16mm Cartoons: Rude, Sexy & Risqué

‘Pre-code’ animated cartoons of the 1920s and early 1930s were made to entertain the adults in movie theater audiences—often more so than the children! Salacious sexiness, lustful adultery, cross-dressing, Peeping Toms, hardcore drinking, and unusually cruel violence were only some of the wonderfully vulgar themes present in these shorts before strict censorship codes took hold in the the Great Depression-addled American film industry.

To showcase these envelope-pushing cartoons of yesteryear, animation archivist and historian Tommy José Stathes will share some especially raunchy examples from his personal 16mm film print archive. An infamous 1920s hardcore pornographic cartoon will round out the program, which is clearly intended for a more mature audience. This 90 minute film program includes an intermission and will be followed by a live Q&A session.

Suggested age: 18+