''Monkey Melodies'' is a ''

Silly Symphonies ''Silly Symphony'' is an American animated series of 75 musical short films produced by Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939. As the series name implies, the ''Silly Symphonies'' were originally intended as whimsical accompaniments to pieces ...

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

. It was released in 1930 as the 13th film in the ''

Silly Symphony ''Silly Symphony'' is an American animated series of 75 musical short films produced by Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939. As the series name implies, the ''Silly Symphonies'' were originally intended as whimsical accompaniments to pieces ...

'' Series.

Plot

All the animals in the jungle are singing and dancing, mostly monkeys and other primates with birds and crocodiles having their own dance numbers. The plot centers around two of the monkeys who are in love and express their romance in the form of dance and rhythm throughout the film.

Production

The production of ''Monkey Melodies'' took place from July to August 1930. During production, the animators didn't utilize

model sheet In visual arts, a model sheet, also known as a character board, character sheet, character study or simply a study, is a document used to help standardize the appearance, poses, and gestures of a character in arts such as animation, comics, and v ...

s to keep the characters designs consistent. Depending on the artist, the monkeys would be drawn using distinct styles.'' The film showcases a number of songs and tunes including, ''Down in Jungle Town'' (1908,

Edward Madden Edward Madden (July 17, 1878 – March 11, 1952) was an American lyricist. Early life Madden was born in New York City and graduated from Fordham University. After graduation, he wrote material for many singers including Fanny Brice and ...

& Theodore Morse)'',

Aba Daba Honeymoon "Aba Daba Honeymoon" is a popular song written and published by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan in 1914, known through its chorus, "Aba daba daba daba daba daba dab, Said the chimpie to the monk; Baba daba daba daba daba daba dab, Said the monke ...

'' (1914,

Arthur Fields Arthur Fields (August 6, 1884 – March 29, 1953) was an American singer (baritone) and songwriter. Biography He was born Abraham Finkelstein in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up mainly in Utica, New York. He became a professional ...

& Walter Donovan)'', Narcissus'' (1899,

Ethelbert Nevin Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (November 25, 1862February 17, 1901) was an American pianist and composer. Early life Nevin was born on November 25, 1862, at Vineacre, on the banks of the Ohio River, in Edgeworth, Pennsylvania.Mulkearn, Lois, p. 62 ...

)'', At a Georgia Camp Town Meeting'' (1897,

Kerry Mills Kerry Mills ''(né'' Frederick Allen Mills; 1 February 1869 in Philadelphia – 5 December 1948 in Hawthorne, California), publishing also as F.A. Mills was an American ragtime composer and music publishing executive of popular music during the Ti ...

), and a brief use of the tune ''

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

'' ( W.C. Handy).

Reception

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' (October 15, 1930): "Just a wee bit better than the usual run of cartoon shorts. Given good musical synchronization, which draws a few laughs along with antics of the cartoon characters. Here it is two monks who are the sweethearts, with an alligator the villain. Usual stuff, cooked up in a different manner." ''

Motion Picture News The ''Motion Picture News'' was an American film industry trade paper published from 1913 to 1930. History The publication was created through the 1913 merger of the ''Moving Picture News'' founded in 1908 and ''The Exhibitors' Times'', founded ...

'' (October 18, 1930): "Foolishly Clever: Everything else, it seems, has had its cartoon day. Now it's the monkeys. Walt Disney has fairly outdone himself in the assortment of ridiculous postures and gyrations through which he puts his pen-and-ink characters. Cartoons are diverting when they get foolishly clever. Which is exactly what the producer has done with ''Monkey Melodies''. ''

The Film Daily ''The Film Daily'' was a daily publication that existed from 1918 to 1970 in the United States. It was the first daily newspaper published solely for the film industry. It covered the latest trade news, film reviews, financial updates, informatio ...

'' (October 26, 1930): "A little love episode in the jungle, with two simians as the sweethearts and an alligator as the menacing villain, provides the framework for this cartoon comedy. Entirely well done both in action and in synchronized score."

Home media

The short was released on December 19, 2006, on '' Walt Disney Treasures: More Silly Symphonies, Volume Two''.

References

# “Walt Disney's ‘Monkey Melodies (1930).” ''Walt Disney's "Monkey Melodies (1930),''http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/walt-disneys-monkey-melodies-1930.

External links

* *http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/walt-disneys-monkey-melodies-1930/ on Cartoonresearch *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGQt3ofaYts on YouTube American animated short films 1930 short films 1930s Disney animated short films Silly Symphonies 1930 animated films 1930 films Films directed by Burt Gillett Films produced by Walt Disney American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures animated short films Columbia Pictures short films Animated films without speech Animated films set in jungles Animated films about monkeys 1930s American films {{Disney-animation-film-stub