Congo Jazz

Congo Jazz was a Looney Tunes cartoon starring Warner Bros.' first cartoon star, Bosko. Released in September of 1930.

As Bosko is hunting in the jungle, a tiger creeps up behind him and gives him a lick. Finding his gun useless, Bosko tries to flee. After being chased and having his body stretched and his head slapped off, Bosko pulls out a flute and begins playing music, which greatly entertains the tiger. Bosko and the tiger play patty cake, dance, and Bosko plays the tiger's whiskers and tail like guitar strings. Now that the tiger has been rendered thoroughly harmless, Bosko kicks it off a cliff. Bosko then spots two little monkeys playing leap frog. He picks one of them up, but the monkey spits in his eye. Bosko begins spanking the monkey's behind, until he notices the monkey's father looming above him. Acting nonchalant, Bosko offers the ape some chewing gum. The ape accepts, and seems to enjoy the gum very much. They both stretch the gum out of their mouths and begin plucking a tune. The rest of the jungle animals join in: monkeys, ostriches, kangaroos, and more. They play music on themselves, on each other, or with the jungle scenery. A kangaroo plays a tree, monkeys play a giraffe, and an elephant plays its trunk. A tree does a provocative fanny-slapping dance, gyrating its coconut bosoms, until one flies off and hits Bosko in the head. Bosko and a trio of hyenas laugh.

Plot (same as synopsis above):

Bosko, a game hunter armed with with a gun, quietly tiptoes in the jungle, occasionally screaming after hearing strange growling without noticing a tiger behind him. The tiger licks his chops and licks Bosko on the back. A frightened Bosko retreats in his pants and grabs his gun. He fires a pathetic bullet which drops to the ground. The tiger gives chase with gags such as the tiger pulling Bosko's pants stretching Bosko's stomach out (gag re-used from "Steamboat Willie") and slapping his head (apparently attached to a string) around. Bosko then brings out some sort of clarinet who plays a tune that calms the tiger turning him into a sissy. Then, Bosko calms the tiger with "The Mulberry Bush", plays patty-cake, playing the tiger's tail and whiskers like string instruments. Then, after merriment, Bosko kicks the tiger off a cliff. Then, Bosko spots two monkeys playing leapfrog to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". One monkey notices Bosko and runs away while the other one doesn't. Bosko then precedes to pet the monkey who spits in his eye. Bosko then spanks the monkey not knowing his ape father is watching. An awkward Bosko stands nervous until the monkey kicks Bosko in the shin. Bosko then takes out some gum and offers the ape some while Bosko chews some too. Bosko then demonstrates to the ape how the wad of gum can make a string-like tone. Then, Bosko and the ape play their instruments together for a strings duet. Two monkeys dance on a log where a cannibal pelican (!) performs a trick. An ostrich blows a musical raspberry while a three joeys say "oy,oy,oy" to the music. The jungle inhabitants applause with satisfaction as Bosko advices all of them to make music. The animals make their own music, improvising instruments. A palm tree grabs coconuts off a tree for a tropical bust. Improvising continues as one coconut flies off the palm tree and hits Bosko in the head. Hyenas laugh as Bosko, a good sport laughs with them. That's all, folks!