Max Fleischer advertising silent film from 1927
"Now You're Talking" is a 1927 Max Fleischer silent advertising film that mixes live action and classic Fleischer animation -- the video was digitized off a Library of Congress print.Link (via Waxy)Beautifully preserved silent advertising film from Max Fleischer. The film starts off with a man trying to talk into a phone while trying to smoke a cigar. After failing to hear clearly (clearly failing to grasp how to use a phone), the man falls asleep.
His dream is done in the classic 1920's Fleischer style, using word balloons when characters needs to speak. The film relies on simple black and white lines, much like his later sound film "Finding His Voice".
A anthropomorphic phone is rushed into the hospital. When the doctor examines him, the phone complains of fatigue and the doctor examines the phone's diary. The diary covers all the don't of the day; don't get the cord wet, don't tangle the cord, look up correct number when speaking with the operator, etc. It should be noted that the film does contain a stereotypical portrayal of a African American zookeeper, complete with stereotypical speech.
After the rules are covered, the man wakes up, remembers the rules and is able to hear what's going on. The print for this film is in excellent condition and a fine example of Fleischer's style of the period.
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Cory Doctorow
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