"A Special Cartoon"
Release Date November 25, 1938
Synopsis
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Ferdinand is a quiet, peaceful young bull who only wants to stop and smell
the flowers. But, when he is stung by a bee, the townspeople believe he is
ferocious and take him to the bullfight ring!
Characters
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Ferdinand the Bull
Credits
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Director : Dick Rickard
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Animation
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Ward Kimball
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Milt Kahl
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Hamilton Luske
- Art Babbitt
- Jack Campbell
- Ozzie Evans
- Bernard Garbutt
- Assistant Animator : Marc Davis
- Art Director : Ken Anderson
Sources
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Based on the children's book of the same name by Munro Leaf.
Awards
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Academy Award Winner (Short Subjects - Cartoons.)
Cut Scenes
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Some smoking scenes have been cut from this short, as has a final scene showing
the shadow of the cart driver taking Ferdinand home.
Inside Jokes
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Ward Kimball drew the line of matadors that enter the bull ring as caricatures
of Disney artists. They are, in order, Bill Tytla, Fred Moore, Art Babbit,
Ham Luske, and Jack Campbell. The head matador was Walt Disney, with Kimball
himself following after as his sword carrier.
Videos
- Walt Disney Mini-Classics : Willie, the Operatic Whale
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United States Release
- German Release
- Italian Release
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United States
- Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions 2 :
How the Best Was Won : 1933-1960
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Germany
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Donald Duck Geht in die
Luft
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Italy
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Gold Editions : Cartoni Animati da Oscar
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I Capolavori di Walt Disney
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France
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Les Chefs-d'Oeuvre de Walt Disney
Laserdiscs
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United States
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The Prince and the
Pauper / Willie the Operatic Whale / Peter and the Wolf
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How the Best was
Won 1933-1960
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Japan
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The Academy Award Review
of Walt Disney Cartoons
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Winnie the Pooh and
a Day for Eeyore
DVD
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Region 1 : United States
- Walt Disney Animation Collection : Classic Short Films :
Volume 6 : The Reluctant Dragon
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Timeless Tales : Volume 2
- Disney Treasures : Disney Rarities: Celebrated Shorts, 1920s - 1960s
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Region 2 : United Kingdom
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Walt Disney's Fables : Volume 5
Television
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The Ink and Paint Club : #36 :
Award Winners II
Technical Specifications
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Color Type : Technicolor
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Animation type : Standard
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Sound mix : Mono
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Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1
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Negative format : 35mm
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Print format : 35mm
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Cinematographic process : Spherical
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Original language : English
Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Comments
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From Maryann Kirk : Unforgettable Disney
Classic! I remember it so well from seeing it on "The Wonderful World of
Disney" that my family faithfully watched on TV in the late 50's. Now if
I could only get a copy of it! My husband has never seen it (TV deprived
childhood) and I would love to show it to him!
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From Daniel Famer : Here in Sweden this
short has been on the air every Christmas Eve (except one, which allmost
caused a riot) for almost 30 years. In other words, Ferdinand has been part
of my Christmas-tradition for as long as I can remember. I still think it's
a wonderful story, in spite of the fact that I have seen it almost every
year since the beginning and seem to know it quite well by now.
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From Jerry Edwards : One of my favorite
shorts. The animation style is adapted from the book illustrations of Robert
Lawson. This is one of the few cartoons that I love just as much in the black
and white Mickey Mouse Club version. The opening background art of the village
on the mountainside is even more striking to me in black and white than it
is in color. It has always irritated me that Disney decided to call this
short a "Special Short" instead of a "Silly Symphony." Every scene in this
short is so wonderfully done!
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From Helena Sabrina Linnea Lindquist :
It's my absolute favorite Walt Disney film ever. It is just so adorable and
tells us to appreciate the simple things in life and avoid being who we're
not. To avoid getting cought up in shollowness and 'hype'.It gives children
a great sense of pride in them selves for who they are at least it did me.
Hence I would love to be able to offer my future children the same chance
to see this film in. It is an just an absolutely beautiful tale. I would
love to be able to buy this film. (I have trieed everywhere, but without
any success.) If you can help me in any way in buying this film, it would
really make me happy and excited beyond expression. Please contact me on
the above e-mail address and let me know if this,my wish is possible to fulfill.
It would be immensely appreciated.
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From Robs : Who couldn't LOVE Ferdinand!!
This story is not only adorably told, but it makes it moral clear without
being heavy handed. I love this book.
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From Taylor Kerekes : I've seen this short
before. It's based on the book, "The Story of Ferdinand." I bet the matador
was handsome. Ferdinand sure loved to smell those flowers, didn't he? A nice
short but not really one of my favorites.
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From Amber : This is the cutest story in
the whole world. He is the cutest little bull ever. This use to be my favorite
Disney short.
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From Carl Nissen : I enjoyed the story, light
hearted, and shows that aspiring to the public's image of greatness is not
necessarily good; to your own self be true!
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From Joey Miller : I remember loving this
cartoon as a child. I also remember it being featured on a mid 80's disney
program called Dtv, sort of an MTV clone, where cartoons were sliced and
diced and set to different tunes, from classical to pop. This particular
cartoon was set to a violin concerto, but I can't remember the name. Did
anbody else see this and know what piece I'm talking about?
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From Carol Whitesell : This is the first
film I saw as a child, and I would love to see it again and have my grandchildren
see it. I recall it as being very true to the book and its illustrations.
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From Paul Merkle : Absolutely my favorite
Walt Disney work of all time. I love the characterizations which seem to
true to the book. The theme is timeless and true. God loves Ferdinand.
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From Don II : This short was a great treat as a child. The whole family would gather to watch The Wonderful World of Disney. Ferdinand helped shape the individual I have become and will always live in my heart.
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From Baruch Weiss : When I was a little guy my mom always read me the story and when I was older (around first grade age) my folks took me and my siblings to see the play. Then I saw this short and the funniest (but painful) part was when the bee stings the bull on his butt then goes around "Puffing and snorting as if he were crazy" then knocks over three bulls like bowling pins. That scene was later used in the Goofy cartoon "For Whom the Bull Toils".
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From Tony Shaw : It's a great story about conflict resolution and independent thought. Very good for emphasising the desirability of rejecting peer pressure. It's a bit cow-phobic (Mother was sympathetic even for a cow.) I show it to my infant students on a lap top after reading the book to them and following that it opens up endless oportunities to discuss violence, conflict resolution, etc.
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From Peter Hruschka : The book on which this film is based, THE STORY OF FERDINAND, is still in print. It has been in print continuously since its first publication in 1936. It can be read without using any electricity or fancy gadgets like DVD players; sunlight or candlelight is enough. The illustrations by Robert Lawson are marvelous. Try it !
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From sherry : I grew up reading the short story.
It has a dear and caring meaning. This book, I think, for kids to read it at a young age will only help to develop character and compassion.
I have seen the cartoon version a couple of times on TV as an adult, but my earliest recollections of Ferdinand are from the strip-film version (B&W, 39 frames), which my late father acquired in the early 1950's. As a small child, I loved Ferdinand whenever we saw him - a couple of times a year. My own children, too, have enjoyed Ferdinand on strip-film.
Referenced Comments
- Alice the Toreador (1925)
- The Pointer (1939)
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The Matador attempts to enrage Ferdinand
Animation sketch courtesy of Van Eaton GalleriesVan Eaton
Galleries |
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