Goode Knight

Plot

In this 1934 animated short, Cubby Bear takes on the legendary role of Robin Hood, the prince of thieves, in a whimsical retelling of the classic medieval tale. The story follows Cubby as Robin Hood as he robs from the wealthy nobles to redistribute their riches to the impoverished peasants of Sherwood Forest. Alongside his loyal band of Merry Men, Cubby Bear encounters various comedic situations while evading the clutches of the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham. The short features typical early 1930s cartoon humor with exaggerated physical comedy and surreal gags. The narrative culminates in Robin Hood's triumph over injustice, maintaining the heroic spirit of the original legend while infusing it with the playful energy characteristic of Van Beuren Studios' animation style.

Historical Background

The year 1934 was a pivotal time in American animation, occurring during the Great Depression when audiences sought escapist entertainment in movie theaters. This was the era when theatrical cartoon shorts were becoming a standard part of movie programming, with major studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Fleischer, and Van Beuren competing for audience attention. The animation industry was rapidly evolving technically, with the recent introduction of sound and the beginnings of color technology. Robin Hood stories were particularly popular during this period as they resonated with audiences struggling through economic hardship, featuring themes of taking from the rich to help the poor. Van Beuren Studios, while not as remembered today as Disney, was one of the major players in the animation field during this period, producing numerous shorts that were seen by millions of moviegoers.

Making Of

The production of 'Goode Knight' took place during a fascinating period in animation history when studios were rapidly experimenting with sound, color, and storytelling techniques. Vernon Stallings, who directed this short, was part of a new generation of animators who had transitioned from silent to sound cartoons. The Van Beuren Studios operated out of New York rather than Hollywood, giving their animations a distinct East Coast sensibility. The animation team worked in large, open studios where animators would sit at drawing tables creating thousands of individual drawings for each seven-minute short. The process involved storyboarding, key animation, in-betweening, ink-and-paint work on celluloid sheets, and finally photography under rostrum cameras. The sound was synchronized using the then-cutting-edge optical soundtrack technology, allowing for synchronized dialogue, music, and sound effects.

Visual Style

The cinematography of 'Goode Knight' reflects the standard practices of early 1930s animation photography. The film was shot using rostrum cameras positioned above the animation cels, allowing for precise frame-by-frame capture of the hand-drawn animation. The camera work included basic techniques like panning and tracking shots, which were accomplished by moving the camera or the artwork beneath it. The visual style featured the 'rubber hose' animation style common to the era, with characters having flexible, boneless limbs and exaggerated movements. The backgrounds were typically painted in a simple but effective style that complemented the character animation without overwhelming it.

Innovations

While 'Goode Knight' did not introduce major technical innovations, it represents the state-of-the-art in commercial animation production for its time. The film utilized the then-current techniques of synchronized sound, which had only been integrated into animation a few years earlier. The animation process involved the use of celluloid sheets for layered animation, allowing for more complex scenes with moving backgrounds and multiple characters. The film would have been produced using assembly-line techniques that Van Beuren Studios had developed to compete with larger studios. The color process, if any, would have been limited to two-tone Technicolor or similar early color systems, though many cartoons of this era were still produced in black and white.

Music

The soundtrack for 'Goode Knight' would have been created using early sound-on-film technology, with music, sound effects, and dialogue recorded on an optical track alongside the visual images. The musical score was likely performed by a small studio orchestra using stock music that could be adapted to various cartoon situations. Sound effects were created using the primitive techniques available at the time, including manual Foley work and early electronic sound generation. The voice work, if any, would have been recorded using early microphone technology, giving it the characteristic sound quality of 1930s animation. The overall audio experience would have been a significant improvement over silent cartoons, helping to bring the characters and action to life for audiences experiencing the new medium of sound animation.

Memorable Scenes

• Cubby Bear as Robin Hood executing his trademark arrow-splitting shot, likely with comedic mishap
• The obligatory 'robbing from the rich' sequence featuring exaggerated physical comedy
• The climactic confrontation between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception for individual Van Beuren shorts like 'Goode Knight' was limited, as animation critics were rare in the 1930s and theatrical shorts were generally reviewed as part of the overall film program. Animation historians and critics in retrospect have noted that Van Beuren cartoons, while technically competent, lacked the narrative cohesion and character development of Disney's work. Modern critics often describe the Cubby Bear series as having a distinctive surreal and sometimes chaotic quality that sets it apart from more polished contemporary animation. The shorts are appreciated today for their historical value and unique visual style, though they are generally considered secondary to the works of Disney and Fleischer from the same period.

What Audiences Thought

During its original theatrical run, 'Goode Knight' would have been received as part of the standard entertainment package that audiences expected when attending movies in the 1930s. The Cubby Bear series had a moderate following, though it never achieved the popularity of Mickey Mouse or Betty Boop. Audiences of the time appreciated the physical comedy and visual gags, which were staples of early animation. Modern audiences discovering these cartoons often find them fascinating for their historical value and distinctive animation style, though the humor and pacing may seem dated to contemporary viewers. The surreal elements and sometimes bizarre gags that characterize Van Beuren cartoons have found appreciation among animation enthusiasts and historians.

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