality suggests experienced hands, with techniques comparable to commercial cartoons of the era. The film was likely created in 1928-1929, just as sound was being introduced to animation, which explains its silent format. Distribution was handled through clandestine channels, with copies being expensive and difficult to obtain. The exact number of animators involved and the true identity of 'E. Hardon' (likely a pseudonym) remain unknown to this day.
Visual Style
The film employs standard black and white animation techniques of the late 1920s, utilizing the rubber hose animation style popular during that era. The character movements are fluid and exaggerated, typical of the period. The backgrounds are relatively simple but effective, and the animation quality suggests professional animators were involved despite the underground nature of the production.
Innovations
While not groundbreaking in technical terms, the film demonstrates competent use of animation techniques prevalent in the late 1920s. The quality of the animation suggests experienced animators were involved, making it technically impressive for an underground production of its time.
Music
As a silent film from 1929, it would have originally been shown with live musical accompaniment. No original score was composed specifically for the film. Modern versions may have added music, but the original was presented without synchronized sound.
Memorable Scenes
- The opening sequence introducing the main character
- Various encounter sequences throughout the journey
Did You Know?
- Considered one of the earliest known erotic animated cartoons in cinema history
- The film was circulated privately among wealthy collectors and was never intended for public exhibition
- Multiple theories suggest animators from Disney, Fleischer Studios, or other major studios may have worked on it anonymously
- The character name 'Eveready Harton' is a pun referencing both the Eveready battery company and male arousal
- For decades, only fragmented copies existed, with complete versions being extremely rare
- The film predates the Hays Code enforcement, which would have made such content impossible to produce legally afterward
- Animation historians debate whether it was made as a private joke among animators or for the underground stag film market
- The surviving copies show remarkable animation quality for an underground production of the era
- It was sometimes shown at exclusive men's clubs and private gatherings during the 1930s-1950s
- The film has been studied by animation historians as an example of pre-Code adult animation
What Critics Said
Due to its underground nature, the film received no formal critical reception upon release. Modern animation historians and critics who have studied it generally view it as a historical curiosity rather than an artistic achievement, though some acknowledge the technical skill evident in the animation. It's typically discussed in academic contexts rather than reviewed as entertainment.
What Audiences Thought
Originally intended for private adult audiences, the film was circulated among collectors and shown at exclusive gatherings. Modern audiences rarely encounter the film except in academic or historical contexts. Those who have seen it often express surprise at its existence and the quality of animation given its underground origins.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Stag films of the 1920s
- Commercial animation of the late 1920s
This Film Influenced
- Later underground adult animations
- Academic studies of pre-Code animation
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Film Restoration
Rare - few copies exist, mostly in private collections and film archives. The film is considered historically significant enough to have been preserved by some film archives despite its adult content.