Wax Works: A Weird, Wonderful Old Cartoon You Might Dig 😬

Wax Works: A Peculiar Trip to the Wax Museum

Okay, so is Wax Works worth watching today? For a certain kind of film enthusiast, absolutely. If you’re into the early days of animation, especially the sometimes-weird stuff coming out of studios before everything got super polished, then yeah, give this a look. But if you're expecting some sleek, modern story or even a fully developed plot, you'll probably just scratch your head. This one is for folks who appreciate old cartoons for their charm and sometimes baffling choices. 🤷‍♀️

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wax Works (1934) through its definitive frames.

What's Going On?

The basic idea here is... interesting. We got a woman, and her son, and she’s apparently in a spot where she can't look after the kid. So, they end up with Oswald, who runs a wax museum. Now, for an old cartoon, that's a bit of a dark setup, isn’t it? You sort of expect hijinks, not social services getting involved.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wax Works (1934) through its definitive frames.

The Gags and The ... Vibe?

Oswald himself is a character. He’s got this sort of nervous energy, trying to keep his museum going, which mostly involves him being quite flustered. The animation, it’s typical of its time, a bit bouncy, a bit wild. There are moments where the wax figures feel like they’re almost alive, and that's where the cartoon really gets its kicks.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wax Works (1934) through its definitive frames.

One bit where a figure's eyes seem to follow you, that's pretty neat for the era. The whole place has this dusty, slightly creepy vibe, but in a fun way, you know? The gags, they’re simple, mostly physical. A lot of running around and Oswald trying to manage things. There's a moment, a short one, where the son gets into some trouble with a wax figure that looks just a bit too real. It kinda felt like the film was experimenting with atmosphere, which is cool for a short.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wax Works (1934) through its definitive frames.

• That one shot of Oswald's shadow stretching really long? It adds a lot to the museum's eerie feel.
• The sound design, it’s sparse, but the creaking doors really stand out.
• The woman character, she doesn't actually do much, does she? More of a plot device.
• The way Oswald's ears sometimes flatten when he's stressed. Classic!
• The ending... it just kind of stops. Like they ran out of film or something.

Overall Thoughts

It’s not a masterpiece, no. But Wax Works is a neat little snapshot of early cartooning. It tries some things, feels a bit disjointed in parts, but it’s got a certain charm if you give it a chance. Don't expect a polished gem; expect a slightly rough but genuinely interesting piece of history. A quick, fun watch for anyone into these old shorts. 🎩