Chicken Little
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FunTranscript
00:00 Seeing Walt Disney's name on an animated version of the famous fable Chicken Little might lead
00:07 you to expect a cartoon in the Silly Symphony series.
00:10 But there's nothing lighthearted about this version of the story.
00:13 Instead, it's a wartime parable about listening to rumors and falling prey to persuasive leaders
00:19 who have their own sinister agendas.
00:21 Originally, the studio planned to show Foxy Loxy reading Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf
00:26 to make sure no one missed the point.
00:29 But it was decided to downplay the obvious Nazi imagery.
00:38 Even so, there's no mistaking the purpose of this 1943 cartoon.
00:41 And there's no way to misinterpret its grim finale.
00:44 Chicken Little is one Disney cartoon that parents might want to see for themselves before
00:49 deciding if it's appropriate for their kids.
00:51 [music]
00:59 [music]
01:22 Our story takes place in a nice, cozy little farmyard.
01:27 The characters, in order of their appearance, are Cocky Locky, head man, chicken inspector,
01:34 supervisor of egg production.
01:36 A good guy to know nowadays.
01:39 This is Henny Penny and the local rocking chair brigade.
01:44 Always ready to poke their beaks into everybody's business instead of sticking to their knitting.
01:49 Here we have them at the bridge table.
01:51 Who are they plucking to pieces now?
01:54 Let's listen in.
02:00 Sound just like people, don't they?
02:03 Now we see them at Madame Poulet's beauty coop, getting the popular red henna rinse.
02:13 This is Turkey Lurkey and the smart set, who spend all day discussing what is wrong with
02:18 the world.
02:23 There's this element too, the jitterbirds, a pretty feather brain crowd.
02:30 [music]
02:49 And here are Goosey Poosey and Ducky Lucky and all the other gay ducks.
02:54 A thirsty lot, always around where there's something to drink.
02:59 Now, last but not least, here is Chicken Little, playboy and yo-yo champ.
03:06 A little shy on brains, but a good egg as chickens go.
03:13 As our story continues, we find all our fine-feathered friends happy and contented.
03:18 And why not?
03:19 Didn't they have a big strong fence protecting them?
03:22 But wait a minute, what's this?
03:28 Aha, it's Foxy Loxy, the poultry fancier.
03:33 Looks like he's taken an interest in our little community, a culinary interest.
03:38 So why doesn't he just jump in and help himself?
03:40 Do you suppose it's because of the high fence or the locks on the inside or the farmer's
03:47 shotgun?
03:48 But I'm not a fox for nothing.
03:52 Besides, there's more than one way to pluck a chicken.
03:55 Psychology.
03:57 Why should I just get one when I can get them all?
04:01 Quote, "To influence the masses, aim first at the least intelligent."
04:05 Unquote.
04:07 Now let's see, who looks nice and stupid?
04:11 Docky Locky, Turkey Lecky, Ducky Lucky, Goosey Poosey, Penny Penny, Chicken Little.
04:21 Hmm, he looks nice and stupid.
04:27 Quote, "If you tell them a lie, don't tell a little one, tell a big one."
04:38 Unquote.
04:40 Shh.
04:43 Shh.
04:46 Hmm.
04:48 Hmm.
05:14 This is the voice of doom speaking.
05:18 Special bullet, flash, the sky is falling.
05:21 A piece of it just hit you on the head.
05:23 Now be calm, don't get panicky.
05:27 Run for your life!
05:30 The sky is falling.
05:38 The sky is falling.
05:40 A piece of it just hit me on the head.
05:42 The sky is falling, hurry, hurry.
05:46 Come everybody, the sky is falling.
05:49 The sky, the sky is falling.
05:51 There you are, you see, just like I told you, hit me on the head.
05:55 Sure enough, oh my goodness, how awful, what'll we do?
05:58 We'll all be killed.
05:59 Now look here, look here, what's all the fuss and feathers?
06:02 Something awful has happened.
06:04 A piece of the sky fell down and hit me on the head.
06:07 A piece of the sky?
06:09 Ha ha ha ha, nonsense, it's just a hunk of wood.
06:13 Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
06:15 Guess that's the end of your stew, Mr. Foxy Loxy.
06:19 All right now folks, break it up.
06:21 Back to business as usual.
06:23 Oh, wise guy, huh?
06:30 I'll fix him.
06:31 Let's see now.
06:32 Ah, here we are.
06:34 Quote, "Undermine the faith of the masses and their leaders."
06:38 Unquote.
06:39 Well, I suppose Cocky Loxy knows what he's talking about.
06:42 Well, yes, he ought to know.
06:45 Ahem, but listen girls, suppose he's wrong.
06:48 He's only human, you know, and if he should happen to be wrong, we'd all be killed.
06:52 Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
06:55 Ahem.
06:57 And now in my opinion, Cocky Loxy shows definite totalitarian tendencies.
07:02 He's trying to dictate to us.
07:04 We can judge for ourselves whether the sky is falling or not.
07:07 [music]
07:11 Say, fellas, I hear old Cocky Loxy's been hitting the match lately.
07:15 Yeah, he's full of corn.
07:17 His brain is pickled.
07:19 [music]
07:22 Uh oh, there it goes, the whispering campaign.
07:25 [music]
07:29 Say, sister, you hear about Cocky Loxy?
07:32 He ain't got all his marbles.
07:33 Ain't it awful?
07:35 Oh, definitely, my dear.
07:37 Wow, what a wolf.
07:39 Did you hear? Cocky Loxy is wallowing in corn.
07:42 I hear he's quite a chicken chaser.
07:45 No, you don't say so.
07:47 There's no fowl like an old fowl.
07:49 He's not the cock of the walk anymore.
07:51 What?
07:53 Not the cock of the walk anymore.
07:56 Quote, "By the use of flattery, insignificant people can be made to look upon themselves as born leaders." Unquote.
08:03 Now's your chance, kid.
08:05 They'll listen to you now.
08:06 You were born to be a leader.
08:08 Go do it.
08:09 [music]
08:11 Listen to me, everybody.
08:12 I'm your new leader.
08:14 I'm gonna save your lives.
08:15 I'm gonna tell you what to do.
08:17 Don't listen to that pip squeak.
08:19 The sky isn't falling.
08:20 I tell you, it is too falling.
08:22 And I tell you, it isn't.
08:23 It is too.
08:24 All right, if the sky is falling, why doesn't it hit me on the head?
08:28 [music]
08:32 Chicken Little's right.
08:34 What'll we do?
08:35 Oh, Chicken Little, you've got to help us.
08:37 Psst.
08:38 Run to the cave.
08:40 Oh, oh yeah.
08:41 Yeah, that's it, to the cave.
08:42 To the cave.
08:44 To the cave.
08:45 Hurry, hurry, hurry.
08:47 [music]
09:08 Dinner is served.
09:10 [music]
09:13 Don't worry, folks.
09:14 This all turns out all right.
09:17 Mmm.
09:19 Delicious.
09:23 Hey, wait a minute.
09:24 This isn't right.
09:25 That's not the way it ends in my book.
09:27 Oh yeah?
09:29 Don't believe everything you read, brother.
09:32 [music]
09:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]