Horst in Translation ([email protected]) This is a 7-minute short film from roughly 60 years ago. The first short film with this character won an Academy Award in the Best Animated Short category, so they decided to follow it up with more. According to IMDb, this is the fourth entry and also the second most successful. Itw as the only other one that managed an Academy Award nomination (lost to Magoo) and even won a BAFTA. I have to say this surprises me a bit. Even if the action is not entirely childish, I feel that the constant noise and idea of him making sounds instead of speaking is really only one that could entertain children. Especially in the long run. In my opinion, that's an idea that gets old pretty quickly and loses all its charm after the first or second short movie. Anyway, our hero gets abducted to space and the aliens mistakenly think noises are the way that citizens of the Earth are speaking, so they adapt to that and in the end everybody is making McBoingBoing noises. Also I don't think calling the alien planet Moo (almost like moon) is the most creative idea. The director and writer is once again Robert Cannon, a prolific animator and filmmaker from the 1930s to the 1950s. This one here is certainly not among his best work. Not recommended.

Robert Reynolds This short, nominated for an Academy Award, is a decent effort, quite amusing at times, but in comparison to the first short in the series, it suffers somewhat. Entertaining and quite creative in and of itself and well worth watching, but not a terribly special animated short by comparison to the other ground-breaking work that UPA turned out through the years. Recommended.

midiaarte The plot is simple: aliens intending to invade the Earth contact an earthling to learn the language of Earth. However, the aliens kidnap Gerald McBoing-Boing, a kid who doesn't speak--only makes sounds. So the aliens (who actually speak english) think that everybody else on Earth speaks like Gerald, and so the confusion starts.In fact, the only confusion is that all characters involved on the plot are too cocky to admit that they don't know what's going on, so they pretend they know.UPA is knows for making cartoons who are fun enough for little children, but also smart enough for grown ups. Anyone with an IQ bigger than its shoesize should love this one.