One Got Fat (1963)

I'm rating this a 9 because it is so hilarious, so out of the norm, that it actually works. In 1963 there were these weird public service announcements that were designed to scare the crap out of little kids. A group of monkey/kids (actual children with monkey tails and monkey masks) each do something wrong with their bikes, leading to death or mutilation. Each has a bag lunch with his or her name on it, and as they are destroyed, there is a close-up of their lunch bag. Edward Everett Horton, one of the most famous voice over guys of his time (remember "Fractured Fairy Tales) narrates in his kind of happy way as the bikers are being annihilated. This is truly a representation of adult scare tactics. Yet, as an historical piece, it is really interesting.

Absolutely hilarious. This is one of those educational films they used to show elementary and junior high aged kids in class; this one deals with encouraging kids to follow rules of safety, proper use, and care of the bicycle. It makes its point of the seriousness of safety, by indulging in humorously bizarre images and exaggeration.Enter our heroes: a bunch of monkeys bicycling together; who each in turn dramatically suffers ill consequences for a variety of foolish "what-not-to-do" blunders. These range from violating several traffic safety rules to failing to keep proper maintenance of the bike. The "collision" sequences use cartoonish sound effects and animation. I love the bulging eyes surprised looks on the monkey masks as they make their respective exits. Except for Edward Everett Horton's brightly comical narration, nobody speaks (I guess monkeys don't talk), but the body- language expressions of the hapless bike riders says it all anyway. Oddly enough, the remaining monkeys never seem to notice the disappearances, or the their own steadily declining numbers.Find it, and run it with some friends. Not to be missed.

...and we're the luckier for it.First of all, though, I can't help wondering how the state of Georgia could have thought this was a good idea (a Department of Education logo is proudly displayed at the beginning)."One Got Fat" is definitely not for everybody. The short can be viewed on so many different levels, ranging from absurdist to alarmist (and all points in between). This thing is a bipolar surrealist's fantasy/dream/nightmare. The monkey face-masks alone, capable of expressing everything from laughter to stark, naked horror are about as cool as anything I've seen in a very long time. The "wipe-outs" are all horrifically comical. That said, I can't help feeling that some well-intentioned people somehow detoured down a very dark, twisted ill-advised road. The happy-happy music, alongside Edward Everett Horton's always charming delivery, is in stark contrast to the harshest of realities.Or something like that.

We'An early 60's documentary on bicycle road safety. This god forsaken nightmare has me reeling, There is no were to grasp, no safety nets. What is happening here? Trigby Phipps? Mossby Pomegranate? I can't help but feel an occasional undertone of apocalyptic human devastation manifest throughout the narrative, a hidden message about our doomed civilization. You may need some heavy duty counseling after sitting through this. ... a sensation. Dam! I need three more lines so that the IMDb accepts this review and I don't know what to write. Maybe if I just rattle on for just a few more words than that should just about be all the lines I need then I can have a hot chocolate and go to bed. There, all done :)