The Bremen Town Musicians (Cartoon, 1935

The Bremen Town Musicians, a ComiColor cartoon released on March 6, 1935, produced by Ub Iwerks as part of his vibrant animated series:
This 9-minute short brings the Brothers Grimm fairy tale to life with Iwerks’ whimsical style and rich Cinecolor visuals. It follows four aging animals—a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster—who are discarded by their owners for being past their prime. The story kicks off with each facing a harsh goodbye: the donkey’s farmer upgrades to a tractor, the dog’s hunter scoffs at his slowness, the cat’s mistress boots him out for laziness, and the rooster narrowly escapes the cook’s soup pot. Undeterred, they resolve to become musicians and set off for Bremen Town.
Along the way, the quartet meets up, their spirits high despite their creaky joints. The animation gives them distinct personalities—the donkey’s stubborn pluck, the dog’s loyal gruffness, the cat’s sly charm, and the rooster’s cocky strut. Their plan? To form a band, though none of them can carry a tune. Their journey takes a detour when they spot a house glowing in the woods, occupied by a gang of robbers divvying up stolen gold.
What follows is the cartoon’s highlight: the animals stack themselves into a teetering, hilarious tower—donkey at the base, dog atop him, cat perched higher, and rooster crowing at the top. They unleash their “music”—a raucous mix of braying, barking, meowing, and crowing—that’s more noise than melody. The robbers, startled by the shadowy, shrieking figure in the window, panic and bolt, leaving their loot behind. The animals’ victory is pure chaos, animated with Iwerks’ bouncy, exaggerated flair.
The ComiColor process shines with lush greens for the forest, warm yellows in the house, and the animals’ earthy tones. The soundtrack blends a peppy score with their discordant serenade, adding to the fun. In the end, the four settle into the robbers’ hideout, content as self-proclaimed musicians, their dream sort of realized.
It’s a lighthearted tale of misfits winning through teamwork, with a fairy-tale glow and slapstick charm.