Where's the Rocket?

Over the years, the internet has helped me find the names of movies, magicians who cut off their legs with a chainsaw to the tune of The Peter Gunn Theme, even the identity of Donald Duck's mother. And yet, one challenge, finding a cartoon about anthropomorphic fireworks has remained unmet. That is, until now.

Yes, I was looking back over the weekend and realized after over three years, I still had not found any evidence of this thing ever existing. So I tried again, I even made the rounds of movie forums hoping someone would have known what I was referring to. Only this time, I tried to remember a bit more. "Fireworks" and "firecrackers" weren't getting me anywhere. What else could you call them? Then I tried "rocket." And the greatest thing happened.

I found this. An animated short called The Remarkable Rocket (1975), narrated by David Niven. Based on a short story by Oscar Wilde. I had a few details mixed up. It turns out it's not about the little runt that everyone else makes fun of--in fact the main character is a pompous jerk--although there are squibs in the story. And it certainly doesn't take place during an Independence Day celebration. And perhaps most importantly, something I should have mentioned when I first posed the question, they aren't so much rockets with faces as they are disembodied cylindrical heads with cones attached to the top.

Well, I think I'm running out of childhood things to find that people didn't believe existed. I'm sure I can think of something else eventually, but I'm going to savor this discovery for a while. This one was driving me nuts.

Anyway, this being St. Patrick's Day and all, why don't you check out Irishman Oscar Wilde's original short story, and as you're reading it in your best stately British David Niven voice, picture the characters as horrifying disembodied cylindrical heads with cones growing out of their scalps.

Posted in: movie,talking fireworks