“You bad ol’ putty-tat!”
Directed by Friz Freleng; Animation by Art Davis, Gerry Chiniquy, and Virgil Ross; Layouts by Hawley Pratt; Backgrounds by Tom O’Loughlin; Film Editor: Treg Brown; Voice Characterization by Mel Blanc; Musical Direction by Milt Franklyn. (The credits have visual images with them that show something the different crew members would’ve used for their contributions. I think it’s neat.)
Third time now Freleng’s unit has done a “Hyde” story. They running out of ideas, or perfecting them? Well…
Sylvester sleeps outside the building where Dr. Jekyll works or lives. The doctor has grown more hair and lost more irises since he tried adopting Bugs. He also has no hang-ups about drinking his weird juice anymore. Sylvester misses the transformation, and Jekyll is leaving. Nobody around to explain, nobody around to hear you shriek. But the life of a cat isn’t all naps and more naps. Eating sometimes happens too.
Tweety enters the picture, struggling to fly. He comments on how flying isn’t perfect, which is a weak answer. How about the more logical “flying is exercise, and like any exercise, will eventually use all your energy”? If there’s one thing I watch cartoons for, its the scientific accuracy. Sylvester gives chase, and Tweety enters into the Doctor’s room to find a place to hide. That bottle says “Hyde” on it, and Tweety doesn’t understand homophones, so it will work as well.
Sylvester searches, but is found first. Tweety has gotten the juice, and its made for quite the memorable design. You may not have seen the short, but you might have seen Tweety-hyde. A perfect rep for Halloween decor. Sylvester collapses to pieces before pulling himself together to pull himself away from his pursuit. I don’t know how much of the original Tweety is still in there, but the creature knows its the predator now and starts the chase in reverse.
While Sylvester bangs on the nearest elevator, the beast almost gets him before the arbitrary yet funny timer kicks in. The chase resumes in reverse of reverse, until starting in reverse of reverse of reverse. Verse and repeat. But don’t think Tweety is helpless in his helplessly adorable form. He uses his brains to open and shut a door without entering, knowing that Sylvester’s mind will naturally assume he’s in there. Which he could’ve been, seeing as how his wings would allow him to be okay in an empty elevator shaft. (Why even bother putting a door up?)
Another kick in the juice gets Tweety juiced up once Sylvester returns. He opts for out the window. Cats land on their feet regardless of how hard gravity is pulling, which means in cartoons, cats don’t splat. And very large birds don’t fly. Especially the ones that are designed like a sausage. Except when they do, and Sylvester is grabbed by the tail by the bird. You know what would be funny, don’t you? If the juice wore off again!
Luckily for Sylvester, Tweety doesn’t take back his feathers this time, and Sylvester is able to slow his descent and prolong his inevitable death. With Tweety coming in from above, all Sylvester has to do is open his mouth. Comedy striketh! Sylvester is squished. Wearing off immediately gives Sylvester his chance. He grabs his prey, heads back inside and locks the door so lunch stays in, and threat stays out. Now, in the spirit of hospitality, Sylvester is going to make Tweety a sandwich.
Sylvester reprimands Tweety for being a poor loser, which really makes you think how hard it is for predators who just want a little sustenance. I don’t have to worry about such thoughts because as a scavenger, I only eat what someone else already killed. (I’ve made myself hungry.) When Sylvester turns his back for ketchup, Tweety juices up a final time and in the spirit of hospitality, has Sylvester for dinner. Fleeing once more, Sylvester realizes his fatal error in locking the only escape from the inside… does it not keep anyone out, then?
Luckily in this picture, the whole thing was like life: but a dream. Well, the Tweety parts anyhow. Hyde is still lurking around somewhere. Would’ve been cool to se the two monsters fight over the cat. Speaking of Tweety, he actually alights near Sylvester for real. Being awake and aware, Sylvester runs screaming for help from the “killer” making a couple of other cats berate him for his cowardice. Oh boys, if you only knew…
If you only knew…
Favorite Part: Sylvester threatens to jump then turns to us: “I’ve got a choithe?”
Personal Rating: 4. I really think this is the best Hyde short. It’s not a repeat rehash like “Jerkyll” and uses established characters unlike “Hare”. And I really dig Tweety’s monster form. With his limp wristed arms looking to grab, delightfully devious cackle, whiskers(?), and maniacal smile. He kinda reminds me of a Minion that won’t make you lose your animation historian cred by enjoying.
