Wednesday, June 29, 2011

DANCING ON THE MOON - Murray Mencher/Charles Tobias (1935)

It's now our pleasure to go back in time another 20 years to 1935, and the fantastic Fleischer Brother's vision of the future, a little story called not Surfin', but "Dancing On The Moon"!!!

If you count Max Fleischer as Producer, there are only six people taking credit for the work you see and hear here, I know it's an unfair comparison but the first "Shrek" flick has something like 178 credits just for "Other Crew!" All total, probably close to 1000! My, how times have changed!

The perfectly amazing "Dancing On The Moon" theme song will get stuck in your head, and then launch your brain into orbit! "Dancing On The Moon" was co-written by Murray Mencher and Charles Tobias! Murray and Charlie were the two guys along with comedian Eddie Cantor who wrote the 'Merrie Melodies' theme song, "Merrily We Roll Along!" Charles also wrote "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer," and "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree(With Anyone Else But Me)."

Great concept, a dollar per couple to go "Dancing On The Moon!" Looks to me like there's going to be quite a bit of hanky panky going on too! Speaking of "Hanky Panky," did you know that by the time Tommy James and the Shondell's hit #1 with that song (almost three years after it was released), the band had already broke up!

Uh-Oh, looks like this lovely young couple is running a little bit behind schedule!

Doggone it, the rocket took off and the young lady got left behind!

Nothing worse than being the only solo in a rocket full of couples! I realize it's only a cartoon, but this guy looks like he could really use one of Eegah's!! Ultima Margaritas, and here's the recipe for the latest version: A shot and a half of some decent tequila like Corralejo, Cabrito or Cazadores, a shot of grapefruit juice, a shot of orange juice, a shot of sweet & sour, half a lime, and a splash of Grand Mariner! Salud!! To better times!!

All the happy couples are having the time of their life! It's like some kind of futuristic Noah's ark!!

"Venus, Jupiter and Mars are all right tonight!"

"The Milky Way" as only The Fleischers could envision it!

I'd be willing to bet that the Director and Writer Tom Schiller, had seen "Dancing On The Moon" before making "Nothing Lasts Forever."

They got all their business done, and with a quick turnaround, it's back to terra firma, back to work, honeymoon's over!

Perpetuating the myth of the stork, kids in 1935 were a little mixed up about birth control! Now you know how the whole baby boomer thing got started!

Our hero had a crappy trip all by himself, and couldn't wait to get back to the woman he loved, but the stork didn't drop them off a kid, so she's pissed off and beats the crap out of him in typical loving Fleischer style!

Monster Music

Monster Music
AAARRGGHHH!!!! Ya'll Come On Back Now, Y'Hear??