The Tale of a Shirt (1933) - Bouncy, Bizarre, and Aged Like Milk

If you have six minutes to spare and don't mind some cringe-inducing 1930s stereotypes, The Tale of a Shirt is a weird little time capsule. Animation nerds will find it fascinating, but anyone looking for modern sensitivity should probably run away fast.

It’s a 1933 Terrytoons short about a Chinese laundry shop run by caricatures. Yes, those kinds of caricatures. 😬

Everything bounces to the music, which is honestly the best part. Even the steam irons have a weird, rubbery life of their own.

The plot is basically nonexistent. A shirt gets dirty, it goes to the laundry-mat, and chaos happens.

It reminds me of the chaotic energy in Felix Finds a Way, but with way more dust and steam. Though Felix had a bit more charm, to be honest.

There is this one shot where a cat gets caught in the washing machine. Its face looks so genuinely miserable for two frames that I actually snorted.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Tale of a Shirt (1933) through its definitive frames.

Paul Terry and Frank Moser were just churning these out weekly. You can tell they didn't have time to think about things like "structure" or "plot logic."

"It’s just pure, unfiltered rubber-hose madness."

Some of the background details are surprisingly detailed. Look at the messy shelves in the back of the shop if you watch it.

It has that same bizarre, slightly exhausting travelogue feel you get from weird old films like So This Is America. Just people from the past gawkng at things they don't really understand.

But hey, the music is catchy. I’ve had that stupid, tinny flute loop stuck in my head for three hours now. 🎶

Don't expect masterpiece level stuff here like you might find in some other classics. It’s a cheap, silly short that aged like milk in the sun.

Still, if you want a quick hit of black-and-white weirdness, give it a spin. Just keep your expectations in check.