I'm a shit dancer but the best advice I've every got was imagine you're holding a ball around your pelvis that has to be balanced . So if one leg goes out, an arm might have to go out. It weirdly just works for me
Cool facts about this scene - Jerry was chosen late in production because Disney refused a previously agreed loan of Mickey Mouse. Kelly was filmed as both 'dancers' and then his movements as Jerry were rotoscoped to create the routine. The floor originally lacked a reflection for Jerry but - after it was noticed - some 10k newly drawn frames were added to provide the effect and while only Jerry features - Tom makes brief cameos as servants in the castle and as background characters
MGM and Disney were at war at the time - it was 1945 - both had been tripping over themselves to support the war effort and were constantly trying to outdo the other. Disney reneging on the Mickey deal was par for the course with the two companies, effectively, going out of their way to corporately pants each other
For Kelly - sort of. He 'performed' both dances (in that off screen he did Jerry's part of the dance - minus the floating, ha - for them to animate) and they rotoscoped Jerry in - including the 10k individually drawn frames to provide Jerry's freakin reflection
Besides the impressive artwork, even the stagework is elegant: sliding into another room entirely, just by going a bit sideways, and those curtains looking like pillars, the colors in the two "rooms" and how they affect the entire image, and just the sheer size of the place.
The perfectly tracked camera movements and the fact that Jerry is naturally moving behind Kelly are highly impressive if you've ever done any compositing. These kinds of tricks are far from trivial in the digital age, but must have been incredibly hard work when the artists had to pull this off manually.
Okay, almost perfectly tracked camera movements. I noticed a tiny bit of sliding on my fifth watch of the scene. You really have to look at it very closely to even notice.
TheOneGalen
Gene Kelly. What an athlete!
TheFastpaws
It holds up well for the age.
ShimmerinStrider
Classic
somethingmoreintelligent
More of this type of stuff, less of the orange paedo and friends show. Please.
HandoB4Javert
That's a LOT of rehearsal coming good for the show...
thedarkcanuck
No homo or anything, but he's wearing the hell out of that sailor suit
meowingintensifies
it's easy! see? tapa tapa tapa! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIn0olI60Xo
newsguycraigevans
I haven't seen this in decades. Still holds up. Amazing.
RadiDaddy
Gene Kelly always made dancing look like a more natural form of locomotion than mere walking. I’m constantly amazed.
GravyEducation
I'm a shit dancer but the best advice I've every got was imagine you're holding a ball around your pelvis that has to be balanced . So if one leg goes out, an arm might have to go out. It weirdly just works for me
graehall
This was a technological marvel at the time and it still holds up incredibly well
UncleRat
The scene is from the movie "Anchors Away." A fun old musical with some serious riffing potential.
AlwaysDownvoteDots
Anchors Aweigh
UncleRat
Thanks.
GratuaCuun
Cool facts about this scene - Jerry was chosen late in production because Disney refused a previously agreed loan of Mickey Mouse. Kelly was filmed as both 'dancers' and then his movements as Jerry were rotoscoped to create the routine. The floor originally lacked a reflection for Jerry but - after it was noticed - some 10k newly drawn frames were added to provide the effect and while only Jerry features - Tom makes brief cameos as servants in the castle and as background characters
iamthemurray
Disney missed out honestly. It's funny how hard ceo's can fumble the bag.
GratuaCuun
MGM and Disney were at war at the time - it was 1945 - both had been tripping over themselves to support the war effort and were constantly trying to outdo the other. Disney reneging on the Mickey deal was par for the course with the two companies, effectively, going out of their way to corporately pants each other
thomasbornemann626
Was that all a single take?
GratuaCuun
For Kelly - sort of. He 'performed' both dances (in that off screen he did Jerry's part of the dance - minus the floating, ha - for them to animate) and they rotoscoped Jerry in - including the 10k individually drawn frames to provide Jerry's freakin reflection
torbengb
Besides the impressive artwork, even the stagework is elegant: sliding into another room entirely, just by going a bit sideways, and those curtains looking like pillars, the colors in the two "rooms" and how they affect the entire image, and just the sheer size of the place.
DdCno1
The perfectly tracked camera movements and the fact that Jerry is naturally moving behind Kelly are highly impressive if you've ever done any compositing. These kinds of tricks are far from trivial in the digital age, but must have been incredibly hard work when the artists had to pull this off manually.
DdCno1
Okay, almost perfectly tracked camera movements. I noticed a tiny bit of sliding on my fifth watch of the scene. You really have to look at it very closely to even notice.
MrFrAnK9000
Ive only ever seen this version
CaptainThePirate
I remember when Stewie Griffin did this with Gene before Jerry came along and stole the joke.
keyblader1985
BadPunsAplenty
What's cool is they got invited to the Royal Palace of Oz to perform!
Pasquinelthe2nd
Well it was an MGM production.
fractalsphere
This was absolutely groundbreaking special effects back in the day.
GratuaCuun
Back breaking too - it took 10k individually drawn frames just to give Jerry a freakin reflection!
Tarmaccian
Even by modern standards, it’s amazingly well-done.