Category: Chuck Jones

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

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Wackiki Wabbit

“Ah! White man!”

Don’t let the title fool you. There is no Fudd in this short.

Our main characters are two castaways. Let’s call them Fatty and Slim. They must have been afloat for days because they are trying to eat one another without the other one noticing. That is until they spot an island. They arrive and explore their new locale. They spot Bugs and immediately declare him food. (It’s official. They’re gonna starve.) Bugs runs and they find him doing a tribal dance. He spouts some long gibberish which translates to “What’s up, Doc?” Then he says something short which is translated as a huge saying. Slim thanks him and his words get translated into Bug’s dialect. (“Did you say that?” Fatty asks.) Bugs dances and they join in allowing him to escape.

Consulting their book on the Sea Islands, (as opposed to the numerous land ones.) they learn that the natives dive into water to retrieve coins. (No, I don’t know where they got the book.) After they toss a coin into their cauldron of water, Bugs steals the whole thing. Luckily for them, he uses it as a bath and doesn’t notice what it’s intended for until he joins in their singing of “We’re gonna have roast rabbit!” He goes to his tree house and attaches a chicken to some strings. He freaks out the men by making it look like the chicken is scolding them. However the strings tangle causing the puppet to reveal Bugs. They pull on the strings bringing Bugs with it.

He runs and takes the chicken meat with him. The men break down and cry. Then to their luck, a boat arrives. They are so happy they fail to notice Bugs has switched places with them, until the boat vanishes over the horizon. They see each other as food before chasing each other into the hills. (Personally, my money’s on Slim) I’ve heard a rumor this short was based on a real experience of Jones where he was shipwrecked. Anyone know if that’s true?

Personal Rating: 3

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Case of the Missing Hare

“Look Doc! Do I go around nailing signs over your house?”

So this cartoon begins with a magician nailing signs everywhere to advertise his show. (At least, I think so. He does it very subtly.) The magician’s name is Ala Bahma. He is in the middle of nailing a sign over a tree. Bugs burst out. Apparently he lives in a tree now. (I guess Ala nailing a sign over a hole in the ground would be a little TOO weird. Even for a cartoon.) Ala is a jerk and quickly nails a new one. When Bugs complains, Ala throws a “blacksberries” pie in his face and leaves laughing. Bugs is not amused.

Later at his show, Ala prepares for his first trick: pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Cue Bugs. He pulls himself out of the hat, and steals Ala’s applause. He tells Ala to tempt him with a carrot. Ala tries to do so, but Bugs hits him over the head with his hammer. Later, Ala nails his hat shut so Bugs can’t bother him any more. His next trick requires a young boy’s assistance. Bugs comes up (dressed up in a Pinocchio like get up,) and Ala explains the trick. Bugs will be in a basket and Ala will seemingly stick swords into him. While doing so, Bugs appears to squeal in pain in the basket. (One of the greatest Looney Tunes moments ever.)

Ala finds Bugs is the one handing him the swords, so Ala prepares to murder him and Bugs plays “red light green light” with him. To finish off, he gives him an exploding cigar. The magician is dazed and in a sense of poetic justice, Bugs hits him in the face with another “blacksberries” pie.

Personal Rating: 3

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Homeless Hare

“Well toodles, do I get my home back or do I have to get tough?”

Sorry for lack of updates last week. It was my birthday and I did not feel doing my mediocre, tiny blog posts that I call “working”. But now I’m back, and ready with a new short!

At a construction site, Bug’s house is accidentally dug up. Despite asking very politely to put his home back, the worker dumps ‘im into a pile. The worker (who Bugs dubs Hercules) laughs until Bugs drops a brick on his face with a note that declares war. Hercules hops in an elevator and tries to reach Bugs who is controlling the elevator and he ultimately sends Herc into a vat of wet cement.

Bugs dresses as a foreman and demands that Herc build a huge tower. At the top Hercules is balancing on a thin board balanced by a pile of bricks. Bugs takes great delight in removing them one by one. (Best scene of the picture, right there.) Herc gets his revenge by swinging an I beam into Bugs’ face, which sends him on a dazed walk where in the classic cartoon way, he is saved by various machinery before falling into a rain barrel.

Bugs devises a clever plan, and drops a red-hot rivet which travels along a complex path before landing on a rope, burning said rope, and dropping a huge piece of machinery on Hercules. He concedes defeat and agrees to give his home back. The building gets built still, but now it’s built around Bugs rabbit hole.

Personal Rating: 4

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Hare Tonic

“I gotta go back and heckle that character.”

Elmer has just bought Bugs from the market and is planning on making a wabbit stew for his dinner. At the Fudd residence, Bugs rings a bell and when Elmer leaves to answer what he thinks is the telephone, Bugs escapes. He stops short and figures that before he leaves he might as well have fun with Fudd first.

He pretends to be a radio announcer and says that all rabbits that have been bought lately have a disease known as Rabbititus. (Symptoms include: seeing spots, coated tongue, having fits, and believing you are a rabbit.) Fudd falls for it and tells Bugs to leave. Bugs can’t as he points to the sign proclaiming the premise is quarantined. He starts faking symptoms and heckling Fudd.

Elmer gets visited by Dr. Killpatient (Bugs in disguise) who asks to see the infected rabbit. He calls Elmer in to a room that he painted spots all over. Tricking Elmer into multiplying numbers, he declares that he too has caught the disease. Eventually Elmer gets wise and tries to catch him. Bugs tells him the audience has the disease and Fudd flees again. Bugs tells us we’re fine and says that if we were sick, we’d see spots, (like the ones on screen?) get dizzy, (is the screen moving?) and everything going dark. (IT DOES!)

Finally, this is the only other time I recall Bugs popping out of the end drum instead of Porky. (The other being “Baseball Bugs“)

Personal Rating: 3

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What’s Opera, Doc?

“Oh mighty warrior of great fighting stoooock! Might I inquire to ask, ‘Ehh, What’s up Doooc?!'”

This is the greatest cartoon ever. (Or so says “The 50 Greatest Cartoons” I’d trust it.) While I don’t personally agree, I can agree this is some fine work.(In my opinion, it’s “Porky In Wackyland” which is also on the list.) This whole cartoon is an opera, and Elmer (as Siegfreid) sings that he is hunting wabbits. Bugs appears and Fudd tells him he will use his spear and magic helmet. (Which can control weather) Bugs runs away just as Elmer gets wise.

Bugs renters the picture in disguise as Brunhilde. (Riding the world’s fattest horse, I might add.) They dance and sing and proclaim their love just as Bug’s disguise falls off. In his fury, Elmer conjures up many forces of weather to kill da wabbit. (Blanc yells Elmer’s line of “SMOOOOOOG!” The man is a good yeller.) After this, Elmer sees Bugs is dead (Yes, really.) He feels remorse and carries Bugs into the sunset. As the cartoon ends, Bugs asks us if we honestly expected a happy ending.

Personal Rating: 5

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One Froggy Evening

“*Ribbit*”

(Quick note: I forgot to mention in last week’s entry, that all the voices were done not by Mel Blanc but by Stan Freberg. A rare thing in the Looney Tunes world. At least while Mel was still under contract.)

I’m wearing my Michigan J. Frog shirt today, so it only seems natural that I talk about this cartoon. This Chuck Jones classic starts out at a demolition sight. A building is being torn down and one of the employees finds a box hidden in the ruins. Inside is a wondrous sight to behold! A frog who sings and dances to songs form the early 1900s! (And one that Warner Bros. made up themselves, “The Michigan Rag.” )

Seeing this wonder of nature firsthand, it doesn’t take long for the man’s thoughts to turn to greed. However, when he tries to show it to a talent agency, the frog acts like a normal frog. Croaking, lethargic, (ectotherms don’t do well in unheated boxes) and not about to sing anytime soon. The two get thrown out. So the man rents a theater to show off his new pet. Costing him pretty much everything he owes, so this better be worth it…

The grand opening has no audience until he promises free beer. (Some of those letters are coming off his sign. Couldn’t afford better quality paint) But by the time he gets the curtains open the frog is done, and the man is booed. Now out of money, he is living in the local park. Where someone else finally overhears the frog. Said person is a cop, and he only heard the frog. He didn’t see it. Therefore, he does not believe the man and takes him to a mental hospital.

Later, now having lost everything from his money, home, and sanity, the man sees that the building is getting rebuilt and he leaps at his chance to hide the frog. He finally manages to succeed. 100 years later, another person finds the frog and begins to think of how rich he will potentially be…

Now I have a theory as to why the frog does this. I believe he was created to show people greed is bad. He purposely stops to get them in trouble. Hes the ultimate troll. Or perhaps, it just makes for better comedy.

Personal Rating: 5

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Porky Pig Show/Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show

These are two different programs, but both were designed to show the finest short films Warners had to offer. Porky is extra awesome, so why not let him have his own show? The intro showed many people and even some fellow toons going to Porky’s barn to watch some of his finest work.

As for the other show, It spawned from the Bugs Bunny Show and was popular enough to stay on the air for 14 years! The opening cast line remained pretty much unchanged except Hippity Hopper was replaced with Sylvester Jr. and they added Pepe and (thank goodness) Porky. It’s a shame that these classics don’t play on TV anymore. Kids today don’t know what entertainment is.

Personal Rating: (Based on the openings) 3

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Old Glory

“You don’t know why you should learn the pledge of allegiance to the flag?”

For Porky’s first color cartoon, (Yes his debut was in color. But he wasn’t the star) we find him struggling to learn the pledge to the flag. He can’t get the hang of it and he gives up. He takes a nap and Uncle Sam appears and begins to teach his subconsciousness about the history of America. From Paul Revere warning of the British, to the pioneers heading out west to find more land. (That already belonged to someone, but that part doesn’t paint the country in the best lights. Let’s omit it.)

After the history lesson Porky awakens and is able to recite the pledge form memory. (Owl eared listeners will notice he doesn’t say “under God” that part was not added yet.) This cartoon may not be as funny as its numerous siblings, but it’s enjoyable none the less. It reminds us how hard it was to be young and to understand. It also helps us remember to help others.

Personal Rating: 4 (If you can’t stand to see cartoons be serious, than it might not be for you. I stand by my rating, though)

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The Adventures of the Road Runner

Yeah, I know I said I’d take a break from these types of cartoons, but I’m a liar, pure and simple.

Besides, this is not just a regular short… this is a TV pilot! That never got a show afterwards. (Friggin’ stupid thing if you ask me) I have no idea why no one thought this would not be a good show, but at least the pilot is still awesome.

After a few gags, the coyote starts talking and telling us that he films everything he does, so he can analyze them, and figure out his mistakes. We also see that this pilot is also being watched by Ralph Phillips and his unknown friend. Ralph says that he feels like sometimes hes a roadrunner, and tells his friend of other things he imagines himself as, as “From A to ZZZZZ” plays.(So, was this going to be a sampling of ALL of Chuck’s best work?)

After that, they also get an answer as to why the coyote wants the Roadrunner so much. (After such an explanation, I think I really want to eat one too) Its funny, the bridging sequences are original, and its a Looney Tune. What’s not to love?

Personal Rating: 3

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A Bear for Punishment

“I hate breakfast in bed!”

I know. I should have talked about a Mother’s day cartoon, but i couldn’t find one. Father’s day works fine. This cartoon was based on Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese’s fathers days they experienced. (That’s harsh)

One morning, Henry Bear wakes up to many alarm clocks. He learns that its fathers day and his family wants to treat him right. Junyer spills breakfast on him, and tries to shave him with a broken razor. He can’t even fill his dad’s pipe without an injury. (“g-u-n-p-o-w-d-e-r, deh, tobacco”)

Finally, they perform a show. Junyer recites a poem about how he loves his father, Ma does a dance, and as a finale they dress up Henry as the stature of liberty and launch fireworks. He is too shocked to protest. (And thus the 3 bears cartoons ended)

Personal Rating: 3