Wise Flies: A Weird Little Trip Back to Early Animation

So, Wise Flies, right? If you’re into really old cartoons, like from way back when animation was still figuring itself out, this might be a fun little curiosity. It's definitely not for folks who need a deep plot or polished visuals. Think of it as a series of quick, silly ideas thrown together; pretty neat for history buffs, but probably a snooze for most modern viewers. 😴

A World of Tiny Troubles

The whole thing kicks off with a sleeping hillbilly, and honestly, this image stuck with me. Flies are literally building a playground on his bald head! They’re even ski-jumping off his nose. It’s so absurd and almost makes you wonder what kind of notes the animators were working from.

Then we cut to a picnic scene. A young couple is trying to enjoy themselves, and then — bam — a spider just drops in. The boy immediately bails, leaving the girl to deal with it. It’s a pretty quick, almost harsh, moment, how fast he runs. 🏃‍♂️

That spider, by the way, goes home and reports to his wife, "No flies." This line becomes a bit of a running gag, a tiny domestic drama in the insect world. It’s a very simple setup, but it gets a chuckle.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wise Flies (1930) through its definitive frames.

High-Flying Antics

Next thing you know, there’s a fly piloting an airplane. He picks up a girl fly, who's just kind of floating by. He gets a little too fresh, and she slaps him good. He just tosses her right out of the plane! Talk about a bad date. 😬

She lands right in the spider's web, naturally. The spider is absolutely thrilled, strumming his web like a guitar. The expelled fly even joins in on the fun, showing the spider her shoulder. But then, the spider’s wife, who's been lurking, gives him this stern look and orders: "No flies." 🚫

It’s all very disjointed, like they had a bunch of short gags and just linked them one after another. There’s no big overarching story, just these little moments. The animation itself is pretty basic, but there's a certain charm in how expressive these simple drawings can be, especially the spider’s wife. Her final "no flies" is just chef's kiss in its simplicity.

You can almost feel the animators just having fun with whatever ideas popped into their heads that day. It's not a masterpiece, but it’s a peek into a different kind of storytelling, when things didn't need to be so structured. If you're looking for something that just feels different from modern cartoons, this definitely delivers that vibe. It’s a quick watch, doesn’t outstay its welcome.