''Night'' 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 by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

Summary

The short opens to

Piano Sonata No. 14 (Beethoven) The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked ''Quasi una fantasia'', Op. 27, No. 2, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven. It was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The popular name ''Mo ...

, the Moonlight Sonata. The sonata is hummed by the moon. Subsequently, several pairs of animals (owls, insects) dance to the sound of the sonata. Fireflies, while flying, also turn on their lights to the sound of the music. Mosquitoes and a frog walk on a lake to the sound of the music, although the frog eats the mosquitoes with its long tongue. The frog swims towards a leaf to woo a female frog, while another frog conducts a small symphony orchestra of frogs.

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), ...

'' (May 14, 1930): "Another of those ''Silly Symphonies'' from the Disney pen, and very good. Plenty funny, this one, with some new animation tricks to intrigue the trade as well as the public. It can play to any capacity and click. Script layout is episodic, change in characters coinciding with the switch in melodies. Principal innovation accompanies the well-known "Glow Worm" tune, fireflies in flight lighting up in cadence with the music. As far as known it's the first time in any cartoon for this effect. Otherwise, the moon "tra-la's" an accompaniment as its beams frolic on the water, there are a couple of comedy owls, and a bullfrog chorus which slightly slows up the pace but which can be cut at will without smearing the main impression. A trio of mosquitoes and a pair of ingenuous prancing bugs, unfolding the well-known mannerisms of hoofers, add to the merit of the reel. Old folks, as well as the kids, have evidenced a strong liking for this series. They won't be disappointed in ''Night''." ''

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 ...

'' (June 28, 1930): "Clever: A lot of fun in this nonsensical cartoon. Owls performing jazz steps on water lilies; wasps turning collegiate; and even the man in the moon going in for the shimmy. Nicely synchronized and extremely diverting. Fine for any bill and particularly adaptable for hot weather entertainment. Recommended with no reservations."

Home media

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

References

External links

* 1930 films 1930 short films 1930s Disney animated short films Silly Symphonies Films directed by Walt Disney Films produced by Walt Disney 1930 animated films American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures animated short films Columbia Pictures short films Animated films without speech Animated films about frogs 1930s American films Films about mosquitoes {{1930s-Disney-animation-film-stub