Here’s one that’s a switch on the “Endearing Young Charms” gag that Friz Freleng was endeared with. Character sets up a musical trap. Bugs doesn’t do the right thing to activate the trap. Character gets frustrated with Bugs’ inability, demonstrates how to do it correctly and BAM!
In this case, Uncle Big Bad has rigged a knife to a desk clerk’s bell. When the bell is rung, it cuts a rope keeping a huge safe aloft. The safe falls on top of the ringer.
In olden days, Bugs didn’t need to have advance knowledge. He was the good guy so, naturally, the bad guy (eg. Yosemite Sam) lost. In this case, writer John Dunn has Bugs clue in by looking up and seeing the safe.
We all know where the gag is going. Bugs deliberately avoids using the little button to sound the bell.
Big Bad doesn’t hit the bell, either. His hand goes past it. That’s because the bell is on Bob Gribbroeck’s background painting. At one time, the button would be animated, but that would cost more money.
The safe doesn’t squash Big Bad, either. The cel with the safe on is slid down in front of a stationary cel of the wolf, just like in a Hanna-Barbera cartoon. That saves money, too.
The cartoon was made by the Bob McKimson unit. There’s a cameo at the end by McKimson’s Foghorn Leghorn but even the dialogue, I SAY EVEN THE DIALOGUE, sets it up that you can see that coming, too. TOO, THAT IS.
Like so many of the great stars of Hollywood's golden age, Bugs Bunny ended his theatrical career with a loser before selling out to TV.
ReplyDeleteAt least he didn't end his theatrical career inexplicably chasing a Mexican mouse.
DeleteWhile I suppose it was for the best, why did they stop using Bugs during the 7A era but continue using Daffy and IIRC Porky?
DeleteOn the topic of those later shorts, I will say it was neat for them to actually take a chance on new characters (as meh as they were). I feel like if the original guard at Warner Bros. were still alive and making cartoons, they wouldn't just use the same characters over and over like they do now, they would add some new characters to spice things up. Outside of maybe the Ruegger reign in the 90s, they haven't really done that. Ditto with the Hanna-Barbera cast
There's been lots of speculation but no real, definitive answer about Bugs' fate at this time.
DeleteNew characters for Warners release was probably the best way to go, but they were all pretty weak. There wasn't a lot of creativity going on in the mid to late 60s.
Thanks for posting again. I've missed your insightful thoughts on everything you write about.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Anon, but we're done again on Wednesday. Last animation post is tomorrow.
DeleteI can't tell you how happy I am to see you posting in this blog again. I never thought anyone else was into both Jack Benny and Looney Toons and here you were. And then you were gone. But you're back! With all the absolute garbage I have to face on the Internet just checking the weather, this is one of the only places to go where it's just safe. No politics. No lies. Just good stuff. Thank you for doing what you do.
ReplyDelete--Jay
A-GREED!
DeleteI always thought the Big Bad Wolf was one of the weakest Bugs villains. My problem with him is that the character never feels like a real threat. There have been moments where Elmer, Sam, Wile E., Marvin and Gossomer have felt like threats, but defeating Big Bad just seems too easy for our hero. There are times when he almost feels like that even he is bored of the guy in these shorts.
ReplyDeletePete Puma was the same, though fans will go ballistic reading this. He's nothing more than Stan Freberg imitating Frank Fontaine as John L.C. Sivoney with the same gag over and over. People worship Freberg (and Sivoney could be funny) so they think Pete's a great character. Bugs is, more or less, picking on a mental incompetent.
DeleteElmer and Sam had guns. The Martian was capable of destroying the Earth. "Gossamer" was a monster. They were all threats. Wile E. was a condescending jerk you wanted to see Bugs take down (and there was great Maltese dialogue). They were good opponents. Big Bad is neither big nor bad.
I agree except to say it's a GREAT imitation by Freberg.
DeleteRemember that McKimson sent Bugs into the game against another version of the Big Bad Wolf, in 1948, with the Three Little Pigs as co-villains. It helped that Warren Foster was at the wheel with him then. It's also a reminder that as great as Chuck Jones was, he was greater when he was with Michael Maltese, and as great as Friz Freleng was, he was greater when he was with Maltese or Foster ... and that as great as Tex Avery was, he was even greater when they left him alone in a room.
Michael, you raise some excellent points about the writers. I cannot disagree.
DeleteMaltese helped Jones tremendously. Foster was solid, too.
I didn't say the impression of Sivoney was bad. It was simply Freberg borrowing a voice because it was a funny voice. If he used another voice, people would see through the weakness of the story, at least in my estimation.
Hey Yomp, just for a correction you accidentally called the cartoon "Fresh Hare" instead of "False Hare" in this entry. I don't blame u considering how similar the names are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know. I'll get it fixed.
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