Mr. Bug Goes to Town

In the silent film and early sound era, the pioneering Fleischer Brothers ran one of the most popular animation studios in the country. The characters they featured in cartoon shorts include Betty Boop, Popeye, Superman, and Koko the Clown. The colorful musical Mr. Bug Goes to Town (the studio’s second and last feature) involves a young, idealistic grasshopper who must save his community of bugs from the rapid expansion of a neighboring city. A newly restored print of this seldom-seen classic shows off the Fleischers' clever visuals and treatments of songs by such popular composers as Hoagy Carmichael ("Stardust") and Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls). See if you can spot Mr. Bug's influence on such recent Pixar films as A Bug's Life and Wall-E.

Recommended for ages 3 and up. (78 mins., 35mm)

Contributions from Wexner Center members help us offer free admission to this film for everyone.

A Note to Grown-ups
The age recommendation listed above is very general. If you would like to discuss the specifics of this film before viewing it with your child, please call Jean Pitman, educator for youth programs, at (614) 292-4614.

Especially for Teachers and Schools
Bring your class to a school-day screening of selected films from festival. Click here to see the schedule.