The Skeleton Dance (1929) User Reviews

by far the best of the Silly Symphonies

[didi-5 · 9/10 · 5 February 2007]

This short film was the first of the Silly Symphony series, which ran under the Disney banner from a decade from 1929 and proved to be an excellent training ground for animation techniques which would become the springboard into Snow White and the later features.

Even though the distributor at the time dismissed 'The Skeleton Dance' with the terse telegram 'More Mice' (a reference to the Mickey cartoons which had just started a few months before), this film is inventive, extremely funny, marries action and sound perfectly (and remember, this was when talkies were still very much in their infancy), and is an absolute hoot even after all these years.

So what's it about? Well, it is about skeletons dancing. And that's about it. But you can see the influence this film had on later animators (there is a sequence in Monty Python for example which references this film quite closely) and there is no doubt that it is a lot of fun.

I find all the other things in this short less creepy than the skeletons!

[Mightyzebra · 7/10 · 17 June 2008]

This is a very old cartoon, only one year older than the first Mickey Mouse cartoon. It was made with sound, but not colour (the first colour cartoon would not appear for roughly three more years).

I personally quite like this cartoon, although it is surprisingly disturbing. Walt Disney seemed happy enough producing spooky cartoons like this. I like the music, the animation and the theme of the episode is quite clever and the makers present it well.

In this short, a bunch of skeletons dance around in fun ways, with a slight Disney touch. I note that at the beginning, to put you in the mood of the short, there are a few animals beside a graveyard such as an owl and two cats. Personally I think these animals at the beginning are more spooky than the skeletons, who are supposed (as it seems) to be the spookiest thing in the cartoon.

I recommend this to people who like weird and spooky Halloween cartoons and to people who are interested in finding out about historical cartoons. Enjoy! :-)

P.S ***WARNING***: Anyone under the age of 12 watching this are very likely to be scared stiff, as well as people who are scared by anything, really.

7 and a half out of ten.

Skeletons Were Scary

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 27 December 2015]

So much animation; so many skeletons. This is a film about what happens at midnight when all the skeletons of the dead pop up and start to have a good time. They create multi legged creatures. The do hoop rolls. They play the old xylophone thing with the spine of someone. This, of course, has been done a million times. The neat thing here is that this is very cleverly done with all kinds of creativity. There is still something eerie about the fact that what we are seeing is inside each of us. This also has a fun soundtrack that allows the skeletons to do dance routines and participate in the making of the music. A very well done early cartoon that has been copied a number of times.

Sinister and Silly

[Squonk · 10/10 · 5 January 1999]

The Skeleton Dance is simply one of the most entertaining and imaginative animation shorts ever made. It features an amazing mix of both haunting and hilarious visuals. When the skeletons first appear you can somewhat see why in 1929 some people thought this was too gruesome for a cartoon. The fact that it is in black and white enhances the eerie graveyard setting. The animation of Ub Iwerks and music of Carl Stalling are a perfect mix. This should be required viewing for any fan of animation.n/x-comwu

A landmark of animation!

[jluis1984 · 10/10 · 10 December 2007]

It was in 1928 when sound entered the realm of motion pictures and with it a new age arrived to the young medium and the conventions of an art form were changed forever. This new technology, that allowed movies to be able to have their own musical score independent of the theater's orchestra, entered the mind of a young film director and animator named Walt Disney, who had been producing short animated films with the help of the brilliant cartoonist Ub Iwerks. Disney decided to take advantage of the novelty of sound and create a series of short musical animations to distribute along their Mickey Mouse cartoons (which also began to be produced with sound), in which they would be able to experiment with new techniques, characters and ideas. He named the series, "Silly Symphonies", and the very first one of them, 1929's "The Skeleton Dance", would revolutionize animation forever.

In "The Skeleton Dance", the action is set on an abandoned graveyard during a windy night under the full moon. It is the perfect night for the creatures of the night, and so the bats fly from the belfry, the spiders go out for a walk, and an owl watches scared the action that's about to begin: the dead rise from their graves, and they are ready to dance. A skeleton comes out first, scaring a couple of cats who were fighting, and then he calls his friends, other skeletons who are willing to play some music and celebrate. Using their bones as musical instruments, the Skeletons play a haunting tune, dance to the music, and even dance Ring Around the Rosie, having fun until the moon hides and the new day begins, because as soon as the rooster appears to announce that it's morning, the Skeletons must return to their graves, and prepare themselves for the next time.

Created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney, "The Skeleton Dance" is, as its tag-line says, a talking picture novelty in which audiences where able to witness a good song accompanied by an animated film, pretty much similar to what we now know as a musical video. What makes the movie amazing is the way it perfectly mixes the horror atmosphere of its setting with the whimsical comedy that made Walt Disney Productions' short films so popular with the audiences. Skulls, bats, cats and spiders make an apparition in the movie, in what could be the perfect scenario for a horror film, but this time the skeletons only want to have fun. Carl W. Stalling, composer of the film's song (and another influential figure in the history of animation), creates in "The Skeleton Dance" one of the best Disney tunes ever, perfectly putting in his music that mix of horror and humor that the short film embodies.

Ub Iwerks' art shines through the film, and Disney makes sure to take the most advantage of his friend's talent. As written above, they saw the "Silly Symphonies" as a way to experiment, and "The Skeleton Dance" showcases Iwerks and his team making a highly dynamic film, as well as creating pretty impressive sequences where perspective is put to great use. It's also very imaginative the many things they do with their skeletons, specially when they made them use the things found in the cemetery as musical instruments (including cats, and later, their own bones). The choreography of the Skeleton dance is very funny, and one gets the feeling that this group of young animators were truly having fun when making this little film. In many ways, "The Skeleton Dance" was way ahead of its time, and includes elements that years later would be part of the horror genre.

Among Disney's early films, "The Skeleton Dance" is one of enormous importance, as thanks to its big success Disney was able to produce more cartoons of his established characters. It also produced many imitators (WB's "Merry Melodies" and MGM's "Happy Harmonies" being the best of them) and a completely new style of short animations. Sadly, the friendship between Disney and Iwerks would be broken and Iwerks abandoned Disney in 1930 to open his own studio and later to work at Columbia Pictures (where in 1937 he remade "The Skeleton Dance" in color, under the name of "Skeleton Frolics"). While he never found the same success he had with Disney, Ub Iwerks' work proved to be among the most influential in the history of animation, becoming the teacher of other masters like Chuck Jones, and even now, animators today study the magic of Ub Iwerks and his dancing skeletons.

10/10

Crude black and white cartoon is still one of the great animated films

[J. Spurlin · 1 May 2008]

The night promises to be a scary one. Lightning flashes. The wind howls. A tree branch in the shape of a hand seems to grab for a frightened owl that spins its head around like a top. The clock on the church tower strikes midnight, sending the bats flying out of the belfry. Two cats on gravestones fight by pulling and stretching each other's noses like taffy. A skeleton rises from behind a gravestone, frightening the fur off the cats. But an owl's hooting scares it, and it retaliates by throwing its skull and knocking the bird's feathers off. It's time for the skeletons to dance; and they perform as no living creatures could.

Less than ten years after this crude black and white cartoon, Walt Disney made "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Disney may have quickly surpassed this film in technical virtuosity, but no one has surpassed it in artistry. "The Skeleton Dance," with its spooky charm and ineffable strangeness, is one of the great animated cartoons.

Jack Skelington's ancestors?

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 2 September 2013]

What a difference it makes to actually have Disney himself direct his cartoons. The Skeleton Dance is atmospheric, surreal, and visually eccentric to the point where I believe it inspired the Nightmare Before Christmas, to some degree, and even the works of Sally Cruikshank. I imagine that kids might have actually been a bit frightened of this cartoon back in 1929.

Apparently Disney had trouble getting it into theaters based on this notion.

The short features a gloomy churchyard overtaken by skeletons at night who go about dancing to various forms of mischief. A typically thin premise for cartoons from this era, but worth it for the atmosphere.

The First Silly Symphony Cartoon

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 11 September 2000]

A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short.

The powers of darkness are abroad one dark & stormy night. In a lonely churchyard, graves are opened and THE SKELETON DANCE is performed by four bony fellows who exhibit terpsichorean skills of the most sepulchral sort. The crowing of a cock signals the approach of daybreak and the ghastly hoofers hie themselves back into their grave.

Carl W. Stalling, Disney's music director in the early days, arranged Grieg's 'March Of The Dwarfs' as musical accompaniment to this first entry in the Symphonies series. With Ub Iwerks' masterful drawing, this black & white cartoon still packs a punch today. In 1929 it proved to be completely different from the Studio's Mickey Mouse productions. Indeed, some theater owners found it to be too macabre and refused to show it.

The SILLY SYMPHONIES, which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929, are among the most interesting of series in the field of animation. Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount, with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music. There was little plot in the early Symphonies, which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals, all moving frantically to the soundtrack. Gradually, however, the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot, characterization & photographic special effects. The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale, Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed. It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring. In 1939, with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon, Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES; they had run their course & served their purpose.

Funny bones.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 6/10 · 11 December 2021]

'The Skeleton Dance (1929)' takes a while to get into its eponymous boogie, with its first few scenes dedicated to establishing a variety of graveyard creatures (such as hooting owls and screeching cats). When the skeletons hop out of their graves and do their jaunty little jig, though, the flick is as silly and enjoyable as you'd expect. It feels really random, but that's not a massive issue; the experience is, in essence, designed to do nothing more than make you laugh. In this regard, it succeeds. It isn't hilarious, don't get me wrong, but it is rather funny in a subtle sort of way. Its animation is also wonderfully rubbery and has a real energy to it. It's a simple but solid animated short that should put a smile on your face. 6/10.

plot-less, bizarre, scary, hilarious

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 3 September 2015]

The Skeleton Dance was made over 85 years ago, but if you put it on at a Halloween party, not only will it make for some awesome ambiance, people will very likely stop what they're doing and watch it. This is Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, with assist from musician Carl W. Stalling, putting on something extremely simple, you might even say, ahem, bare-bones: what happens in a cemetery at night?

The movie has that truly awesome feeling, seeing it today, of the animators going 'hey, here's something we can try that has never been done before - skeletons dancing to spooky music (and the occasional Owl, who opens the short film in a great way by its eyes). There are some gags here and there; at the end, as the skeletons have to pack themselves back in their crypt, the little feet on one body has been left behind and they kick and kick at the crypt to let them back in.

But in reality, this is a fun-but-spooky little movie. It's amazing to see how much times have changed, as this was originally not allowed in a good many theaters as exhibitors thought it was "too gruesome". Today it almost carries some kind of profundity that I'm sure hipsters will latch on to. Take it on its own terms, in the context, and see how extraordinary it is: images repeated, real technique going on (mediums and close-ups, varied to create a spectacular effect), and an attempt to evoke a place and moment in the middle of the night. Or to put it another way, this is like Thriller's grandfather.

Halloween Fun

[gengar843 · 7/10 · 6 November 2021]

GENRE -- Check. Disney "Silly Symphoneys" entry.

THE VERDICT -- Above average but repetitive. You can certainly play it during your Halloween party and have 5 1/2 minutes of fun.

FREE ONLINE -- Yes.

Maybe the first great work of animation and probably one of the first important sound films

[zetes · 10/10 · 25 December 2001]

Every second of those six minutes is perfect. What a creative little cartoon! This is Disney gold! Four skeletons awake from their graves and dance around, scaring black cats and owls alike. They turn each other into xylophones and do the Charleston! These are six of the most important minutes of film history! 10/10.

The Skeleton Dance review

[JoeytheBrit · 7/10 · 30 June 2020]

Disney's first Silly Symphony is exactly the kind of macabre but non-threatening novelty that would appeal to kids. It's an antiquity now, but not without a certain quaint charm.

Macabre

[kaicesbr · 5/10 · 14 July 2023]

Continuing my Disney+ marathon now I'm going to start Silly Symphony. I've never seen this short before, so this is the first time I've seen it. I'll comment as I watch. Interesting animation, more horror-oriented. I liked the animation of the clock and the animals coming on the screen. Wow, I was surprised with the skeleton coming towards me, I thought it was great. Them dancing, I just loved it. Conclusion: it's macabre but I found it very amusing. The skeletons are Awesome dancing. Genious. Maybe not for the kids, But maybe in that century and year, people found it interesting to show this short to their children.

Nice

[FesterW · 10/10 · 6 November 2000]

I was lucky enough to see a 35mm print of this on the "big screen". For Halloween 2000, El Capitan theatre in Hollywood ran "The Skeleton Dance" as the short before 1993's "The Nightmare Before Christmas". It's really nice to see some classic Disney shorts theatrically, rather than video or 16mm. This, being the first Silly Symphony, definitely shows us what was to come from Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. At the time of its release, sync-sound was only a couple of years old, it's fun to watch (through old films) the progression of sound as the field became more explored and perfected through the years.

Wonderfully creepy Silly Symphony!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 14 July 2009]

Skeleton Dance is definitely one of my favourite Silly Symphonies. Although it is in black and white, (not at all a bad thing) the animation is excellent, and gives a suitably macabre feel. It is very silly, yet creepy at the same time, and you know what, that's why I love it so much. The short, only about five and a half minutes, consists mainly of a skeleton dance, hence the title, that is very well choreographed to conveniently macabre music. The music was very creepy and atmospheric, and added to the appeal of Skeleton Dance. I will confess I did find the first minute or so slightly creepy, and although it is unrealistic it is all part of the fun. Although I found it a highly imaginative short, and well made, considering it was made in 1929. I love all the Silly Symphonies, and I personally think, you are never too old to appreciate Disney, especially with gems like this. 10/10 Bethany Cox.

Classic Fun

[Michael_Elliott · 30 October 2008]

Skeleton Dance, The (1929)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

A Disney Silly Symphony short has four skeletons getting out of their graves to dance, which scares the fur off two black cats. This is a very imaginative short that features some wonderful animation. Disney is credited with the direction duties but having seen a few shorts by Iwerks it really seems that he is directing it. The movie runs at an extremely fast pace as there's never a dry moment or a moment where something isn't going on. The highlight is without a doubt the scene where the cats loose their hair after seeing the skeleton. From what I've read it appears people in 1929 thought this was too ghoulish for children and I guess they were somewhat right for their time.

Very scary movie.

[jacobjohntaylor1 · 6/10 · 26 May 2019]

This is a very scary movie. It has a good story line. Good music. It has very good animation. It is a pretty good short film. This not ever close to being as gross has the silence of the lambs or the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on elm street or the 2009 reboot of Friday the 13th. or Saw the final chapter. Or Halloween resurrection. It is a lot scarier then any of those movie.

Ub Iwerks did an incredible job here!

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 31 October 2001]

This is the first of the Silly Symphonies series of cartoons that Dsney did and it is absolutely marvelous! Ub Iwerks directed and it is one of the best Disney shorts they ever made. After more than 70 years it still holds up well and has the most remarkable use of shadows I've ever seen in my life. Great cartoon and very highly recommended.

Probably scary back in the day, today mostly funny

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 8 September 2013]

I could very well imagine how people very genuinely scared by this 85 years ago, especially those moments where the animated skeletons quickly approach the camera and thus directly communicate with the viewer. People are afraid of things they don't understand and those who saw this Silly Symphony cartoon right after its release in 1929 have probably only come across very few pieces of animation or horror at this point, if any at all. The setting is of course a cemetery and it's the perfect scenario. Right at the beginning the early owl comes off as truly creepy, but gets her blood run cold shortly afterward too.

After some canine howling and cat-fighting to emphasize the atmosphere, the skeleton dance show finally begins. And the quartet are delivering quite the show any human at a nearby dance-club could learn a lesson from. Unrestrained dancing, jumping and music-making ensues and the poor cats and owls end up being abused as musical instruments right until the cock announces the break of dawn and the party guests quickly return to their graves.

Fun and kind of spooky

[preppy-3 · 10/10 · 14 October 2017]

The first of Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies.

There's no real plot or dialogue...just music. We see a "scary" graveyard late at night. We see an owl, a dog howling, cats fighting and bats with fangs flying around. Then four skeletons appear from a grave and start dancing to the music! It's basically a fun little cartoon with superb animation. There's also some mildly spooky stuff. Twice the camera goes into a skeletons open mouth and out the other end. That's pretty extreme for 1929! Disney had trouble getting this released in 1929. Many distributors found it too gruesome but he finally did get it out and it was a HUGE success. A 10 all the way.

This alleged children's film makes fun of . . .

[oscaralbert · 6/10 · 1 September 2021]

. . . dead people. There are no two ways around this. Since Biblical times, a totally defleshed human skeleton is evidence of a person no longer walking this Earth. To give young urchins the impression that someone will soon use their spine for a pogo stick is likely to be very disheartening indeed. Furthermore, suggesting that American cemeteries are turning a quick buck by cramming four or more corpses into the same coffin is a frightening prospect for youngsters likely to attend the Real Life plantings of Grandpa, Grandma and who knows how many other friends and relatives. All in all, THE SKELETON DANCE is in very poor taste.

Excellent start to the Silly Symphony series

[MissSimonetta · 10/10 · 20 February 2013]

This short barely possess a story: a few skeletons rise from their graves to spook animals, make music, and dance the Charleston all through the night until morning comes and it's back to the old tomb once again. In spite of this, The Skeleton Dance (1929) is one of the most unique and entertaining Silly Symphonies there is. The macabre subject matter and creepy atmosphere set it apart from other Symphonies which adhere to the "several animals/flowers/people/etc get in a chorus line and dance" trope. The animation is outstanding for the late 1920s (it's a shame that quality was not maintained for the follow-up, El Terrible Toreador (1929)).

This was a promise of good things to come. Perfect for Halloween or anytime really.

bone call

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 12 November 2012]

The first Silly Symphony ever might also be called the first music video ever. "The Skeleton Dance" features a group of skeletons who emerge from their graves and make merry. On-screen sound was still in its relative infancy in 1929, and so you can imagine how this stuff must have looked to moviegoers back then!

My favorite scene was always the part where one skeleton uses another as a xylophone (although at the end of the scene the first skeleton turns out to be kind of a jerk). It's some pretty cool stuff, and I'm even saying that as someone who doesn't tend to think too highly of Disney's output. It's definitely a fun cartoon.

This is a true classic

[Angelfood · 10/10 · 24 May 2006]

Skeleton Dance along with The Incredibles are a true classic of the animated genre. The short holds up very well in 76 years. The music is great, the dancing skeletonrific, drawings spooky! Come on, watch it now! You won't regret seeing it once in your life! You haven't lived life till you have seen this short...

The owl howling, the skeletons dancing, the famous close up is enough to make you a Disney fan forever. It's really unforgettable. When you've seen it, you might never erase it from your memory.

Disney should get more Oscars for this excellent, excellent short. :D

Wonderful.