Silly Symphony - Egyptian Melodies

[@deniseboldea1624]

I liked the first person viewpoint at the start where you are actually following the Spider, and he turns around at points to make sure you're still with him.

[@inkedwell]

The animation on the 3D animated walls was absolutely incredible for its time.

[@JM-bi6ue]

3d did not exist in the 30s They only spent hours animating in 2d walls that look like 3d

[@98voteforpedro]

mickey mouse reuses the same animation

[@DrBF3000]

@@JM-bi6ue Months.

[@devinaschenbrenner2683]

You are aware this is Cell hand drawn animation right? From the late 1920s/ early 1930s

[@TheAltair033]

​@@JM-bi6uewell cgi didn't exist, but there is definitely some trickery going on here. The perspective is oddly perfect & the camera movement is jerky. I'm guessing the filmed a miniature and then traced the images. This is not to far off what shows like arkane do today. I'd say it's fair to call this 3d

[@SimpsonJeph]

animating the hallway scene must have taken a freaking eternity

[@Kids_Scissors]

I think I can see how they made it easier on themselves though. It's really just two looping shots of stairs and a hallway that leads to the stairs, with the only addition being the passage to the left of the stairway. You can also tell from the perspective warping with the camera turns that the coincidentally nice and neat seam lines in the walls and floors and the stairs are all animated with some kind of depth grid guide. Still, I agree that it must've taken ages to get to that perfect final scene where all those carefully drawn frames line up seamlessly enough to pass for television

[@newmoisturizer5054]

Seeing the angles of the tunnel reminds me how hard it was to make a cartoon back then.

[@OperationFatGuy]

They adopted rotoscoping from max fletcher studio at the time

[@hyyacinthus]

@@OperationFatGuy Fleischer*

[@ainirahim5689]

Tiny and winy Tiny and the other day

[@dinodisneylover1]

They also did it in The Mad Doctor in 1933.

[@rebecca23ish]

all of these silly symphonys are really ahead of there time.

[@amandaguenascimento]

Or maybe it's just us who have the wrong idea about their time

[@SM-fe1dh]

**their**

[@Andrew-ze6kq]

I feel so bad for that little spider! He's so scared! I wanna give him a big comforting hug!

[@kaiserxblue]

Animation back then was pretty amazing I must say, for instance the 4th wall with the spider, the camera angle going down the sarcofagus, etc.

[@hyperion3145]

It was much "smoother" too.

[@leahrowden3939]

The spider in this short is just so cute, I can’t even resist him! I wish he made several appearances in other classic Silly Symphony cartoons!

[@nastjafisunova7258]

Yes) I really scared of spiders, but this one is extremely adorable))

[@johnfru]

1:12 the same tunnel from Mickey Mouse - The Mad Doctor 1933

[@ainirahim5689]

Kacper Wróblewski Monday night definitely mouse

[@CapraCorn2006]

It's the opposite ... Egyptian Melodies came first in 1931. The tunnel animation is re-used in The Mad Doctor (1933)

[@actuallyNo...]

Yes , it's the same one. They used this film slide on that animation. [Damn, sorry...old comment.just saw that.]

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

The tunnel looked almost real.

[@user-rn6kq5qd5v]

I knew it looked familiar

[@michaeladowney2730]

The two things that made me laugh the most about this were the gloves and shoes on the spider and the fact that the mummies had trapdoors in the back :)

[@SQUIDWORD15]

There holes like in pajamas so you can poop without taking them off

[@LanternIsARainwing]

@@SQUIDWORD15 I don’t know if I should laugh, cry, or scream at this knowledge I have gained

[@SQUIDWORD15]

@@LanternIsARainwing It is the truth...

[@annawitter5161]

Not spider. Ant

[@welllazvdo2216]

The camera as a subjective pov, like, inviting us to enter the chamber with it, the immersion, the perspective through the tunnels and stairs, how smooth these cartoons are... I mean... This is gold guys! 😍 So inventive and ahead of its time!

[@joantrainor6584]

I remember this from my childhood. What a treat to see it again. Thanks!

[@eugenio5774]

I love how they depicted the fans at the chariot race fighting. chariot races DID cause revolts and fights in ancient history!

[@meatcrust3621]

Who cares it’s a cartoon give us a break max vieralilja

[@knightofarkronia8652]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[@brynnbowen2542]

Funny to think this entertained children back In the day when I couldn't make my five year old brother sit through it for more than 30 seconds. In my opinion, these cartoons are much better then our cartoons now days XD

[@ishmaelm1932]

Brynn Bowen kids today have adhd

[@Phoenixesper1]

Virtually all cartoons were made for adults until about the late 1950's. Theres a reason our grandparents love tom and jerry... all the soldiers in WW2 watched cartoon films overseas all the time!

[@kumozumo]

Brynn Bowen yO I’m 16 and I used to love silly symphony when I was 5-6, and I can’t thank my mom enough cause I couldn’t have gotten a better childhood 🙂

[@kumozumo]

Although this episode kinda creeped me out I still enjoyed it, man I was a weird kid haha

[@birdflox1337]

these old cartoons had more of a charm to it, but there's no denying that some of the great cartoons that were made these years had more interesting stories

[@Crysisfan96]

This cartoon is notable for the irony of a spider basically going "nope".

[@maryfreebed9886]

The spider is adorable.

[@bradyanderson8654]

why is it like a bug instead of an arachnid?

[@maryfreebed9886]

Birth defects?

[@charlesmolineaux9436]

Simply enough, eight legs would be more work to animate. Call it artistic license. Animator Ray Harryhausen's classic "It Came From Beneath The Sea" featured a giant octopus that was actually more of a pentapus since it only had five tentacles. Same issue. Guess they figured audiences wouldn't notice or would just understand and suspend disbelief.

[@elizabethalvarado8698]

+Charles Molineaux Same when most cartoon characters have four-fingered hands instead of five.

[@presidentsnow7315]

I wonder where the spider buys his shoes?

[@BiohazardCrow]

Step 1: Go to egypt Step 2: Go to an acient pyramid or tomb Step 3: Consume a large quantity of LSD and you will se this shit.

[@nanoukawoods]

+DemonicGoat lmao?

[@CharlieBruinsFilms]

But what if you fuck up the tomb?

[@ladybug6483]

That would probably happen with me

[@MeaghanEdwards]

Exceptionally made, especially for its time! Love the detail of the Sphinx and the perspective of him coming up and down the tunnel/stairs.

[@BabsChannel]

The camera angles are unbelievable.

[@TheRubberWolf]

Feels like I'm going through the Death Star trench all over again, in the tunnel part.

[@124VAM]

We don't get cartoons like this anymore.

[@BabsChannel]

Unfortunately.

[@MouseGoat]

124VAM I call bullshit. the internet is full of stereotypical egyptians and dancing mummys. the only thing that has changed is that is not disney that's behind it anymore. they to busy now, with polishing there already over fed golden goose, until every last glimpse of golden flake in its fathers is scraped off and sold off. leaving nothing behind but the bar mechanical gray skeleton, with its cold and metallic surface and soul less eyes. as lifeless as its creator is R.I.P.W.D.

[@ลgl]

tps live toon action?

[@Chico-yg5yw]

Woah!!! That part going down the staircase and when the brick falls was so crazy, i was stunned! 🤯

[@snowcub7139]

They reused that in Mad Doctor, only it's Mickey that scares.

[@gnikcohs]

Watching some cartoons with an Egyptian motif, just came back to watch this little gem again. I didn't realize that the Spider was so audience aware. He shushes the audience and gesticulates for us, or the camera, to follow him, and when he points and laughs while turning to us. Don't know if it is the first time, but if so, once again, DIsney did it first. Although Tex Avery did it best.

[@kimifw58]

gnikcohs I think Felix the Cat was the first to wink and laugh at the audience while things happened, though I don't think he ever beckoned us to follow him.

[@gnikcohs]

I don't know why I never replied to this but, Felix was definitely one to break the 4th wall. He did some great stuff like that in his old comic strips too. Cartoons and comic strips were way ahead of most mainstream art for the metafictional.

[@P.p.03]

The first of ALL who broke the 4th wall, was Luigi Pirandello, an Italian writer, who was historically the first of all. The Cartoons were inspired by him, a Verism Writer who talked with the readers

[@leephillips4402]

The mummies having there legs tied together was more realistic than most depictions.

[@mikela1341]

I heard they took the brains out of mummies too, through their noses.

[@BadaTropi]

I don't want realistic. It's a cartoon...

[@uglyturnips2813]

Fantastic hand- done animation- when Disney was in his prime- none of the new stuff compares!

[@Alaska1925]

If only spiders were that cute..

[@constuctivecritisism8393]

+Alaska1925 But spiders have 8 legs .... this guy has 6 ... maybe when this was made attention wasn't given all it was due ... who knows ... i took the character as a spider too

[@Alaska1925]

Constuctive Critisism Well, we see its web in the beginning.. maybe the animator/s didn't want to draw an extra pair of legs? Though I find it odd..

[@constuctivecritisism8393]

Maybe so - didn't spot that - but it is interesting that scientific PC wasn't important - the emotive was (and that's the way it should be) gotta say I love this .... would love to see a modern rendition to compare and I bet the message wouldn't even come close in the same time frame or budget ... a simpler time and a better time if you ask me because people had time and political correctness or intellectual overload wasn't even on the cards ... today ... our society is an ass by comparison ... Kudos Alaska and thanks for replying

[@nina1522]

+Alaska1925 Apparently, it's a lot cheaper to animate fewer legs, so it was probably to cut costs. I've heard that anyway.

[@JesterOfDestiny]

+Alaska1925 They are.

[@RomanCestMoi]

what a work!! timeless classic..love it!

[@TheSuperShadowman]

5:24 is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. *Looks to the left to see moving paintings* *Looks to the right to see moving paintings* *Turns around* AAAIIIEE-

[@ShadowbirdOfficial]

5:24

[@kalaharimeerkatfan]

Oh that poor spider lol, the poor thing. But a nicely done piece...and just to think I never knew of this yet.

[@edwinstovall3334]

The DOOM-like perspective was truly visionary.

[@Brisa440]

I want an Egyptian one piece mummy suit with a butt flap now XD.

[@garethalford682]

That needs to be a thing

[@jazlyn7590]

It's cute how the spider said 'mommy'

[@sophieswaney8233]

I think the critter said "mummy".

[@gnikcohs]

kanages murugan I think he did say 'mummy.' It was a spoof of Al Jolson's performance of the song "My Mammy" which Jolson and others had been singing since 19 teens and which became very famous in the movie The Jazz Singer (1927) when Jolson sang it in blackface, hence 'Mammy'. It was a big hit, and that movie is the first US movie with synchronized sound, but only in parts. It's here on YT and I am pretty sure Jolson also went down on his knees and spread his arms to the audience like the Spider.

[@jazlyn7590]

Thank you guys, I guess I heard it wrong. gnikcohs thanks for the history :)

[@michaelpalmieri7335]

@@gnikcohs I didn't realize it was a parody of Al Jolson singing "Mammy" in "The Jazz Singer." Come to think of it, the spider's face did look somewhat like a white man in blackface, which is how Jolson sometimes performed. You'll notice how "mummy" not only sounds like "mammy," but "mommy," as well, and that's the joke. It's a pun, or a play on words. It reminds me of an episode of "Arthur" (PBS) where Buster tells the following joke: "What did King Tut say when he was scared? 'I want my MUMMY!' "

[@RaTedXtremeHardy]

Damn I’m Latino so I really in my youth I thought he said “Mami!”

[@judyjurek9334]

We didn't have computers and all the modern technology kids have today, but I wouldn't swap my childhood. Not when we had Walt Disney and all those other wonderful cartoons. Still love Tom and Jerry.

[@thequestforpositivity]

Follow the spiders... why can't we follow the butterflies?

[@miroslavkozolka4385]

Aragog!

[@gurogoth]

Lol, Harry Potter references! XD

[@gillismatt]

Gotta love how the dancers had 1 cymbal on each hand and 1 on their butts. Funny stuff, yo!😆

[@SwordgunnerM92]

you know what's ironic. the old shows like this has much more animated than the modern shows.

[@lenathompson4856]

That is getting crazier and crazier every instant.

[@KnubbelKekz]

So this is how Windows got the idea of their wall-screensaver.. ^^

[@nina1522]

+Backofen Pommes I was just going to post that very thing LOL

[@LadyCoyKoi]

I don't get it? I was thinking more of the corridors and hallways of the game Wolfenstien. :P

[@PatrickRsGhost]

There was a 3D maze screensaver that came with Windows 95 and 98, which gave a first-person POV of going through a maze. The user could control what the walls, floor, and ceiling looked like, with different patterns. A common one was similar to what a level of Wolfenstein 3D looked like, but there was also a psychedelic setting as well.

[@oceantan898]

2:39 Who knew that ANCIENT and BANDAGED mummies can bust a dance moves that smooth and groovy without breaking their bindings :-)

[@evan_b2011]

Oh my goodness. I used to watch this years ago as a child…❤ Best Parts: 5:02 5:17 5:24 5:25

[@clarkstone-bear7742]

Mommy's have butt flaps 😂😂😂😂 God i miss old cartoons

[@gnirolnamlerf593]

Back when Disney was nearly as nutty as the Fleischers. Interesting that a spider is playing the everyman role as the scared protagonist instead of scaring others. Presenting the first "frieze frame" photography. (I couldn't resist.) I had never seen this cartoon before, I don't think. Brilliant!

[@omelettedufromage9220]

that was better than today's cartoons

[@florbarrios3866]

😮yo. Y me encantó la realización 😊. Maravillosa, adelantada a su época 🎉🎉.es más, ya la compartí varias veces y les ha gustado 😊❤❤

[@celticajackson1995]

In real life, I hate spiders but in this cartoon, I love!!!

[@BingoBangoBongo2903]

6 legs, not 8. it's not an actual spider ;D

[@gillismatt]

aa bb Kinda silly, imao.

[@Sammyyaam]

Its so cute

[@EmmaKnickerbocker]

Wouldn't it be cool if they remastered this into some sort of ride? Y'know, like that Spiderman 3D ride in Universal? They could show this original piece as you're waiting to get on. I'd love it!

[@dmasse1189]

Hopefully, I'm note the spider!!! What a freaking wall! Poor spider!!

[@GizmoOnyett]

That was psychedelically bat crazy! 😂

[@AngusOfDoom]

This is way much more epic than cartoons created nowadays.

[@gnikcohs]

Silly #21 1931. Brilliantly thought out and executed cartoon. The 3D video game tunnels were outstanding. Disney reused it in a much shorter version, in 1933 in The Mad Doctor (including the falling stone), but here the extended scene was a major part of the toon. And not only was it visually powerful, it was a brilliant exposition of the Spider as a strange, adventurous, little character. The part where he tumbled down the stairs and scampered back up to walk down again with his weird little gait was perfect. And who is he shushing? The following scenes with the mummies are great, but the animation really takes off at 3:21 when the wall and pillar drawings take on a life of their own and become a sustained cartoon within a cartoon. The two dimensional gait (with one guy sashaying) of the sideways Egyptian figures was a hilarious piece of genius animation as was one of them stepping briefly into the 3D world and only being onesided. The whole thing turned into a masterful over the top climax with the flat figures going round and round on cylinders and all of it spinning. That Spider reminded me of Gus Arriola's six legged beatnik psychedilc webslinger, Bug Rogers. Like in Fantasia one could speculate on what the animators here were imbibing (maybe just imagination) and this Spider also seemed to be an artist, playing his web (Bug made visual art with his) and certainly psychedelic in his behavior/character.

[@jonathanwilson5011]

How do you know so much about cartoons?

[@DaviLu]

Jonathan Wilson watch them all :D

[@gnikcohs]

I can't believe I never answered this but. 1) I have seen a million cartoons but without making myself an expert. And I often read professional and nonprofessional material about cartoons. And 2) I do know a fair amount about literature, painting, and film. Again without being an expert, but if ever I get ambitious enough I think I know enough to blog with a fairly original POV. I rarely get as carried away as with this little gem though.

[@DaviLu]

@gnikcohs Hey man, I'd like to ask if you know how the tunnel animations were done? When I first saw this I had already seen hundreds of pre 1950s cartoons and this one really blew my mind. It looks so real even though the texture is obviously far from reality. It kinda reminds me of rotoscoped Cab Calloway so I thought they might've "rotoscoped" a camera movement through a corridor and used fix points in the video to put their animation on?

[@MatthewFordAnimations]

It was already in 3D ! Amazing effects!

[@timburr4453]

I'm surprised how macabre some of these old cartoons could be the descent into the pyramid tunnel. WOW. I didn't expect that. That seems really ahead of the game for 1930s...

[@evangelina6266]

This was simply brilliant.

[@evolre]

I remember this omg so happy I found this 😭😃

The 3D stile cinematography is amazing in this! Like when the spider goes down the tunnel, or runs towards the camera.

[@cakebuu887]

So much more amazing when done by hand. This deserves to be coloured in.

[@exoticlonghair]

que lindos estan estos monitos, sobre todo la arañita gritando: 'mummies' o algo asi, simpatiquisimos

[@etherlords88]

Don't the spiders have 8 legs?

[@_e5851]

1:12 this scene just like Mickey mouse episode "Mad Doctor"

[@CapraCorn2006]

Egyptian Melodies came first in 1931. The tunnel animation is re-used in The Mad Doctor (1933)

[@SpiderBubblegumvideos]

Do you think it's sometimes a little scary .

[@pauls9331]

Image watching this while high....

[@LynetteTheMadScientist]

So scary it even scares the spiders.

[@GroovyDominoes]

the 3d camera impressed me

[@OofusTwillip]

Notice how the opening title says the film is licensed under the Bray-Hurd Patents. John Bray and Earl Hurd invented the process of using cels in animation. Before that process was invented, the background had to be redrawn on every animation drawing. This is why early animated films have such simple backgrounds. Bray and Hurd patented their process, and charged a licence fee to anyone who wanted to use it.

[@lauraguglielmazzi3052]

Bellissimo. Più belle quelle in fondo al mare, però ben fatto anche questo! 👍

[@AlanPostScript]

Very nice 3d effects. looks almost rotoscoped except when the spider turns corners. Still very well done, especially when the walls and columns have animated textures and the camera is rotating. insane amount of work for old school.

[@vare8ikanapsaxnw]

wow! Ancient secrets revealed: mummies had butt flaps!! Gotta love those early Disney cartoons! :) poor spidey....

[@francescaa8331]

I don't think I've seen it before. Thank you for this upload!

[@muraalia]

How have I not seen this one before, this is amazing!

[@nukagamer3602]

I like this one cause of the music

[@kimballwhittington2463]

I just love the way one of the marchers accidentally becomes 3 dimensional and then goes back on the wall to become 2 dimensional again

[@schizoidboy]

The animation in this cartoon is amazing particularly the technical aspects of it.

[@tygozuur]

Who is watching this in 2024?

[@birkplaum9042]

Art entusiasts Like me

[@snowcub7139]

Me.

[@dofer112]

Only 1910’s kids will remember

[@soportewang]

Me

[@anabelacosta5957]

Me!🎉😊

[@madeleinebaier5347]

"Mummy"!!!! :)

[@jlev1028]

I think The Mad Doctor reused the 3D labyrinth sequence seen at 1:10-1:56. I don't blame it. The amount of effort to make it look so convincong is almost miraculous.

[@brendabray9066]

I was hoping for more

[@mr.bonez3150]

man I'll be honest this was way ahead of it's time!

[@sania7388]

2017.....eh I am and always was addicted to this

[@MsThecomputernerd02]

i love most of these old cartoons

[@phonotical]

This is so well technically executed its hard to believe the year it came out

[@alexabbott9721]

The only thing I could stare at in Walt Disney Studios' merchandise store :P

[@jaegerwolftango186]

When the spider goes down on one knee and cries MUMMIES! I cry laughing every time it’s just so funny 😭😭

[@Pacolicia]

2:25 "Mummy!" omg sooooo funny hahahahaha

[@MWolfL]

Surrealism and Ancient Egypt, two of my many favorite things! :D Yeah, I've always been fascinated with surrealism, including Dali as well as cartoons. Also, Ancient Egypt has always been my favorite ancient culture. Did you know that their idea of the afterlife was an exact copy of their own life, except with no pain, illness, or death (obviously)? Imagine having a life so perfect that your afterlife turns out to be the same, definitely proves that the Ancient Egyptians did many things right.

[@hafizhez3178]

Tunnel looks like 3d rendered. Is that frame by frame art? Oh, my God

[@kikoano111]

They sure know who are the slaves

[@evolre]

I found this vid!!! Finally! I remember this from so long ago

[@Head12343]

The mummys feet remind me of an elephant trying to find food on the floor

[@estere.n.9916]

f

[@Head12343]

u

[@mixi10yearsago27]

c

[@ImCrazyWoo]

k

[@TinaUrbina-nd9xm]

U might wanna get give da "Jumping" spider a chance I,m not crazy about spiders but,this one's an exception. It's quite cute 2 dad and I,we both just find them 2 b quite intelligent and so human like when it looks back at us!🤗❤️🕷️

[@flickcentergaming680]

Agreed. Jumping spiders are incredibly cute.

[@TakanoIchikawa]

what an awesome 3D-like effect!!!

[@yberai]

3:27 prince of Egypt inspiration

[@vitaminanime]

Funny, cute, clever, and yet...Somewhere an Egyptologist is crying😂😂😂

[@FlashyDucyElevators]

Very Cute Little Spider

[@merdelune9]

wow! When I was little I used to have both skeleton dance cartoons, but this is my frist time I ever see this. Very intersting and funny.

[@BeeNotDismayed]

Only one idiot stands in our way and we're 0/3! 🤣

[@SarahVilelaHeart]

This is so amazing! :)

[@hsdinoman2267]

played Walk Like An Egyptian the Extended Dance Mix over this all i can say it was perfect i mean it fit just too perfectly with almost every little bit in this old cartoon

[@hime_ohime2874]

i love silly symphony cartoons they were simple lovely & full of messages

[@KaeraNeko]

Wow, this animation is incredible! :o

[@MDjamelJamal]

Ohh it's So Amazing Awesome So Beautiful Buub Buub Be Duub and make me Crying about it 💕✌️✊🥰

[@scythesaaresto7156]

Love! So cute other than the mummy's being in the wrong coffins this is great.

[@cosmocat17]

5:24 I love that little scream

[@JudyGarlandOldies]

This short is so good, especially at the time it was made. I think it was 1931. I might be wrong but that’s ok! The spider is also so adorable! The animation itself is perfect. I miss this time of animation/cartoons. Wish we could bring it back. ALSO this may seem out of context but I can’t with the cut off of the spiders scream at 5:24😭

[@ellenino]

😅😅😅😅 lmao the spiders scream! 😂🤣🤣

[@christeenmccrobie2917]

I'm 11 and i love these cartoons so much.