Looking for "serious" theatrical animation shorts

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

I'm looking for theatrical shorts that "played it straight" with their stories. I consider myself fairly up to date with recent trends, so much of what I'm looking at would be pre 1980s stuff. Most of the shorts in the Golden Age were pretty much Looney Tunes, Harvey Toons type "funnies", aside from Fleischer Superman which I'm quite familiar with already.

Anyway, looking for recommendations and references. It would also help if you noted if they are out on R1 DVD or not. I'm not a big Disney expert and they may have made some "serious" shorts that I might not know of, so anyone more informed can tell me more if possible. I should also stress that I'm not really looking for anything particularly "avant-garde", so plotless animated shorts about, say, cubes turning into circles isn't what I'm asking for.

 

[Classic Speedy]

Martian Through Georgia (WB, 1962), directed by Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow, is pretty serious. It's about an alien who is bored with life and goes to visit Earth to spread his knowledge, only they treat him like a monster. It's out on the 6th Golden Collection. I'm not a fan of the short, but it sounds like what you're looking for.

 

[Rick Jones]

Old Glory and Peace on Earth both had talking animals but I thought they were pretty serious. Probably don't count, I guess .

It would have been cool if there had been more action adventure stuff in the Golden Age, ala Superman, kinda like the failed John Carter of Mars attempt. Dick Tracy (not counting that tv series) or Lee Falk styled shorts would have been awesome.

 

[Eric B]

There's the "Sloane Foundation" Sylvester trio, By Word of Mouse, Heir Conditioned, and Yankee Dood It which taught the principles of capitalism.

 

[Classic Speedy]

There's the "Sloane Foundation" Sylvester trio, By Word of Mouse, Heir Conditioned, and Yankee Dood It which taught the principles of capitalism.

Which are also on GC vol. 6! However, be aware that they're not totally serious. They still have a little bit of physical comedy that LT is known for, and the tone is overall still pretty light.

 

[rodineisilveira]

"The Tell-Tale Heart"

São Paulo - SP, Brazil, January 20, 2009.

Hello, friends from Toon Zone!

Do you wanna an example of "serious" theatrical animation short?
The Tell-Tale Heart (1953), based on an Edgar Allan Poe's short story. This short was directed by Ted Parmelee and Art Babbitt for UPA/Columbia Pictures (http://www.sonypictures.com), which's a dark adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story about a man who's haunted by beating heart of the man who he has murdered.
Very thrilling.
This short was an Academy Award nominee, best short subject (cartoon) in 1954.
Well, that's it!
Ciao!

Cheers from this faithful friend who always writes 4 U,

Rodinei Campos da Silveira (from São Paulo, Brazil)
You're always welcome!

 

[rattis1]

Disney's The Old Mill. I dont know what genre you should place this one in, but it sure is'nt merely a comedy like most other Silly Symphonies.

 

[Mek]

Old Glory and Peace on Earth both had talking animals but I thought they were pretty serious. Probably don't count, I guess .

Peace On Earth, absolutely. That short was enough to make me depressed for a good day and a half after I saw it, and I've vowed to never see it again since. (Although FWIW, it does have a good message)

'The Bear That Wasn't' is also an incredibly dark short too. Chuck Jones may have had his 'cutesy' phase, but he also had a very sharp way of telling a serious story.

 

[Steve Carras]

Peace On Earth, absolutely. That short was enough to make me depressed for a good day and a half after I saw it, and I've vowed to never see it again since. (Although FWIW, it does have a good message)
.

It's odd to hear [this was a 1939 MGM, by the way] a serious sbhort featured Mel Blanc [as well as the others, Bernice Hansen and Sara Berner.]

 

[ozymandias]

Education For Death by Disney of all people

 

[The Cartoon]

Education For Death by Disney of all people

I second this and The Old Mill. A lot of the old propoganda Disney cartoons would probably be good.

 

[rodineisilveira]

Disney's The Old Mill. I dont know what genre you should place this one in, but it sure is'nt merely a comedy like most other Silly Symphonies.

I remember of this short. It has a dark atmosphere and a dramatic music score.
I remembmer of having seen this short in the 1977 version from the Mickey Mouse Club.