Babes in Toyland

Today's muralcle is pre-baby-boomer, which means that most of you probably haven't even heard of it. But I love Babes in Toyland, Laurel and Hardy's 1934 classic. Every year for as long as I can remember, WPIX in New York (which also brought the world the Yule Log) aired Babes in Toyland on Christmas day, and I used to watch in my PJs. I didn't get the humor, I didn't get the black and white, but there were no other cartoons on and so I watched it.

I actually could tell you, now, literally nothing about the plot, beyond that I remember there was some mash-up of Christmas stuff and nursery rhyme stuff and...I want to say...a prin...cess..? [ed: it was Little Bo Peep. Of course.]

This one was fun to draw. I found a great, stylized poster of Laurel and Hardy (the best part was that I only needed, like, six different pastels). Originally I thought I would be really kitschy and cute and put all the movie poster info on there, too, but finally changed my mind after deciding it would be too cluttered (also: lazy). 

Dave's first-view reaction: Woah, what is that?! [I tell him it's Babes in Toyland] What's that? [I tell him it's a movie] Oh. I kinda wanna watch it right now. [Really?] Hm. No. I guess not.

Laurel.
Don't you just want to pinch his cheeks?

Hardy.
Because the movie is in black and white,
discovering today that Hardy had a shock of red hair was quite the surprise

They're painting the letters!
UGH so adorable.
Movie posters, what's happened to you?

The March of the Wooden Soldiers!
Still my favorite part

Here it is (in color!):

Woah. I just watched this again and am horrified.
Weird rat/ape men?
Blank, expressionless, white-faced, soldier?

That moment when one of them is decapitated and keeps on comin'?
How did this not give me nightmares?