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Movie spotlight

Ko-Ko Beats Time

1929
Movie
7 min
English

Ko-Ko fights Father Time.

Insights

IMDb6.6/10
Director: Dave FleischerGenres: Animation, Short, Comedy, Music

Plot Summary

In this Fleischer Studios cartoon, Koko the Clown dreams of a world where he is a bandleader. He is joined by the animated form of Cab Calloway, who performs his signature song "St. James Infirmary Blues". The animation features innovative rotoscoping and surreal imagery characteristic of Fleischer's work.

Critical Reception

Ko-Ko Beats Time is celebrated for its pioneering animation techniques and its creative use of music. It is often cited as an example of the Fleischer brothers' avant-garde approach to animation during the late silent and early sound eras, blending jazz with surreal visuals.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its imaginative and surreal animation.

  • Recognized for its early integration of sound and music.

  • Seen as a significant work in the Fleischer Studios' experimental phase.

Google audience: Audience reception is difficult to gauge due to the film's age and limited availability, but it is generally appreciated by animation historians and fans of early cinema for its artistic merit and technical innovation.

Fun Fact

This cartoon is notable for featuring an animated Cab Calloway performing his hit song 'St. James Infirmary Blues,' making it an early example of a crossover between animation and popular music.

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