Somewhere In Dreamland (1936) - Color Classics Theatrical Cartoon Series

When I was younger my grandmother had gotten this on VHS for me and my sister at a yard sale. I watched it ALL the time, and finding it now, some twenty years later, makes me so happy I could cry!

I like the artwork and the visual inventiveness that went into this cartoon. However, there's nothing particularly interesting about the plot. I found it rather dull.

This is a real visual treat to see in its original splendor. By this time, Disney's exclusivity on the three-color Technicolor Process had expired, and this was the first of the Color Classics series to use the full color system. Th story involves two poor children searching the village for firewood. They see a Bakery and drool over the cakes and doughnuts in the window. The baker sees the children and goes to get them some cupcakes. By the time he comes to the door, the children have left for home. The merchants talk about the children and come up with a plan. Once home, all their mother can provide them with is a piece of hard bed and milk. The boy says, "I'm still hungry, Mom." To this the woman turns and weeps in dispair. Realizing the error of his remark, the boy apologizes, and the children prepare for bed. At that point, the girl opens with the title song, "I'll See You Somewhere in Dreamland." The children fall asleep and dream about a slumberland heaven where they have nice clothes to wear, and find a land where all sorts of good things to eat grow along the path, such as a Popcorn and Buttercup field, and plant that grows ice cream cones. There is even and animal cracker Merry-Go-Round with doughnuts for brass rings. Finally they collect an armful of toys, and coming to a quilted spot, bounce as if on their own beds. Then they curly up to return to their own beds with ragged quilts. At this point, the mother calls, "Time to get up." As the children come into the kitchen, a huge banquete has been provided courtesy of the local merchants. Although the kids are happy, the boy sticks himself with a fork just to be sure it isn't a dream. In addition to the beautiful use of color, this short contains several three dimensional backgrounds for the children skipping down the chocolate bar lane in true Oz-like fashion. A wonderful atmospheric piece that is a joy to watch.