Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Howling Lions and ...

Dir: Vin Moore

To draw attention to a popular show, a publicity expert hires a former carnival character, not knowing that the man is on the run from the law.

Dir: Vin Moore

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Looney Lions and Monkey Business perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The adventures of an escaped convict.

Dir: Vin Moore

Lucy Whittacker is returning home from her finishing school and bringing her teacher with her. She warns the community teacher is a heart-breaker. Teacher brings her pet monkey with her, but hardly comes up to her advance billing, in the way of looks. Pa Whittacker details Dirtyshirt Jones on a ride through a bandit-ridden territory. Magpie is jealous and rigs up a speaking tube with which he waylays them on a lonely road. Through the speaking tube Magpie orders Dirtyshirt Jones to beat it with the homely girl and leave Lucy behind. Magpie then puts in a timely appearance and rescues Lucy, whom he takes to the circus, where he is met by Dirtyshirt and the teacher. The latter's monkey plays havoc with the sideshow attractions and eventually Magpie and Dirtyshirt are thrown on the back of an elephant. After a wild ride they are rescued by the local fire department.

Dir: Vin Moore

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Breakin' Loose perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When a rich young man marries, he lets the books and letters left him by his dead mother guide his life.

Dir: Vin Moore

A rare example of a short with the Silent female comic, who was compared to Chaplin, here as a rural milkmaid who gets mixed up with various problems including a bootlegger.

Dir: Vin Moore

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Virtuous Husband perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Everybody was talking about poor Minnie because she couldn't shimmies. So poor Minnie buys a book that guarantees to teach you how to shimmy. She puts a piece of ice down her back and lo and behold she is an expert at "it". Hubby has to do all the k.p. work, mind the baby, feed the cows and chickens and everything while wifey shimmies. The yearly train arrives, bringing with it a theatrical troupe,who stop at the hotel conducted by Minnie. The vamp of the troupe, looses no time in winning the affections of "hubby", but is foiled by "Bob" the clever dog, who always has his mistress's interest at heart. He pulls Minnie by her skirts into the room where the vamp and hubby are making love. Hubby disappears under the bed but "Bob" goes after him and forces him out. "Bobby" does some clever work; he minds the baby, and is general housemaid in the hotel. He discovers hubby and the vamp making love under the table with their feet. He bites Hubby's foot. Hubby accuses his neighbor of stabbing him in the leg with a fork. An argument follows, during which "Bob" gets away with the sausages. Everybody chases "Bob", and he leads them a lively chase.

Dir: Vin Moore

Last Chance Valley fairly wallowed in wickedness. To it came Professor Polonius Pinhead upon the back of his donkey and boon companion, King Solomon, and there he found two shrinking flowers of the valley. One's name was Violet and the other was Molly, whose expansion was in direct contrast to Violet's shrinking. She weighed 350 and could juggle a bean-shooter as well as any gun-toter. And, of course, there was a bad man. His name was Howling Hank, and he was a union villain licensed by the Moving Picture Theater Villains' Association, to wear the official black mustache and carry forty-seven shots in his six-shooter. Now, Howling Hank was determined that Violet should work in his dance-hall, and Molly was just as determined that Violet should not. Into this life and death struggle King Solomon, the donkey, kicked Professor Pinhead, and this elongated individual eventually obtained Dutch courage enough to route the villain, to save Violet, and to marry Molly.

Dir: Vin Moore

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Distilled Love perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Comedy centering on the question of whether a man's wife is or isn't pregnant.

Dir: Vin Moore

Cohen and Kelly families go to Africa to buy elephant tusks.

Dir: Vin Moore

Magpie and Dirtyshirt are dolling up to call on two girl friends when Magpie starts pulling off some tricks on Dirtyshirt, finally going off on his pal's horse and calling on the girls alone. Dirtyshirt arrives later and there is a fight. The judge feeds snuff to a pet bear and the animal starts chasing the two boys and the judge. Later Susie gives a party, the judge comes dressed as a bear and Pee Wee as a monkey. Dirtyshirt arrives with gun and comes near shooting the judge, mistaking him for the real bear.