The American Scene

Despite the usual programme fillers which are destined always to be with us, in America also, new work is being produced by relatively unknown individual artists. Terrytoons, surprisingly, have released Gene Deitch's Sidney's Family Tree—a dig at "Momism" and his Another Day,—Another Doormat (inspired by the work of "sick" cartoonist Jules Feiffer). For the same company, Ernst Pintoff has made Flebus, a beautifully economically styled film with a psychoanalytic background, and The Violinist—an examination of the artist's status. Al Kousel made The Juggler of Our Lady, based on the familiar story and with commentary by Boris Karloff, in a pleasantly relaxed and sympathetic style.

These are all individual attempts though, and with the decline of Upa no company has risen to eminence in the field as a consistent backer of experimental or out of the routine attempts. Whether Terrytoons may do this is doubtful, for their past record, like that of Mgm and Warner Bros, has been one of playing it safe.