ReFrederator Blog

Retro future stuff today. “All’s Fair at the Fair” was Max Fleischer’s animated anticipation to the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Looking back, this cartoon version of the world of tomorrow was only a tad more ridiculous than the straight faced predictions at the real deal.

The good news is this is one of those Max Fleischer cartoons full of crazy inventions — there are plenty of robots, “instant” things and environmentally challenged contraptions to amaze and delight. Our protagonists, Elmer and Mirandy, are plum dang tickled about the whole she-bang and eventually end up in some sort of art deco extreme make-over night club! I love the way the film takes a few seconds from all the astounding sights to let us hear those ‘candid’ comments as folks leave the futuristic dance floor.

Not every toon vision of technology run amuck is so darn cheery. SciFi looks a little bleaker tomorrow as we zoom forward with Science Friction Week.

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Dave Kirwan