Daniel Goldmark: Tunes for ’Toons: Music and the Hollywood Cartoon

Daniel Goldmark: Tunes for ’Toons: Music and the Hollywood Cartoon.

Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005 [xviii, 225 p. ISBN: 0520236173. $24.95] Music examples, bibliography, illustrations, index.

ERIC HUNG

any recent books on get to define a new field of inquiry. He starts by defining animation not film music begin by However, authors also recognize as a genre, but as a technique that Mbemoaning the lack the restrictions that foundational can be used in any film. This leads of existing scholarship on their texts place upon them. Specifically, him to conclude that: subjects. Given the growth of this foundational texts need to provide field over the past two decades, a broad overview of the subject, In many ways the responsibilities most of these claims seem while focusing on seminal figures, of cartoon music resemble those somewhat exaggerated. When canonic works and central themes. taken on by traditional film scores: establishing the setting, Daniel Goldmark complains about Authors simply cannot include drawing the audience into the the absence of scholarly writings on a large number of case studies story, providing the viewer with music in animated films, however, on more obscure topics without additional information about a he is by no means overstating the diminishing the usefulness of the scene, telling the viewer how to feel at any given moment, and situation. Before Goldmark began book for framing a field. vitalizing the “lifeless” pictures of presenting his own research at On the whole, Goldmark’s the film. (p. 7) conferences in the late 1990s, Tunes for ‘Toons is an excellent in-depth discussions of cartoon foundational text. In the At the same time, he argues music were restricted to occasional brief introduction, he opens that, because animated drawings articles in trade magazines, short with a discussion of the most are always “lifeless,” scores for chapters in manuals for film music characteristic feature of American cartoons are somewhat differently accompanists and composers, and a cartoon scores: borrowings from a constructed. Goldmark writes, handful of scholarly articles. Since wide variety of sources. Discussing “Music is far more integral to the then, Goldmark, with Yuval Taylor, his own cartoon-watching construction of cartoons than of have published The Cartoon Music childhood, Goldmark states that live-action films because the two Book (2002), an excellent anthology he gained “a working familiarity forms are created in completely consisting mostly of short articles with songs from no less than a different ways” (p. 4). He further by and interviews with many dozen genres or traditions, among stresses that the standard prominent American animated them classical, jazz, Tin Pan Alley, terminology for film music studies, film composers. In Tunes for ‘Toons Hollywood film musicals, folk such as “source / underscore, (2005), Goldmark has written the songs from America and around diegetic / nondiegetic, and foundational text for cartoon music the world, Viennese opera, and iconic / isomorphic,” are of limited studies. nineteenth-century American use in analyses of music in Writing a foundational text is parlor songs, particularly the work animated films (p. 4). a challenge that few scholars have of Stephen Foster” (p. 2). The heart of Tunes for ‘Toons is the opportunity to tackle. Those Goldmark goes on to compare a series of case studies on music in who write such books must be the functions of live-action film “The Golden Age of Hollywood” excited by the prospect that they scores to those of cartoon scores. cartoons—that is, cartoons 84 THE JOURNAL OF FILM MUSIC produced by major Hollywood persuasive, one wonders if synchronization. Specifically, studios for theatrical release Goldmark needs to discuss the Bradley often anticipates or delays between the early 1930s and the sound of the accompaniment a bit the sound of an impact or reaction mid-1950s. The first two chapters more. In the Claude Cat example by a second or two. Here, Goldmark examine the compositional styles mentioned above, many people borrows Michel Chion’s concept of the two cartoon composers who, who do not know the title of this of “rendering” and convincingly according to Goldmark, “helped tune might still “get the joke” in argues that non-synchronization establish the public’s notion of that they perceive the music to be often helps to communicate the what cartoon scores should sound inappropriately romantic for this emotion or sensation caused by the like”: Carl Stalling and Scott scene. This chapter also explores action. Here is an excerpt of his Bradley (p. 9). The last three the stereotypical portrayal of race excellent analysis of Solid Serenade: chapters are more sociological in and gender in Stalling’s scores, nature, and explore how animators and the ways Stalling adapted his Jerry jumps into the kitchen sink and composers used jazz and compositional style to the needs and drains it, exposing a pile of classical music “as fodder for social of different directors. Although dishes. At the moment when the audience recognizes the danger commentary” (p. 8). this book is generally well edited, Tom is in, Bradley hits a shock- Carl Stalling (1891-1972), the one major error needs to be noted stinger-style chord and holds it; focus of the first chapter, was here: the bass line of Example #2, only a brief drum roll further the chief composer for Warner Raymond Scott’s “Powerhouse,” is builds the tension and drives us into the collision. Bradley lets Bros. cartoons from 1936 to 1958. notated a third too low. Tom’s actual impact go without Goldmark starts by convincingly The second chapter focuses a sting. Instead, immediately arguing that Stalling’s early on Scott Bradley (1891-1977) and after the cat hits the dishes experience as music director of a his scores for the “Tom and Jerry” Bradley repeats the same chord in a deliberately off-beat pattern, silent film theater had a profound cartoons. Unlike Stalling, who conveying the pain of this headfirst effect on his compositional style “regarded his work for Disney and dive rather than mickey-mousing for cartoons. Specifically, the two Warner Bros. strictly as work,” the impact itself. (p. 65, emphasis most distinctive traits of Stalling’s Bradley believed that cartoons added) cartoon scores—the “heavy and cartoon music would one reliance on popular songs” and the day become highly respected This chapter also examines creation of comedy through the art forms (p. 47). In several Bradley’s popular music borrowings use of songs that went against the articles, he discussed his vision and use of twelve-tone scales. action onscreen—are adapted from of future cartoons as a modern According to Goldmark, Bradley practices he developed as a silent Gesamtkunstwerk that included likely believed that the use of film accompanist (p. 10). original music, composed and European modernist techniques, Later in the chapter, Goldmark recorded before the animation was with their “implicit association demonstrates that many of produced, but no dialogue. with highbrow culture,” added “a Stalling’s musical gags are based The “Tom and Jerry” cartoons bit of class to cartoons” (p. 72). upon the titles of the songs that realized one facet of Bradley’s These two opening chapters he borrowed. For example, in vision—they include little or no successfully outline the contrasting Mouse Wreckers, the tune “Sweet dialogue—but they were still compositional styles of Stalling and Dreams, Sweetheart” is heard when produced in the traditional way: Bradley. What is missing, however, Claude Cat is reading a book about the animation was worked out is an exploration of how these nightmares. Given the obscurity before the music was composed. two men helped to “establish the of some of these tunes, Goldmark Also, unlike episodic Warner public’s notion of what cartoon is forced to wonder whether Bros. cartoons, “Tom and Jerry” scores should sound like” (p. 9). Stalling expected many in the cartoons generally consist of a Why were they so influential? audience to perceive these jokes. He series of increasingly intense chases How have they influenced cartoon ultimately concludes that Stalling that lead towards a climax. In his composers that came after them? was either creating an additional analyses, Goldmark first reveals How is it that “their impact has level of humor for connoisseurs how Bradley’s scores help build the been so great that no one since of obscure music or inserting tension in these cartoons. He then has escaped their influence” gags for his own amusement. explores a particularly interesting (p. 162‑63)? Since there is not While this discussion is generally aspect of Bradley’s scores: non- yet a standardized narrative on hung 85 cartoon music history, even brief, general. Goldmark does not tell us stereotypes about it: professional preliminary answers to these the extent to which bop became singers, while stuffy and ridiculous, questions would be tremendously “conventional.” Additionally, it is are trained artists; in contrast, helpful to future scholars. difficult to conceive of free jazz as popular singers may have character The third chapter considers a music that was “too hot” a year and charm, but they lack such the ways jazz is used as a before Ornette Coleman made training and therefore do not narrative device in “Golden his first studio recording. The deserve the same respect” (p. 117). Age” Hollywood cartoons. Not second point that needs further Later on, he is even more explicit surprisingly, Goldmark comes to discussion is Goldmark’s “most when he states that, although the conclusion that “the rhythms chilling conclusion . . . that cartoons cartoons that use classical music and textures of jazz provided the are, in many ways, a natural “are often accused of undercutting sound that most often signaled extension of the minstrel show” and weakening classical music’s to white viewers the stereotyped (p. 84). While this point is in some rightful place in the cultural black community and its culture” ways obvious—“jazz” cartoons hierarchy, in reality they do as (p. 84). Like other aspects of often used songs that originated much to maintain [classical] African-American culture, jazz was in minstrelsy—a more sustained music’s elevated status as do more seen as simultaneously desirable discussion would be useful here. worshipful representations,” such (thrilling and free) and dangerous Hopefully, Goldmark has sparked as Disney’s Fantasia (p. 159). (immoral and disorderly). The another scholar to undertake this An extended analysis of What’s chapter includes insightful analyses project. Opera, Doc? occupies the bulk of of a number of cartoons, but it is The meaning of classical music the final chapter. Here, Goldmark also the one that is most in need of in mid-20th-century Hollywood examines all the different aspects of further development. cartoons is the subject of the final Wagnerian opera that are parodied In particular, Goldmark needs two chapters: chapter four focuses in Chuck Jones’s famous cartoon. to expand and strengthen his on instrumental music, and chapter A particularly interesting section arguments on two very intriguing five focuses on opera. The former examines the lack of women in points. One concerns the changing begins by examining how cartoon cartoon operas. He writes: nature of what was considered “too directors and composers selected hot” or risqué to be acceptable to the pieces they use in their shorts Perhaps one of the few white audiences. At the conclusion and concludes that “gestural stereotypes that Bugs does of his analysis of The Three Little immediacy” is the one trait that not take on is the prototypical woman of opera. The roles of Bops (1957), he writes: ties the “cartoon canon” together. female characters in cartoons If directors cannot find anything are limited at best, and the use [Paul] Whiteman and [Al] “visually interesting to accompany” of opera and opera narratives did Jolson pleased their audience the music, then they are probably nothing to add to them, despite the ease with which images of by confining themselves to not going to incorporate the work playing what was, in their time, the loud female opera singers, or the most widely accepted (and (p. 110). the proverbial fat lady, might be also conventional) type of pop After this, Goldmark analyzes spoofed. (p. 156) or jazz, shying away from the several cartoons and explores hot jazz preferred by innovative how each parodies and ridicules black groups. Twenty-five years Goldmark then states, later we find the definition of all aspects of concert hall culture, “Apparently, the use of female “conventional” shifting. The especially the role of the conductor. characters simply did not occur West Coast or bop style became Here, his key insight—and he to the directors” (p. 156). Given the new norm, exemplified by expands this point considerably the three white pigs. As a result, the number of male characters the innovative free jazz sound in the next chapter—is that, as who dress in drag and the fact became the music that is too hot much as cartoons like to satirize that Chuck Jones “designed a to touch. (p. 104) the pretensions of the classical voluptuous horse as a standin” for music world, they also implicitly Brünnhilde, this explanation seems One wonders whether this express an attraction to this world. overly simplistic (p. 157). quote is applicable only to The Three Goldmark writes, “Even as the Ultimately, Tunes for ‘Toons is Little Bops, or whether it pertains cartoon viciously satirizes the a short book. There are several to the use of jazz in cartoons in world of classical music, it also instances when one wished implicitly confirms several positive 86 THE JOURNAL OF FILM MUSIC that Goldmark had dug just a little deeper. At the same time, there is no doubt that this is a groundbreaking book. While its findings and arguments are not shocking or unexpected, they are very well-researched and presented. By writing Tunes for ‘Toons, Goldmark has laid the foundation for scholarly studies on cartoon music. I have no doubt that the book will inspire further research in the field.