Spooks: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Lantz, 1930)

This rare black-and-white archival footage presents "Spooks," a landmark silent Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon from July 14, 1930, produced and directed by Walter Lantz for Universal Studios—nearly a century ago—offering a nostalgic thrill for early animation fans. The silent film follows Oswald, the mischievous black rabbit with expressive ears, as he stumbles into a haunted house seeking shelter during a stormy night, only to encounter a host of ghostly gags. Inside, a skeleton plays a piano, a ghost cat chases Oswald, and a vampire bat with a bowler hat and cane swings from chandeliers, leading to slapstick chaos: Oswald dodges flying furniture, paints a door on a wall to escape (only to crash into it), and battles a werewolf with a broom, all set against eerie, whimsical backgrounds typical of the era. The cartoon ends with Oswald fleeing as the house collapses, laughing off the spooks. Voiced by Pinto Colvig, with music by David Broekman, this short—Lantz’s 48th Oswald cartoon—captures his surreal, slapstick style, blending humor with Halloween-inspired antics, and includes a Mickey Mouse-lookalike character, reinforcing Lantz’s early experimentation. A lively window into early 1930s animation’s golden age, this preserved gem grips cartoon enthusiasts, animation historians, and nostalgic viewers, offering a timeless peek at a haunted adventure frozen in time.