Down Beat Bear

On October 17, 1961, the popular and pioneering pianist-composer Dave Brubeck performed on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual, the television show that showcased some of the finest jazz artists in a half-hour of no-frills performance and conversation. Backed by the Lester Young-influenced alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello, Brubeck and his combo perform some of their odd-metered hits. Desmond's dancing ditty, "Take Five" is rendered in a faster tempo than the studio version. Brubeck's ragtime-flavoured "(It's a) Raggy Waltz," highlights his percussive piano lines, while "Castillian Blues" and the Turkish strains of "Blue Rondo a la Turk" reveal his multicultural, compositional genius. Gleason, the show's creator and host, was a well-respected, San Francisco-based jazz critic and author. He remarks during the show that Dave Brubeck was "a provocative, experimental, and interesting musician." That statement is still true today.

The Terry-Bears hear howling and waken their father, who is also frightened. A big dog comes in, and the cubs want to keep it but Papa Bear kicks it outside. The kids get the dog back inside and Papa decides to get rid of it and takes it away in his car. A traffic-cop is knocked down and gives chase. Later, the Terry-Bears are happy when the dog returns on his own, wearing a policeman's cap, while Papa Bear is in court giving an explanation to a judge.

The Hot Club of Montevideo is a Uruguayan cultural institution founded in 1950 by the pianist Paco Mañosa, along with his brother and some friends who played together. It was the first club dedicated exclusively to jazz in Latin America.

An ancient Chinese artifact has been stolen by a villainous archaeologist named Dexter. With the help of his Lemming friends, Norm must keep his word and embark on a journey across the world to help recover the artifact for the people of China.

A tribute to Charles Mingus.

Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati’s endearing clown, takes a holiday at a seaside resort, where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another. Tati’s masterpiece of gentle slapstick is a series of effortlessly well-choreographed sight gags involving dogs, boats, and firecrackers; it was the first entry in the Hulot series and the film that launched its maker to international stardom.

Mad God is a fully practical stop-motion film set in a Miltonesque world of monsters, mad scientists, and war pigs.

Papa Bear is off for a relaxing day of fishing at the lake, but he is followed by his little cubs, who proceed to make his day miserable. They catch more fish than he does and use unconventional ways to do it, and they are also responsible for him getting dunked in the water several times.

In this entertaining Puppetoon animated short film, a young boy, Jasper, gets trapped inside a pawnshop at midnight. All the musical instruments come to life and play jazz. A whooping wooden Indian chief self-animates as well, and goes on the warpath.

A chain-smoking woman has an encounter with a vampire.

Flint must quickly alter his plans for a romantic date with Sam after his monkey-cleaning invention goes awry.

Flint's mischievous gummy bear grows to 50-feet by using his new food-modifying invention.

The Foodimals join Earl's scouting program but are very competitive.

Manny saves an adorable kitty with his many skills.

A deliciously scary story about a boy who outsmarts an old witch-woman before she can have him and his brothers for dinner.

The boozy mercenary of the title, based on the actual historical figure of Naoyuki Ban (1567-1615), attempts to rid a haunted castle of spooks.

Wallace Carlson walks viewers through the production of an animated short at Bray Studios.

Bizet's Carmen gets a modern adaptation. Seducting, provocating, sensual. All the ingredients for a perfect drama. With her charm, Karmen gets out of many situations.

A young llama named Koro discovers that the grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence).

Koro wants to get to the other side of the road.