Thursday 25 November 2021

Jack-Rabbit and the Beanstalk Backgrounds

What do things look like in Giant Land? Judging by the background artist in Jack-Rabbit and the Beanstalk (1943), olive green with half-dead trees and rocky mountains.



Here’s a panorama from one scene that’s panned left to right.



It seems carrots—giant ones at that—can grow in such a desolate place. Note the diagonal shafts of light.

In one shot, Bugs is surrounded by giant carrot. But when director Friz Freleng cuts to a shot further back, the carrots are replaced by a giant. How does that happen?



This is one of the Warners cartoons with an immobile figure that’s rendered with shadows and textures that you can’t get with an animated drawing. You’ll see some in Bob Clampett’s The Great Piggy Bank Robbery as well.



Who is the artist? Paul Julian was still away on wartime work so I imagine this is the work of Lenard Kester.

1 comment:

  1. Hans Christian Brando26 November 2021 at 18:14

    It's always a bit awkward when a character becomes a background.

    Not to quibble, but isn't the title "Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk"? There's no reason it should be because Elmer's nowhere in sight, unless there was an early plan to make him the giant (as he is ten years later in "Beanstalk Bunny").

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