Bottles
- Studio
- Harman-Ising Productions
- Distributor
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Synopsis
A busy old pharmacist falls asleep one night while working in his apothecary, and has a wild dream in which all of the bottles in his store come to life, and he shrinks down and becomes a part of their world. He goes through test tubes and sees virtually every color imaginable.
Most of the encounters that he has are good, clean fun- each item cavorting or dancing in a manner suggested by its name (a bottle of Scotch dances a jig, a tube of sleeping powder snores away, etc.).
But there is a sinister presence in this fantasy land: a bottle of poison becomes an evil, maniacal skeleton bent on tormenting our hero. He dispatches spirits of ammonia to seize the poor man and hurls him into a witch's brew of colorful potions. In this sequence, the animators use a dazzling variety of perspectives to show the little guy's journey through a maze of glass tubing filled with colorful liquids bubbling away.
The pharmacist wakes to find that he has been redturned to full size, realizes everything was a dream, picks up the bottle of poison and seems pleased he is safe.
Most of the encounters that he has are good, clean fun- each item cavorting or dancing in a manner suggested by its name (a bottle of Scotch dances a jig, a tube of sleeping powder snores away, etc.).
But there is a sinister presence in this fantasy land: a bottle of poison becomes an evil, maniacal skeleton bent on tormenting our hero. He dispatches spirits of ammonia to seize the poor man and hurls him into a witch's brew of colorful potions. In this sequence, the animators use a dazzling variety of perspectives to show the little guy's journey through a maze of glass tubing filled with colorful liquids bubbling away.
The pharmacist wakes to find that he has been redturned to full size, realizes everything was a dream, picks up the bottle of poison and seems pleased he is safe.
Characters
Pharmacist, Magic Potions
Credits
Directing
- Director
- Hugh Harman
Producing
- Producer
- Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising
Music
- Music
- Scott Bradley
Production notes
This is one of the longest Harman-Ising cartoons produced for MGM.
Pictures
Reviews
Incredible...and Elusive
This cartoon gave me nightmares as a kid...which was pretty cool actually. I have been searching for this cartoon again for months cause I wanted to give it proper props. It is amazing, vivid and kind of spooky. A true classic for any decade.
Bottles
We don't feel like safe and tidy/No one here will change our di-di/That's the reason why/All we do is cry...... These M-G-M Harman-Isings, with their luscious Technicolor hues, are still waiting to be discovered by cartoon fans. Many have but the thinnest of storylines to hang onto, but the musical numbers in this one, as well as the innumerable puns (the "baby bottles," the "smelling salts," the "sleeping powder") take the cake for sheer inventiveness (or perhaps sheer audacity!).
Genuine drama, too, in the climax.
Bottles
I still see this classic cartoon occasionally. Hard to believe this is almost 70 years old....the creativity and imagination that went into it is amazing!!! Spirits of Ammonia...oooooooooo!
Bottles
"We don't feel like safe and tidy/No one here will change our di-di/That's the reason why/All we do is cry...." These 1930's Harman-Ising cartoons, with their lush Technicolor hues, are still waiting to be discovered by cartoon fans. Many of have but the thinnest of storylines to hang onto, but the musical numbers in this one--to say nothing of the innumerable puns (the "baby bottles," the sleeping pills," the "smelling salts," etc.) take the prize for sheer invention. Genuine drama, too, in the climax.