DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The China Plate remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you’re not already into really old cartoons, The China Plate probably isn't for you. It’s a 1931 Walt Disney ‘Silly Symphony’ short, so it’s all about the music and simple visual gags. If you’re an animation history buff, though? Or just curious about Disney’s earliest stuff? Then yeah, give it a few minutes. Everyone else might find it a bit… thin. 🤷♀️
The whole thing plays out like a scene painted on a ceramic plate. It’s a neat framing idea, though not something that gets super deep. You see the musicians playing their instruments.
And then a stray cat just *hops* onto the instruments. That cat, man, it’s just vibing with the music, even playing a bit itself. It’s a fun little touch, a bit unexpected.
The animation here, for 1931, it’s actually pretty fluid. Especially the dancing ladies of the court; they’ve got a real graceful flow to them. You can tell they put some work into those movements.
Meanwhile, the children are fishing, just being kids. They catch a few fish. No big deal, you know.
But then they manage to tick off the emperor somehow. You see him get all red-faced and grumpy. It’s a quick shift.
The chase scene that follows is pure slapstick, totally over-the-top. The emperor is really huffing it, running after these tiny kids. It’s silly, in that old cartoon way.
It’s all set to music, naturally. There’s no real dialogue, just sound effects and tunes carrying the whole thing. This was before cartoons were talking much.
You know, watching it, you really gotta remember *when* this was made. It’s a peek back at animation’s baby steps. A very simple, charming peek.
The whole 'plate' idea is more a visual theme than anything super profound. Don't expect some deep meta-narrative about art or anything.
It’s short, moves fast. Before you know it, it's over. A fun little piece of history if you’re into that sort of thing. Otherwise, you can probably skip it without missing much. But for what it is, it’s kinda sweet. ✨