LGM Film Club, Part 228: The Teddy Bears

I may have linked to this film way in the distant past, but I never have since I started the film club, so let’s discuss the 1907 film The Teddy Bears. I had reason to show this to my class this morning and I am repeatedly amazed by it. First, you have Goldilocks and the Three Bears moved to 1907. Second, people in bear suits. Third, the Victorian respectable clothing. Fourth, Baby Bear is a huge brat. First, Goldilocks is basically engaged in a home invasion. Sixth, the completely random but awesome claymation scene! And then seventh, the OMG ending, where a hunter, who the director Edwin Porter clearly meant to be Theodore Roosevelt, comes and, uh, takes care of the problem, providing a slightly different ending to the story…. Evidently, Porter hated Roosevelt and thought he was a huge hypocrite for talking about conservation while shooting everything.

This is some kind of film. Also, you can completely read this as a metaphor for western imperialism.

This is actually the 4th Porter film I’ve featured here, along with the wild Dream of a Rarebit Fiend, the pretty wacky Dog Factory, and the prohibition satire Kansas Saloon Smashers.