Musical Moments from Chopin
| Musical Moments with Chopin | |
|---|---|
| Musical Miniatures series | |
| Directed by | Dick Lundy |
| Produced by | Walter Lantz |
| Music by | Frédéric Chopin |
| Animation by | Laverne Harding, Les Kline |
| Backgrounds by | Fred Brunish |
| Studio | Walter Lantz Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | February 24, 1947 |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 8 minutes |
| Language | English |
Musical Moments from Chopin is an Academy Award-nominated Andy Panda cartoon, co-starring Woody Woodpecker, made in 1946, released in 1947.
As the name implies, it is a treatment of music by Frédéric Chopin, with animated nonsense as accompaniment. This is the second Dick Lundy piece to be nominated for an Academy Award, who directed all of Walter Lantz' classical music cartoon series.[1]
In the history of Woody Woodpecker, his eyes varied between being plain black dots, or having green Irises. This is the first appearance of the green eyes since The Barber of Seville in 1944[2]
The Film
This clip starts with Andy Panda performing a Chopin polonaise on stage. As he does so, Woody Woodpecker wanders out and starts polishing the piano, and seems impressed by Andy's playing. Woody then plays along with Andy on following songs, either on the same or another grand piano, with increasing cut-aways to the animal audience and their own antics.
This film, part of the Musical Miniatures series, was nominated for an Academy Award, Best Short Subject, 1947.[3]
The Show
In 1958, a television show called The Woody Woodpecker Show premiered, which continued on the air in various form for the next four decades. Episode 18 of its first season included Musical Moments from Chopin, along with a 1948 short called Wacky Weed, and a making-of involving Walter Lantz and storyboarding.[4]
References
- ↑ Who's who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television
He likewise handled direction of Lantz's Musical Miniatures series, backed by classical music performed by a fifty-piece orchestra, including two Academy Award nominees: The Poet & Peasant (1946), starring Andy Panda, and Musical Moments from Chopin (1947), co-starring Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker. - ↑ The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: 1947
The first appearance of Woody with green eyes since The Barber of Seville (1944). - ↑ Musical Moments From Chopin
- ↑ Wacky Weed/ Musical Moments From Chopin/A Moment With Walter Lantz/Beach Nut
Wacky Weed: (1948) Andy Panda does battle with a garden weed with a mind of its own. Musical Moments From Chopin: (1947) Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda team up for a piano duet despite several distractions, including a fire. A Moment With Walter Lantz: Learn about the use of storyboards and the importance of layouts. Beach Nut: (1944) Woody's wacky antics annoy Wally Walrus at the seashore.