Magic Boy (MGM) (1961)

ANIMATED CARTOON HOLDS APPEAL FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Not all the stars of Hollywood are made of flesh and blood. Some are contrived of pen and ink, brush and paint, prior to going into action in imaginative, humorous and often heroic adventures when they are transferred to celluloid. They are the stars of the screen’s animated cartoons, which have captivated audiences the world over and have proved among the motion picture industry’s most enduring and profitable ventures. Not only the tots but the grownups who bring them to the movie theatres have found delight in such featurelength cartoons as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio,” “Bambi,” “Cinderella,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Snow Queen,” as well as such junior subjects as Tom and Jerry, Mr. Magoo, Bugs Bunny and Mighty Mouse, to name but a few. Latest to be added to the list of feature-length animated cartoons is “Magic Boy,” new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release, in color, depicting the adventures of a boy who takes to magic like a duck to water. What accounts for this devotion to an entertainment of fantasy and makebelieve in an atomic age sometimes accused of being disinterested in anything not strictly down to earth? Perhaps the primary reason is that animated cartoons speak a universal language. A babe in arms can enjoy the color and movement, the older child follows the story with understanding, the adult is taken back to his own childhood. Snow White is as familiar to a Frenchman, German, Spaniard or Indonesian as to a Yankee and in all probability even Mr. Khrushchev has heard of Pinocchio. The return-to-childhood aspect undoubtedly plays an important role in the popularity of cartoons among adults. Who is the youngster that has not found a creative outlet and satisfaction in drawing pictures with crayon or chalk? In a highly sophisticated and skilled technical approach, the animated cartoon is made up of just such pictures. And the adult is given a sensory pleasure in this throw-back to his carefree childhood days. Perhaps, in a final analysis, it is this “dream-wish,” so happily fulfilled by the animated cartoon, that has given it so wide an appeal to movie patrons of all types and ages. In the very beginning, when movies were in the nature of peep-hole entertainment, they were designed to lull the peeper away from reality. Later, when they were unspooled in reels and were shown in film houses especially built for them, the illusion remained. All over the country sprung up theatres named “Dreamland.” It is the animated cartoon which has helped maintain this magic. “Magic Boy” Holds Appeal For Both Young and Adult A chase sequence in which a boy endowed with magic powers hunts down a wicked sorceress is a climactic excitement highlight of “Magic Boy,” Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s featurelength animated cartoon in Big Screen and Magicolor. Both the boy and the sorceress use every magic weapon at their command in an attempt to emerge the victor in their conflict, and the resultant feats of legerdemain offer fascinating entertainment to both youngsters and adults. Ps IN DELIGHTFUL NEW CARTOON FEATURE A boy is taught tricks of astounding magic by a learned hermit in ‘*Magic Boy,’’ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s fascinating featurelength animated cartoon, in Big Screen and Magicolor. Youngsters and adults alike will find enchanting entertainment in a story filled with adventure and excitement, Still MB-19 Magic Boy Mat 2-C “MAGIC BOY,” NEW CARTOON FEATURE, HAS SCREENFUL OF “SCENE-STEALERS” It is common knowledge that, next to babies, the most formidable “scenestealers” in motion pictures are animals. In the conventional film, the script writer occasionally writes in an irresistible kitten or tail-wagging mutt to give the picture’s stars a run for their money. In the animated cartoons, the animal kingdom often takes over completely, with the result that you have such popular cartoon stars as Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny, Mighty Mouse, Barney Bear, Screwball Squirrel, Big Bad Wolf and Tom and Jerry, to name but a few. Furred, finned and feathered film “actors” are also among the headliners in many feature-length animated cartoons. “Bambi,” for example, built its entire story around the adventures of a fawn. Now comes along a new featurelength animated cartoon in color, in which almost the entire cast is composed of “scene-stealers.” It is MetroGoldwyn-Mayer’s “Magic Boy,” unfolding an imaginative story of a boy who becomes a master of magic and who uses his feats of legerdemain in a series of exciting, action-filled adventures. Aiding him in his exploits, which take place largely against a background of mountain forests, are such denizens of the wilds as a bear, monkeys, rabbits, squirrels, a badger, a fawn and its mother, a variety of colorful birds and A little boy and his sister share thrilling adventures in a world of enchantment in'*Magic Boy,’’ MGM’s fascinating feature-length animated cartoon in Big Screen and Magicolor. The new picture offers delightful entertainment to youngsters and adults alike. Still MB-12 Magic Boy Mat 1-C, fish, an eagle and even a swarm of bees. More than 200,000 separate drawings were executed by the artists and animators of “Magic Boy” to create the animal members of the cast in a project which extended over a_ period of months, Each animal was assigned an individual personality at the very beginning and this personality was maintained throughout the action of the story. Moreover, before a line or sketch was drawn on paper, the animators made frequent visits to a zoo to study the facial characterizations and body movements of their animal subjects at first hand in order to depict them accurately. In such scenes in which the monkeys swing through treetops a la Tarzan, the artists were able to get their inspiration from observing the antics of the zoo’s monkeys in their cages; on the other hand, a share of imagination was relied upon to depict them playing a game of baseball, one of the film’s engaging sequences. In the case of the fawn, there was no need to visit a zoo. In what may be cited as a record try for versimilitude, the director of “Magic Boy” bred a fawn at his home and then kept it at the studio, where it became an ardent friend of the film’s animators. * Color also played an important part in creating the “scene-stealers” of this cartoon. In scenes in which the animals are shown at play, the artists employed bright, happy hues; in contrast, drabber colors were used in the situations in which they are faced with difficulties and dangers. One factor was stressed by the makers of “Magic Boy” in respect to the picture’s animal stars. No attempt was made to personify them. One little rabbit in the story has a great sense of humor and laughs a great deal. But he laughs as a rabbit might laugh, not as a human being. The same applies to the other animals. The bear was left to be a genuine bear, the squirrels actual squirrels, the badger a badger, etc. They were not given any attributes of humans. Which is perhaps why the collection of “scene-stealers” in “Magic Boy” is one of the most engaging and delightful ever brought together for an animated movie cartoon, THE ADDITIONAL SCENE AND PLAYER MATS, SHOWN IN THE COMPLETE CAMPAIGN MAT ON ANOTHER PAGE, MAY BE ORDERED SINGLY. “MAGIC BOY” FASCINATING FEATURELENGTH ANIMATED CARTOON IN COLOR Marvels, Excitement And Laughter In Story Of Magic Adventures An entertainment treat for youngsters and grownups alike, “Magic Boy” is one of the most delightful featurelength animated cartoons ever brought to the screen. Unusual characters and settings, a story replete with excitement, adventure, magic marvels and daring deeds, as well as humorous incidents, a lilting background musical score and an imaginative use of color all combine to make this new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer release a rewarding experience. The story concerns a little boy and his sister, living a happy life in a mountainous country and surrounded by the animals of the forest, whom they have made their friends. Then comes danger in the form of an evil sorceress in command of an army of bandits who pillage the countryside and burn the villages. The little boy, named Sasuke, resolved to vanquish this enemy, takes lessons in magic from an old hermit and becomes a master of legerdemain, The scenes in which he learns to hurl thunderbolts, to fly through the air, to defy the law of gravity in walking up terrifying mountain crags, to overpower the forces of fire and water and to perform other astounding feats of magic are among the picture’s fascinating moments. Now equipped to face the formidable sorceress, Sasuke joins forces with a nobleman of the region and becomes involved in a series of action-filled adventures in which he is given opportunity to make use of all his magic tricks, In the vivid climax, the forces of good and evil, as represented by Sasuke and the nobelman, and the wicked sorceress and her bandit cohorts, clash in a spectacular battle in which the latter go down to defeat. The animal characters in ‘Magic Boy” are a delight in themselves, including a little fawn, which has a har One of the most appealing cartoon characters ever created is the hero of MGM’s fascinating feature-length animated cartoon, ‘“‘Magic Boy,” in Big Screen and Magicolor. He shoots stars, hurls thunderbolts, creates hurricanes and performs many other amazing feats of legerdemain in a series of adventures offering magic entertainment to youngsters and adults alike. Still MB-37 Magic Boy Mat 1-B rowing experience when it is carried away by an eagle but is saved by Sasuke. There are also a frolicsome bear, monkeys who imitate Tarzan in their antics among the treetops, a squirrel, a badger and a variety of other representatives of the animal kingdom. Forceful dramatic contrast is given ths animated cartoon in the scenes in which Sasuke is shown at play with these animal friends and the later sequences of his conflict with the evil enchantress in which both use their magic powers. “Magic Boy” is a Toei Production for MGM release, in Big Screen and Magicolor. BRIEF SUMMARY Astounding feats of magic are performed by the little hero of “Magic Boy,” a fascinating feature-length animated cartoon in color, released by Metro-GoldwynMayer. The story concerns the adventures of a boy who undergoes a course in the arts of magic and learns to perform such amazing feats as flying through the air, hurling thunderbolts, and defy ing the forces of fire and water. When he has become a master of legerdemain, he uses his powers to emerge the victor in a spectacular battle against a legion of bandits. In contrast to the dramatic excitement are scenes of drollery and humor in which the Magic Boy is shown at play with his animal friends of the forest, including a fawn, bear, squirrel, badger and frolicsome monkeys, A scene from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s fascinating feature length animated cartoon, ‘‘Magic Boy,” in Big Screen and Magicolor. Youngsters and adults alike will find enchanting entertainment in this action-filled story of the adventures of a boy who becomes a master of magic marvels. Still MB-48 Magic Boy Mat 2-A