An animated anti-war short from Academy Award-winning Di$ney animator Ward Kimball (1914 –2002). The film protests then-president Lyndon B. Johnson’s escalation of the Vietnam war using violence, montage and sexuality.
One of the weirdest things to come out of the depression, this “Baby Burlesk” casts a group of toddlers in adult roles, including Shirley Temple starring as a prostitute who discovers her heart of gold in the face of on honest politician. The result is cringe-worthy, but gives an honest glimpse of the laissez faire attitude towards censorship in the pre-code era.
Shirley Temple later called this film "a cynical exploitation of our childish innocence." In her autobiography Shirley Temple Black recalls the plot: "I was a strumpet on the payroll of the Nipple Trust and Anti-Castor Oil Lobby. Mine was the task of seducing a newly arrived bumpkin senator." Shirley’s mother designed the black lace undergarments and bra her daughter wears on screen.
A hilarious and Oscar-nominated short skewering political campaign commercials. Taking his movements from television advertisements featuring sinuous performers who posture for the camera as they fashion blue jeans, fictitious presidential candidate Ray Hardale offers his platform as he humorously poses for the camera. Writer and Director, Bill Tunnicliffe.
Schoolhouse Rock: Sufferin' Till Sufferage (Color, 1974)
Line up for the voting booth with this super groovy musical break for the ladies from the iconic cartoonucational show Schoolhouse Rock about the women's suffrage movement.
Betty Boop For President (B+W, 1932, excerpt)
Betty runs for the office of President against Mr. Nobody while parodying real
candidates. Both candidates state their platform through song and dance,
referring to political issues of the time.
The House of Representatives is portrayed by elephants and asses-just like they
are in real life!
Betty sings: “Oh, when I'm the president, When I'm the president, I'll give you all a great big kiss, When I'm the president!” We see Times Square with billboards proclaiming that Betty Boop has been elected; there are fireworks and a tickertape parade.
Betty sings: “Oh, when I'm the president, When I'm the president, I'll give you all a great big kiss, When I'm the president!” We see Times Square with billboards proclaiming that Betty Boop has been elected; there are fireworks and a tickertape parade.
Where Were You? (B+W, 1960)Ford Motor Company sponsored this campy long form PSA on why everyone needs to do their part in participating in elections or we'll all end up with somebody nobody really wanted. This pro-voting propaganda will surely guilt you all the way to the polls.
Meet King Joe (Color, 1951)
Tricky Dick Cheesecake Reel (Color, 1960s, excerpt)
One girl's got it bad for Richard Nixon as she gets down and dirty with herself and a Time Magazine with Nixon on the cover.
Smear: The Game of Dirty Politics (B+W, 1964, excerpt)Walter Cronkite examines the mudslinging and yellow journalism that accompanies the presidency from its earliest roots against George Washington and up through the Nixon/Kennedy campaigns. Features tons of historical political cartoons and salacious smears against all your favorite presidents.
Taft Election from Screen Souvenirs (B+W, 1931)
Catch highlights of the 1908 election with William Jennings Bryan and William Howard Taft and Taft's indoor inauguration during a blizzard in 1909.
200 (Color, 1975)
Vince Collin’s supremely psychedelic animated celebration of our nation’s bicentennial, sponsored by the United States Information Agency. They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. But then again, not as many LSD-inspired animators make it through the grant process.
American Time Capsule (Color/B+W, 1968)
Chuck Braverman presents the history of the United States up to 1968 in 3 minutes, utilizing a montage of 1300 images set to the music of Sandy Nelson’s Beat That Drum. Originally aired on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Chuck Braverman presents the history of the United States up to 1968 in 3 minutes, utilizing a montage of 1300 images set to the music of Sandy Nelson’s Beat That Drum. Originally aired on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
PJ and the President's Son (Color, 1976, excerpt)
Child-star Lance Kerwin takes a double roll in this ABC Afterschool Special adaptation of "The Prince and the Pauper". It's tough being the president's only son, even with the entire staff of the White House at your disposal. When his limo nearly runs over his doppelganger delivering groceries, both Lances get a shot at a new and exciting life.
For the Early Birds:
Soup for President (Color, 1978)
Rob's not cut out for politics. His best friend Soup is running for class president, but so is Norma Jean, the prettiest girl in school who promises a relationship in exchange for his vote. What makes matters worse is Rob and Soup's arch-nemesis Janice is Norma Jean's campaign manager. What's a boy to do? An ABC Weekend Special starring Shane Sinutko and Christian Berrigan, directed by afterschool special veteran Larry Ellikan, and based on the books by Robert Newton Peck.
Curator’s Biography
Kat Shuchter is a graduate of UC Berkeley in Film Studies. She is a filmmaker, artist and esoteric film hoarder. She has helped program shows at the PFA, The Nuart and Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theater and was crowned “Found Footage Queen” of Los Angeles, 2009. She has programmed over 200 shows at Oddball on everything from puberty primers to experimental animation.
About Oddball Films
Oddball Films is a stock footage company providing offbeat and unusual film footage for feature films like Milk, documentaries like The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, Silicon Valley, Kurt Cobain: The Montage of Heck, television programs like Mythbusters, clips for Boing Boing and web projects around the world.
Our screenings are almost exclusively drawn from our collection of over 50,000 16mm prints of animation, commercials, educational films, feature films, movie trailers, medical, industrial military, news out-takes and every genre in between. We’re actively working to present rarely screened genres of cinema as well as avant-garde and ethno-cultural documentaries, which expand the boundaries of cinema. Oddball Films is the largest film archive in Northern California and one of the most unusual private collections in the US. We invite you to join us in our weekly offerings of offbeat cinema.
Our screenings are almost exclusively drawn from our collection of over 50,000 16mm prints of animation, commercials, educational films, feature films, movie trailers, medical, industrial military, news out-takes and every genre in between. We’re actively working to present rarely screened genres of cinema as well as avant-garde and ethno-cultural documentaries, which expand the boundaries of cinema. Oddball Films is the largest film archive in Northern California and one of the most unusual private collections in the US. We invite you to join us in our weekly offerings of offbeat cinema.