Saturday, October 6, 2012

Saturday Silliness: Little Audrey in “Tarts and Flowers”


I've shared this with you before--a couple of years ago, but I think it's time to trot it out again.

In the late 1940’s when Paramount decided not to renew the license to use the popular cartoon character, “Little Lulu,” they came up with their own variation on the idea of the precocious girl—Little Audrey. Though Little Audrey had an entirely different look than her predecessor, she had similar adventures which were often fantastical—like visiting Santa Claus with a group of multi-racial children or even bizarre like traveling to a land ruled by anthropomorphized cake.

The idea of the “Land of Cake” was a carry-over from the 1920’s and 1930’s when standard cartoon subject matter often featured rather unsettling microcosms filled with knee-bending creatures which were made of the same material as the land which they inhabited.

The viewers of the late 1940’s cartoon, “Tarts and Flowers” are almost relieved to know that Audrey is dreaming about this grotesque land of breathing baked goods. However, that comfort is yanked away in the final seconds of the short.

Enjoy!





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