ZULA HULA. (A Betty Boop Cartoon)

Duration: 1 reel

Year Published: 1937

Creator: Paramount Pictures Inc.

Description: Betty and Grampy are on an around-the-world flight when they are forced to crash-land on an apparently deserted island. Betty is upset with their situation, but Grampy quickly invents a number of gadgets that allow them all the comforts of home. Things again take a turn for the worse when a group of cannibals show up. Quick thinking Grampy charms the savages by creating a calliope out of the crashed plane's parts. While the natives are distracted by the music, Grampy and Betty repair their plane and make a hasty escape. The short was directed by Dave Fleischer and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was released on December 24, 1937. The short is notable for its use of negative racial stereotypes. The cannibals are depicted as being savage and primitive, and they are shown eating human flesh. The short also contains a scene in which Betty and Grampy are shown dancing with the cannibals, and they are shown wearing blackface. The short has been criticized for its use of negative racial stereotypes, and it is seldom screened today.

Complete Record: ZULA HULA. (A Betty Boop Cartoon) 1937. 1 reel, sd. Credits: Director, Dave Fleischer; animation, Thomas Johnson, Frank Endres. Paramount Pictures, Inc.; 24Dec37; MP8037.