Sky Scrappers (1928) Review - Oswald is way cooler than Mickey

If you have about five minutes and want to see where the Disney magic actually started before the mouse took over everything, Sky Scrappers is worth your time. It’s perfect for anyone who likes seeing old-school animation tricks where physics just don't exist. If you can’t stand silent shorts or the flicker of old film, you'll probably hate it, but that's your loss.

Oswald is working on a skyscraper. He isn't just working; he’s basically a one-man circus act with red-hot rivets.

The way he catches the rivets in his hat and then just shakes them out is so smooth. Ub Iwerks was really showing off here. I think I counted at least four times where Oswald’s ears turned into actual tools. He uses them like hands, which is kind of gross if you think about it too much, but it works for the gag.

The boss, Pete, is a total jerk in this one. He’s huge and just looks like he wants to break something. He starts bothering Oswald’s girl—who I think is a cat?—while she’s trying to sell box lunches. It’s one of those moments where the cartoon gets a little too real with the workplace harassment stuff, even for 1928.

There’s this scene with a crane that is just pure chaos. Oswald is swinging around and the background is moving in a way that actually makes you feel a bit dizzy. It reminded me a little of the energy in Fire Fighters, but with more height. The stakes feel weirdly high for a cartoon rabbit.

I love the small details, like how the rivets make a little *clink* sound in your head even though the movie is silent. And the way the girders look like they are made of rubber. It’s much more lively than something like The Race which is fine, but lacks this specific bounce.

One bit that made me laugh was when Oswald drinks some milk. His stomach just expands like a balloon immediately. Why did they draw it like that? It’s so weird and specific. I love it.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sky Scrappers (1928) through its definitive frames.

The fight at the end on the top of the building is actually pretty well choreographed. Pete is throwing everything at him. Oswald just uses his environment. It’s like a prototype for a Jackie Chan fight but with more stretchy limbs.

I noticed a weird animation error toward the end. Oswald’s leg sort of detaches for a frame when he’s running. Or maybe it was just the copy I was watching. It adds to the charm, honestly.

It’s not as 'artsy' as some of the stuff coming out of Europe at the time, like Die letzte Stunde. But it doesn't want to be. It just wants to be funny and fast. It succeeds at that.

The ending is very abrupt. Like, they ran out of ink or time and just stopped. Oswald wins, Pete falls (probably to his death?), and then it’s just over. Classic.

If you’re bored, go find a clip of the rivet-catching scene. It’s better than most modern CGI action scenes because you can actually tell what’s happening. Even if what’s happening is impossible.

I wish modern cartoons had this much grit. Even though it’s a silly rabbit, the construction site feels dangerous. There's no safety gear. Just a rabbit and some hot metal.

Anyway, it's a good palette cleanser. Better than Table Steaks by a mile. Go watch it on a coffee break. ☕