Line #33 WesternAnimation/TheSkeletonDance


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Skeleton_Dance_8632.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:TheDeadCanDance--''[[RecycledInSpace IN ANIMATION!]]'']]
3	->''Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-dunnnnnnnnnnnnnn-dun.''
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5	The first of the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts series ''WesternAnimation/SillySymphonies'', "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOGhAV-84iI The Skeleton Dance]]", first appearing in [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1929]], --is certainly one of the earliest of the macabre type of toon. Did we mention it's also very catchy? It is noteworthy for being one of the earliest, if not the first, cartoon to be [[MimeAndMusicOnlyCartoon entirely musically themed and timed, with no dialogue whatsoever.]]
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7	While many theaters refused to show it in its heyday, the short ultimately paved the way for future hits in the series, and the cartoon still holds up to this day. The animation was almost entirely done by Disney's then-right hand man Creator/UbIwerks, save for the xylophone bone bit that was done by [[Creator/DisneysNineOldMen Les Clark]], as well as the Rooster that was animated by Wilfred Jackson, with the music composed by Carl Stalling (who suggested the idea of a fully musical cartoon to Walt) who would go on to compose for Iwerks in his own studio, and later on the WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes and [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Merrie Melodies]] series of shorts.
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9	The film would be remade in color by Iwerks for Creator/ColumbiaCartoons in 1937 as "Skeleton Frolic". Though not a ShotForShotRemake, as several new gags are incorporated and the character design is made considerably less creepy (not to mention the toon's entirely new soundtrack), the general structure is the same and much of the original animation is closely imitated.
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11	Compare to the 1930 WesternAnimation/{{Talkartoons}} short [[WesternAnimation/SwingYouSinners "Swing, You Sinners!"]], which is somewhat similar (albeit much more [[DerangedAnimation swingin' and crazy]]) in tone.
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13	!!"The Skeleton Dance" contains examples of:
14	* AnimationBump: Early on when the first Skeleton leaps at the "camera", and during the song when the teeth chattering skeleton zooms in at the camera.
15	* BlackComedyAnimalCruelty: One of the skeletons throws its skull at an owl and another pulls a stray cat by the tail so it can play said tail like a violin.
16	* BodyHorror: A case where this happens with just bones: in their hurry to make it back into their graves at sunrise, the skeletons collide and morph together in a bizarre multi-limbed horse-like composite thing.
17	* ButtMonkey: The owl seen at the beginning. He gets first frigthened by a tree branch who looks like a monstruos skeletal hand and then the first skeleton throws his own skull at him for having it scared.
18	* CockADoodleDawn: A rooster crowing tells the skeletons that it's time to be back underground.
19	* DarkIsNotEvil: These skeletons look scary but they aren't truly evil -- one of them is even frightened by an owl.
20	* TheDeadCanDance: It's right there in the title.
21	* DemBones: The main characters are 4 dancing, living skeletons.
22	* DigitalDestruction: The Disney+ version has the opening and ending titles muted and replaced with still frames.
23	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: It's a short about a bunch of skeletons who dance.
24	* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou: After scaring the cats, one skeleton makes a skull and crossbones icon using his body while repeatedly biting the air, and then LEAPS AT THE CAMERA AND [[EatTheCamera EATS IT.]]
25	* InstantlyDefeatheredBird: One skeleton throws his head at the owl that spooked him. The impact causes the owl to lose all his feathers, except the ones on his head.
26	* JerkAss: [[DarkIsNotEvil They may not be evil]], but a few of them are pretty mean. One throws its head at an owl that spooked it and another captures a stray cat and plays its tail like a violin.
27	* JumpScare: Literally when the first skeleton jumps at the audience.
28	* MickeyMousing: The music changes as the short progresses; in the beginning, it is relatively minimalistic as nothing much is happening. The music slowly picks up when the skeletons appear, and then jumps into a dance tune as they well, dance. As their dance moves become more varied, exploiting their skeletal bodies to do many different things, the music changes key and becomes more intense. Finally, as the morning comes, the music becomes fast-paced as the skeletons rush back in their grave.
29	* MimeAndMusicOnlyCartoon: The only sounds in the animation are the background music and sound effects.
30	* OhCrap: When the rooster crows, thus signifying that morning is coming, the skeletons freak out and rush back to their graves in a panic.
31	* OminousOwl: One of them frightens the first skeleton... so it throws its head at the bird, knocking off all its feathers.
32	* OurMonstersAreWeird: At the end, the skeletons accidentally combine into a bizarre, WebAnimation/{{Cyriak}}-esque bone creature with four heads stacked on top of each other.
33	* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: The short is based on the very real ''danse macabre'' in which people would dress as skeletons on a dark stage, making it seem as if actual skeletons were dancing.
34	* PublicDomainSoundtrack: Part of Carl Stalling's music is based on the staple ''Danse Macabre'' music cue and Edvard Grieg's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALCpt_ScLl0 March of the Dwarfs]]." The rest of it, such as the part where the Skeletons dance together, is custom made music composed by Stalling himself.
35	* RubberHoseLimbs: Even though they're bones. RuleOfFunny and all that.
36	* SkeletalMusician: Using each other as instruments, even.
37	* StandardSnippet: "Mysterioso Pizzicato" is [[MickeyMousing synced up to the footsteps]] of a skeleton (later multiple skeletons) tiptoeing through the graveyard.
38	* WalkingOssuary: PlayedForLaughs at the end. When dawn breaks, the skeletons scramble for cover and crash into each other, falling into a pile of bones. They reassemble as a large, multi-headed, multi-limbed skeleton that jumps into an open grave.
39	* XylophonesForWalkingBones: The skeletons dance to March of the Dwarfs by Edvard Grieg, which features xylophone in some parts. One skeleton even uses another's vertebrae as a xylophone!

Context WesternAnimation / TheSkeletonDance