There’s so much great stuff in this cartoon, starting with Milt Franklyn’s mechanical arrangement of Carl Stalling’s “What’s Up, Doc” over the opening titles. Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan harmonise beautifully in character in “In a Little Red Barn” (Bonus: Blanc’s solo performance of “It’s Magic”). There are Elmer’s burns as Bugs keeps outsmarting his robot. And there’s a great scene (by Virgil Ross?) where Bugs pulls off one of his fake dying scenes, and says he’s going to kick the bucket. Pan over to a bucket. Bugs kicks it.
Elmer is joyous. He’s killed Bugs Bunny. Look at him leap into the air. More nice acting as Elmer clenches his fists.
Then my favourite part. Elmer and Bugs join together to dance in a circle and sing “The Rabbit Kicked the Bucket” (with Bugs adding his own lyrics, such as “The bucket kicked the rabbit”).
Elmer stops dancing while Bugs continues. He realises something is wrong, but he’s not sure what.
Bugs thanks Elmer for the dance. More subtle animation. Bugs shakes Elmer’s hand so vigorously, Elmer’s hat has trouble staying on. Elmer has to steady it so it doesn’t fall off.
Look at Bugs’ fingers.
“And away we go!” says Bugs, Gleason-style, as he strolls out of the scene.
Manny Perez, Ken Champin and Art Davis also animate on this cartoon, with the story by Warren Foster.
I've heard that Freleng didn't particularly like Elmer Fudd. He thought he was too stupid or something. However, I've always thought he used the character rather well when he did use him. I like how gleeful Elmer is at the thought that Bugs is dead. Certainly a contrast to occasions where Elmer reacted to Bugs' supposed death by crying at the thought of having really killed "the wittle gway wabbit."
ReplyDeleteI agree, Danny. Slick Hare has that great pie pick-up scene, The Wabbit Who Came to Supper is a superior early Bugs and Back Alley Oproar is one of the finest cartoons ever made by the studio.
DeleteStage Door Cartoon is one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons, That was great. Freleng also used Elmer as the star of with other characters like in ant-pasted
DeleteBugs, Elmer, and Freleng made an excellent match in "Hare Do"(1947-49), with a gruesome ending for Elmer.... and different from Jones's Bugs's 1957 fake "death" @the close of "What's Opera Doc"....Kamden, I also like "Stage Door Cartoon", (1944), both this and "Hare Do" use an excellent Bugs/Fudd/theatre setting (SDC, live, HD, movies).
ReplyDeleteBTW Today, I believe would have been Freleng's birthday, August the 21st. Steve C