"Rabbit Hood" notes
gd
I find myself doing a rather impromptu "notes" on "Rabbit Hood". This is
another cartoon from an era of Jones cartoons where animation took a more
prominent role than design. You can see techniques in this cartoon
employed in other comtemporary films.
The animators during this period are Ben Washam, Ken Harris, Lloyd Vaughan
and Phil Monroe. This film was layed out by Robert Gribbroek (pronounced
Grib-rock) with some nice backgrounds by Peter Alvarado (who is still
alive).
The film starts out with a lengthy sequence animated by Phil Monroe where
Bugs tries to silence an alarmed carrot patch. Monroe did the scenes up to
where the Sheriff is lying on the ground with little kings spinning around
his head.
Ken Harris handles the next short bit where Bugs is standing examining a
wall and musing how he might get out. He is interupted by the Sheriff who
chases him. There's a nice layout of Bugs and the Sheriff reflected in a
lake during this chase.
Ben Washam animates the entire section where Bugs and the Sheriff are in
the Royal Rose garden and Bugs turns the whole situation around and acts
like a real estate agent. Washam's bunny was distinctively drawn. You can
tell a Washam scene by the way he would draw Bugs' teeth coming to a
sharper point. This style is quite evident even in work done almost thirty
years later on "Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's Court". Washam did a
sequence of that with Bugs dressed in royal attire.
Washam's scenes continue to the point where Bugs is climbing the same
brick wall that we saw him musing over before. The sheriff, who we see in
the distance brandishing a bow and arrow, shoots Bugs down by grazing him.
Bugs falls into Little John's arms (he was introduced ignominiously in the
first part of the film) in a Ken Harris scene. There follows a lovely
close-up of Bugs' face, one of many Harris contributions to this film.
Phil Monroe animated the introduction sequence between Little John and the
Sheriff.
Lloyd Vaughan handles the next sequence, a protracted one in
which Bugs labouriously heralds the arrival of an unseen king. The Sheriff
knows it's probably a trick but because Bugs is so insistent he almost
challenges Bugs to prove his assertions. Within this scene, we see a
little trick that had been developed and used to powerful effect in "Long
Haired Hare". As Bugs points, there are massive white blur drawings that
cover the whole swath that Bugs points in. This is the same technique that
was employed during the "Stokowski" conducting sequence that Vaughan
probably animated in "Long Haired Hare".
An amazing sequence of animation follows, truly the highlight in the
cartoon, where a carpet unfurls and Bugs Bunny emerges in royal garb,
bedecked with a crown and holding a sceptre, much to the surprise of the
Sheriff, who bows down to him. Ken Harris animates this whole section in
such a restrained but powerful manner. This seems to add to the humour as
Bugs repeatedly hits the Sheriff over the head viciously as he bestows
various titles upon him. The animation of Bugs is very subtle and in
contrast the whacking of the sceptre broad, but totally believable. Then
another great extreme close-up of Bugs' face in profile with some
delicious lip sync. (one of his tongues is mispainted here white instead
of tongue colour----- Harris' lip sync employed the tongue going to the
roof of the mouth a lot and this confused the painters on quite a few
cartoons).
Harris' animation continues as the Sheriff sings "London bridge is falling
down" while he's staggering in a stupor.
Phil Monroe does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to Harris as
Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it when he
collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely acting scene
where he makes fun of Little John continually talking about Robin Hood's
imminent arrival. The part where he says "skipping tra=la through Sherwood
Forest" is beautifully animated and quite typical of Harris' ability to
analyse a complex action and animate it perfectly.
Ben Washam animates the close-up of Little John and Bugs' take when he
sees the live -action Errol Flynn from the 1938 or 1939 "Robin Hood"
feature by WB. (This is a really great gag that I never get tired of
seeing).
The cartoon finishes off with another lovely Ken Harris close-up
where Bugs dismisses the possibility of this "Robin Hood" live action
character being "HIM"....meaning Flynn.
Mike Maltese's dialogue is superb, especially in the Rose Garden sequence.
I wonder if "Little John" is a caricature of Jones??? He seemed to draw
himself as being quite fat, although his caricatures from the era don't
really resemble any photo i've ever seen of him from that time. "Little
John" looks very much like these self-portraits.
I'll be back with more "notes" soon. (Just busy on a job right now.)
bye for now
greg duffell
ligh...@idirect.com
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Joseph Kellogg Bevilacqua
These areso wonderful that I can't help wonder if we might pool our
resources and publish a book of them called "Warner Cartoon Notes"...
--
Joseph Kellogg Bevilacqua
joekb...@yogicomedyorama.com
(take yogi out to reply)
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gd wrote in message <35683...@oasis.idirect.com>...
gd
gd (ligh...@idirect.com) wrote:
WHoops!!!!!! correction here.....this next sequence was animated by Lloyd
Vaughan!!!!
Again....the first line should read, "Lloyd Vaughan does the cake baking
sequence".
: Phil Monroe does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to Harris as
: Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it when he
: collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely acting scene
: where he makes fun of Little John continually talking about Robin Hood's
: imminent arrival. The part where he says "skipping tra=la through Sherwood
: Forest" is beautifully animated and quite typical of Harris' ability to
: analyse a complex action and animate it perfectly.
Sorry for the confusion.
greg duffell
ligh...@idirect.com
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Amid Amidi
In article <35684...@news3.ibm.net>, "Joseph Kellogg Bevilacqua"
<joekbev...@yogibearcomedyorama.com> wrote:
> These areso wonderful that I can't help wonder if we might pool our
> resources and publish a book of them called "Warner Cartoon Notes"...
Agreed... there's alot of potential here.
--
--
Amid Amidi
ju#nyer@#concentric.#net
Animation and Cartoon Heaven
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/1684/
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Joseph Kellogg Bevilacqua wrote:
> These areso wonderful that I can't help wonder if we might pool our
> resources and publish a book of them called "Warner Cartoon Notes"...
Even "The Solid Tin Coyote"?;-)
Paul Penna
> I wonder if "Little John" is a caricature of Jones??? He seemed to draw
> himself as being quite fat, although his caricatures from the era don't
> really resemble any photo i've ever seen of him from that time. "Little
> John" looks very much like these self-portraits.
Yeah, like the caricatures on page 69 of "Chuck Amuck." But on the other
hand, check out page 77, the one of T. Hee.
Paul Penna
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MikeYYZ
>>>: Phil Monroe does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to Harris as
>: Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it when he
>: collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely acting scene
>>>>
it documented somewhere, or can you tell by the style of the animation?
Mike
-----------------Oberlin College and Conservatory------------------
SEPTEMBER-MAY REPLY TO: michae...@oberlin.edu
Greg D.
On 25 May 1998 00:43:50 GMT, mik...@aol.com (MikeYYZ) wrote:
Just in case my addendum (and do I feel dum...) Lloyd Vaughan did the
cake baking sequence.!!!!
> >>>: Phil Monroe does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to
Harris as
> >: Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it
when he
> >: collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely
acting scene
> >>>>
> Wow. I enjoyed reading this. Just curious--how do you know all of
this? Is
> it documented somewhere, or can you tell by the style of the
animation?
By the latter.....and also by the drawing style. There is little
documentation of the role of these animators within the cartoons
themselves available anywhere. .>
>
Thank you Mike....i'm glad you enjoyed reading it. If you're
interested in reading any similar treatments, so far I've done
"Draftee Daffy", "RAbbit of Seville", "Rabbitson Crusoe"and "Coal
Black and the Sebben Dwarfs" in this on-going series. (Did I miss
one?????) They should be able to be accessed through DejaNews...or if
can't find them that way, I'd be happy to send a copy to you.
Greg Duffell
> Mike
>
> -----------------Oberlin College and
Conservatory------------------
>
PS: Mike.....i used to live near Cleveland...so not far from Oberlin,
I believe.
> SEPTEMBER-MAY REPLY TO: michae...@oberlin.edu
GCarras
I know Eric Costello handles the cultural references but how about the songs or
whatever (of ciurse here Mel Blanc does all the voices..with the Erroll Flynn
live footage from Warner Bros,.s' famed 1938 Robin Hood.)
"Oh..I apologize madame,for suspecting your integrity."-Daffy Duck
http://members.aol.com/Spiced8913/index.html
http://members.aol.com/Spiced8913/spicegirls.html
Raine
Greg D. wrote:
> Thank you Mike....i'm glad you enjoyed reading it. If you're
> interested in reading any similar treatments, so far I've done
> "Draftee Daffy", "RAbbit of Seville", "Rabbitson Crusoe"and "Coal
> Black and the Sebben Dwarfs" in this on-going series. (Did I miss
> one?????) They should be able to be accessed through DejaNews...or if
> can't find them that way, I'd be happy to send a copy to you.
Could you please send me the "Draftee Daffy" notes? I would really
appreciate getting them. Thanks!
Matt Yorston
Jim Bennie
In <35684...@news3.ibm.net>, "Joseph Kellogg Bevilacqua"
<joe...@comedyorama.com> wrote:
> These are so wonderful that I can't help wonder if we might pool our
> resources and publish a book of them called "Warner Cartoon Notes"...
...along with an artist-by-artist summary of key traits and
individualities to look for. You don't want to mistake Manny Gould
for Manny Perez, you know. ::)
Maltese's ear for logical silliness is inspired. "Arise ... Milk of
Magnesia!" That's genius.
(Greg .. when you get around to it, one of my favourite Frelengs
is 'Bugs Bunny Rides Again'. Perhaps you can add that to the list.
Then we can talk about McKimson's 'Hillbilly Hare')
The only thing that bothers me is the illogicality of one piece of
voice-work .. near the end with Bugs and Little John. L.J. says "Don't
you worry, never fear. Errrrr." I don't understand why this wasn't
handled more realistically, with Bugs-Blanc stepping on "Robin" (which
isn't pronounced "Errrrobin") instead of an "Errrr" then a split-
second pause before what should be an interruption. I could see it if
Blanc changed voices while recording, but I understood he would record
each voice seperately.
I only notice this because I taught radio commercial producers NOT to
do interruption dialogue that way.
Jim
So long, folks.