ISMN: “Johnny in the Valley of the Giants” (1950) - Friday Jan. 6th, 7:30 PM @ The Springville Mansion
(Not available on Netflix #20)
This week’s feature: “Johnny in the Valley of the Giants” (France, 1950)
(aka “Johnny the Giant Killer” or “Joe Petit Boum-Boum”)
DVD/Technicolor/Dubbed/80 Mins/Not Rated
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Let’s ring in our new year of adulthood with a foreign French forgotten animated matinee oddity!
If my life were an animated cartoon, it would probably be like this.
I’m sick in bed and I just previewed this film in its entirety for the first time and I have to say that this is one of the most random, bizarre, kitschy, and hilarious animated films ever. I can’t believe that it has taken me this long to see the entire thing! Totally worthy of Lost Media stardom.
(It probably got lost in the mix because I picked it up it many years ago as a forgotten slim cased dollar DVD with double feature “Alice of Wonderland in Paris” at the Family Dollar store. I bet I never flipped the disc over because I remember watching the “Alice Paris” film and it was pretty awful.)
Johnny and the Giants totally rocked my world! (in a ridiculous way.)
The animation is stylized, trippy, very random, fluid, and deliciously outdated. This is a total head film and seems to me something that should’ve been more appealing to drug heads than say Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”.
I went a little overboard taking pictures of this film with my cell phone during the pre-screening. Smaller pictures are borrowed from http://www.kiddiematinee.com/index.html)
So this time my review will be told mainly with pictures. (Beware Contains Spoilers!):
One night Johnny and his weird shaped headed (boy scout?) friends are reading a scary story in a tent about a giant who eats children by “popping them in a sandwich”.
“No!” says one of the boys. “The wicked man. I’m going to tell my Daddy. He’ll punish him!”’”
“What’s wrong with us?” replies Johnny courageously. “We can pay him back ourselves!”
Turns out the giant’s castle is just down the path at the end of the forest!
One inside the kids are treated to a carpet roller coaster ride.
…and this happens!
Escaping being smashed on the ceiling, the scouts fall into holes in the floor and are caged.
After going through a miniaturizing machine, Johnny is boxed and magically slides down hallways ‘til he reaches the giant.
After witnessing the giant making sandwiches out of miniature animals, he sets a group of caged animals free. Causing himself to be the next caged victim…
…with a worm that barks like a dog.
Upon escaping, he sees this.
And gets lured into a dew covered spider’s web.
Ever stop to think about how wet and gooey Nature is in general?
Johnny gets rescued by a swarm of bees and suddenly it’s like you’re watching a different guided tour documentary film about the life of bees!
(The saucy speaking guide seems to have some awkwardly dubbed English dialog and sounds created only to fit his mouth movements.)
The film actually depicts bees making honey by throwing up into honey combs! (Which is scientifically correct.)
He also secretly witnesses the queen bee laying lots of eggs, including a tiny malformed one and visits the scary nursery.
Jack and his guide then proceed to spy on bees doing private flower things.
After one bee brings back pollen on his legs, a strange dancing celebration begins!
What a treat! (I think).
… to the music of the guide playing flute music on his telescope???
Finally he gets to meet the queen in person who um, takes an immediate liking to him!
Which gives Johnny thoughts of grandeur.
He likes her too. But can you blame him? The queen bee is pretty hot.
More music begins!
And gaiety!
While an insect carnival takes place, Johnny decides to spend his time waltzing with the queen…
….in the sky among the stars and fireworks. So romantic!
Too bad, because he’s missing out on the tunnel of terror where glowing insect “skeletons” are flashed before your eyes???
Watch out for that snail skeleton!
Oh the entertainment that ensues with acrobatic ghost worm thingies.
Then, an attack!!! By the “evil” tribe! ….Hornets perhaps?
Stay here and rest dear queen, I’ll be right back.
Ugh!
You want honey? I’ll give you honey!
Johnny slice and dices some hornets with the now legendary “spinning top” move. After the pieces fall back together, the evil corpses suddenly have halos? Are they now going to heaven?
Oh, the carnage!
Back in the bee throne room, Johnny suddenly remembers that he once had human friends who are about to be boy scout sandwiches!
Send out the troops!
… and those three ants who ride worm wheels under their bums! (ring worms maybe?)
Meanwhile, the sandwich!
Needless to say the giant is attacked by swarms of various insects.
His left eye gets swollen up by bee stings and some random beetles snip off the top of his ear with their pinchers, etc etc.
Now big again, Johnny finds his mini friends.
There’s a little more to the end of this tale, but you’ll just have to see this film and find out what it is for yourself!!!
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Bonus short film:
“Fishing with John”: Episode 2 w/ Tom Waits
DVD/20 Mins/Not Rated
Hey why not? The fishing continues!
This episode just seemed to go better with this week’s film. (It’s also the most famous and loved episode of the series.)
Modern Jazz musician John Lurie and celebrity Tom Waits go to Jamaica …for fish.
(It’s no secret: In this episode Tom gets sea sick, talks about cheese, and puts a fish in his pants.)
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Time: Friday January 6th @ 7:30 PM
Place: 363 w 300 s, Springville, UT
Plenty of parking at this location, and more space than my living room.
See you Friday!
(Pop corn, pizza, drinks and potluck possibilities welcomed at your discretion.)
- BC Sterrett
PS. Forgive the silliness of this post. I’m sick, dizzy, achy and sneezing in bed, so you gotta expect that I’m not all there in the head a little bit.
(Above: A few paintings that I assume are from the press-book for US release).
