Cat Gone Modern (Catnip Cat)

Cat Gone Modern is a Aldo Boomer animated short film that was released in 1937.

Plot[]

Catnip visits the "Museum of Modern Inventions" which showcases various futuristic electronic appliances and inventions. He uses a quarter on a line to get in (this allows him to keep his money and get in as well). Once inside, he is confronted with the "Robot Butler", a robotic golden cyclops who takes hats ("Your hat, sir.") After Catnip's hat is taken away from him, Catnip uses a magic trick to produce another hat. He says, "So!" and continues on his way. He first encounters a robotic hitch-hiker, which activates when he makes driving noises. However, when he laughs at it, it pokes him in the eyes. Next he goes to a bundle wrapper, with a warning sign which says "Hands off! Do not touch!" but Catnip kicks the sign away and hops on. When he pulls a lever, the machine proceeds to grab him in two robotic arms, put transparent wrapping paper around him, and put him in ribbons, like a package. He manages to break out by vigorously shaking, and continues exploring.

All the time, Catnip has been losing hat after hat to the Robot Butler, making Catnip angrier and angrier. Eventually, the Butler chases him through the museum to an automated baby carriage, which Catnip hides inside. Catnip changes his current hat to a baby bonnet to wear as is rocked as the song "Rock-a-bye Baby" is played. Catnip then begins acting like a baby, sucking his feet, playing with toys offered to him, getting tickled under the chin, and having his toes counted "This Little Piggy went to market." Catnip then starts crying about not getting his milk. The machine gets out a bottle of milk but it hits him in the face instead of going into his mouth, making Catnip agitated. The machine begins torturing him with toys and more milk in the face. The machine again squirts more milk in face, after which it powders his bottom and pins him a diaper.

The Robot Butler is again attracted by Catnip's laughing and yanks the baby bonnet off his head. Catnip produces one last hat and goes to one exhibit he has not yet seen: a self-operating barber chair. Using his "cheat" coin, Catnip pays to get the works. However, instead of giving him a haircut, it flips him over, gives his bottom a cut, wraps his rear end in a towel, cuts off his tail feathers, cleans his bill, coats his face with shoe polish, sifts through his bottom feathers, applies a wet towel to it, slaps his blackened face with a cloth, combs his bottom with a comb, makes a gap through it, smooths it out and finally, gives him a pig tail design. The Robot Butler appears yet again and he then removes Catnip's last hat, which causes Catnip to eventually enter an explosive tantrum.

Availability[]

(2019) Streaming - FilmxshowsMAX Plus (Restored)

Sound Effects Used[]

Shires - BRAKE DRUM CLANG HIT

Notes[]

This is the first cartoon when Catnip Cat was voiced by Mel Blanc.
This Short is the last Catnip Cat cartoon in distribution of Monogram Pictures for Aldo Boomer Productions Inc.

Characters[]

Catnip Cat

Voice Characterizations[]

Mel Blanc - Catnip Cat
Billy Bletcher - Robot Butler
Ruth Clifford - Robot Baby Carriage
Danny Webb - Robot Barber Chair

Credits[]

Director: Paul Fennell (uncredited)
Story: Howard Dietz (uncredited)
Animation: Grim Natwick, James Culhane, Morey Zukor, Virgil Ross (all uncredited)
Music: Eric Maddox (uncredited)

Cat Gone Modern (Catnip Cat)

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