ARTE Distribution

Launched in September 1941 with the release of the initial entry, Superman, the cartoons were produced by Max Fleischer. The first cartoon was received to critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award.

The Superman shorts look like feature films, complete with tracking shots and a stunning variety of camera angles, each of which necessitates a new background. Artists duplicate real illumination, molding the characters with light and dark, and providing them with dramatic shadows. The films move at an accelerating pace, with cuts coming faster and faster toward the climaxes, propelled by Sammy Timberg's dynamic musical scores. Special effects involving fires, rays, and explosions set the screen ablaze.
The second cartoon, "The Mechanical Monsters", was released near the end of 1941. It features Superman battling an army of gigantic, flame-spewing, flying robots in a series of sensational scenes. Later special effects extravaganzas include "The Bulleteers", in which an airborn torpedo smashes through the skyscrapers of Metropolis, and "The Magnetic Telescope", in which an astronomer's harebrained invention sends an asteroid hurtling earthward. When not struggling with mad scientists, Superman takes on ferocious forces of nature like gorillas (in Terror on the Midway) or dinosaurs (The Arctic Giant).
In 1942 Paramount Studios acquired Fleischer Studios and gave it the new name of "Famous Studios." They produced the last 8 of the 17 shorts and continued the series until 1943.

With 75 films, Cartoon Factory is both a historical monument and a moment of pleasure for children aged 7 to 77...

During the thirties in the US, cartoons were one of the major types of film. Walt Disney's contemporaries constantly innovated and created new and original worlds... A considerable amount of research, and reediting, done for ARTE by the best specialists of the genre, has saved a number of these cartoon classics. With more than 75 films, we rediscover Alice, as well as the fabulous adventures of Popeye and Olive. We also discover Bosco, Tom and Jerry, at the time when they were not yet a cat and a mouse... Cartoon Factory is both a historical monument and a moment of pleasure for children aged 7 to 77.

A crazy scientist tries to destroy the planet with a laser beam.
 
 
 

Superman sets out to scupper his plans.

AESOP'S SOUND "Makin' 'em move" - Director : John Foster
MERRIE MELODIES "Freddy the Freshman" - Director : Rudolf Ising
POPEYE "A date to skate" - Director : Dave Fleischer
COMICOLOR "Summertime" - Director : Ub Iwerks"

MAKIN’ EM MOVE
Makin'em move is a hilarious visit to a cartoon production studio; in it we finally discover how they’re made, step by step... Watch out, it's a masterpiece!
 
A DATE TO SKATE
Popeye and Olive go skating; there, Olive takes her first roller skating lesson.
 
FREDDY THE FRESHMAN
A university football match set to music. No need to know the rules in detail to follow Freddy in this battle of the titans... A film that allows us to discover the origin of Merrie Melodies’ legendary "that's all folks".
 
SUMMERTIME
The beginning of summer is supposed to bring warmth and joie de vivre. But in the realm of cartoons, it is music and poetry that herald the arrival of the sunny season. This exclusively musical Comicolor series has enabled many musicians to express themselves.
 

A mad inventor steals from jewellers and banks using robots.

A new mission for Superman.

FELIX THE CAT "Felix the Cat in Arabiantics" - Director : Pat Sullivan
AESOP'S SOUND "College Capers" - Director : John Foster
POPEYE "Little Swee Pea" - Director : Dave Fleischer
COLOR CLASSIC "Musical Memories" - Director : Dave Fleischer

 
ARABIANTICS
Having traded a gallon of milk for a flying carpet, Felix flies off to the land of a thousand and one nights.
 
COLLEGE CAPERS
Our college animals are more motivated to play music, sing and dance than to practice more academic disciplines. Similarly, they put all their energy into playing a great game of American football.
 
LITTLE SWEE'PEA (POPEYE)
When Popeye offered to accompany Mimosa to the zoo, he had no idea that he would be venturing into the elephant, the crocodile and the hippopotamus' enclosures. But while his ingenuous toddler always comes out unscathed, our sailor always has to fight his way through.
 
MUSICAL MEMORIES
Grandpa and Grandma sit by the fire and listen to music while looking at stereoscopic photos. They remember the happy moments of their lives, and the melodies that rocked them.
 

Burglars sabotage a train with one million dollars on board.

A new case for Superman.

ALICE "Alice's little parade" - Director : Walt Disney
CUBBY BEAR "How's crops" - Director : George Stallings
TODDLE TALES "Along came the duck" - Director : Burt Gillett, Steve Muffati
COMICOLOR "Tom Thumb" - Director : Ub Iwerks

ALICE'S LITTLE PARADE
War has broken out against mice – and Felix is a valiant fighter...
 
HOW'S CROPS
Two small marmots are working in their underground galleries. They are making vegetables, growing them. But a big rat is ransacking the vegetable garden...
 
ALONG CAME A DUCK​
A frog tells a little girl how she became friends with a family of ducks.
 
TOM THUMB
Tom Thumb is tiny and very turbulent: he gets buried in the pie dough, eaten by a goat, or finds himself becoming bait on a fishhook. Fortunately, his parents watch over him...

A frozen Tyrannosaurus, brought back from the Arctic, escapes, spreading terror through the city.

Will Superman manage to catch it?

AESOP'S SOUND "Fisherman's luck" - Director : John Foster
TOM AND JERRY "Redskin Blues" - Director : John Foster
BETTY BOOP "Stop that noise" - Director : Dave Fleischer
RAINBOW PARADE "Molly Moo cow and the..." - Director : Burt Gillett

FISHERMAN'S LUCK
A small dog is fishing, but the small fry do not bite and laugh at him. A bigger fish takes him on an underwater visit, and our little dog falls in love with his daughter...
 
REDSKIN BLUES
 
Tom and Jerry (2 boys – before those names were given to the famous cat and mouse) are in a stagecoach and valiantly fighting back Indians. They are finally captured. But all of the state's armies come to free them.
 
STOP THAT NOISE   (BETTY BOOP)
Betty can't stand the city’s hustle and bustle anymore. She sets off for the countryside and discovers that nature can also be very hostile.
 
MOLLY MOO COW
Molly is the butterflies' friend. She will defend them when a butterfly hunter appears. To thank her, they perform a thousand colorful ballets in her honor.
 

Three men destroy the police headquarters...

... , and try to conquer the city, on board their car that destroys everything in its wake.

ALICE "Alice on the farm" - Director : Walt Disney
TOM AND JERRY "Joint wipers" - Director : John Foster
CUBBY BEAR "A day in the country" - Director : Steve Muffati
COMICOLOR "Little boy blue" - Director : Ub Iwerks

ALICE ON THE FARM
Alice and her cat are working at the farm. A chicken thief comes along and kidnaps Alice; her faithful cat chases after them.
 
JOINT WIPERS
Tom and Jerry are plumbers and happy to be. With them, water leaks are resolved in song.
 
A DAY IN THE COUNTRY
Cubby leads the municipal brass band, but the return of spring distracts his listeners.
 
LITTLE BOY BLUE
In the Far West, cowboys are trigger-happy; fortunately, music makes everyone less tense.