Walt Disney's The Old Mill (1937)

One of the greatest animated shorts EVER!!! If you aspire to be an animator, you must watch and study this film.
Here's some general foreground of this film. During this time, Walt was very busy making Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, in order to create special effects in Snow White in the way Walt envisioned them, the animators had to run tests. They had to see if these effects were even possible and they wanted to see the audiences reactions.
Walt wanted Snow White to be as lifelike as possible so the audience would observe the movie as a live action film rather then a cartoon. Unfortunately, animation is in 2D so Walt and his staff came up with a solution called "The Multiplane Camera" which gave animation a 3D effect.
Different uses of lightning, color, and realism in animals was experimented in this film.
Walt won an Oscar for this film and totally deserved it.
(C) Disney
If you are the owner or the lawyer of the owner of this film, please contact me before Flagging the video. This is merely for promoting the film to the public.

[@manjaresandhya5635]

How many people are watching this in 2024😊

[@Lolli64]

Me in April 2024 😊

[@user-bi8cb2zm2m]

في أبريل

[@DylanThomasJurosovichXXX]

I am!

[@user-xd2ml8dn9h]

April 2024

[@miguelbeuve]

April, this film is a masterpiece

[@carloswater7]

Disney needs to become this charming again.

[@kaj7135]

Maybe they will after they fire all of the self-righteous woketard dipshit virtue signalers.

[@jennifererin6808]

After Walt died everything changed . He loved the animal kingdom so much as shown thru his earlier works . Such wonderful art we don't see anymore .

[@algorasm2565]

It's too infested with the deviant types now...i won't let my child watch it .

[@ElementofKindness]

Not just Disney, but society in general. Sadly, it would never be possible in this current world.

[@notvaxed]

We need a racist in charge of this company again

[@sweetnovember9346]

I want this kind of animation back!!

[@OmegaRedFan]

Learn how to draw

[@NashaBelle78]

Disney believe...who miss those days...will coming back here to watch again...😅😘

[@teresitaviera3000]

Ya nada vuelve atrás, recien le dije a mi nieta, se fue a su tablet.

[@tiba2603]

Same

[@user-yi1ho1ri6f]

I miss those kind of animations it's very cool for me

[@magraotkll]

A masterpiece forgotten by my memory. Out of nowhere appearing to me, nearly 40 years later. I was afraid of this animation when I was a kid. The windmill threatening to collapse with the storm, and the mother bird trying to protect her eggs scared me a lot. And I watched it all today with the same feelings I had when I was a kid. Which proves that this animation is indeed a timeless masterpiece.

[@chadparke1351]

The same thing happened with me when I came upon jack frost 1934. I saw it when I was about three, I remembered it was a bit scary for a child, though as an adult I couldn't but help but notice just how detailed it was

[@nancynoble1164]

Yes, I had the same feelings also so so worried about the bird’s eggs being destroyed! Though, it must have contributed to the compassion I have had these many years later….

[@heckzotica]

Same.

[@borntoclimb7116]

Same

[@michaelboldireff9122]

WOW 1.21 Gigawatts

[@GrahamChapman]

No hero, no princesses, no romance, no villain. Just an old windmill, some animals and a storm. Yet so very captivating none the less.

[@christianmoralesortiz4688]

GrahamChapman indeed

[@andyjay729]

It's more captivating for that very reason. It's "slice of life" taken to its purest form.

[@blisscick]

GrahamChapman love the Monty Python

[@blisscick]

GrahamChapman I think maybe time in the storm are the villain. There's plenty of romance amongst the animals, the hero is life itself, and even though I didn't see a prince or princess you don't need those things to make a work of art.

[@FoxItAll]

@@blisscick i saw the old mill as the hero and the storm the villain. the mill protected the animals and fought the storm.

[@ugarajahgovindasamy6933]

This masterpiece won a 1937 Oscar for Best Short Film (Animated).What fascinates me is the pair of doves madly in love without slightly bothered by the raging thunderstorm!

[@UnleashthePhury]

That’s love for you

[@ugarajahgovindasamy6933]

@@UnleashthePhury No,that's love for doves.

[@bigmeknurgle]

The intro shot with the spider spinning its web at dusk with the strands getting hit with light and becoming visible as they stretch under the spiders weight really shows much much thought, effort and passion put into this kind of animation back then. It was just a fleeting detail, and it's absolutely perfect.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Yeah, this love for little detail is what set Disney apart from competition for many decades - their animation quality was just unrivaled. Wish they would still be as good as that and make quality stuff like this nowadays instead of just milking profit off their old franchises.

[@julius_the_python]

That's exactly what made old Disney so great.

[@jotabeferre8176]

Naquela época as pessoas penssavam ,hoje so pensam em política ,drogas

[@danielsantos5137]

The layering of the spider-web and the mill and the background was made possible by the revolutionary multi-plane camera, which Walt Disney himself invented.

[@SuperPyst]

I really like how perpetually irritated the owl looks, he's not scared, just sick of the weather.

[@trinelangohr6661]

That's how Disney became big: positive vibes, good ideas and painstaking animation. The light on the spiderweb alone (at the intro and outro) is breathtakingly beautiful.

[@smr61754]

I miss this kind of animation.....sigh....

[@Gnomo1111]

digh

[@Giblet12]

MalakaiXedTheAnimator It’s because it wouldn’t be feasible. It’s not as cost effective as digital animation.

[@joemancini327]

Just look at crappy old food fight and the emoji movie, God their like experiencing hell

[@paleomotions833]

Nigga I can guarantee you weren’t alive to watch this shit in theatres how tf you missing it

[@joemancini327]

what is? the Food fight stuff or they don't use cell animation which one?

[@acca5512]

I've always loved this cartoon. It tells a story without saying a word.

[@dreamguardian8320]

Like Fantasia.

[@AntonioSilva-ww4eu]

This is simple everything. Nothing will ever beat this cartoon. It is just everything. I remember crying while the storm was happening. I was so scared for the baby birds and their mother! But then they had an happy ending so as the other animals!!!! I just love this so much!

[@ashiaijaz7858]

Ooh topo i

[@saramarino8683]

Ett FM nn Z=

[@saramarino8683]

c o

[@hassaanmirza4628]

77 years later and it's still as emotionally resonant, and artistically beautiful as ever.

[@28TheJasc]

Hassaan Mirza 80 years

[@user-ko1hi1fy9z]

81 years?

[@monterrang1]

november 5 1937

[@danielosullivan3753]

Hassaan Mirza l

[@anonymousperson1466]

Very true

[@goodToBeLost]

There's something so peaceful about old movies, animated and otherwise.

[@steamboatwill3.367]

those weren´t peacefull times tho.

[@mottledbrain]

@@steamboatwill3.367 Odd, isn't it. I, too, find them (often) peaceful. Strange ..

[@velikimilos]

Cause they are neutral. They are over. We watch them from distance...

[@sherriianiro747]

I believe the most poignant difference between hand - drawn and CGI is the fact you can watch a hand drawn animation a dozen times and STILL manage to find something different you didn't notice before. The creativity is phenomenal and I truly wish we had another Walt Disney today. He hired the best and he was the best!

[@chrisbundy6104]

Too true

[@brucedockery5677]

So many things: The old man just wanting left alone (owl) The mother willing to die for her children (bird) The scared and helpless, just hoping for survival (mice) The lovers that neither notice not care about anything around them (doves) The loudmouths at the watering hole, that talk , but are cowards, when it comes to it. (frogs) Those that missed the danger, and are oblivious to the destruction (bats)

[@BluTaiger]

I dunno, it seems to me that the bats were most likely out IN the storm.

[@indigohippee]

They shortened this when they played it on the Disney channel when I was a kid, it started with the storm and ended shortly after the lightning bolt, and all I can say TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY FREAKIN YEARS wondering if the little birdie and her eggs were okay, and now as I am going into my third year of college in the fall, I'm going to sleep like an angel tonight having FINALLY seen a happy ending for the little blue birdie and her little babies!!1! ;_; I can now move on in my adulthood...

[@MaliceInCandyland]

Disney has shortened versions of their old cartoons. I think they assume that kids don't have the attention span for 7-10 min shorts with little or no talking. Which is ridiculous, and also adults watch these cartoons too. You can also find the full versions, of course.

[@hellkeeperXYZ]

This is what Disney is/was all about. Making small masterpieces... Not making another Star Wars movie or real life comedy shows...

[@kkstar1297]

I like Disney's comedy shows. But not Star Wars. I'm not really into that.

[@sargondp69]

Cult from the beginning. Learn the symbolism: on full display here if you know the elements.

[@princessfatima4957]

Disney isn’t...Disney fr lol

[@TheChoujinVirus]

Welcome to the magical world of late-stage capitalism

[@cuchulain1647]

Unfortunately you’re operating under the assumption that others have as good taste as you.

[@elcautivadormundodeloslibr108]

This cartoon is a work of art.

[@davidwesley2525]

All animation companies need to bring this style of animation back. 💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘

[@elcautivadormundodeloslibr108]

@@davidwesley2525 Good afternoon . . .I think the same that you💘💘💘

[@user-uo7up8zm2y]

​@@davidwesley2525 ❤

[@splatboy8318]

There are many reasons why the late 1920s to the 1960s are considered to be the golden era of animation. This is one of those.

[@nodlon20]

In the 1950s I saw this, I was about 3 or 4 years old. I started crying when I thought the little birds were going to get killed. Disney instilled in me a great love for nature and animals.

[@MontagZoso]

Same here and my husband is the same way too!

[@whitered_flowers_forget]

you are a good person!

[@mrRizwanFantastic]

Marlene Ansley what your age know

[@9036164689]

Today 🤔....

[@whitered_flowers_forget]

@@9036164689 picles

[@user-10021]

It’s crazy how this almost 100 year old piece looks so much better than most media today... that’s sad

[@zachricher]

I like the music

[@Manuel91737]

Yes so true!

[@elaifa-pt6nc]

ahh the good old days...pure magic

[@dreamguardian8320]

Indeed.

[@stacyharris4824]

I am 60 yrs. Old & it brings me back to my childhood & better times . Whoever would have thought that Disney would turn into what it is now ?

[@themoondial2627]

Walt would be turning in his grave.

[@darthstarkiller1912]

"The Old Mill" was just been chosen as one of 25 films placed this year in the National Film Registry, for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". A well-deserved preservation for this amazing cartoon made almost 80 years ago.

[@A_A610]

They were all originally experiments to more properly test the combination of animation and sound outside the Mickey shorts, with Old Mill being the most intensive test of the effects Walt wanted to use in Snow White. The other Silly Symphonies shorts are a little bit more humorous in style because they were still meant to be animation. Old Mill was supposed to emulate live action and feel more realistic, and thus took a more serious tone than the other shorts released under the Silly Symphonies name.

[@riteshpal8785]

+godzillachild hhgg

[@riteshpal8785]

+godzillachild hhgg

[@amb1273]

Just imagine. The windmill was practically a "living entity". It was the 1930s when Disney made this animated short, and about two decades prior, windmills became obsolete in the United States as steam-powered engines took over to process grains within farms. With the cows in the background, we can see that this long-decommissioned and long-abandoned windmill was once a house for generating natural power for processing grains within the local farm, in which most of the farm was off-camera here. I'm also more than certain that old abandoned windmills once cluttered rural US landscapes in the 1930s, like what we see with this one mill here in this great animated short. This windmill was still technically "alive" for it was still functional, though it had nothing of its "life" that it once had from, say, the 1870s-1910s. The immense thunderstorm did one thing good for the windmill at first. The storm helped it "breathe life" again for the first time in roughly two decades. The windmill was finally able to manifest its reason for its existence as it finally functioned once again. However, the same storm also soon dealt the windmill's final blow after the mill had a "taste of living" again. After the lightning strike, the windmill could not function anymore, as the storm finally rendered the windmill fully "dead". Really sad because the windmill was long unused and unwanted by the farmers who at one time needed it a lot, and it was just left to "die", which we saw happen. The only thing that we can be happy about from this short is that first we see the many different animals that long made the old, abandoned though still "living" windmill as their home. Afterwards, we see these same animals continue to use the "dead" windmill as their home as a beautiful morning was breaking. Thus we see that the windmill served an important purpose long after its original usage, and it continued to serve an important purpose, even after the storm "killed" it. This was a very nice way for Disney to show that life really does go onward.

[@LchanOtakudom]

amb1273 That was lovely...

[@ashcroft9450]

So it never died was never alive . The life within it was the change. It served a purpose for the farmers life. Served another purpose for the animals lives. And will eventually turn to dust and go on to feed the earth. All change. Everything changes . Life after death.

[@michaelocyoung]

I just visited the windmills at Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands. It was weird. The one mill was gently rocking like a boat - almost imperceptibly but it was there. Another which was slicing wood was going faster and slower with the changing gusts of wind, it felt alive, like it was having a happy moment or something.

[@josephcope7637]

I saw this the first time on b&w TV when I was a pre-school kid in the early 1950s. It made such an impression on me that I still vividly remember it with fondness now that I'm in my mid 70s. The creativity, beautiful animation and plain heart it showed is rare today.

[@aybaaan]

never thought that this animation was dated back in 1937 feels like it just released yesterday. bring back this kind of works.

[@bask1876]

There is just something about hand drawn animation. I was born in the early 90s and grew up during the beginning of computer animations but I still can't take my eyes off of this. Its beautiful, intriguing, fresh, and abundant even though it is almost 100 years old.

[@zagna]

This is one of a few reasons that i really appreciate internet, i have found my most favorite cartoon after 20 years that i saw it in TV as a child today . Because i believe that this cartoon was the reason for me to deal with meteorology in my life it touched me. Thank you so much for this video.

[@andyjay729]

My parents taped it off the Disney Channel over 30 years ago (back when the DC still aired their old short cartoons), so I'm glad to say I have it on video.

[@Broockle]

ehem... "few"...?

[@joyson7]

So how old are you right now?

[@Hamadh.]

للحين عايشين

[@ravisriram6746]

The detailing and delineation are simply incredible. The artists and animators were supremely talented.

[@whatsit2ya247]

Yeah, too bad Disney stopped hiring based on talent years ago and instead hires based on the color of your skin, how gay or oppressed you are, you know, EQUITY.

[@mrfunnyguy576]

@@whatsit2ya247 why did they stop?

[@torstenscholz6243]

Yeah, no wonder Disney led the animation market for so long, their animation quality was simply unrivaled. Sadly nowadays they only care about making money instead of making art.

[@whatsit2ya247]

@@torstenscholz6243 I think you only have it half correct though, it seems nowadays Disney, above profits only cares about "equity", queer and trans theory, and sexualizing children. Also I hope people understand that equity is the opposite of equality.

[@retroand]

@@torstenscholz6243 There were also region problems for other companies, Disney was good but was not the only good at animating. If Ghibli movies from the era arrived around the same time they were published and not about 20 years later without cuts or other heavy alterations, Disney would have need to adapt. Maybe they would have need to improve. At the end, being the sole big party makes one very autocomplacent.

[@frakow49]

My favourite Disney's Silly Symphony short. So simple, yet so beautiful. After 85 years, it still preserve its own beauty❤️

[@thomasflores1831]

Cartoons like this are just so charming. Even though I'm a 97 kid I always watched these growing up, can't beat that with today's cartoons.

[@CatOfTheYearuWu]

I miss the old charming Disney music. So eloquent and heavenly

[@randyacuna3248]

This wonderful cartoon won the 1937 best short film academy award. Just natural moments in a windmill. The events speak for themselves.

[@eveeysenen]

Disney, such a classic. I always get teary eyed when I watch old Disney cartoons 😢❤

[@Raton_28594_]

As a Grown Male Adult same as well! 💧

[@linas-oh3kq]

​@@HardrightBiBitch All grown men have feelings? You believe that huh? I wish I could but I don't. As far as whose cold? Seriously? That works both ways. I too am a female and I've learned to be cold. Like you it's not by choice. But because having a big heart. Only gets you used by family, so called friends, men and my own alccoholic father. The one who was supposed to love and protect me. But instead he verbally and physically abused me, my Mom and 6 siblings on a daily basis. With his open hand, a fist, a wide strap belt and all because he simply enjoyed it. He even killed our pets in front of us when we were kids. Then to make matters worse we were a poor family and because of that. I was constantly bullied, harassed and tortured all through my school years. By the silver spoon fed, pathetic, cowards I tried to be friends with. My life has been a living hell and you think you suffered trauma? I am 63 years old and I still suffer from emotional problems of the past. Which includes P.T.S.D., Bi Polar, Depression, Anxiety and more. People nowadays have changed for the worse. They no longer have a heart or morals and is the reason why I've become such a recluse. Because I can't find a reason to trust or care about them and it breaks my heart.

[@flintliddon]

Disney will never create anything this beautiful and charming again.

[@WilliamMaslow]

I'm hoping that for the 100th aniversary disney will finally release Silly Symphonies in Blu Ray...

[@zizozidan855]

Vu 2019

[@PschyoLlamaReeses]

Its expensive enough on DVD but imagine the sound and visuals!

[@m.layfette6249]

Better...Release Silly Symphonies in the movie theatres. Limited release at first, then bigger venues. You'd gain a multigenerational audience without even trying. #GoldenAgeofCinema

[@ericmahoney9750]

no it will by a live action remake

[@m.layfette6249]

@@ericmahoney9750 I doubt that. How can a person portray a Old Mill wheel?!? #KeepItClassic

[@stephaniecarrow4898]

This is indeed a masterpiece. As amazing as CGI is, this animation beats it, hands down. Every frame a work of art. And what a great, beautiful story. I am long past childhood, and still found it gripping, and such a happy relief at the end. Also, I felt I saw foreshadowing of Fantasia (1940), in the music accompanying the natural world. Thanks for posting!

[@sonicfanboy3375]

The Silly Symphonies were in sync with the music actually

[@bonziaaron5059]

BabyTV: *am I a joke to you?!*

[@sonicfanboy3375]

@@bonziaaron5059 God, i forgot that channel existed...

[@bonziaaron5059]

Cbeebies: *don't forget about me!*

[@borntoclimb7116]

So true

[@micheletaggart3274]

Walt Disney was always a treat to watch

[@BlueElfkins]

Wow, for something that's 80 years old this year (2017), it's so lovely and beats any CGI short Disney/Pixar has now.

[@hotwax9376]

@BlueElfkins You can say that again! The stigma of animation as being "for kids," combined with the fear of big studio heads to take financial risks, has resulted in animation that is dumbed down, ugly and unartistic. Traditional animation has a warmth, a fluidity, a life that CGI doesn't, but that doesn't mean it's always good. You need to have a good story, artwork, etc. behind it to make it into a masterpiece like this. Alas, we will never see that from the current generation of animators. Perhaps when my generation begins to enter the field we will get to see more like it.

[@TakersMissy]

To me, PIXAR and all the modern-day CGI-only cartoons can't compare to the old Disney animated short and feature films like this. It took a lot of painstaking, hand-drawn & painted craftsmanship and technical work to make these masterpieces. Today, it's almost a lost art, but thank God we have preserved copies of these timeless classics! :-)

[@johntiggleman4686]

These kinds are masterpieces of animation. Sure, CGI and so make some pretty good cartoons, but these have more depth. One of my most favorite Disney toons.

[@subsamadhi]

Not really lost. Just obsolete

[@DafyddBrooks]

agreed. although I have loved some of the animated films in the last 30 years, there are others that just seemed to be be lazy or a means to be a brand. old classic Disney cartoons were certainly made more for artistic and entertainment sake

[@skatertita]

Damn right. Cartoons today just don't look or feel the same way as these (if that makes sense). As a kid, I loved these more then the other cartoons kids were watching. I enjoyed these more

[@thelionkingisthebestmovie8808]

@@subsamadhi burn in a toilet

[@taehoonkim33]

What a movie. This is the reason I loved Disney's.

[@stef1lee]

The sounds of my childhood. I used to fall asleep to classical music because I could hear and visualize movies with my eyes closed and fall asleep so fast.

[@clarysl18]

Cierto 👍

[@shinystar777]

I was like, "you picked the wrong place to make your nest, bird... Oh. Never mind, you picked the perfect spot."

[@nancyomalley6441]

Incredibly lucky that hers with the only one with a missing notch

[@amb1273]

@@nancyomalley6441 And not to mention that there was an even gear ratio between the windmill's gear and the rotating turntable, where the bluebird had her nest. Had there been an odd gear ratio, the bluebird and the nest would've been crushed by another notch in the gear, even if she and the nest escaped the first "round" as the windmill started spinning again. Needless to say, I'm glad that Disney ensured the even gear ratio, so that the bluebird and her eggs would live.

[@william84120]

Well, the notch was not missing at 4:23 , she's lucky the screenwriter liked her ^^

[@cooljunkproductions]

This was a very technically advanced animated short for this time- it had extensive use of multiplane camera, rotating objects in 3d, realistically drawn animals and environment as well as weather. It is considered a defining moment of animation's movement into realism during 1936.

[@coendebrauwer324]

***** it was walts expirement befor making snow white

[@joshweiner4645]

+cooljunkproductions Yep, if you look the way the multilane camera "zooms in" on the mill at the start, you can see it's a direct predecessor to the way it zooms in on the queen's castle at the start of "Snow White." This and the rest of the Silly Symphonies were really "testing grounds" for the full-lengths, and it certainly paid off!

[@andrewkuder4159]

cooljunkproductions I actually hadn't realized that this was made in the late '30s, I thought it was from the '40s or something. Just goes to show how great the animation is

[@GrizzledGeezer]

You said what I was going to say. The few versions I've seen (including this one) show obvious Technicolor misregistration. Note that the frogs' croaking is reminiscent of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".

[@williampineda4157]

cooljunkproductions hi

[@jessicacuevas7083]

Happy 85th Anniversary The Old Mill 1937

[@an-gw5di]

Мне 32 года и до сих пор люблю мультики Диснея, особенно , когда тема касается о природе .Какими красивыми мультиками мы выросли. А сейчас такие мультики выпускают, что вообще смотреть не хочется.

[@jamnjen6666]

No matter how beaten down the mill gets, they don't care it's still there home sweet home.

[@deboraholsen2504]

Jennifer Brundage You mean "their" home sweet home! ;) ...And, yes, it is still there - the mill, that is! :)

[@jamnjen6666]

ok..

[@starwhaleswimming]

The gramma police strike again.

[@larrytron1992]

The music at the end during the zoom out always makes me remember my childhood in the 90s watching this on VHS with my 3 sisters. It makes me happy thinking about those amazing memories

[@viniciusmagnoni6492]

The Owl is always the best character

[@samanthadean1083]

I know!!! Especially the part after he gets soaked and glares at the storm in offence!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@333abcd]

@@samanthadean1083 😆😂

[@viniciusmagnoni6492]

I mean, not only in this particular film but in all cartoons, the owl is the best.

[@samanthadean1083]

@Harley Quinn Exactly!!! I love it!!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@Blue_Lugia]

​@@samanthadean1083He remind me of Friend Owl from Bambi.😂😂

[@perualonso]

Narrator: Part of the fun in a Halloween party is the mood it puts us in. In practically no time, a warm sunset can turn into a chilling twilight that prepares us for a stormy evening and all those spooky things that go bump in the night. - A Disney Halloween

[@Drb3r]

It continues to amaze me how they were able to pull this off with next to no technology compared to nowadays, and how movies like this are not made anymore today because of production costs. I aspire to be an animator and am fully dedicated to it for a while now and these really give an inspiration boost. This is 80 years old..

[@Wildtotarda]

makes me wanna be a kid again

[@akumayoxiruma]

At least now you are giving body-ody-ody.

[@gisleyalves2549]

🇧🇷This cartoon has 85 YEARS old and EVEN TODAY, is something you want to see it over and over again. Why? It is very well done; it has quite a realistic story; it makes sense. Today, Disney 's productions lost all these things.🇧🇷

[@anestorlima5168]

Opa blz, estava lembrando de uma outra animação da disney acho que era tipo uma tempestade do começo ao fim , acho que passava de tarde na globo as vezes dessa mesma linha simphony vc lembra o nome??

[@Maddog1911]

Finally someone who didn't antagonize bats

[@DMZub13]

I was very glad to see that they were just depicted as a normal part of nature and not made into monsters or villains.

[@0Sune0]

As a kid I watched a lot of cartoons, but this one I'll never forget. I thing it's great that, as a nineties child, I got the chance to grow up with old cartoons like these and be totally fascinated by them. It makes me wonder though if kids these days still know these cartoons and if not, why did things change so much in the last 10 to 20 years? :/

[@ejw639]

Pure craft. Beautiful. Sweet. Amazing choreography with a gripping score. No computers. Great building and release of tension. Who wasn’t worried about that little bird nest going round and round! Watch it now before someone blocks or cancels it.

[@Joujoueasy]

An animation era that was among all the previous eras. Old Disney is a Gem in the history of animation.

[@Harry_3425]

Old is always gold, even more than gold

[@QuiteDan]

You never see cartoon owls with mates.

[@arnequis]

Look up "Owl Jolson I Love to Singa" to see a Warner Bros cartoon with a Mama and Papa owl.

[@HarmonicaMustang]

They are symbolically seen as the wisest creatures of the animal kingdom. If you imagine a human genius, you will most probably see someone who is surrounded by books, studying and pondering secrets of the universe. People like that prefer to dedicate their life to study as opposed to making a family. The owl is a direct reference to that, hence why they don't have a mate. This is all from a traditional/historical viewpoint of course, and considering this cartoon was created in 1937 it reflects the beliefs of that period.

[@jennifers3585]

Even owls have mates or they would be no more owls!

[@zyura]

Wild owls lives with mates

[@kaustubha7371]

Because owls are wise like me

[@pamelaschonour1707]

Last night, my mom was watching Disney specials on Turner Classic Movies and this cartoon was one of the things on and I watched it. Cartoons like this should be on the Disney Channel because it's so good.

[@hotwax9376]

@Pamela Schonour Today Disney doesn't care about its legacy even the tiniest bit. For the last decade or so Disney Channel has been teenybopper crap and Disney animated features have been CGI garbage made to appease bratty little kids. Disney needs to stop the live action reboots, leave their CGI all to Pixar, and return to classic hand-drawn traditional animation. I'm under no delusions they will do that anytime soon, but hey, a man can dream, can't he?

[@spino-tinodon1146]

This was back when Disney was worth watching.

[@hanschristianbrando5588]

One of the greatest cartoons ever made. CGI could never achieve this level of wit, drama, and artistry. Now that Disney has insulted the memory of "Dumbo" and "Pinocchio" with unspeakable remakes (and is about to accord a similar honor to "Snow White"), hopefully they'll have the sense to leave this one alone.

[@Poopshit420]

I like your comment despite the fact that I disagree. There are such things like wall-e and megamind that really captured our hearts as children and adults. Yes animation has qualities computer animation does not, but it’s the same the other way around! You just need to learn how to use them!

[@jbrisby]

CGI could massively improve on this film. I'm so tired of idiots who think artistry comes from the tools and not the artist.

[@GroupNebula563]

@@jbrisbythat’s true and untrue at the same time. whilst CGI animation has certain styles to it that do add to things, so do old-fashioned hand drawn cartoons. let’s say Toy Story was remade as an old-school animation. it was specifically made for CGI, so creating a good remake of it without drastically altering the movie would be virtually impossible. you either have to settle for a movie that doesn’t fit the medium, or make major alterations to it so it does fit. let’s go back to the original commenter’s argument for a second, most of Disney’s live action remakes of movies suck when put in the context of an old cartoon, but they aren’t meant to be an old cartoon, rather a retelling of the same story in a different medium (just as, for instance, the original Snow White movie was to the fairy tale). they aren’t remakes of the original, but new takes on it. two different perspectives on the same story. so this cartoon itself could not be made better with CGI, but the story very much could. edit: I need to choose my battles, I should not be interfacing with the creators of such fine videos as “two crows beat a rat to death”

[@calibos3329]

​@@jbrisbyUnfortunately for you, you just have no culture, no taste, and you're rude to boot - pretty typical of this modern generation.

[@frickinfrick8488]

I wish we could complement this art form without insulting another. Although I personally prefer traditional animation, 3D animation still deserves respect for the amount of skill and artistry needed to do it well.

[@RachelDeRosier010894]

While I know she and she her eggs were safe, my heart still aches for that poor mother bird. Masterful storytelling.

[@Blue_Lugia]

Yes but the panic in her eyes gets me everytime. She was like "Oh! Shit shit shit!! I need to get away..."No no! My eggs! I need to prtect my eggs!"

[@Oxmanjeff]

I love the storm scene. It is almost realistic how the old mill succumbs to the power of the storm. If this Disney short was to be made into a narrative short story, it would most likely go like this. "In the old country there stood an old, worn out windmill. Since more modern means of producing flour had been invented, no one wanted her. So, the people who owned her left her to ruin. She sat by a beautiful lake with a lonely old tree, some farm animals, a family of mice, a nesting pair of little bluebirds, a roosting pair of morning doves, a tired old owl and a flock of bats to keep her company. As the sun set once again, as it had many times, everyone got ready for night. The bats took off from her brittle old roof, the birds settled inside her to sleep, and the mice scurried about looking for food. Outside, the water lilies curled up for the night and the animals of the night came out to sing their nightly chorus. First came the frogs with their lively bass, then the crickets with their spritely chirping alto, and finally the fireflies whose high pitched buzzing sounded like little bells to The Old Mill as she stood silent as if she were asleep. But, before the morning sun could come, a fierce storm came in and it's strong winds were soon felt. The Old Mill tried to protect those inside her, but the storm's powerful winds were too much for her old mooring rope. With a gut wrenching *SNAP*, her sails were freed from their eternal anchor. The Old Mill went for one final round before the powerful wind stripped her old roofing tiles off of her roof, ripped away some of her siding, broke her aging shutters and even tore the rotting tarp off of one of her sails. Finally, after enduring a great deal of punishment, a powerful blast of lightning tore a hole into her side and snapped one of her sails, forever stopping The Old Mill. As the storm climaxed and disappeared to reveal the morning sun, the broken mill settled at a slant since the lightning blast also tore a hole in the roof of her mill house. With the mill rendered unsalvageable by nature's wrath, she now silently waits for her loving grasp to carry both her and the animals she once sheltered back to the earth from which she was built. Thus, the life around her went on until she was nothing but a pile of rubble, buried under the very ground upon which the men of tomorrow walk, never remembering that ancient relic from which mountains of flour for endless loaves of bread were once produced, never to cherish the rustic beauty of 'The Old Mill'." Let me know if this is what any of you thought of when watching this short and feel free to comment on this if you like. I'd be happy to hear back from you. I am writing my own science fiction story and this is practice for me. So, let me know what you think! :)

[@AiOinc1]

This cartoon was actually made to seem more realistic, which is why the tone is so serious.

[@rebeccamount50]

That captures this old cartoon very well.

[@effooo2000]

you should be a story teller

[@Oxmanjeff]

effooo2000 Maybe I could be. As a matter of fact, I am writing my own science fiction epic as we speak. It is not 100% complete by any means as I have yet to finish world building, character design, and story development. But, when it is completed, copyedited, processed and published, I will contact you and inform you so that you can find it and buy it. The working title I have for it at this moment is "Azure the Immortal and the Arcane Malevolence." I'd be happy to share more, but that would take too long and I don't want to bore you with a seemingly endless explanation of how things work in my universe and what have you. So, what I have decided to do is to look forward to speaking with you again, and, when we do, I will give you some more information about my science fiction epic then. Does that sound ok? Let me know what you think. Sincerely, Jeffrey A. Emilson

[@ig3515]

Jeffrey Emilson I agree with you

[@richardbourton4523]

I forgot the anxiety and fear I felt for that bird and her nest

[@juanitolopez9731]

Disney at his peak. The technological, innovative techniques tested here defined the style of the studios for the next decade: the multiplane camera, the great attention to detail...

[@nonnaida]

When I was 6 year old I was terrified of this cartoon

[@Toycadet]

when i was 4 this made me cry;.;

[@craggolly]

+Tyrian chao so what? It at least made you think. Happiness is ignorance!

[@codfish6463]

Yeah it was scary when I was young too.

[@yordanplamenov7513]

I saw that cartoon when I was 7 ...(now I am 37)And couple of days ago I had a dream about it :)))When I woke up in the morning I wrote my dream down.Now I try to find that cartoon on youtube. I was so surprised when I found it! Probably touch me so deep when I was kid...After 30 years i had a dream about it :))))

[@nodlon20]

Me, too!!

[@Modeltnick]

One of the best ever. No computer generated junk here!

[@mjrussell414]

The poor old mill took a beating that dark and stormy night.

[@stephenholloway6893]

It's a defiant classic Silly Symphony short that deserves its Oscar win. Disney, at this point, was on fire in the animation industry.

[@chenyaskissemisse]

This is without a doubt one of my favorite short animation ever.

[@steamboatwill3.367]

Mine to!

[@cowboykelly6590]

Zuyu : yes , one of

[@pattern]

This film is one of the only things in this world I consider to be absolute perfection. Every single frame is a masterpiece of color and motion that artists today still aspire to capture and it was made nearly a century ago. From the ripples of water to the wind beating shingles off of the roof, every detail in every second is meaningful and nothing goes to waste. The old mill is the biggest inspiration I’ve had as an artist but the phrase ‘walking in the footsteps of giants’ doesn’t even do it justice, its just perfect.

[@paulmichael5203]

True. Do you not get a slightly eerie feeling from knowing that everyone involved in this masterpiece is no longer with us? Sometimes I can’t shake the feeling

[@sevendeadlychins]

Have you seen the work of Yuri Norstein who did "Hedgehog in the Fog"? He's another absolute genius.

[@retroand]

I find the frog segment to be some kind of fill, but all other parts of animation to be complete perfection. Yo don't get this eerie atmosphere anywhere from last 50 years' Disney movies. I always saw this mill being some character per se, tragically dying in the end due to its decay...

[@chrismusix5669]

Not to worry! We will join them soon enough @@paulmichael5203

[@gp9alm_p0f61]

Смотрела первый раз, так сильно переживала за птичку за ее птенцов...слава Богу они остались живыми. Классный мультик, разрисовка высший класс. Супер❤

[@DT-mn7sq]

To me the owl is the character that makes this episode hilarious!😂 always a pleasure to watch the owl endure the horrible night!

[@iris5678]

I liked the pigeons who gave no shits lol

[@DT-mn7sq]

@@iris5678 right! Anything for sex! Even while the Bull shit going on!

[@Uyhn26]

Is that the same owl from Bambi ?

[@tugpetit2204]

@@Uyhn26 They use the plan again in Merlin.

[@hollandaise84]

@@Uyhn26 very close to Archimedes in Sword and the Stone. The scene where he gets wet is almost identical.

[@ulfingvar1]

Now here is a true work of art, no mere kiddie cartoon, but one to save for posterity (hey, they should ALL be saved for posterity) and a pre-Fantasia, if you like. I might even like this better than anything in Fantasia.

[@NessLover94]

Did you know this one won an Oscar?

[@ambrevigneron5911]

Yes

[@arnoldblashak171]

No not until now

[@stephenholloway6893]

Yes it was also the first Silly Symphony short distributed by RKO and it was the first short Disney did using his multi plane camera. It in my opinion it definitely deserves the Oscar win.

[@idasimmons5123]

Beautiful and so realistic. I enjoy watching this animated Disney movie.

[@alanprior7650]

Beautifully observed and drawn.

[@SuperAmyWorld]

Le Meilleur Dessin Animé du monde. A 28 ans il me fait toujours frissonner et me met la larme à l'oeil comme quand j'avais 6 ans..

[@Hamadh.]

والحين عمرك ٣٨ هذا إذا كنت عايش أساساً 😑

[@Raycheetah]

Back when Disney was all about animation as art. ='[.]'=

[@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo]

today disney is about brainwashing kids with commie propaganda

[@mrfunnyguy576]

This is such a great animation I wish this animation would last forever

[@OmegaRedFan]

Teach yourself how to draw mark

[@cintiaribas4595]

Que nostalgia, que saudades ❤ Melhores desenhos do mundo!!!

[@waterfall836]

Beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous animation! This makes me want to watch my old time favorite, "Snow White" 😊

[@stevematson4808]

This is poetic This is art

[@Shouki.nuo.kamiii]

Omg i remembered this animation since when i was a child and till now i love this animation . This animation is never getting old

[@robstyles2675]

Without a single word it was better than most cartoons today

[@bhornannawindeedeigh5007]

Ahh, the magnificence of the Disney cartoons of my childhood, 🤔 and about the forces of nature 😰 without saying a word... pretty amazing. So glad I grew up with these animations. Thanks so much to the channel owner for posting it. This particular cartoon made my heart leap several times then, and now. 💐🙏🏽💞

[@jamieimai9328]

Awesome masterpiece!

[@Bucky749]

You said it!

[@sethhorst6158]

Decades later and it's still a masterpiece. The amount of work put into the animation especially being all hand drawn and traditionally inked, as well as the concept of the multiplane camera, and the way sounds were done. I imagine it took a long time to make, it's a great example of how lifelike hand drawn animations can be.

[@Totto87]

I love the music, the animation, the story.. This is 8 minutes of masterfully done work.

I'm crying of proud to watch this masterpiece. Today, with computers, the care was put of side. The computer is a help, not a substitute for traditional animation. I think like this. I love traditional animation, I love Walt Disney, my guide for the future.

[@metalbelles3662]

Absolutely

[@mikethegrunty5968]

You just don't see this kind of effort in animation anymore

[@LeToplache007]

SNail Man not really, this is where you can actually see pure emotion in animating this, while today's cartoons are emotionless, drawn just for succes in the box office

[@thelionkingisthebestmovie8808]

@@LeToplache007 not even really drawn

[@LeToplache007]

@@thelionkingisthebestmovie8808 More like computer generated, correct

[@Francois424]

What do you mean? Isn't Thundercats Roar a masterpiece? (Heh joking, the type of animation from early Disney shorts are top notch)

[@ShoujoAngel07]

Cartoon Saloon do great work, The Breadwinner and The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, their movies are great, theres good animation still going on all over the world, people just don't look for it.

[@donaldscott3921]

According to Disney Legend Bob Broughton, this was an experiment - first film made using the multi-plane camera. Clearly a success. The 3d effect is amazing, and smooth. (If you visit the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco you can see the multiplane camera with a panel discussing its workings and Bob Broughton's role in using it to help create remarkable works of art.

[@danielmorse4213]

Amazing.

[@spoony8497]

This animation is actually unreal for being made in 1937, Looks good enough to have come out in the 1990's. This and snow white. Its just so fascinating to see people executing common animation principles and ideas before they were even established, like everything was being made right here.

[@trinelangohr6661]

I imagine when Snow White came out, people must have been blown away. They must have thought "Wow, now ANYTHING is possible in cinema!" - similar to how we thought 20 years ago, when the Lord of the Rings movies came out.

[@Sigma0283]

I remember having this on a tape as part of “Disney’s Halloween Treat”. The brightness was so low in some areas that the old mill appeared as a silhouette in the dark.

[@MJes729]

Omg i did too!!

[@dadodydo]

A real masterpiece which also makes one appreciate wildlife and nature even more.

[@samanthadean1083]

Anyone else notice that the number of mice changes with every scene? 😂 My fav part is the Owl getting offended after being soaked!!! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@princessmarlena1359]

An excellent Disney cartoon, and one of my favorite classics.