Oddball Films and curator Kat Shuchter present Learn Your Lesson from Di$ney: An Animated Shockucation, the 21st in a monthly series of programs highlighting the most ridiculous, insane and camptastic shockucational films and TV specials of the collection. While obviously more well known for their animated features, Di$ney (as Walt Di$ney Educational Media) has been making educational primers since the 1940s with audacious subject matter like menstruation, venereal diseases, child-molestation, drug abuse and more. This program features the high and lowlights of Di$ney's educational side. Always the trailblazers, the dreamily animated The Story of Menstruation (1945) is reported to be the first film to use the word "vagina" in its screenplay. In VD Attack Plan (1973), a cartoon syphilitic sergeant directs his VD troops into battle against ignorant humans. Donald Du©k helps us learn how we can help in the war effort in the WWII propaganda short The Spirit of '43 (1943). Learn all about growing up, from an animated embryonic cycle to adolescent pimples in the zippy musical short Steps Towards Maturity and Growth (1969). From the same series, we learn about The Social Side of Health (1969), including an animated drug trip and more zippy songs. Their entries into musical education include some of the most stunning animated shorts of the collection including the Oscar-winning Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom (1953) and the overview of 20th century music: Symposium on Popular Songs (1962) which includes the cutest dancing rutabagas you've ever seen as well as a mix of cell, cut-out and stop-motion animation. Learn about the imaginary future of car travel in a stunning excerpt of Magic Highway USA (1958). It's a magical night to learn your lesson!
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A Walt D*sney Production, The Story of Menstruation is an animated short film produced for American schools detailing the menstrual cycle. Rumored to be the first film with the word “vagina” in it’s screenplay, this vintage gem is both matter of fact and dreamily flowery. A large-headed girl takes you through the dos and don’ts of menses while helpful diagrams guide us all to better understanding.
VD Attack Plan (Technicolor, 1973)
“Yes, it’s true. Walt D*sney Productions has made a significant contribution to the war against VD. “VD Attack Plan” – A fully animated Walt D*sney 16mm motion picture.” states the brochure accompanying this 16mm educational film. VD Attack Plan had some forward thinking and enlightening approaches (not just for D*sney but everyone else producing this type of film in 1973) to the subject of sexually transmitted diseases including promotion of condoms (instead of abstinence) and the fact that VD can be spread through same sex couplings. This “war against disease “ film doesn’t miss a beat-even showcasing some of the graphic effects of the disease in action. In brilliant Technicolor, just like you’d want it to be.
Steps Towards Maturity and Growth (Color, 1969)
Another coming of age cartoon classic brought to you by Walt Di$ney and the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company. Mostly animated with an animated embryonic cycle and several jazzy musical numbers. It emphasizes the need for an equilateral triangle of physical, mental and social health.
How To Catch A Cold (Color, 1951)
A highly entertaining PSA in lovely Technicolor, produced as a collaboration between Kleenex (not yet a household name, let alone a genericized product) and Disn*y. Distributed freely to schools, it was seen by millions in its day, but now qualifies as a lost treasure.
Oddball films is the film component of Oddball Film+Video, a stock footage company providing offbeat and unusual film footage for feature films like Milk, documentaries like The Summer of Love, television programs like Mythbusters, clips for Boing Boing and web projects around the world.