COURAGEOUS CAT AND MINUTE MOUSE In "The Case Of The Big Squeeze" - 1960

I've been wanting to do one of these for awhile, and today it's gonna happen. This is a series that never played in our area and discovered it on Prime. This is Bob Kane's attempt to make crime fighters in a more camp and humorous style, and, it led the way for the BATMAN TV series starring Adam West later that decade. It has pretty low production value, but I think it lends to its charm. Also, Johnny Holiday created the cool music which includes an awesome riff in the theme song.

In this episode, one of my favorites, artist Rodney Rodent is using his painting machine to create a pile of 'masterpieces' to sell to unsuspecting art collectors.

He tops them off with forged signatures he stamps on!

He takes them to J. P. Mutton to make the sale. J. P. wants to know if the painting are genuine, and Rodney replied... Of course, just smell the fresh paint!

And Rodney leaves with a cart full of  dough!

The first place Rodney goes to is The Pad, a beatnik hang out! Performing the music is Sassy Bones accompanied by singer, Chanteluse. Cracks me up, she doesn't sing, she just uses voice modulations and screams!

Rodney showers her with money because, you know, she's one hot chick!

Courageous Cat and Minute are out on patrol in the Catmobile when the police chief gives them a call to say that Rodney Rodent ripped off J. P. Mutton, he's at The Pad, go get him!

The guys show up at The Pad, ready for action.

While Courageous checks out Rodney's upstairs apartment, Minute goes inside to keep an eye on the crooked artist. Minute even changes into a beatnik outfit to fit in.

Upstairs, Courageous finds Rodney's art machine, now it's time to bust him!

Inside, Minute reveals himself to Rodney, and points two pistols at his head!

But Rodney escapes on his scooter after running over and flattening the little mouse.

While chasing Rodney in the Catmobile, Courageous pulls out his handy multi-purposed gun and fires a giant paint tube at Rodney, encasing him inside the tube.

The police chief shows up and wants to know where Rodney is...

Courageous says... Minute's putting the squeeze on him! Love these crazy characters, the main bad guys are The Frog and Harry The Ape who Rodney works for occasionally. Have a decent weekend, if that's possible any more.

CHE? - "What?" (1972)

 

It is a genuine WTF Wednesday in The Dungeon, and what could be more WTF than a movie called "What?"

From what I saw, not much!

 

"What?" is a 1972 film by Roman Polanski. The original title was "Che?" but if you look that up, you will mostly find information about Che Guevara. Not Polanski's most popular film for good reason, it is said on IMDB, that the film grossed a whole $64.00 it's first week.

 

Although the top name on all of the posters is Roman Polanski, the real star of the film is Sydne (Some Girls Do) Rome as a young lady named Nancy.

 

Nancy was hitch hiking her way up the Amalfi Coast, when three idiotic goons attempt to rape her. She ends up at this spectacular villa, and since she lost her baggage, she is never actually fully dressed for the rest of the movie.

 

The villa is full of assorted weirdos like Marcello Mastroianni as a pimp with skin problems named Alex.

 

After about ten or fifteen minutes running around topless, Nancy finally latches onto a pajama top that belonged to the owner of the villa. She wears it pretty much the rest of the movie.

 

Nancy is keeping a diary of all the strange events that befall her.

 

The only thing that comes to my mind is this is Roman Polanski channeling his inner Jesus Franco, and that makes at least as much sense as the movie itself.

 

Except for Nancy, the movie is filled with all sorts of unsavory and unlikable characters who mostly do nothing but act weird.

 

The locations are all very stunning and attractive!

 

I guess he was having a good time, an uncredited Roman Polanski plays an unpleasant character named Mosquito.

 

Not even Nancy knows why Mosquito is wearing the torn, but repaired shirt she had on when she arrived, and why is it reversed?

 

Sydne Rome is a beautiful gal no doubt, but in almost two hours I think they could have come up with some better stuff happening around her than this!

 

The closing scene is a regular "Who's on First?" routine, with Sydne and Marcello doing a back and forth of "What?" What movie? "What?" until she goes off into the distance, completely nude of course.

To make it even more mixed up, the German title is "Was?"

Was What?

MERRY MELODIES / "Back Alley Uproar" - 1948

Since I'm pressed for time today, here's a great little cartoon fer y'all. It stars Sylvester, who wants to serenade the neighborhood, and Elmer, who wants to get a good night's sleep, and never the twain shall meet!

Sylvester starts his night with an operatic number...

And get a big old shoe in the mush from Elmer!

Then, Sylvester does another number that requires him to stomp up and down the stairs at Elmer's place in oversized army boots! This gets him tied up and his boots replaced with sneakers!

So, Sylvester greases the steps and sprinkles a few tacks on the ground for  good luck. Then he creates more noise.

Elmer slips and slides down the stairs and through the tacks. At that point, he turns around and heads back up the stairs, all akimbo.

He goes inside and grabs his rifle, then it's back down the stairs!

Sylvester is on the roof and sees Elmer coming up on a ladder. He grabs another kitty and gives him his sheet music, and disappears.

Kitty sings an annoying operatic song which gets him conked in the head with a rifle butt!

It's time for the old (who even knows what this is anymore) Alum gag!

This shuts Sylvester up for about 10 seconds.

My favorite part, Sylvester breaks out in a Spike Jones number, the last straw for Elmer!

He grabs a case of dynamite from a construction site, time to rid the neighborhood of that pesky old cat! So, Elmer lights the fuse and it immediately explodes!!

Elmer is so happy that he can now get some sleep, heaven it great, ain't it! Until, all 9 lives of Sylvester show up singing at the top of their lungs!