Box Car Blues (1930)

Box Car Blues Title Card “Box Car Blues”
Looney Tunes (Bosko title #1)
Released: December 1930
Length: 6:39
Starring: Bosko

Credits:

Supervision by – Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising
Drawn by – Rollin Hamilton, Max Maxwell
Musical Score by – Frank Marsales


Summary:

Bosko is trapped on a runaway train car.

Description:

Bosko and a hobo pig are stowaways on a train. Bosko is singing the somber “Cryin’ for the Carolines”[LT&MM] while the pig strums the tune on his banjo. The train goes up a hill, flinging them both to back of the car, and knocking out the pig. The tracks on the uphill side of the mountain have a break in them, so the train tries to pull the tracks together, but instead it reveals the underpants of the mountain, which comes to life to pull its “pants”back on. As the train reaches the top of the mountain, the car Bosko and his friend are in breaks loose and starts rolling away. Bosko goes to the top of the car to call for help, but soon loses his head. After reattaching it, the runaway car goes through a series of three dark tunnels. In the third tunnel Bosko turns towards the camera and cries “Mammy!”. The width of the rails are increasing, causing the car to split in half length-wise, with Bosko’s feet still on both halves. Bosko turns his neck into a crank, pulling the two halves of the car back together. The car then goes into a very small tunnel, as Bosko rolls across the hill above. Instead of falling back onto the car, Bosko ends up on a cow. After the next tunnel Bosko is on the train car again, with the cow somehow in front, desperately trying not to get run over. A bump knocks Bosko off the train, but he still holds on while his crotch is dragged over trees and telephone poles. The car finally hits a tree, squashing the cow into an accordion. Bosko and his friend try to avoid the falling debris with an umbrella, but the pig’s banjo hits him on the head. Bosko picks it up and strums it as they ride off.


Notes:

  • Heard on the soundtrack: “Alabamy Bound”[LT&MM]

Thanks to Jon Cooke for discovering the Mickey’s Choo Choo swipes and for providing the images from that cartoon.


Memorable Scenes:


Video Availability:

VHS: Uncensored Bosko, Vol. 2
VHS: Inside Termite Terrace, Vol. 1
DVD:Uncensored Bosko, Volume 1

 

 

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