Sharkflei
Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.
Stephanie
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Jenni Devyn
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
bml84
I remember seeing this back in the Early-Mid 80's during a Holiday weekday on STV. Obviously the station realised too late that this was not your typical Kiddy Fodder as it was never shown again (a minor miracle for anyone who knows STV). I'm not surprised.It was Soooo depressing. Suicide-Unrequited Love-Sleaze-Despair. Fun viewing for all the Family. Has to be said though that it did stick in my mind, though maybe not for the right reasons.An odd curiosity that was very out of place for its time. Can't believe it was made in the 70's.Probably traumatised more kids than Bambis' Mother.
Vastarien202
I had a chance to see this glorious film again after nearly 23 years. I was very small when I saw it for the first time, and some hint of it stayed with me all this time. I just now finished watching it again, and, for me, it has lost none of its power. I am somewhat shocked that my mum let me watch it at such a young age, considering the lusty nature of Mehitabel, and the very dark attitudes, but I'm very glad that she had enough faith in me as a child to handle it.I was quite moved by the passion and joy of life all the characters have, even in the most awful circumstances. Pride in yourself as you are, with no apologies is indeed the best way to live. Thank you,Mehitabel. Thank you,Archy.
FinartsFilm
Marquis wrote a daily column on "archy and mehitabel" for the New York Post in the nineteen-twenties, as a defence against the bottle and a job as a sports reporter.I read the Penguin collection of his "a and m" stories in the fifties,as an animator at the Disney studio. I tried to get the studio interested, but they were not ready for the earthy humor, and the scandalous goings on of mehitabel. Later when I had started up my own studio, Fine Arts Films,I saw the Broadway production,with Eartha Kitt,which was brilliant.I had met Carol Channing,(who I saw as mehitabel,--perfect gravel voice),and she agreed to do it.With that start,I could not fail.I found a sympathetic ear of a friend,Preston(Sandy) Fleet,who was willing to invest in the production of SHINBONE ALLEY by my studio,Fine Arts Films.By 1969,we had a talented group of storymen,designers and artists,some ex Disney and Warners.Joe Darion and George Kleinsinger,(who had done the stage musical version),did the final script and music.Eddie Bracken and Alan Reed came aboard,and that was it,except we found John Carradine,a great actor,was willing to play the part of that old roue' actor-cat, Tyrone.T.Tattersall.We stuck faithfully to Marquis,and a stunning sequence,"archy declares war", in the middle of the film,we animated in George Herriman's cartoon style,(he illustrated Marquis' poems),creating a world that Marquis lived in. Our film "SHINBONE ALLEY" has been honored as one of the all-time great animated movies by The Museum of the Moving Image in New York,as well as winning the Golden Phoenix Grand Prize at the Atlanta Film Festival of 1971.
inframan
It's a shame this film has been buried from the start. It has some really superb music, written by George Kleinsinger, a couple of fantastic performances by Carol Channing & Eddie Bracken, - & best of all, it's based on the great Don Marquis series from (I believe) the old New York World - Archy & Mehitabel. The compilation book was illustrated by the peerless George Herriman (Krazy Kat - & Mehitabel really was Krazy Kat!) & some of the scenes in this film are Herriman-inspired, another reason to treasure it.Pity the poor wimps who are traumatized by any animation that isn't filled with fluffy bunnies.
