Rubber hose animation

Rubber hose animationwas the firstanimationstyle that became standardized in theAmerican animationfield. The defining feature is a curving motion that most animated objects possess, resembling the motion and physical properties of a rubberhose.While the style fell out of fashion by the mid-1930s, it has seen a renewed interest since the 2010s.

TheOswald the Lucky RabbitshortTrolley Troubles(1927) is an example of the rubber hose style of animation.

History

Beginnings and rise

In the early days of hand drawn animation in the 1920s, the studios' main areas were not inHollywood,butNew York City.Animation was a new phenomenon and there were no experienced animators; yet there were skilled artists working on newspapers, creatingcomic stripsin a time when even the comic strips themselves were relatively new. Many of them became fascinated with the introduction of moving drawings, and saw them as new possibilities and challenges to use their skills on something they found more exciting than the newspaper strips.

For this reason, many of the firstcartoonshad similarities with moving comic strips. The artists experimented with what worked and what did not, and what they could and could not do. In the strips, they had no need to think of their work inthree dimensionsor how they moved, but at the same time this extra aspect gave them the opportunity to introduce gags and elements not possible in comic stills. Moreover, because the drawings had to be mass-produced to create theillusionof movement, they had to come up with a compromise where characters were less detailed and time-consuming, but at the same time alive and complex enough. Asanimatorsgained experience through trial, error and collaborations, cartoons became more professional and dominated by specific rules of how to make them.

The studios had to be sensitive to any new business trend to survive the competition. A consequence of this was that the style and design of the most successful and popular cartoons had a great impact on the rest of the animation business. One of the earliest examples wasFelix the Cat,who quickly spawned imitators at different studios. Combined with the natural evolution of animation, this resulted in a dominating design that would be known as therubber hose style,despite individual differences between the studios.Bill Nolanis credited with the introduction of this animation style.

Decline and fall

Rubber hose animation gradually faded away as cartoons were made more sophisticated, especially byWalt Disney.Disney wanted to make his cartoons more realistic and have them follow much of the same rules aslive action,a direction that would later be namedfull animation.Disney saw animation as a potential surrogate for live action, where he could do what was impossible in live action once it achieved his demands of realism. This direction did not allow the fluid bodies seen in the rubber hose style and, due toDisney's success, this trend was spread to the remaining producers of cartoons through demands from their Hollywood distributors.

Rubber-hose trademarks appeared in some later cartoons, including those ofTex Averyfor MGM,The Warner Siblingsfor WB Animation, orRen and Stimpy,but the original style and its influence became a part ofanimation historyby the start of the 1930s, and went out of favor by the mid-1930s.Fleischer Studiosheld to it the longest, finally conforming to the more contemporary West Coast animation style by 1940. The style's influence, however, still continues into the present, with shows likeAdventure Timeincorporating some of rubber hose animation's elements,and the video gameCupheadpaying full homage.

Influence in modern media

While there are not many uses of rubber hose animation today, there are some media that pay homage to the animation style.

Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor

Theatrical animated shorts

Main article:Get a Horse!

In 2013,Walt Disney Animation Studiosproduced a 3D animated slapstick comedy short film using the style.Get a Horse!combines black-and-white hand-drawn animation and colorCGI animation; the short features the characters of the late 1920s Mickey Mouse cartoons and features archival recordings of Walt Disney in a posthumous role as Mickey Mouse.It is the first original Mickey Mouse theatrical animated short sinceRunaway Brain(1995) and the first appearance of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in a Disney animated production in 85 years.

Video games

• Some video games use rubber hose animation, includingEpic Mickey,Cuphead,Bendy and the Ink Machine,andEnchanted Portals.
• Skullgirlsincludes the playable character "Peacock", whose visual design and attacks draw from 1920s animation tropes characters are based on 1920s rubber hose animation, having the appearance of old black and white cartoons.
• Smitehas two gods with skins that take inspiration from the rubber hose animation with Baron Samedi as Funny Bones and Cthulhu as Toon Mania.
• The animation for each of the numerous characters and creatures inCupheadrelies heavily on techniques pioneered by the animation style; its creators wanted players to feel as though they were watching a 1930s cartoon.
• Sonic the Hedgehogalso had rubber hose limbs, especially in the games in the 90s. An example of his rubber hose limbs is evident in his trademark pose with one hand on his hip, a waving finger and crossed legs, seen on the box art of his original game. He also uses some exaggerated running poses.
• Several characters withinFortnitereceived "Toon" outfits that resemble the style, including Meowscles, Fishstick, Peely, and Bushranger.
• The 2023 video gamePizza Towershows the characters animated in a similar, cartoonish art style.
• In the gameHonkai: Star Rail,a character of a popular cartoon series in Penacony, Clockie, take inspiration from the rubber hose animation style.

Card games

The Japanesetrading-card gameYu-Gi-Oh!and thefranchiseit is based around features a line of cards called 'Toons', based on 1920s American animation styles (to contrast with the Japanese animation style of most cards).

Film and television

• TheFuturamaepisode "Reincarnation",in its segment"Colorama",uses rubber hose animation. In this portion of the episode, the characters are rather bouncy and have an air of playfulness about them.
• Another prominent use of rubber hose animation isDisney Television'sMickey Mouse.The series has the slapstick feel of the original Mickey Mouse shorts, while providing a modern update with the extensive use ofToon BoomandFlash animation,and "presents Mickey in a broad range of humorous situations that showcase his pluck and rascality, along with his long-beloved charm and good-heartedness.
• The claymation TV series,Pinguhas techniques incorporated in its animation, such as having characters have their upper body stretch to reach up or roll up in a ball.
• The animated seriesTom And Jerryuses rubberhose techniques in its characters.
• The mascot ofPlanters,Mr. Peanut,who is an anthropomorphicpeanutwho wears 1930s style Gentleman clothing, in his advertisements he does rubberhose techniques, and his son Peanut Jr. who does the same things as him
• The mascot of bothHasbroandMonopoly,Mr. Monopoly,has 1930s Gentleman clothing. In his advertisements, he does rubberhose gags and techniques to the players.
• The Peanuts Movieand thePeanutsspecials and shows use rubberhose elements as well as thePeanutscomics they are based on.
• Clarencealso used the rubber hose animation style in episode "Goldfish Follies".
• InIce Age,Scratuses rubberhose elements, by extending his body and bouncing around while trying to get his acorn.
• In the episode "Truth or Square"from the television seriesSpongeBob SquarePants,Patchy the Pirate presents a film of how the cartoon would have been like if it was made in the 1930s. In the film, the animation is done in rubber hose animation and the song used is called Rubber Hose Rag.
• In the episode "It's A Wonderful Half-Life" fromCatDog,the dream sequence for the entire episode is done in the style of the 1920s–1930s cartoons, and the characters all have pie eyes.
• In the episode "Tame That Toon" fromPucca,the entire episode is centered around this, complete with aBetty Booplookalike shown.
• InAdventures of Sonic the Hedgehog,many characters use rubber hose elements includingSonicandTails.
• Mondo Media'sHappy Tree Friendsis done in rubber hose style usingFlash animationand most of the characters have 'pie eyes', which are in the shape ofPac-Man's body and that resemble eyes from rubber hose characters from the golden period of this animation style, the 1920s and 1930s.
• InSteven Universe: The Movie,the mainantagonistSpinelis animated in this style but other characters remain animated in the more contemporary style typical of the series so far. Spinel uses this stretchy and unarticulated movement to her advantage, stretching and morphing her limbs into objects she uses in battle to get the upper hand. Her main song and most of her music themes are inElectroswing,a modern twist on music from the time period where Spinel's character inspiration came from.
• InBojack Horsemanseason 6, the conglomerate Whitewhale plays a video to new corporate employees which includes several animation techniques different from the dominant style of the show, including a segment done in classic rubber hose animation.
• Lauren MacMullancited rubber hose animation as an influence for her style, including for her character designs inMission Hill.
• TheYu-Gi-Oh!anime series, like the card game itself, features 'Toon' cards based on 1920s American animation.
• In the episode "Hill Billy" fromThe Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy,Billy is briefly depicted in this art style while he inflates his nose in a rubber hose fashion, and it explodes shortly after, and other characters are turned into this art style as well.
• DJ Catnip and his cousin, DJ Comet, fromGabby's Dollhousecan stretch their limbs in a similar fashion to rubber hose animation.
• Mr. Tickle fromThe Mr. Men Showcan stretch his arms in this fashion.
• One episode ofTeen Titans Go!features the Titans depicted in this art style.
• Velvet and Veneer, theantagonistsofTrolls Band Together,and their race, the Mount Rageons, are rendered to resemble this art style, complete with pie eyes.
• Bartholomew the Bat from theBeetlejuiceTV seriesresembles a rubber hose character.
• Blossom fromIFis designed to resemble this art style.
• TheSouth ParkcharacterMr. Hankeyis designed to look like a rubber hose character, in particular the original version ofMickey Mouseas he appeared inSteamboat Willie.Fittingly, his musical numbers in the show are usually in the style of 1930s-eraDixielandswingandbig bandmusic.
• In thefilm adaptationof the video gameDeemo,the titular character, besides bearing a vague resemblance to 1920s cartoon characters, also uses elements of rubber hose animation, especially when stretching his limbs in a similar fashion.

Music videos

• The video forDua Lipa's single "Hallucinate"depicts Lipa and a series of fantastical characters in rubber hose animation.
• Ghostemanereleased a music video for his song "AI" that portrays the artist in a combination of rubber hose animation andstop motionanimation.
• The video forJay-Z's "The Story of O.J."uses a rubber hose animation style.
• The video for theEvelyn Evelynsong "Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn"features characters animated in the rubber hose style composited over a glass window.

Comic books

In the mangaOne Piece,theprotagonistMonkey D. Luffyeats a fruit that gives him the ability to stretch like rubber, which he enhances using techniques similar to those in rubber hose cartoons, such as blowing air into his arm to increase its size and punching power. When awakening all its power as "Gear 5", Luffy gains the ability to use fighting techniques based on other rubber hose animation style, such as tearing a piece of ground like a mat to deflect attacks, while he himself (and those that are in his vicinity) also behave similarly to rubber hose cartoons, such as having his head deform around a spiked club and take its shape, or cause people around him to have exaggerated eye pops. It was confirmed at a later interview that Gear 5 is heavily inspired byTom and Jerrycartoons.