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The Wild Chase

“Vamanos! Vamanos! Yee-haa!”

Directed by Friz Freleng. Released in 1965.

My four shadows are gone! Do you get it yet? I said in a few posts back, that I wondered who would win in a race between Speedy and the Roadrunner. Foreshadowing! Seems I’m too subtle for my own good. Well, we might as well carry on anyway.

A race is being held for the honor of Mexico and Texas. (Oh. Okay. I always pictured the Roadrunner shorts taking place in Arizona or New Mexico, myself. And I like the idea of the new trying to outdo the classic.) The fastest mouse in… well probably the whole world, Speedy, vs that literal road burning bird, the Roadrunner. Both entrants are being watched by hungry eyes. One Wile E. Coyote, (who is for a first, NOT being directed by Chuck Jones) and Sylvester. And this is his last starring role. He’d reappear as a cameo one year later, but that was it.

The race starts and the bird takes the lead. The coyote follows and the ” resulting smoke hides the fact that there’s no more road” gag from “Zoom and Bored” is reused. Sylvester chases his prey of choice but has to stop at the same cliff. (I guess Speedy jumped.) The Roadrunner for whatever reason, went backwards and surprises the cat to jump off and land on the struggling coyote. Both predators try launching boulders at the prey, but they collide in midair and land on their respective launchers. Wile E. tries the “putting iron pellets in birdseed gag” that he used in the short “Wild about Hurry”, with Sylvester laying cheese as bait. The racers stop for a snack. (Should I stop pointing out every time there’s a color goof? ‘Cause Speedy’s nose turns tan.)

Wile E. sets a grenade tied to a roller skate with a magnet on it to go toward the two. It breaks in two just as he checks to see how it’s going. They try pushing a rock on the two, but it won’t fall until both are jumping on it, and when trying to set up a TNT plunger, it blows up before they get it set up. They decide to catch their prey by riding in a rocket car. They catch up, but the racers veer away from a tunnel that the car enters. It leads to empty air, but the car is going so fast, that they don’t plummet. Instead they pass the combatants and end up winning the race themselves. Then the car blows up.

Amusing short, but I feel like this story was done better in an issue of Looney Tunes DC Comics. Where the racers tie… for second place. Cecil turtle won first. (Great joke and twist.)

Personal Rating: For the crossover alone, it earns a 3. But it’s real close to being a 2, due to the repeating gags and cheaper animation.

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Pancho’s Hideaway

“Don’t worry. I’ll get back all the money’s.”

Directed by Friz Freleng.* Released in 1964.

*”But wait” you say, “didn’t you just say that in the last post that “Nuts and Volts” was the last of the golden era Warner Bros. shorts to give him director credit?” Yes I did. Don’t worry, all will be explained in about twenty-one letters later. That was fast. You see, by 1963 the cartoon studio at W.B. was shut down. Friz Freleng and executive David H. DePatie formed Depatie-Freleng Enterprises to keep making shorts. While they did continue to make Looney Tunes, many feel that these just simply weren’t as good as they were before. (I still think they’re pretty dang good.) The studio’s biggest claim was creating the Pink Panther. But let’s move on to what I’m supposed to be talking about, hm? (And why are my four shadows even bigger than before?)

A bandit is coming to town. Named Pancho Vanilla? Oh, where did he go wrong? Winning washing machines for your mother just wasn’t cutting it anymore? You had to move on to burglary? Wait a minute… That’s Sam! Except for the fact he’s dressed up like an early version of the Frito Bandito and has a Mexican accent, it’s Sam. But for your sake, (and the fact that famed cartoon historian Jerry Beck said Sam’s last appearance was in an earlier short named “Dumb Patrol”,) he shall be referred to as Pancho for today.

He robs the “Uno National Bank” and rides off. The town is all broke now. A mouse tells Speedy that this is good news. No money means they can’t afford cats, right? Maybe, but Speedy points out that with no money the people will eat all the crumbs the mice typically live off. (Actually Speedy, I think they’d eat their cats. So yes, good news!… Until they run out of “gato guacamole” and move on to “mouse with mole…”) Speedy decides to go get the money back himself. (Since you’re not stealing this time, you’re actually being a real hero for once. Good for you!)

He interrupts Panchos counting and claims that he is going to take it all back. Pancho has a good laugh at this and doesn’t notice Speedy take a coin away. He promises to come back for the rest, seeing as he can only carry one at a time. When he returns, Pancho is waiting and they march up to one another. Speedy is too fast for the draw, and Pancho only ends up shooting his feet. (At least he’s going to heaven!… ‘Cause he’s got holy soles?…Forget I tried.) When burying mines, Speedy sneaks up from behind and shouts. The bandit flies up into the air and lands on the mine. (Land, Mine, Land mine! Almost had a gag there! Joke that is…)

Pancho blocks the only way to his shack but leaves a little hole that his gun can poke through. Speedy runs through easily. (But he’s at least kind enough to give the bullet back.) A montage of Speedy succeeding constantly is played until Pancho sets up a new trap. As soon as Speedy comes in, he’ll be shot! But Speedy actually comes back to apologize. Seems like he took one coin too many and it actually does belong to Pancho who comes into the line of fire to get it. (Ouch. But… didn’t he notice he was out of coins?) Back at the bank, Speedy is counting the money to make sure it’s all accounted for. As he is in the thousands, Pancho sneaks up and shouts at him. Speedy loses his place and begrudgingly starts over.

(Don’t worry kids. The four shadow mystery will be solved next week.)

Personal Rating: 3

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Nuts and Volts

“Sorry Senor pussycat, I can’t play with you no more.”

Directed by Friz Freleng. (Interesting note, this is the last of the golden era Looney Tunes to give him director credit.) Released in 1964.

During one of their many chases, (in which Speedy is laughing a little TOO hard. Is it that fun?) Sylvester gets tired. (At least all that exercise is good for him.) He decides to try using technology to catch the mouse. (Why not? It’s the 60’s. Time to upgrade.) He sets up an electric eye that will sound an alarm as soon as Speedy exits his hole. Sylvester will then be launched towards him. (He crashes into the wall.)

He builds a mouse disposal robot. Working the controls with a sonic viewer, he spots the mouse and sends out his droid. Speedy is still much faster, so Sylvester turns up the robot’s speed as high as it will go. It crashes into the wall like he did. Round 2. Whatever that viewer is connected to, Speedy is able to look through and see the cat. The robot is sent after him but Speedy leads him into the viewers screen which somehow ends up hitting Sylvester as well. (Toon logic may be less logical than ours, but it’s more fun.)

Third time’s the charm right? Sylvester warns the bot it is down to its last chance and unwinds its arm to place some dynamite in Speedy’s mouse hole. Speedy keeps moving back, and Sylvester somehow knows to keep the arm going. Speedy leads the arm back behind the cat who can’t escape even by hiding in the robot. He tosses the thing out and grabs a club. (Ah the caveman approach. Very nice.) Speedy in turn, has gotten into technology himself, and sends a robot dog after the cat.

Personal Rating: 3

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A Message to Gracias

“To cousin Speedy, everyway is the shorts-cut.”

Directed by Robert Mckimson. Released in 1964

This short has a most fitting title. Unlike a majority of shorts, this one does not get it’s name from some form of wordplay or song title, but rather it flat out tells what the short will be about.

It begins at the H.Q. of a mouse named El Supremo. I don’t really know what kind of power that entails, but he’s fat so we can assume he’s a tyrant. He needs a message delivered to his friend, General Gracias. (Interesting name) He sends out a mouse named Manuel who is denied the privilege of finishing his will. The runs out into the cruel, hungry world, and while the other mice think he will make it, we know full well that he is going to be food. The mice mark another one down.

As El ponders how to get this message through, one of his mice suggests Speedy. Supremo agrees that it’s a good idea and is glad he thought of it. I’m not a fan when characters do that. Better add him to my list of annoying people I want to hurt. (…Fools who say Disney and Nintendo are only for kids, A-holes who kill animals but don’t eat them, The cast of “The tenth kingdom”…) They send a message and Speedy arrives. El gives him his orders of how he must cross a desert, climb over mountains, and cut through a jungle to get to Alcapulco. Which probably means if you’re bored enough, you can figure out where this errand is starting. Then you can challenge yourself to traverse the same route. Speedy runs over the waiting Sylvester, leaving behind some flames, and runs along the road making it bend much like the Roadrunner does. (I wonder which of those two would win a race. And on that note, why do I suddenly have four shadows?)

Sylvester is smart enough to chase him in a car, but Speedy stops for lunch break and Sylvester crashes. Next, they’re in the jungle. (Either nothing interesting happened in the mountains, or Speedy ran around them.) Sylvester takes aim from a boat in the river, but hits his head on a branch and shoots the boat instead. He ends up running from Caimans. He sets up a snare trap and catches a…I’ll be honest; I have no idea what that is. It looks kind of like Sam Sheepdog, the Tasmanian Devil, some green paint and some periods were all thrown in a blender. Maybe it’s just a radioactive jaguar?

Sylvester is eventually able to lasso Speedy, but the mouse drags him into a tree and ties him up. Speedy delivers the message which turns out to be a simple birthday poem. What’s more, it looks like Supremo only needed someone to distract the cat so he could come over with cake. Speedy is rightfully annoyed and lets Sylvester go. The cat chases the two bass turds into the distance. Speedy makes no effort to hide the fact that they will soon be eaten. (Can’t be good for the heart.)

Personal Rating: 3

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Chili Weather

“All these foods and not a crumb to eat.”

Directed by Friz Freleng. Released in 1963.

There’s a food plant, and where there’s edible goods, you’re bound to attract mice. Good thing whoever owns the place has Sylvester on guard duty. Speedy almost immediately comes by and offers to help the mice get some grub. He actually manages to run in and out the first time, without Sylvester noticing. When he does become aware, he chases the mouse onto one of the conveyor belts. While Speedy compliments how much easier it is running this way, (and barely misses being chopped up) Sylvester is chopped up.

Speedy greases the floor and Sylvester slips into a vat of tobasco sauce. Sitting on ice cools him down somehow. (He’s not even licking it, not that it would help, but was the sauce being cooked? It didn’t look heated.) While Speedy looks at some soda bottles, (I don’t know what’s in there, but they say “es bueno” on the side. That’s good enough for me! *takes*) Sylvester comes back and actually grabs him. (2 posts in a row? New record!) But the bottle cap machine caps him and blinds him, simultaneously. (He must be really small.)

He manages to get it off with a bottle opener, but Speedy surprises him and he jumps back up into it. Speedy’s inner troll emerges and he takes it away. Sylvester blindly swings a bat around and doesn’t notice he’s running into the dehydrator. (It appears to belong to a someone named Gomez. Or maybe that’s the machine’s name?) He shrinks and is now able to get the cap off. Seeing Speedy, he runs off in fear. (After years of chasing Hippety Hopper, he’s finally found a real giant mouse.)

Personal Rating: 3

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Mexican Boarders

“When do we eat? I’m hungry.”

Directed by Friz Freleng. Released in 1962.

In this short Sylvester chases Speedy through the house of J. C. Mendelez. (Him again?)  Naturally, Speedy is too fast to catch, and Sylvester wears himself out just by climbing the stairs. There is a knock at the door. Why, it’s none other than Slowpoke Rodriguez! Haven’t seen him since “Mexicali Shmoes.” (If you translate his song, you find out he’s singing about a cockroach who lacks marijuana. Don’t you dare say he’s an evil stereotype. From what I hear, he’s very popular in Latin America.)

Turns out he’s Speedy’s cousin and the cat gleefully lets him in. Slowpoke lives up to his name and plods in. (I like his hat. It changes color with every step he takes.) Speedy grabs him in the nick of time and brings him back to his hole. Slowpoke wants food. (Also, he’s not voiced by Mel. It’s a man named Tom Holland. Who I’m 96% sure is not the same Tom Holland who directed “Childs Play.”) Speedy offers to get it as he is the faster of the two. He brings back some sustenance. He forgot the tobasco sauce though, and races back. While he’s getting the sauce, Sylvester puts some glue on the ground. Speedy comes back, and Sylvester’s trap actually works. He grabs the mouse, but really should have removed the sauce as it gets poured down his throat.

Slowpoke has enjoyed the food, and wonders about dessert. Sylvester has set up a net which Speedy rushes through. When the cat tries it, he is cubed. That night, Slowpoke is hungry again. I don’t know if he’s trying to let Speedy rest or if Speedy is refusing to go out, but Slowpoke decides to head out himself. Speedy tells him not to, but Slowpoke is fine admitting that he is slow. (Not that way. I meant speed wise.) Still, he is not helpless. (Remember his gun?) Sylvester grabs him but Slowpoke has a different tactic this time. (Perhaps Peta told him to stop shooting cats?)

Making a face that I will undoubtedly see in my nightmares, he hypnotizes the feline. (Unlike in the Pokemon games, this Slowpoke can learn hypnosis. Come to think of it, don’t girls have this power too?) Now under mouse control, Sylvester is forced to fan the mice as they have another feast.

Personal Rating: 4

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The Pied Piper of Guadalupe

“Don’t go Armando! No! Don’t go!”

Directed by Friz Freleng. Released in 1961

Another Academy nominee? Speedy sure got a few of those didn’t he? So what did it lose to? (*Google search*) “Ersatz”? That’s a darn, fine film to lose to.

Sylvester it seems, has really lost his touch. He can’t catch any mice. They’re fast and they carry demeaning signs and smack him with planks. Thinking in front of a book sale, (One of which is apparently written by story man Warren Foster. Which makes perfect sense.) he spies a copy of the Pied Piper. Surely, the same thing would work on mice as well as rats. After taking some lessons from the J.C. Mendelez, he gets dressed up to play the part and begins to play his flute. The mice laugh at his attempts, but soon stop when it works. They can’t help but dance over to him, where he knocks them out and places them in his jug. Even tying their tails to a stake can’t hold them back and soon they’re all captured. Save one.

Speedy is still there. (Did he not hear the music?) He asks for the gato to release his friends, or Speedy will just have to rescue them. Underestimating him again, (Sylvester! You have to stop doing that.) he opens the jug and Speedy makes good of his word. Sylvester plays the flute and Speedy dances over only to smack him with a mallet. Why is Speedy immune? It’s not fair or good story writing. You could have shown Speedy trying to sleep, plugging his ears to keep out the noise, and warning his friends that their teasing is dangerous.

Sylvester ditches his cute outfit and hides in a barrel with some dynamite. Speedy rolls the barrel along which ends up trapping Sylvester in the container with a lit explosive and a dog. He gets a motorcycle and chases the mouse, who stops short at a cliff and lets the cat careen over the edge. Sylvester eventually gets out, but Speedy next leads him into a collision with a bus. Sylvester has no choice but to go to the “El Gato Infirmary” and get some casts on his broken bones. Speedy points out he dropped his flute. (“Don’t you want heem?” “No, I don’t want ‘heem’.”) Sylvester tells Speedy he can have it. The mouse plays and Sylvester is forced to dance after him on his broken foot. (That’s harsh.)

Personal Rating: 3

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Cannery Woe

“I don’t he like us also, too.”

Directed by Robert McKimson. Released in 1961

In what I think is the mouse version of the slums, two mice wake up. As is typical of Speedy shorts, (Is that a spoiler?) they have the names of Manuel and Jose. They are hungry, and I guess there either is no food for them, or they are just lazy, because they list off a bunch of potential people they could mooch off of but don’t like them anymore instead of deciding on where/what to eat. But it appears to be their lucky day! Mayor Raton, (Spanish for mouse) is holding a fiesta to encourage others to reelect him. He’s even giving away free cheese for everyone.

Except our main characters. They are kicked out. (Hypocrite.) Despite the fact they are unwelcome, they watch from atop a wall and show their support anyway. The mayor calls for the cheese committee to bring out the goods. They look like they’ve been to war. It turns out there is a new addition to the store where they have always gotten cheese. Namely a cat. All is lost! (American mice would go on anyway. And then be eaten. Patriotic pride is no match for mother nature.) Jose and Manuel somehow get in without being thrown out and offer to help. Seems they know of a very fast mouse who left Jose with a whistle to blow if he is ever needed. (Speedy would turn 8 this year. He’s still not more well known in his country?) They will call him if they are granted their demands. Which are whispered, as if we didn’t already know what they want. The mayor (and his nose that turned tan for a slight second) agrees and Speedy is summoned.

Speedy goes to the store where Sylvester once again, underestimates him. Speedy runs through his legs and tears some fur off. (“Speedy was here!”) And again on his way out. (“Also here!”) Sylvester lays some tacks down. Speedy goes around and the cat runs through them after him. (Twice.) He gets stuck lighting a cannon, but Speedy helps by pulling the cord. The cannonball somehow doesn’t hit Sylvester as it is fired but lands on his head. Sylvester sets up many mousetraps inside, but ends up cornering himself. Speedy tosses a ping-pong ball at them which sets them all off.

Having brought back enough cheese, the Mayor is true to his word and grants Jose and Manuel their request. To be the official cheese judges. As for Speedy? He gets to be the chick inspector. What does that even mean? Does he judge the females on how attractive they are and refuses the ugly ones the right to stay? Who knows? Pfft, Men. (For the third time.)

Personal Rating: 3

We regret to inform those who come by, that there will not be a new update next week. I’ll be going on a trip. We will resume afterwards. Stay Looney.

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West of the Pesos

“Mio Speedito is muy loco.”

Directed by Robert McKimson.  Released in 1960

I just want to say that this place has been getting fairly popular lately. I want to thank everyone who stops by. Especially those leaving comments. They really make my day. Now on with the show.

Our story takes place in a village called “Veelage.” (That is probably the best name ever.) In a nearby lab, a one Sylvester J. Pussycat is guarding the entrance. Inside, several mice await their doom. And for anyone who is concerned that animal labs are hardly different from concentration camps, can rest easy. This one is okay because it says “Expieramento Scienteefic” on the front. (That’s reasonable) The other mice in town are worried and have set up a sign that lists the missing mice. (Two of which include Pablo Picasso and animator Manuel Perez, who ironically didn’t work on this short.)

They would like to go save everyone, but they are not fast enough. Why not Speedy? Well, he’s in Guadalajara at the moment. He’d need a pretty good reason to come down. A mouse-ette named Carmella might do the trick. She gives him a call and he’s there in no time. (Pfft, men.) He agrees to help and walks up to the gate. He tells “El Poosygato” about how he plans to come in and rescue his people. Chuckling, Sylvester opens up the gate. Speedy runs, and slips right through Sylvester’s paws. (Leaving a bad case of mouse-burn, I might add.) Slyvester works fast and quickly sets up a snare trap. Speedy ends up dragging him through the little knot hole it’s threaded through. He brings the mouse back where he is immediately hugged by his… wife? Maybe? Whoever she is, it’s nice not to have all the females lusting after Speedy this time.

Sylvester waits with a rock, but Speedy surprises him and he drops it on himself. After getting more mice, they run out under a can. They hide by two more. Sylvester checks them all. The last one contains a dynamite stick. (The second one had the mice.) On the next run out, the mice dress as a dog to keep the kitty away. It works until one trips out of the disguise, exposing the jig. Sylvester chases but still crashes into the wall. Speedy sets some train tracks that lead into the building, and runs out pulling the mice in cars. (Speedy uses a cigar to imitate smoke. He won’t be able to run so mast for much longer.) Sylvester hides behind a tunnel with his mouth open, but the train comes out through his tail. That’s the lot then. Carmella thanks Speedy with a kiss and that sends him rocketing into the sky. (Pfft, men.)

Personal Rating: 3

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Here Today, Gone Tamale

“Shut up your cheese trap!”

Directed by Friz Freleng.  Released in 1959.

At the Mexican docks, all the mice are having a hard time surviving. There’s no cheese and they are starving. (Gee, that’s a shame. Considering, that mice can eat just about everything that is edible.) It’s gotten so bad, that they are even dreaming about the stuff. But wait! It’s not a dream! An honest to goodness, boat full of cheese is docking. The run up happily and run back down scared. There’s a one Sylvester the cat on board guarding it all. It’s hopeless. One mouse prepares to do himself in. (It works as a joke, because of his companion’s blatant lack of respect for him.)

Well, hold that trigger, compadre! Speedy Gonzales has agreed to help out with the situation. Sylvester is shocked to see the mouse is fast enough to run right by and back. He actually gets Speedy in a net, but is dragged around the ship. Speedy also locks him in a room full of Limburger. Good thing there was a coat hanger in there, or he would have died. Then in a surprising move, Sylvester agrees to share with the mice. (And he actually refers to Speedy by name. I’m pretty sure that never happened again.) Actually, he’s hiding a hammer behind his back. Speedy is too fast though, and Sylvester mallets his hand.

He sets up a guillotine for Speedy, but the mouse enters another way. The cat chases him under the blade. (He forgot all about it.) Blocking the main way onto the ship just leaves a pipe that leads to his mouth. Speedy drags him around again, this time in a rather painful looking way. He eventually rips right through Sylvester’s tail. Having saved the mice, they all have a grand time dancing. Sylvester reckons that since he couldn’t beat them, he should join them, and he does that whilst wearing a big pair of mouse ears. The mice are nice enough to accept him. (Or maybe they don’t but the short ends here anyway.)

Personal Rating: 3