"The Best We Got marathon of 64 WB cartoons on CN
GARY L FLINN
yesterday? I'm sure someone has an opinion on what should have been
included and what should have not been included. Does "The Mouse That Jack
Built" warrant inclusion? It was a plain cartoon which was noted by the
presence of the real Jack Benny (who appears live at the end), Mary
Livingston, Rochester and Don Wilson. Why wasn't the Freleng masterpiece
"You Ought To Be In Pictures" included? I take it that "Pictures" was not
computer colorized and that kiddies don't want to watch something in black
and white. We can all agree that Jones' "What's Opera Doc?" deserves to be
the final cartoon in the marathon.
--
James Allen
I was in and out of it all day, and I pretty much saw stuff I liked very much.
Does anyone, by chance, have a list of the 64 cartoons they showed? (Were they
on the CN website, for instance?)
GARY L FLINN
exact order:
1. The Wacky Wabbit (Clampett, 1942)
2. Kitty Kornered (Clampett, 1946)
3. Cat-Tails For Two (McKimson, 1953)
4. Robin Hood Daffy (Jones, 1958)
5. Operation Rabbit (Jones, 1952)
6. The Goofy Gophers (Davis, 1947)
7. A Tale Of Two Kitties (Clampett, 1942)
8. Book Revue (Clampett, 1946)
9. Bugs Bunny Gets The Boid (Clampett, 1942)
10. The Scarlet Pumpernickel (Jones, 1950)
11. The Trial Of Mr. Wolf (Freleng, 1941)
12. Much Ado About Nutting (Jones, 1953)
13. Rabbit Punch (Jones, 1948)
14. Rabbit Seasoning (Jones, 1952)
15. Porky & Daffy (Clampett, 1938)
16. Tweetie Pie (Freleng, 1947)
17. The Dover Boys (Jones, 1942)
18. Scaredy Cat (Jones, 1948)
19. A Wild Hare ( Avery, 1940)
20. Rabbit Of Seville (Jones, 1950)
21. Daffy Duck In Hollywood (Avery, 1938)
22. Gee Whiz-z-z (Jones, 1956)
23. The Mouse That Jack Built (McKimson, 1959)
24. Swooner Crooner (Tashlin, 1944)
25. Bedeviled Rabbit (McKimson, 1956)
26. Gone Batty (McKimson, 1954)
27. Long-Haired Hare (Jones, 1949)
28. Daffy Doodles (McKimson, 1946)
29. A Corny Concerto (Clampett, 1943)
30. Walky Talky Hawky (McKimson, 1946)
31. Louvre, Come Back To Me (Jones, 1962)
32. Rocket-Bye Baby (Jones, 1956)
33. Little Red Riding Rabbit (Freleng, 1943)
34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
35. Life With Feathers (Freleng, 1945)
36. I Love To Singa (Avery, 1936)
37. Hare Ribbin' (Clampett, 1944)
38. Nasty Quacks (Tashlin, 1945)
39. Bugs Bunny Rides Again (Freleng, 1948)
40. Bad Ol' Putty Tat (Freleng, 1949)
41. Bully For Bugs (Jones, 1953)
42. Draftee Daffy (Clampett, 1945)
43. Three Little Bops (Freleng, 1957)
44. The Honey-Mousers (McKimson, 1956)
45. Water, Water, Every Hare (Jones, 1952)
46. Daffy Duck Slept Here (McKimson, 1948)
47. Haredevil Hare (Jones, 1948)
48. Fast And Furry-ous (Jones, 1949)
49. Bugs And Thugs (Freleng, 1954)
50. A Pest In The House (Jones, 1947)
51. Falling Hare (Clampett, 1943)
52. Tick Tock Tuckered (Clampett, 1944)
53. Porky Pig's Feat (Tashlin, 1943)
54. Slick Hare (Freleng, 1947)
55. The Big Snooze (Clampett, 1946)
56. Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 th Century (Jones, 1953)
57. Duck Amuck (Jones, 1953)
58. Porky In Wackyland (Clampett, 1938)
59. From A To Z-Z-Z-Z (Jones, 1954)
60. Back Alley Oproar (Freleng, 1948)
61. One Froggy Evening (Jones, 1955)
62. Feed The Kitty (Jones, 1952)
63. What's Opera, Doc (Jones, 1957)
I should correct myself as the list is actually 63, not 64.
--
"James Allen" <sji...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010415183745...@ng-cj1.aol.com...
James Allen
>Well, I compiled a list from the two tapes I recorded of the marathon in the
>exact order:
Thanks Gary. A few were edited, of course, at least some of the ones I was
watched.
This is about where I tuned in first. Still one of my favorites. ("I got a
little bunny rabbit for ya... TA HAVE, see?")
>34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
Great use of Daffy. I always liked Daffy when he was actually daffy, and not
just mean. This is easily the best of Daffy's genre parodies.
>35. Life With Feathers (Freleng, 1945)
>36. I Love To Singa (Avery, 1936)
A great nod to The Jazz Singer, and one of my favorite cartoons not to feature
a major WB character.
>37. Hare Ribbin' (Clampett, 1944)
Suicide gag snipped, of course ("The Bob Clampett Show" has shown it unedited.)
>38. Nasty Quacks (Tashlin, 1945)
>39. Bugs Bunny Rides Again (Freleng, 1948)
>40. Bad Ol' Putty Tat (Freleng, 1949)
>41. Bully For Bugs (Jones, 1953)
>42. Draftee Daffy (Clampett, 1945)
>43. Three Little Bops (Freleng, 1957)
>44. The Honey-Mousers (McKimson, 1956)
A good parody, with very well timed gags, featuring Daws Butler at his best.
>45. Water, Water, Every Hare (Jones, 1952)
Definitely one of the more etherial Bugs cartoons. The ether sequence alone is
worth the price of admission.
>46. Daffy Duck Slept Here (McKimson, 1948)
>47. Haredevil Hare (Jones, 1948)
>48. Fast And Furry-ous (Jones, 1949)
>49. Bugs And Thugs (Freleng, 1954)
>50. A Pest In The House (Jones, 1947)
>51. Falling Hare (Clampett, 1943)
>52. Tick Tock Tuckered (Clampett, 1944)
>53. Porky Pig's Feat (Tashlin, 1943)
>54. Slick Hare (Freleng, 1947)
>55. The Big Snooze (Clampett, 1946)
Another favorite of mine. These offbeat ones (like "Water Water") always stuck
in my mind as a kid.
>56. Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 th Century (Jones, 1953)
>57. Duck Amuck (Jones, 1953)
These two probably represent the best of what Jones did with Daffy (the
Bugs/Daffy/Elmer toons notwithstanding). I do think Clampett used him a bit
better.
>58. Porky In Wackyland (Clampett, 1938)
>59. From A To Z-Z-Z-Z (Jones, 1954)
>60. Back Alley Oproar (Freleng, 1948)
Great one. A remake of "Notes to You," it is a vast improvement. A rare
Elmer/Sylvester encounter.
>61. One Froggy Evening (Jones, 1955)
Natch. Although unlike some other toons, I haven't really gotten enjoyment from
repeated viewings.
>62. Feed The Kitty (Jones, 1952)
A cartoon that would melt even the hardest person's heart.
>63. What's Opera, Doc (Jones, 1957)
It's great, but for musical parodies I like "What's Up Doc?" and "The Rabbit of
Seville" a little better.
>
> I should correct myself as the list is actually 63, not 64.
Wow. Quite a selection. We could quibble here and there of course, but still
it's pretty impressive.
Jim Bennie
Allen) wrote:
> This is about where I tuned in first. Still one of my favorites. ("I got a
> little bunny rabbit for ya... TA HAVE, see?")
It's got a great story. I love the ending.
> >34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
> Great use of Daffy. I always liked Daffy when he was actually daffy, and not
> just mean.
Quite true. I see "Daffy Duck in Hollywood" on the list. He lives
up to his name in that and it's one of early favourites. And Art Davis
handled Daffy well, too.
> >36. I Love To Singa (Avery, 1936)
> A great nod to The Jazz Singer, and one of my favorite cartoons not to
> feature a major WB character.
This one's never done anything for me. I find the characters
annoying. The bouncy song is all it has going for it. And 'The Mouse
that Jack Built' is really a fourth-rate version of the Benny Show
with no energy and one joke. Give me his radio show any day.
> >44. The Honey-Mousers (McKimson, 1956)
> A good parody, with very well timed gags, featuring Daws Butler at his best.
Again, I'd rather see the real Honeymooners, and hear Daws thinnin'
as Quick Draw.
> >56. Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 th Century (Jones, 1953)
> >57. Duck Amuck (Jones, 1953)
> These two probably represent the best of what Jones did with Daffy (the
> Bugs/Daffy/Elmer toons notwithstanding). I do think Clampett used him a bit
> better.
'The Scarlet Pumpernickel' is good, too, but the dialogue in Dodgers
is great. And you've got to love the city in space.
> >63. What's Opera, Doc (Jones, 1957)
> It's great, but for musical parodies I like "What's Up Doc?" and "The
> Rabbit of Seville" a little better.
Hmm. For musical cartoons, I like the one with Bugs and the mouse
(I think it's 'Rabbit Rhapsody'). But 'Doc' has that great park bench
scene which I'm sure is lost on people today.
Jim
Vince Macek
GARY L FLINN wrote:
Well, I would've stricken maybe a half dozen or so outright and swapped some
(say, pull 'The Trial of Mr. Wolf' and substitute 'Little Red Walking Hood' -
or pull 'Porky and Daffy' for 'the Daffy Doc'., likewise 'Bugs and Thugs' for
'Racketeer Rabbit'.
..some Jones numbers like 'Much Ado about Nutting', or 'Rocket-Bye Baby',
while pleasant, could've been pulled for, say, one of his Three Bears numbers?
For character representation, they should've used 'Speedy Gonzales' over
'Cat-tails for Two'...otherwise, the ones they used for Tweety & Sylvester (or
'Thomas'), Foghorn Leghorn, the Tasmanian Devil & the Road Runner were spot-on
perfect (though there are easily a half-dozen Pepe Le Pew numbers better than
the one they used)
If I were compiling, I would've found space for 'The Gruesome Twosome', 'Pigs
in a Polka', 'Plane Daffy' and 'Birds Anonymous'...but I'm very glad they
included 'Book Review', 'The Dover Boys', 'Swooner Crooner', 'Back Alley
Oproar' and 'Nasty Quacks'.
And, oh yes, I wouldn't have edited any one that made the list.
VMacek
James Allen
<20010415201232...@ng-cj1.aol.com>, sji...@aol.com (James
>Allen) wrote:
>> This is about where I tuned in first. Still one of my favorites. ("I got a
>> little bunny rabbit for ya... TA HAVE, see?")
>
>It's got a great story. I love the ending.
>
>> >34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
>
>> Great use of Daffy. I always liked Daffy when he was actually daffy, and
>not
>> just mean.
>
>Quite true. I see "Daffy Duck in Hollywood" on the list. He lives
>up to his name in that and it's one of early favourites. And Art Davis
>handled Daffy well, too.
>
>> >36. I Love To Singa (Avery, 1936)
>
>> A great nod to The Jazz Singer, and one of my favorite cartoons not to
>> feature a major WB character.
>
>This one's never done anything for me. I find the characters
>annoying. The bouncy song is all it has going for it. And 'The Mouse
>that Jack Built' is really a fourth-rate version of the Benny Show
>with no energy and one joke. Give me his radio show any day.
I think that "Mouse that Jack Built" was merely included because they really
use Benny, other than that, I agree, it's not a very notable piece.
As far as "I Love to Singa" goes, I always liked the father owl, he just made
me laugh for some reason.
>
>> >44. The Honey-Mousers (McKimson, 1956)
>
>> A good parody, with very well timed gags, featuring Daws Butler at his
>best.
>
>Again, I'd rather see the real Honeymooners, and hear Daws thinnin'
>as Quick Draw.
Well, I know it's a mere parody, but as these things go, I thought it was
nicely done (in comparison to their Abbott and Costello parodies, for example.)
>
>> >56. Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 th Century (Jones, 1953)
>> >57. Duck Amuck (Jones, 1953)
>
>> These two probably represent the best of what Jones did with Daffy (the
>> Bugs/Daffy/Elmer toons notwithstanding). I do think Clampett used him a bit
>> better.
>
>'The Scarlet Pumpernickel' is good, too, but the dialogue in Dodgers
>is great. And you've got to love the city in space.
>
>> >63. What's Opera, Doc (Jones, 1957)
>
>> It's great, but for musical parodies I like "What's Up Doc?" and "The
>> Rabbit of Seville" a little better.
>
>Hmm. For musical cartoons, I like the one with Bugs and the mouse
>(I think it's 'Rabbit Rhapsody'). But 'Doc' has that great park bench
>scene which I'm sure is lost on people today.
>
>Jim
Yes! The scene in the park with Elmer brushing off the various famous singers
is great. I love their Hollywood takeoffs in general.
Stephen W. Worth
<steel...@home.com> wrote:
> We can all agree that Jones' "What's Opera Doc?" deserves to be
> the final cartoon in the marathon.
As much as everyone says it's great, to me it's a pretty
faggy cartoon. There are a lot of fancy layouts, some nice
voice work, but not many real laughs. Freleng said that it
bombed so bad in the theaters when it was first released,
Jones was the butt of jokes for months afterwards... "Why
don't you do another OPERA picture, Chuck?" followed by
snickers. It only became considered his masterpiece when
Chuck himself announced that it was.
See ya
Steve
--
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GARY L FLINN
--
"Stephen W. Worth" <big...@spumco.com> wrote in message
news:bigshot-1504...@pm03-04.ktb.net...
> In article <IHkC6.8066$k04.1...@news1.rdc1.mi.home.com>, "GARY L FLINN"
> <steel...@home.com> wrote:
>
> > We can all agree that Jones' "What's Opera Doc?" deserves to be
> > the final cartoon in the marathon.
>
> As much as everyone says it's great, to me it's a pretty
> faggy cartoon. There are a lot of fancy layouts, some nice
> voice work, but not many real laughs. Freleng said that it
> bombed so bad in the theaters when it was first released,
> Jones was the butt of jokes for months afterwards... "Why
> don't you do another OPERA picture, Chuck?" followed by
> snickers. It only became considered his masterpiece when
> Chuck himself announced that it was.
>
> See ya
> Steve
So this would put "What's Opera, Doc?" in the same league as McKimson's
"The Hole Idea".
WOTPPAPER
>"You Ought To Be In Pictures" included? I take it that "Pictures" was not
>computer colorized and that kiddies don't want to watch something in black
>and white.
Actually, CN has a beautiful 1995 colorized version of the cartoon (and one
which is at regular speed) which it aired about two months ago. It's hard to
tell in some spots that it actually is a colorized cartoon, but apparently CN
decided to run the usual suspects among its normal Top 15 or so WB shorts, then
pick out 35 or so others at random and "You Ought To Be In Pictures" wasn't on
that list. Wait `till next year, I guess.
G&L
"Stephen W. Worth" wrote:
> In article <IHkC6.8066$k04.1...@news1.rdc1.mi.home.com>, "GARY L FLINN"
> <steel...@home.com> wrote:
>
> > We can all agree that Jones' "What's Opera Doc?" deserves to be
> > the final cartoon in the marathon.
>
> As much as everyone says it's great, to me it's a pretty
> faggy cartoon. There are a lot of fancy layouts, some nice
> voice work, but not many real laughs. Freleng said that it
> bombed so bad in the theaters when it was first released,
> Jones was the butt of jokes for months afterwards... "Why
> don't you do another OPERA picture, Chuck?" followed by
> snickers. It only became considered his masterpiece when
> Chuck himself announced that it was.
>
> See ya
> Steve
>
Let me tell you about the first time I saw this cartoon. I was in my early 20s
and saw it on TV. Don't ask me why I never saw it before. I don't remember
reading about it or hearing about it before then . This was before any video
release. I was blown away! My sister in law since told me that when she saw it
as a child she'd bawl. At my advanced age I was fooled too. I was like;"They
killed Bugs? No!". I thought it was a new cartoon. Only Pinocchio face down
on the shore ever had that emotional impact.
Another CJ cartoon I saw later in life under similar circumstances but with
less of an emotional impact but was blown away nevertheless was Wearin' of The
Grin.
Film history has its share of bombs that grew into popular acceptance.
Also to papraphrase: A prophet is never respected in his hometown and what was
it that Einstein said? That a genius can be recognised by the legion of dunces
he faces?
I've never heard CJ self-proclaim it was a classic. Perhaps TV and its
audience made it that. I have heard him say it's one of his personal favorites
and he has every right to be proud. And yeh, maybe his pride sometimes makes
up for every timid artist who never claimed what was rightfully theirs.
I hope I can create something as faggy someday.
Gerard
Vince Macek
"Stephen W. Worth" wrote:
> In article <IHkC6.8066$k04.1...@news1.rdc1.mi.home.com>, "GARY L FLINN"
> <steel...@home.com> wrote:
>
> > We can all agree that Jones' "What's Opera Doc?" deserves to be
> > the final cartoon in the marathon.
>
> As much as everyone says it's great, to me it's a pretty
> faggy cartoon. There are a lot of fancy layouts, some nice
> voice work, but not many real laughs. Freleng said that it
> bombed so bad in the theaters when it was first released,
> Jones was the butt of jokes for months afterwards... "Why
> don't you do another OPERA picture, Chuck?" followed by
> snickers. It only became considered his masterpiece when
> Chuck himself announced that it was.
>
> See ya
> Steve
I saw it when I was 6 years old (it was nearly new then) and it had an impact
I can only call visceral. I didn't see it again for over ten years, but when
I did every bit of it came back in a rush. Maybe no big laughs, but I'm
always impressed at things like Bugs' eloquent gesturing contrasted with
Fudd's ham-fisted bluster. And it tells the prime Bugs/Elmer story in a whole
new genre. I'm not one for pedestals, but I thought it was great way before I
knew who Chuck Jones was.
VMacek
Vince Macek
Jim Bennie wrote:
> In <20010415201232...@ng-cj1.aol.com>, sji...@aol.com (James
> Allen) wrote:
> > This is about where I tuned in first. Still one of my favorites. ("I got a
> > little bunny rabbit for ya... TA HAVE, see?")
>
> It's got a great story. I love the ending.
>
> > >34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
>
> > Great use of Daffy. I always liked Daffy when he was actually daffy, and not
> > just mean.
>
> Quite true. I see "Daffy Duck in Hollywood" on the list. He lives
> up to his name in that and it's one of early favourites. And Art Davis
> handled Daffy well, too.
There just plain weren't enough Davis cartoons. I love 'What Makes Daffy Duck' -
his gratuitous use of nicknames lke 'Fortescu' or 'Laughing Boy' breaks me up!
VMacek
Canny Lassy
Abso-bloody-lutely!!! "Kill The Wabbit!" became a rallying cry at the radio
station I work at {public radio...news, classical music and jazz} during pledge
drives {and "play Linus & Lucy" during jazz programs!}.
"Killing" Bugs was a shock when I first saw it - but I knew he would be back by
the last scene, since WB has put Bugs Bunny in peril enough times and then
"saved" him in the last seconds that it was no surprise. But I still almost cry
every time I see "Feed The Kitty" watching Marc Anthony cry when he thinks his
kitten was made into cookies.
IMO, Chuck Jones is the animation genius of all time!
CL
I sound much taller than I really am. On the radio I am 5 foot 10 and really
stacked. ;-)
*remove the obvious part of the spam resistant address to reply*
CharlesMcBarron
is a masterpiece (just because Jones might have been the first to say so
publicly doesn't mean it isn't true), but whether it is "funny" and whether it
should be the last toon of a WB marathon.
It is great (IMO) but it ain't funny. And I think Jones would be among the
first to admit it.
In his second book, Jones make it clear that while he made his name creating
cartoons aimed at entertaining the msaases, "Opera" was "made to entertain me!"
It certainly is tremendously ambitious and great to watch. But it isn't funny,
as in 'you laugh.' You might (and should) marvel, but you don't laugh once
you've gotten the "kill the wabbit" joke..
A couple of years ago, a review of a Looney Tunes compilation that played a
theater here (Chicago) made the same point.
Paraphrasing: "What's Opera" always ends these sorts of cartoon presentations,
and it always sends the audience out of the theater feeling a little flat
because you expect to exit laughing."
Obviously, the audience in this case is not comprised of subscribers to this
NG, but just average people who like to laugh.
Just another opinion.
Vince Macek
Vince Macek wrote:
> GARY L FLINN wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have any opinions on "The Best We Got" marathon which aired
> > yesterday? I'm sure someone has an opinion on what should have been
> > included and what should have not been included.
...
>
> > --
>
> Well, I would've stricken maybe a half dozen or so outright and swapped some
> (say, pull 'The Trial of Mr. Wolf' and substitute 'Little Red Walking Hood' -
> or pull 'Porky and Daffy' for 'the Daffy Doc'., likewise 'Bugs and Thugs' for
> 'Racketeer Rabbit'.
And definitely pull 'Water, Water Every Hare' for 'Hare-Raising Hare'. Can't have
too much Peter Lorre, after all.
VMacek
"Well?!? So she's *mechanical*!!!"
Steve C.
>From: jgbe...@vcn.bc.ca (Jim Bennie)
>Date: 4/15/01 7:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <9bdjue$5...@vcn.bc.ca>
>
>In <20010415201232...@ng-cj1.aol.com>, sji...@aol.com (James
>Allen) wrote:
>> This is about where I tuned in first. Still one of my favorites. ("I got a
>> little bunny rabbit for ya... TA HAVE, see?")
>
>It's got a great story. I love the ending.
>
>> >34. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Clampett, 1946)
>
>> Great use of Daffy. I always liked Daffy when he was actually daffy, and
>not
>> just mean.
>
>Quite true. I see "Daffy Duck in Hollywood" on the list. He lives
>up to his name in that and it's one of early favourites. And Art Davis
>handled Daffy well, too.
>
>> >36. I Love To Singa (Avery, 1936)
>
>> A great nod to The Jazz Singer, and one of my favorite cartoons not to
>> feature a major WB character.
>
>This one's never done anything for me. I find the characters
>annoying. The bouncy song is all it has going for it. And 'The Mouse
>that Jack Built' is really a fourth-rate version of the Benny Show
>with no energy and one joke. Give me his radio show any day.
At least they got screen credit, and did it for free!
<a href="http://www.coolboard.com/boardshow.cfm?mb=34116240465822">Fans of
1930s-early 70s era voices!</a>
"We have an audience, work with me."-Julia Stiles.
Spamlessness is next to godliness.
John Isles, iv
>Re: What's Opera Doc - masterpiece?
>Abso-bloody-lutely!!! "Kill The Wabbit!" became a rallying cry at the radio
>station I work at {public radio...news, classical music and jazz} during pledge
>drives {and "play Linus & Lucy" during jazz programs!}.
I still think of "Kill the Wabbit" when I hear "Ride of the Valkyries".
>"Killing" Bugs was a shock when I first saw it - but I knew he would be back by
>the last scene, since WB has put Bugs Bunny in peril enough times and then
>"saved" him in the last seconds that it was no surprise. But I still almost cry
>every time I see "Feed The Kitty" watching Marc Anthony cry when he thinks his
>kitten was made into cookies.
When I saw "What's Opera, Doc?" a few years back (at night), I bawled my
eyes out. But during the day, I handled it quite well. But I still
thought /Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie/ is one of my all-time faves.
--
From the mind of John Isles, iv <q...@as.net>
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Holy Bible never says "thou shalt not laugh".