Murder!

Melody

May 1953 •English

An owl teaches his class full of birds about melody. It's all around in nature. Only birds and man can sing; man "sings" even when he speaks. We see a quick survey of the stages of life, as captured by songs: the alphabet song for primary school, Here Comes the Bride, The Old Gray Mare, etc. Some inspirations for song are outlined in song: love, sailing, trains, the West, motherhood, etc., but "we never sing about brains." Finally, an example of how a simple melody can be expanded into a symphony: an elaborate version of the simple tune that opened the lesson

The Million Dollar Cat

May 1944 •English

Tom inherits $1,000,000 from an eccentric aunt on the condition that he not harm any living thing - even a mouse. And guess which mouse keeps following him around and pointing this out to him?

The Missing Mouse

January 1953 •English

A moment after a bottle of white shoe polish pours on Jerry, Tom hears on the radio that a white mouse, having swallowed an explosive, has escaped from an experimental laboratory and that slightest jar of the mouse could cause it to explode and blow up the entire city. It is then that Tom notices now-white Jerry and concludes it's the escapee.

Morris the Midget Moose

November 1950 •English

A bootle beetle elder tells the story of Morris, the moose about the size of a rabbit. Thunderclap the moose is taking on all challengers, and Morris decides to try, much to the amusement of Thunderclap. As a result, he meets Balsam, a full-size moose with tiny antlers (Morris' antlers are full size). The two team up, and with the help of a log that makes them very tall, defeat Thunderclap.

Mouse for Sale

May 1955 •English

Tom sells Jerry to a local pet store that's buying white mice. Yes, Jerry's brown, but a little paint fixes that.

Mouse in Manhattan

July 1945 •English

Jerry Mouse gets tired of living the country life and decides to head to the big city. However, the experience doesn't turn out quite like Jerry had expected.

Franz Kafka's a Country Doctor

November 2007 •Japanese

A hapless country doctor describes with breathless urgency a night-time summons to attend a young patient. Events soon take on a surreal aspect as "unearthly horses" transport him instantaneously to the bedside. The doctor, preoccupied with personal distractions and grievances against those he is employed to care for, fails to find what is revealed to be a vile, fatal wound. He is humiliated by the villagers, who are "always expecting the impossible from the doctor," and doomed to an endless return trip, losing everything.

Cherry no Manma

October 1989 •Japanese

Kanoko is a young girl who lives alone with two young male housekeepers who could not be more different. While Yuzuru is kind and refined, Yuki is rude and crude. They try to keep their unusual family together in the face of conflict and misunderstanding. Note: Originally released as a bonus on the Umi no Yami, Tsuki no Kage LD/VHS.

World Comes Around

June 2009 •Japanese

A high school student remembers that special boy whom she met in her first year. They were close friends and enjoyed each other's company, but then he had to move away. In his absence, she feels very alone, but she never gives up hope that they will meet again one day.

Other Worlds

January 1999 •Japanese

A man and a woman, talking over their relationship.

Man and a High Speed Society

August 1980 •Japanese

The rise of man has been filled with toils and adventures, from learning to build fire to turning to religion, from going into space to inventing feature films and beyond. Though each space flight seems to result in a sharp jab in the eye for the moon, there's still plenty to explore in the path of human history. Whether it’s roasting pigs or cooking ramen on the stove, experience the journey of a man in a high speed society. Short film chronicling human progress, or lack of it.

The Strange Tale of a Dream Sphere Dealer

November 2007 •Japanese

Fifth grader Naho has been both mama and sister to her baby brother, Jun. After making plans to meet with her friends on her birthday, her father tells her that he has to go out for the day and that she needs to stay home with her brother, but he says that a Helper-san (babysitter) should be coming later. The Helper-san turns out to be a Dream sphere Dealer who offers Naho her choice of three very different dreams, and each one could change her life completely ...

Just Dogs

May 1932 •English

Pluto's cage-mate at the dog pound breaks out and lets all the other dogs out as well. In the park, that terrier keeps following Pluto too closely for Pluto's tastes, until he digs up a huge bone and gives it to Pluto (who doesn't particularly want to share). But soon all the other escaped dogs are chasing after the bone.

Wild Waves

August 1929 •English

Mickey Mouse is a singing lifeguard. Minnie Mouse is the damsel he must rescue before she is swept out to sea.

The Spider and the Tulip

April 1943 •Japanese

A spider attempts to lure a ladybug into his web. When she manages to escape and hide in a tulip, a storm comes that batters the spider, while the ladybug remains safe.

Bobik Visiting Barbos

January 1977 •Russian

Two dogs, one stray the other well-off, become friends.

Geese-Swans

June 1949 •Russian

With a help of good nature a young brave girl goes to the dark forest for saving her youngest brother abducted by Baba Yaga.

The Flying Ship

December 1979 •Russian

Poor chimney sweep Ivan and Princess Zabava fall in love with each other. They dream of their future happy life, but the difference in their social status and the treacherous Polkan, who dreams of marrying a royal daughter and becoming a ruler, stand in their way. To avoid marriage with the royal adviser, Zabava informs that she will marry only the one who can build a flying ship. Now Ivan has to solve this problem by all means.

The Fox and the Hare

January 1973 •Russian

Hare enlists four brave friends to help him reclaim his home from the wily Fox.

Masha and the Magic Jam

February 1979 •Russian