Category: Chuck Jones

Anything directed by the man who was responsible for directing the number one greatest cartoon.

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Bugs Bonnets

“How come every other private in this mans army has a rifle, and you’ve got a gun?”

Hardy har harberdashery.

Directed by Chuck Jones; Story by Tedd Pierce; Animation by Ben Washam, Abe Levitow, Richard Thompson and Ken Harris. Layouts by Robert Gribbroek; Backgrounds by Richard H. Thomas; Voice Characterization by Mel Blanc; Music by Milt Franklyn. Released in 1956.

As this short begins, we are told that people’s behavior may be changed by their attire. (This is scientifically known as cosplaying.) But a full outfit is not exactly necessary. All one needs is a hat. Our example being Elmer. When he puts on a hunting cap, he goes psychotic. Seriously. He wants to see Bugs’ blood paint the scenery. He’s never been that crazy before. So, it’s no surprise that Bugs is pretty scared. As their chase begins, a truck full of hats’s doors open and spill the contents all over the woods.

An army hat falls on Bugs and he has Elmer march into a lake. Elmer sinks but his hat doesn’t and when he comes back up, he has a general’s hat. (Making him act like Douglas MacArthur.) Bugs runs from his now commanding officer, but Elmer gets his original hat back and fires. Bugs has dove into a hole and ends up burrowing up under a game warden’s hat. Finding Elmer shooting the army hat, he asks what he’s doing, as sergeants aren’t in season at the moment. A gust of wind blows Elmer’s hat off and replaces it with a pilgrim hat. He just trying to get Thanksgiving dinner.

The wind next gives Bugs a Native American wig and he takes Elmer’s gun and gives chase. They both lose the hats and the tables turn. But as Bugs crosses a busy street, a bonnet falls on Elmer and makes him as feeble and timid as a stereotypical old lady. Good thing a boy scout hat fell on Bugs and he wastes no time in helping Fudd cross. (Reciting the Scout law as well. I hated that. It’s too long and makes one sound like there perfect.) A car drives by and they lose the hats again. As Bugs flees once more, he ends up with a mobster’s hat and tells Elmer to get out of his territory. But a policeman cap falls on Elmer and he tries arresting Bugs. (Even thinking he’s Rocky. The mobster, not the boxer.) Bugs hands him some money as a bribe and even though Elmer doesn’t accept it, the wind replaces Bug’s hat with a Judges… hat? wig? The thing they always wear in cartoons.

He is angered to see Elmer holding bribe money, (where did Bugs get that in the first place?) and sentences him to only 45 years and hard labor in prison since he knows Fudd’s a family man. (They might still be alive when he’s free.) As Bug’s leaves Elmer asks him to marry him, as he now wears a bridal veil. A top hat landing on Bugs has him agreeing and he carries his “bride” home.

Personal Rating: 3

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Ali Baba Bunny

“It’s mine, ya understhand? Mine! All mine!”

Directed by Chuck Jones; Story by Michael Maltese; Animation by Richard Thompson, Ken Harris, Abe Levitow, and Ben Washam; Effects Animation by Harry Love; Layouts by Maurice Noble; Backgrounds by Philip DeGuard; Film Editor: Treg Brown; Voice Characterization by Mel Blanc; Musical Direction by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn. Released in 1957.

This one is a classic. I think it’s Bugs and Daffy’s best known team up, outside of the hunting trilogy. Naturally, it’s one of the 100 greatest Looney Tunes and ranks number 35 on the 50 greatest cartoons.

In (somewhere in the Middle East, I’m sure) a midget seals a cave that is brimming with treasure. He tells the guard there, (Hassan) to guard it with his life, because the price is life. Poor Hassan. I bet he’s really a nice guy who wants no part in this. But seeing as he’s got no alternative, he dutifully stands watch. The midget rides away on his adorably ugly, midget camel. We then see a very familiar burrow coming along. It heads right into the cave. Having noticed this, Hassan tries to enter but can’t seem to remember the magic words. (“Open sarsaparilla? Open Saskatchewan?”)

Inside, Bugs announces that they have finally made it to Pismo Beach. Or have they? As he puzzles over things, his travel buddy, Daffy notices the treasure in a way I think we all would act. (Wide eyes, licking lips/beak, and plotting to get rid of the other guy.) He claims it as his own and shoves Bugs back into the hole, before unleashing his inner Scrooge. (I remember in middle school seminary class, I got to teach about the seven deadly sins. I used Looney Tunes as examples and this was greed.)

Hassan meanwhile has finally gotten the phrase correct. (“Open septuagenarian?” No. “Open saddle soap?” Wrong. “Open sesame?” DING!) On his way out, Daffy mistakes him for a red cap and asks for a cab. Hassan slices his cute diamond studded hat in half. (Shame. That was my favorite treasure.) Daffy flees back to Bugs asking for his help in exchange for a diamond. Bugs is too cool to care. Daffy then tells the angry guard, that Bugs is the one who brought them there and he should get all the blame. Bugs has disguised himself as a genie and offers Hassan a reward if he frees him. He does so, and Bugs grants him the treasure all to himself. (Doing an amusing chant as well)

With that taken care of, Bugs heads out and thinks that maybe they’re not at the beach. But his pondering must be put on hold as Daffy has gotten himself in trouble again. Seems he took one of the diamonds that now belong to Hassan. Bugs agrees to help and gets rid of Hassan by having him climb a rope into the clouds. (Here Daffy admits that he can’t help being greedy, it’s his hobby. At least he’s honest) With the guard gone, the treasure is all Daffy’s. He loads up a mine car with all the loot, (Good thing he always has that on him.) and takes one more quick look to make sure he’s got everything. He finds a lamp and rubbing it produces a real genie. Even though, it sounds like he’s going to grant Daffy a wish, the duck’s paranoia has him assuming the genie is after his treasure and tries to shove him back in the lamp.

The genie is furious, and Bugs (wisely) decides to leave. Daffy is unafraid of the genie’s wrath, and says one of the best lines in all of ever. (“Consequences, schmonsequences. As long as I’m rich.”) Brilliant. I have the feeling every celebrity ever has said that at least once. (And once Kanye is out of debt, he’ll say it again.) At the beach, Bugs muses about what happened to Daffy as he eats clams. (They must taste like carrots.) He finds a pearl in one. (Or they’re oysters.) Just then, an ant-sized Daffy runs out of the hole and claims the pearl as his own. Annoyed, Bugs shuts the bivalve on him. (It’s probably dead now, so at least he won’t be digested.) Daffy doesn’t seem to mind. And why should he? The oyster is his world!

Personal Rating: 5. If for no other reason than Daffy is probably at his best here.

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Go Fly a Kit

“What’s she in love with anyway, a DC6?”

Directed by Chuck Jones. Released in 1957

It’s 2016 and I’m still here. (Thought for sure that last month would finish me off.) There are hundreds of shorts still waiting to be discussed, so let’s not waste any time!

At an airport, a cat (although she looks more like a kitten to me) gazes longingly at the runway. A guy takes notice of her an asks another what she is doing. Apparently, she is waiting for her boyfriend.

Wait, what now? The second man tells of how there was an eagle with an overdeveloped motherly instinct. So powerful, that she’d rather raise a kitten as her own rather than eat it. She’s also smart enough to realize he’s a mammal, as she brings him milk to eat. (Birds are kinda lacking in the milk department. Unless you’re a pigeon.) She even tries teaching him to fly. While he plummets at first, he finds if he wags his tail enough, he can fly, he can fly, he can fly! The two love each other very much, but as nature intended, he must eventually leave the nest. (Don’t cry Miss eagle. I’m sure you’ll find a human baby you can raise.)

He flies on and lands on a telephone wire to try and chat with some (tweeting?) crows. They fly off in a panic. Either it’s that moment where he realizes he’s no bird, or his hormones kick in, because he sees another cat being chased by… Marc Antony? (I can’t confirm or deny it’s him, but I’m going to say it is.) Flying, he both scratches Marc and takes the cat up a tree to be safe. It’s love at first sight! (Names? Uh, how about Swoop and Amber?) Swoop isn’t done messing with Marc though, and flies down as the dog begins to charge. Despite the fact she just saw him fly, Amber freaks out. Obviously, there’s no need to worry. Swoop leaps up to scratch again and Marc skids into a lake.

He sneaks out to surprise the cat. (I still think they look like kittens, frankly) Amber sees this and tries to warn her savior, but he seems too entranced by her beauty to move. (I do that constantly with animals.) But Swoop seems on top of things, as he flies out of the resultinh scuffle, leaving Marc chewing his own leg. He next tries to club the cat, which is on his head. Naturally, he keeps hitting himself. Eventually, he traps the cat under a trash can. He thinks he’s won, but he doesn’t notice that the cat is somehow strong enough to lift the can with a bulldog on top and leave it atop a skyscraper. The dog can’t sit still as he must keep balance. Come night he’s still there. (That’s harsh. You couldn’t have just landed him in a pound?)

The couple takes a moonlight stroll and gaze into each other’s eyes. The story ending, the man says that every year the cat flies south. It’s not instinct, it’s just common sense. I’d do it if I didn’t hate movement. Oh, who am I to ruin this moment? The happiness on Amber’s face is more than precious as Swoop returns. She’s not the only one happy to see him though. Their children (who inherited or learned their father’s flight) are too. He’s still just her boyfriend, though. It’s not like cats mate for life. The happy couple gazes into each other’s eyes again and their offspring do the same to one another. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Please tell me they’re just imitating them since they are young. Otherwise this is probably the most disturbing short I’ve yet to see. Animals or not, I don’t want them inbreeding.

Personal Rating: 3

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Cat Feud

‘Electro-Magnetic Crane’

Directed by Chuck Jones. Released in 1958.

Well, forget that Marc Anthony and Pussyfoot ever met. According to this short, this is how it all really began. Of course, Marc is gray here, so it might just be an alternate universe. The short itself starts in a construction site. Marc Anthony is a guard dog who marches in time to the short’s soundtrack. He takes great pride in his work and ferociously barks at a moving bag that contains a kitten. Um… Why was it in a trash can? (Humanity, what’s wrong with you!) Despite the large canine barking in it’s face, the kitten is not afraid and instead makes itself comfortable on the dog’s back. He falls for the cutie and adopts him.

He sets him down with a sausage to eat, while he continues his rounds. Hungry eyes are watching, however. It’s a creature that looks like a mix between Claude Cat and the Grinch. So we’ll call him Grinch cat. He heads for the meaty treat, but as soon as he lays one paw on it, Marc Antony is there to pound him. But the sour puss is not going to give up that easily, as he begins to raise the I-beam the kitten is on. In turn, Pussyfoot wakes up and takes note of the meal in its possession. With the dog’s help the kitten, manages to not walk off into the abyss, but he is left hanging by another beam. Grinch cat, shakes it a bit, (sure showed him.) and goes back to the hunt. (I really like how he’s animated.)

When he does get the sausage from the kitten, the kitten shows it is not pleased. Grinch cat does the ole “Go on, hit me!” routine, not seeing the I-beam Marc Antony has sent heading for his skull. Thinking the pain was delivered by the kitten, he doesn’t notice that a return trip means he’s about to be I-beamed again. (And I beamed.) Fearing the obviously herculean super kitty, Grinch cat grabs a hammer. Marc in turn makes use of today’s quote and pulls him and the hammer up. Grinch falls down, and Marc releases the hammer head on cat head. The cat grabs a hardhat and keeps his cranium intact. But the clever dog, turns the magnet back on, and the cat flies back up. Then Marc just trolls him by quickly turning the thing off and on. But he has to stop, when he sees his precious Pussyfoot about to fall again.

He saves him (her/it) and Grinch tries to make a break for it. He gets his foot caught in a bucket though, and the magnet grabs him again, wedging him between the pail and the hat. Later that night, he’s still up there as the dog and kitten happily bunk down for the night.

Personal Rating: 3

Guess who is going to a symphony tonight? Not just any one though, this one is going to be playing a tribute to Looney Tunes. A dream come true! Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

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Kiss me Cat

“A cat that won’t catch mice, and now a crazy dog.”

Directed by Charles M. Jones. Released in 1953.

It’s a continuation story! (That’s rare for Warner Bros.) Marc Anthony happily sleeps with his kitten, Pussyfoot. (Whose name is used for the first time here.) They are happy together. The lady of the house, (whose name is revealed to be Vi. no relation to last weeks post) tells her husband, Tom, that she has seen a mouse. Despite the fact that Pussyfoot is a flucking kitten, Tom says that if he, (they say “he” but I’m sure the final word is that Pussyfoot is a her. But I’ll just say he for now.) doesn’t catch mice, then they will get a new cat. While he doesn’t outright say they’ll replace the current one, it’s definitely implied. Marc decides to teach his pet to catch mice. He shoves him into the mouse’s hole and the result is too cute for words, so you’ll just have to see it yourself.

Preh-shuss!

But if Tom sees that, then Pussyfoot definitely will be gone. Marc tries drawing some pictures to get the point across. (Pussyfoot imitating his expression.) It doesn’t work and the mouse just uses the cat as a mule once more. Marc attaches some cheese to a jack-in-the-box and the mouse faints at the severed clown head in a box. (Why are these marketed as children’s toys?) He puts the mouse in the kittens mouth and begs Tom to come see. Tom’s too slow and the mouse takes his mule out again. In desperation, Marc shows he can do ballet. Tom isn’t amused. (I am.)

While Marc thinks of a new plan, the mouse lures Pussyfoot into his hole. He sends a ransom note that demands cheese in small chunks, or the cat will be returned in the same style. (Dang. That’s dark.) Marc calls his bluff, until he hears squeals of pain. (Really just the mouse pretending. Pussyfoot is having some milk. He’s not such a bad mouse.) Marc gives in to the demands, and Tom catches him in the act. Marc gets another idea. He puts a magnifying mirror up to the hole and tells the mouse to see the NEW cat. When the mouse sees this, (Pussyfoot only looks mean because Marc Anthony squished his brow down.) he high tails it out of there with his family. (He was just trying to survive? Tom and Vi, you two are evil.) Marc Anthony proudly shows off the champion. Looks like they’ll continue to have many happy days together.

Personal Rating: 3

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The Aristo-cat

“Good grief, I’m all alone!”

Directed by Charles M. Jones. Released in 1943.

Why am I doing a post a day earlier than I usually do? Well, my dear readers, tomorrow happens to be White Wednesday. The last day where you should remember November. Since come Thanksgiving, people seem to recall that there actually are 11 months. It’s also a great day to be miserable, since society demands you be “merry” and “bright” for the Christmas season. Besides, I’m going to the movies tomorrow, and I can’t promise I’ll have time.

Don’t worry about that title, you are at the right place. I didn’t go all Disney on you. This short came out 27 years earlier. Besides, I think “The Aristocats” is my least favorite Disney film anyway. No way I’d be wasting a blog post on it.

A cat named Pussy (No immature jokes, please. None of them will be clever.) has got it made. He’s the pet of a rich lady and therefore gets a comfy bed, breakfast brought to him in it, and complete control of Meadows the butler. He’s a bit of a dick though. Squirting grapefruit juice into Meadow’s eye and letting him slip on bars of soap. It’s no surprise that Meadows quits. The cat panics as he realizes that as a pet, he has no clue how to fend for himself. (Look at those backgrounds courtesy of a one John McGrew, they are a beautiful abstract masterpiece. Best part of the picture, no question.)

In his panic, he finds a book about cats. (Written by a one F.E. Line.) To his luck, it opens up to the chapter that details the eating habits of the cat. It says that they feed on mice. Sounds easy enough, but never having seen an actual mouse, the cat runs in terror when he finds one. The mouse in question is Hubie, making his debut here. (You could say this cat is Claude, but the appearance is all wrong and his bed says Pussy remember? Although he does have a similar voice.) Hubie calls his friend Bertie, (just called Bert here) and shows him that the cat is no threat to them. The mice (whose colors will switch for later appearances) happily feast on cheese.

They refuse to share with the cat, telling him he should eat mice. He admits he doesn’t know what they look like, and the two point him out to a nice large one named Rover. Pussy tries to make a sandwich out of him, but that goes about as well as you’d expect. (One should never try to eat something alive that can open it’s mouth wider than you.) The cat is thrown back into the house, where he slides into the book again. Conveniently, he finds himself looking at the part of the book that clearly labels the cat’s prey and enemies. With his new knowledge, he chases the mice. They run into Rover’s dog house just as the dog comes home and pounds them. Pussy wakes up back in his bed, as it was just a horrible dream. Rover agrees. (Keep your gay jokes to yourself please. They’re not funny.)

Personal Rating: 4 Those backgrounds are an abstract masterpiece, and are worth a point on their own.

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Conrad the Sailor

“You’re a sthlovenly housthekeeper.”

Directed by Charles M. Jones. Released in 1942.

Who is Conrad? Well, you asked the right person. If you didn’t ask you are either: A) already quite knowledgeable about cartoons and just come here for my jokes, or B) you are a sad person who isn’t even looking at my blog. shame on you. Conrad the cat only appeared in 3 shorts. All of which were directed by Jones, all of which came out the same year. This is both the only one with his name in the title and the only one where he speaks. His one defining character trait is that he has a little shuffle walk but I like him. His appearance makes me smile. This short was his final appearance. It takes place on a ship. (No surprise.)

While most of the crew appear to be dogs, Conrad is not. Perhaps this is the reason he’s the only one swabbing the deck? Listen to his voice. Does he sound familiar? No, it’s not Mel. Please stop guessing him. Would I even bring it up if it was Mel? That my friends is Pinto Colvig. The original voice of Goofy. Even if he is being discriminated, Conrad cheerfully mops and sings. To his displeasure, he finds muddy duck prints all over. Daffy Duck prints to be precise. After mocking his singing, Daffy switches his bucket of water for red paint. Conrad doesn’t even notice until the duck points it out. Angered, the cat gives chase.

Despite Daffy thinking he gave him the slip, Conrad is right behind him and pulls him into a lifeboat and pounds him. Coming out they both salute the captain, before Daffy is tossed into the sea. That’s obviously not going to stop him. The chase continues when he gets in Conrad’s way of polishing a cannon. Before they can chase though, the captain comes by again and they salute once more. Daffy starts up a game of “Patty cake” using the lyrics to “Pease porridge” instead. Which is a really odd rhyme when I really think about it, why is it not spelled peas? Why are they in porridge? Do people really want to eat porridge that’s nine days old? What is porridge?

They chase, (salute the captain again) and Daffy hides in a gun. Conrad knows exactly where he’s hiding and loads it. When fired, the bullet continues to chase Daffy. Him running behind Conrad, means that the cat has to run too. But this doesn’t stop all three of them from saluting the captain again.

Personal Rating: 3

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The Night Watchman

“I guess you’ll have to watch the kitchen tonight, son.”

Directed by Charles Jones. Released in 1938.

In Chuck’s directorial debut, our story takes place in a house. There is a cat there, but he is sick tonight. Therefore, his “The Night Watchman” duties will have to be handled by his son. His son looks like some kind of a rodent to me, with his big buck teeth. And he’s kinda clumsy too. Even smacks himself when trying to salute. He heads out to perform his old man’s job. Geez, he’s tiny! I know he’s a rodent, but he didn’t look much smaller than his father. Maybe the kitchen is giant?

Either way, he’s immediately in the company of a mouse. The mouse does the ole “what’s that and flicks his nose” gag and steals one of his buttons. Learning that the regular watchman is sick, he calls his posse and they begin to feast. They eat their way through the food and make some humorous sight gags. Like, starting at one end of a pretzel and eating one’s self into a knot, and getting into a jar of olives and eating them all. (Thus creating your own prison with only an olive jar.) The kid tries to get them to stop, but he’s not very assertive and actually ends up helping prepare a steak for the leader.

The mice perform a floor show and this forces the child to yell to get his “quiet” heard. The leader hits him and he walks off in tears. His conscience berates him for letting his father down and reminds him he’s a cat. (Really? All this time I though he was a gopher. That still doesn’t explain why he’s so small.) With newfound courage, he heads back into the fray and pounds every mouse that tries to stand in his way. Before he’s through with them, he is sure to steal a button from the leader. Turnabout is fair play.

Personal Rating: 3

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90 Day Wondering

“I’m a civilian!”

Directed by Chuck Jones. Released in 1956.

Two posts in a day? It’s an October Miracle! (Or the idiot who runs this place didn’t plan ahead in advance very well, and realized he needed to have two in one.) Well anyways… At a location named “Fort Itude” (Which let’s be honest, is one of the best names of any place in history.) A tornado seems to leave. Taz was in the army? Nah, it’s just Ralph Phillips who is beyond happy to be “normal” again. His family welcome him back, but soon the excitement wears down and they settle back to their daily routine.

Ralph decides to go out for some fun. (Of course, not until after he’s had a few beers and smokes. The kid of “From A to Z-z-z-z”, people. ) He heads to the malt shop he used to go to, but nobody he used to hang with is there. They’ve been replaced with younger teens who make Ralph feel like an old man. But he has his address book! He calls up the girls he used to know. Which leads to an expected, but still hilarious joke: “Mommy? A man wants to talk to you.” He goes through them all; none of them are interested. If you weren’t there to engage them every day, you deserve to die alone.

As Ralph mopes in the park, a tiny little character shows up. This is Pete, the civilians friend. He’s here to tell Ralph the benefits of being out of the army. Another character shows up named Re-Pete. He looks cool, so naturally he is my new friend. Both begin trying to persuade Ralph to stay on/come back to their side. The army may pay less, but it gives so much more. There are over 400 jobs available, it can finance one’s education, give you a paid vacation, and if you play your cards right, you can retire at age 38. (Dang. Is that still possible? I’d look it up, but I don’t want to.) Pete is losing the battle and none of the ideas he’s pitching are working. (Like inventing dehydrated water and inheriting Fort Knox. Both of which I’ve already done multiple times.)

Ralph re-enlists. A nice short, but it seems to be saying that you can’t be happy unless you’re in the army. Say good-bye to free will kids. Your choice has been made.

Personal rating: 2

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8 ball Bunny

“It’s a boid! A boid in a tuxedo!”

Directed by Charles M. Jones

At a local theater, a show is just now closing. It is the “Ice Frolics” and it appears that their claim to fame is a skating penguin. Why, it’s Playboy. Haven’t seen him since “Frigid Hare.” (He’s not as cute as he was there. But he is getting his name.) But, uh oh! Looks like the rest of the crew forgot him! He desperately tries to catch up, but penguins weren’t exactly made for running. Or flying. In fact, unless he’s chasing a submarine, it’s probably hopeless.

While on the chase, he falls into Bug’s rabbit hole and wakes him up. Bugs is initially hostile, but softens up when the bird tears up. Apologizing, he agrees to help him find his way home. To his dismay, he finds his new charge is a penguin, and they primarily live at the south pole. (Although they do live in other places you know. Africa, the Galapagos, Australia…) But a promise is a promise. As they make their way south on a train, Bugs again announces his unhappiness. (We also have an adorable shot of Playboy hugging Bugs.) Playboy begins to tear up again, and Bugs apologizes saying he can’t bear to see him cry.

A hobo on the car agrees. Why, Penguins is practically chickens. (Well, they are both birds. So, sure.) And crying chickens make him so unhappy, he has to put them out of their misery. Coming to the rescue, Bugs points out that rabbits are bigger than penguins. (Not really, but sure.) The hobo agrees abandoning the bird,  and trying to get his mitts on Bugs. Bugs easily kicks him off the train. At New Orleans, Bugs has apparently had enough, and sends Playboy off on a boat to go the rest of the way. After it sets off Bugs overhears that it’s heading back to Brooklyn. Bugs swims after it, and rescues Playboy from being on the menu. (Are penguins really as tasty as this short suggests? I should test it.)

They make their way to an Island where Bugs forces the bird to build them a boat. Then Humphrey Bogart appears and quotes “The treasure of the Sierra Madre” asking for money. Bugs angrily gives him some. Later at sea, Bugs is going mad with hunger. The hobo’s words echo in his head and he nearly gives in to temptation. Luckily, they seem to have hit land! Bugs however, is not willing to pay 25 cents to pass through the Panama Canal. He opts to travel by land. It’s not long before they are captured by natives and are prepared to be cooked. (Okay, I really need a penguin hot dog now!)

Suddenly, something appears that sends them into a panic! It’s Bogart again. Bugs more happily gives him change this time. After many perilous obstacles, Bugs finally delivers Playboy to the actual pole. As Bugs turns to leave, Playboy begins crying ice cubes. He shows Bugs a flyer. He’s actually the only Hoboken born Penguin. (You’d think he would have shown him that sooner.) Bogart appears again, ready to ask for more money, but Bugs gives HIM the penguin this time and runs off.

Personal Rating: 4