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Tacodidra

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  1. Tacodidra
    This year will bring us the debut of a character who would become more popular in the later decades, and another notable recurring character. There will also be a significant increase in familiarity (you'll soon find out why)! We're also back to having more than 30 cartoons per year.

    Gorilla My Dreams
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    In the jungle, a female gorilla is sad that the stork hasn't brought her a baby. Bugs sails there in a barrel, and the gorilla decides to raise him as her child, and Bugs plays along. The gorilla's husband Gruesome isn't happy about the news and takes the "baby" for a walk in a ploy to get rid of him. I do like this cartoon – especially the gorilla characters are fun, and the visuals are good. But I still can't help but find it a fairly average effort in comparison to all the great recent cartoons. A much later short with a similar idea was always more my cup of tea...
    8.5

    Two Gophers from Texas
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A dog is tired of dog biscuits, instead wanting to hunt his own food. With the help of a book, he sets out to catch the Goofy Gophers, but his attempts all go wrong. Better than the gophers' first appearance. Their polite personality is used here to an amusing effect, their new designs are even cuter than the first time around, and the dog is much funnier than the one in their previous cartoon. The animation is lively, including some very wacky expressions for the dog. Definitely worth a watch!
    10
    A Feather in His Hare
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    An Indian is hunting Bugs. He tries several ways to outwit the rabbit, but Bugs always wins out at the crucial moment. This is one of the most rarely seen Bugs Bunny cartoons due to the Native American stereotypes in it. Apart from this badly dated aspect, the cartoon is an entertaining one, with various imaginative and unpredictable gags. Another cartoon where I feel the ending is the standout moment – they do another "last of the Mohicans" joke, but this time in a more amusing variation. A good cartoon despite some problematic elements.
    9
    What Makes Daffy Duck
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    It's duck season, and Daffy is the target for all the hunters. Elmer Fudd and a fox both set their sights on him at the same time, and Daffy challenges the two to a race to decide who gets him. The two then spend most of the time focusing on beating each other rather than Daffy. Davis has really hit his stride, especially with his Daffy Duck cartoons. A brilliant cartoon with a great portrayal of Daffy, fun gags with everyone trying to outsmart each other, and amazing characterizations and animation. A very underrated gem!
    10
    What's Brewin', Bruin?
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    It's winter, and the Three Bears (who had previously appeared in "Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears") are trying to hibernate. However, the short-tempered Papa Bear's sleep keeps getting disrupted by everything from his wife's and son's noisy sleeping to water leaks. The plot is a variation on a theme that had already been used multiple times, including by Jones himself in 1940's "Good Night Elmer". But the amusing bear characters, the father in particular, make this stand out. The short really gets going in the second half with the bears' random antics, and it's all capped off with a clever ending.
    9
    Daffy Duck Slept Here
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    And speaking of a repeating theme – here it is again! After difficulties finding a hotel room to stay in, Porky manages to get one in Hotel Bromo, but he has to share it with Daffy Duck. The roommate proves to be a huge nuisance, constantly keeping Porky awake. Out of all these similarly themed cartoons, I think this is the best – Daffy is hilarious in all his annoyingness, the usual great chemistry with Porky is there, the gags are funny... This is the way not to make an old concept feel too derivative!
    10
    A Hick a Slick and a Chick
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Elmo, a hick mouse, goes to meet his crush Daisy Lou, but she already has a boyfriend, the stylish Blackie. When Blackie gets her a fur coat, Elmo promises to do better by catching an ermine, but he doesn't even know what one looks like! Another funny entry with a likable lead character (and Blackie being appropriately unlikable in all his arrogance). Not quite one of the most memorable cartoons of its time, but a good one anyway with some enjoyable wordplay and action.
    8.5
    Back Alley Oproar
    Directed by I. Freleng
    And in case the two we just had weren't enough, here's a third different version of the "character desperately tries to fall asleep" cartoon. Elmer tries to get some sleep, but he's kept awake by Sylvester who's singing outside his house. Freleng had used this concept in 1941 for "Notes to You" with Porky and an unnamed cat, and several of the gags are directly recycled too. Obviously this hurts the cartoon's originality, but I find the addition of Sylvester and the new gags enjoyable enough to make this worth a watch in its own right. The ending, while clearly a variation on the original, is one area where the cartoon clearly improves on it.
    9.5
    I Taw a Putty Tat
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Sylvester's owner has lost five canaries this month, and she doesn't realize the cat ate them all. She orders a new one, Tweety – and he proves too much for the cat to beat. This is another short where the basic plot is from an older cartoon, in this case Tashlin's "Puss n' Booty", with Sylvester and Tweety replacing the one-off characters from that short. But the gags are new ones, and the addition of the more famous cat and canary pair adds a lot of appeal. We're starting to move towards the final Sylvester and Tweety formula. Unlike in "Tweetie Pie", Sylvester speaks, and Tweety has more lines too. This short might have my absolute favorite version of Tweety – he still retains the combined childishness and cleverness (and sometimes sadism!) of the original Clampett version, but with the cuter yellow-feathered design introduced by Freleng (the little sailor hat only adds to the adorableness). An exemplary effort!
    10

    Rabbit Punch
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Bugs is watching the world championship boxing match, and after heckling the Champion, he has to face him in the ring. Bugs is struggling at first, but the match turns into a wacky one with both boxers hardly following the usual rules! A wacky cartoon, a kind of a precursor to a more famous Bugs cartoon by Jones (which would even feature the boxer character from this one)... A lot of enjoyable randomness here, with some of the best scenes having very little to do with actual boxing, and another great performance from Bugs!
    9.5

    Hop, Look and Listen
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    A little kangaroo escapes from the zoo. Sylvester has been struggling to catch mice that are big enough to eat, but when the kangaroo enters his house, he mistakes it for a giant mouse. Sylvester doesn't stand a chance against the kangaroo, to the annoyance of a dog. The kangaroo, only named Junior here, would soon be renamed Hippety Hopper and become a recurring character in McKimson's Sylvester cartoons. The Hippety Hopper formula hasn't quite been finalized yet, as most of the later ones would add a new character to the bunch, but this is a very enjoyable first entry in any case. The dog character is surprisingly the most amusing in this short, though Sylvester's attempts to beat the kangaroo are also fun to watch.
    9.5
    Nothing but the Tooth
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    In the year 1848⅞, gold is found in California! Porky goes looking for some but ends up on Indian territory. There he meets a little Mohican who repeatedly tries to get him to remove his hat in order to scalp him. Wild gags, fast-paced chases and a fun cast of characters – Porky is great, of course, but the Mohican and even Porky's horse get some good moments too. Another cartoon that's definitely questionable from today's point of view, but also a very entertaining one if you can look past that.
    9.5
    Buccaneer Bunny
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Pirate Seagoin' Sam finds a place to hide his treasure, but this happens to be Bugs' rabbit hole. This leads to a chase on Sam's pirate ship, with the pirate repeatedly getting blasted by cannons. Yosemite Sam was a great foil for Bugs on his debut, and his short-fused personality is just as entertaining in this second short. And trickster Bugs naturally has great chemistry with him. There are various amusing gags, and even the repeated cannon blasts don't get old. Another nice one!
    9.5
    Bone Sweet Bone
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    In the Museum of Natural History, a paleontologist has lost a vertebra of the dinosaur skeleton and thinks his little dog Shep is to blame. The bone Shep buried has been taken by a bulldog, so the little dog has to come up with a way to get it back. Another good effort by Davis. Fast-paced gag cartoon, with some great expressive animation for the two dogs. Little dialogue here (mostly from the paleontologist), but the animated action works well even without it!
    9
    Bugs Bunny Rides Again
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Yosemite Sam enters a saloon, and all the cowboys immediately flee in fear. But Bugs Bunny decides to stay and challenge the tough guy... The bunny outwits Sam in various imaginative ways. The three Bugs and Sam cartoons so far have all been very good, but this is the best of them, with the funniest gags (including some "blink and you'll miss them" ones!) and most enjoyable portrayal of Bugs. Special mention to the soft shoe sequence – while Bugs already did the same dance in "Stage Door Cartoon", seeing Sam do it is a lot funnier!
    10
    The Rattled Rooster
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A rooster tries to find a worm to eat, but all the other roosters get there first. Once he finally gets the chance to catch one, the worm proves to be too smart for him, and another reptile soon joins in the action... The characters are this cartoon's weak point for me: the worm does have some appeal, being another trickster in the series, but the rooster is quite nondescript. A decently fun basic chase cartoon, but by no means a standout.
    8
    The Up-Standing Sitter
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    The ACME Baby Sitting Agency sends "star sitter" Daffy to babysit for a chicken – sitting on her egg, that is. While the mother is away, the egg hatches. The chick runs away from Daffy, since he's a stranger and "little kids should never have anything to do with strangers"! Daffy has to try his best to keep the chick safe and manages to annoy an angry dog in process. A fun entry, the precocious and mischievous little chick is an amusing character, and watching Daffy try to catch him is fun, even if I can't help but feel sorry for the duck at times. Maybe he should have told the chick he was his babysitter...
    9
    The Shell Shocked Egg
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    A mother turtle puts her four eggs (already named Tom, Dick, Harry and Clem) in the sand for them to hatch in the sun. Once she goes away, the sun sets and the partially unhatched Clem pops up, looking for a place to get fully hatched. This leads to chaos, with the mother, a dog and a rooster all after the egg. This reminds me of "Booby Hatched", which also had an unhatched egg going around, though this time there's no predator trying to eat the egg. The most entertaining characters here are the fame-hungry dog (who has some of the best-animated scenes) and the singing little turtles, and there are also some well-animated wild takes.
    9

    Haredevil Hare
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Bugs is a passenger on a rocket to the moon. There he meets a Martian who plans to blow up the Earth. Bugs has to outwit him and his dog companion. A funny cartoon with great expressions and amusing characters. This is one of the shorts whose significance would only be realized later – while Marvin the Martian, as he would be named decades later, only ended up appearing in a few Bugs Bunny cartoons in the classic era, he would eventually become one of the most popular characters in later Looney Tunes productions and merchandise. The character's appeal is already obvious on his debut with his entertaining personality and unique design, though his voice is different from the famous one. I also like how K9 gets a more significant role here, even having some dialogue. Very strong first effort, paving the way for the later cartoons with Marvin.
    9.5

    The rights to all the cartoons released until now would be sold to Associated Artists Productions (the color cartoons and the 1931-1933 Harman-Ising Merrie Melodies) and Guild Films (the rest of the black and white library) in the 50s. Although WB has since regained the rights to all the shorts, for a long time this meant that the cartoons released before and after this cutoff point would be in different TV syndication packages. The later WB-owned ones were shown most often.

    You Were Never Duckier
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Daffy plans to participate in the national poultry show, but is disappointed – while the best rooster will win a 5000 dollar prize, the best duck only gets 5 dollars. The insulted duck decides to disguise himself as a rooster, but he ends up getting chased by George K. Chickenhawk and his son Henery Hawk who plan to eat him! A wonderfully funny cartoon with great characterizations – both Daffy and Henery are always brilliant, and seeing them together in the same cartoon is a novel idea. Daffy's portrayal is a combination of his earlier and later versions, with the wacky duck now starting to show his interest in money... One of the best of its time, with a surprising conclusion!
    10
    Dough Ray Me-ow
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Heathcliff the cat keeps getting in trouble due to his stupidity, and Louie the parrot always has to help him out. But Louie soon finds out Heathcliff's owner is leaving him one million dollars in his last will and testament, and if he disappears, Louie will get the money! The parrot comes up with various schemes to make the cat die. Despite the dark theme, the cartoon is a hilarious one, especially thanks to Heathcliff's appealing stupidity. While he's made many amazing cartoons during his short stint as a director, this is probably my favorite from Davis so far!
    10
    Hot Cross Bunny
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    A doctor is planning to conduct an experiment by switching a chicken's personality with that of an experimental rabbit. The rabbit is Bugs Bunny, of course! We see him trying to entertain an audience of doctors until he finds out what is planned. A great cartoon with Bugs at his wackiest and some of the funniest gags in the series! One of the WB cartoons I've seen the most often, but it just doesn't lose its appeal.
    10
    The Pest That Came to Dinner
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Pierre the termite keeps eating Porky's furniture. After failed attempts to get rid of him, Porky gets exterminator I.M.A. Sureshot to help, but the dog's assistance doesn't prove very useful. The typical chase antics with a couple of imaginative termite-related gags. The extremely random ending was by far the biggest surprise in this average but enjoyable effort.
    8.5
    Hare Splitter
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs is going to meet his crush Daisy Lou, but a brown rabbit called Casbah has exactly the same plans. Noticing that Daisy is away shopping, Bugs disguises as her to fool Casbah. Unusually for a Bugs cartoon from this time, he's essentially the one instigating the conflict here – Casbah doesn't really do anything to him until much later, other than being interested in the same girl, of course. In any case, it's a very entertaining entry, with a great appearance from Bugs (seeing him pretend to be other characters is always fun!) and some fun animation. Casbah is also good in his role (another foil that fails to match Bugs' intelligence, despite gaining the upper hand briefly), and while we don't get much insight into the real Daisy Lou, she appears in one of the film's best gags!
    10
    Odor of the Day
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    It's winter, and a dog is looking for a warm place to stay. He finds a house, but it's occupied by a skunk! Things get even more chaotic when the dog gets a cold and can't smell the skunk's stench. The skunk looks identical to Pepé Le Pew – while he's mostly mute and in a different role from his usual one, the cartoon seems to be officially considered a Pepé cartoon in any case (having later ended up on several video compilations with other Pepé shorts). While not a standout, this is an entertaining short with an unusual theme – the gags are nice, and the conflict gets resolved in an imaginative manner!
    8.5
    The Foghorn Leghorn
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Henery Hawk's father (now redesigned) tells his son he's too little to hunt chickens with him, lying about what chickens are like. After he gets beaten by Foghorn, he convinces Henery that the rooster is just a loud-mouthed shnook. Foghorn desperately tries to convince Henery that he indeed is a chicken, while the hawk tries to catch the Barnyard Dawg instead. Another great cartoon with the barnyard trio – Foghorn is as amusingly loud and Henery as endearingly tough as always, and the dog gets his best portrayal so far. I especially like how this turns some aspects of the first two Foghorn shorts upside down: Foghorn is (stupidly) trying to prove he's a chicken rather than denying it, and Henery has even more of a reason to be mistaken about what chickens are like. The increased focus on the rooster is starting to show, and he'll take Henery's place as the intended star of the series soon. But even with the changes, everything that was good about the first two is still there!
    10
    A-Lad-in His Lamp
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    While digging a hole, Bugs finds Aladdin's lamp. Smokey the genie comes out of the lamp and grants him wishes. Bugs wishes to go to Baghdad with him, but he ends up angering Caliph Hassen Pheffer who is also interested in the lamp! The genie character is a fun one, adding a lot of appeal to the short. The comedy is good in general, with plenty of wonderfully corny puns thrown in. All in all, a great entry despite being one of the less-known Bugs Bunny cartoons.
    9
    Daffy Dilly
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Daffy is trying to sell practical joke devices, but no one's buying them. But he soon finds out multimillionaire J.P. Cubish is in a critical condition and whoever can make him laugh will inherit a million dollars. One problem is he hasn't laughed in fifty years. Another one is that Cubish's butler continuously prevents Daffy from entering. Daffy is very likable and funny in this cartoon – while Jones' cartoons often emphasized Daffy's greed, which definitely plays a part here, he still has his traditional wacky portrayal. The gags are great, and the story is carried well from start to finish in this brilliant cartoon.
    10
    Kit for Cat
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Sylvester and a little kitten are both taken in from the cold by Elmer. But he can't keep two cats, so he'll make his decision on who gets to stay after sleeping. He's showing a clear preference for the kitten, so Sylvester tries to sabotage his chances with little success. A fun cartoon with great characterizations – not just the familiar characters but also the cute and mischievous kitten. The concept is similar to some earlier cartoons, especially "Hiss and Make Up", but I find this one more memorable thanks to the more interesting characters.
    9.5
    The Stupor Salesman
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Slug McSlug robs the Last National Bank and manages to escape from the police. He's in for trouble, though – house appliance salesman Daffy shows up at his door and won't take no for an answer! Daffy as a salesman is starting to become a popular idea in the shorts, and I think it's a perfect way to utilize him at his most annoying! The duck's schemes to try to sell something to the criminal are fun and imaginative, as are the fast-paced chase sequences. Davis has shown to be especially great at making Daffy cartoons, and this one is no exception!
    10
    Riff Raffy Daffy
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A homeless Daffy is sleeping in the park and policeman Porky repeatedly tells him to leave. Daffy finds shelter from the cold in a department store, but once Porky notices him, a chase ensues with the pig trying to get rid of the duck. Another wacky cartoon with a simultaneously wacky and clever portrayal of Daffy and many entertaining gags (including another strange ending).
    9.5
    My Bunny Lies over the Sea
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Bugs attempts to go to Los Angeles but ends up in Scotland instead! He mistakes bagpipe player Angus MacRory for an old lady being attacked by a monster, destroying the bagpipes. MacRory consequently challenges Bugs to a golf game – the bunny comes up with clever schemes to win. MacRory is an amusing character, and Bugs fares excellently with his strange ways to play golf – another cartoon showing how great the WB crew was at making silly sports cartoons.
    10
    Scaredy Cat
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky and his pet cat Sylvester move to an old house. To the annoyance of an unaware Porky, Sylvester is scared of various things in the house, including a group of mice who try to execute Porky! The horror elements of this short are something that haven't been seen in the series very often, giving it the creepiest atmosphere since "The Case of the Stuttering Pig" back in 1937. But there's some comedy too, especially from Sylvester – while he has no dialogue here (he seems to be handled differently in almost every cartoon at this point), his pantomime approach to explaining things to Porky is the funniest part of the cartoon. Notably, this is also the first cartoon where he gets his name. A great one to end the year with!
    10

    Since their purchase by WB, the former Leon Schlesinger studio hadn't made animated sequences for live-action films like they used to, but that would change this year. Freleng directed a dream scene for the film "Two Guys from Texas". Bugs Bunny himself appears in this sequence!

    Two Guys from Texas
    An animated version of Jack Carson's character Danny Foster is a shepherd, but his lambs get stolen away by a wolf (Dennis Morgan's character Steve Carroll) who croons "Ev'ry Day I Love You (Just a Little Bit More)". Bugs gives the shepherd some advice, but it doesn't seem to have the desired result. An entertaining sequence with the typical charm of the time, and the tune being sung is an appealing one. Not really comparable to the wonderful cartoons the studio was making at the time (despite some occasional signs of the typical WB humor), but it must have been quite a nice surprise for the audience back then!
    8.5

    The quality of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies remained high for another year. All the directors managed to shine this year – in addition to the three more familiar ones, Art Davis also delivered some absolute masterpieces. But will this keep up? The last year of the decade will bring some changes to the series, both positive and negative ones...
  2. Tacodidra

    1947: Cat and bird win big

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    This year, the studio will finally start to receive accolades for their great cartoons, with the first pairing of two very familiar characters...

    One Meat Brawl
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    It's Groundhog Day – this should be a happy occasion for Grover Groundhog, but due to the meat shortage, everyone is hunting him! Porky and his dog Mandrake (the same dog as the Barnyard Dawg who had debuted in "Walky Talky Hawky" the year before) are also after him, trying to get a new addition to Porky's collection of stuffed animals, but the clever groundhog keeps outsmarting the hunting pair. Another great cartoon! Grover is a fun character with a cute design, starting the short with a song, and with the lovable trickster personality that was so popular in this series. Porky and Mandrake are also brilliant in their roles, and the gags are all great, especially the last one!
    10

    The Goofy Gophers
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A dog is guarding a vegetable garden, but two gophers manage to sneak in and eat the vegetables. The dog tries his best to get rid of them, but the two cleverly defeat him every time. The adorable and polite (but violent) gopher duo would make several appearances in the series, and this first one is a very entertaining cartoon with their personalities pretty much already finalized (although their designs would soon be recolored to make them brown instead of gray, and they would later receive the names of Mac and Tosh). There are some nice gags, with one of the gophers impersonating another WB cartoon star being my favorite!
    9.5
    The Gay Anties
    Directed by I. Freleng
    We return to the 1890s. A couple is having a picnic, but ants arrive and attempt to snatch all the food away. We also see various gags involving the ants performing and having fun. In a way, this reminds me of some of the earlier music-focused Merrie Melodies, although in a more comedic version. The nostalgic feel is appealing, and the various gags with the ants are amusing. Maybe not a standout but a nice, and for the time, different cartoon.
    8.5
    Scent-imental over You
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A little dog, Fifi, wants to have a fancy look for the spring, so she dresses in a fur coat. The only problem is that it makes her look like a skunk and all the other dogs keep avoiding her. Things get even worse when Stinky the Skunk (formerly known as Henry, yet to be renamed Pepé Le Pew) sets his sights on her. The Pepé cartoons are clearly yet to find their final formula, as it's a dog being chased instead of a cat (the first one did have a cat, but a male one). But I don't find this a bad thing – this provides some variety, and the dog character is a likable and cute one. The clever ending in particular helps make this one of the most memorable appearances of the skunk.
    9.5
    A Hare Grows in Manhattan
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A magazine wants to publish Bugs' biography, so he tells us about his youth in New York. We hear how he managed to outwit a group of mobster dogs. I always find it interesting when cartoons show the backstory of a character, and this is a very entertaining cartoon with Bugs being his usual clever and charming self. The narrative elements definitely do a lot of the work making this more than just one more typical Bugs cartoon, but the result is a great one in any case!
    10
    Birth of a Notion
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Daffy doesn't want to fly south for the winter, so he tries to find a home to stay in instead. After convincing Leopold the dog that he has saved his life, Daffy is let in by him, but the scientist living there must not find out or he'll throw both of them out. Soon it turns out the scientist needs a duck's wishbone for his experiment... A wonderfully wacky and violent cartoon, with a great performance from Daffy and entertaining supporting characters (Leopold the dog is fine in his role and has the funniest line of the short, while the Peter Lorre caricature scientist is a great mixture of creepy and funny). McKimson continues to impress, definitely the best early run of any director to date!
    10

    Tweetie Pie
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After Tweety who's out in the cold is almost eaten by Thomas the cat (later known as Sylvester), the cat's owner takes the little bird in. The cat repeatedly tries to catch the bird, but Tweety always ruins Thomas' attempts. The first cartoon to pair Sylvester and Tweety, after an unproduced earlier attempt by Clampett. The pairing of the two characters works brilliantly, though for some reason Sylvester is mute here. This was also the first to give Tweety his yellow feathers, bringing him closer to his famous design. Similarly to Clampett's cartoons with him, Tweety is still very much capable of defending himself from the cat, though this is usually followed by an extra beating for Sylvester from the owner! Despite all this, the short almost never came to be – producer Edward Selzer insisted Freleng use the woodpecker character from "Peck Up Your Troubles" as Sylvester's foil instead of Tweety, though Freleng won the argument in the end. And he was proven right, as the short finally got Warner Bros. Cartoons a much deserved Oscar for best cartoon short in their ninth consecutive year of being nominated! It was a very deserved win, and the start to one of the studio's most memorable and longest lasting series...
    10
    Rabbit Transit
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After reading the story of the tortoise and the hare, Bugs challenges Cecil Turtle to a race once again. This time, the rules include no cheating, though this doesn't really come true, with Cecil's jet propulsion engine and the duo's various tricks on each other. A great last entry of an amazing trilogy – despite the same characters and basic plot as in "Tortoise Beats Hare" and "Tortoise Wins by a Hare", all three cartoons are clearly different, with new gags and different endings (this possibly having the most imaginative one). Maybe this was in part thanks to different directors handling each one.
    10

    Hobo Bobo
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Bobo, an Indian elephant, hates having to carry logs around, so he decides to travel to America to join the circus like his uncle Jumbo. After various failed attempts to get on the boat, a minah bird convinces him to paint himself pink. A funny little cartoon with a humorous narration and an adorable lead character. The Minah Bird's appearance (complete with his theme tune) is a particularly nice one – he was always the best thing about the Inki cartoons, and he is also great here.
    9
    Along Came Daffy
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Two hillbillies (one of whom resembles Yosemite Sam) are starving in their cottage when traveling salesman Daffy Duck shows up trying to sell them a cook book. The hillbillies decide to have some roast duck, and Daffy tries to escape from the two. Fast-paced fun with a great appearance from Daffy and some nice gags. The two hillbillies also fare well in their roles, even if they're overshadowed by the star. Daffy as a salesman was a concept that would be used many times in the series to humorous effect, and this early attempt is already a success!
    9.5
    Inki at the Circus
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    And right after the Minah Bird's surprise return, his co-star Inki is back too! Instead of the jungle setting of the previous cartoons, this cartoon takes place in a circus where Inki is the "African wildman". A dog notices the bone in his hair and tries to get it, with another dog and the Minah Bird also joining in the action. While I'm not the biggest fan of the Inki cartoons, I think this is the best so far – there is some more of the typical Looney Tunes action (including a dynamite gag), and Jones' expressive style has improved a lot in the three and a half years since the last one came out. The Minah Bird is once again responsible for some of the best moments, and the pantomime approach is always appealing, with a great soundtrack accompanying the action. An entertaining seven minutes, but not quite the best WB or Chuck Jones had to offer at this point.
    8.5
    Easter Yeggs
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    The Easter Rabbit doesn't want to deliver eggs this year, so he manages to coax Bugs into doing it. It proves really difficult for Bugs to keep smiling while delivering them, as he meets a very mean kid and then Elmer Fudd who wants some rabbit stew. Another very entertaining Bugs cartoon with amusing gags and characters (not least Bugs himself, of course) and a really satisfying conclusion!
    9.5
    Crowing Pains
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    The 501st cartoon out of 1001 in the two main series, so we're past the halfway point now! The farm animals are beating each other up again, this time with Sylvester joining Foghorn Leghorn and the Barnyard Dawg. Henery Hawk is after a chicken once again and hasn't learned to recognize one – this time Foghorn convinces him that Sylvester is the chicken. The addition of Sylvester is a great one – this time the cat appears with his usual voice and has great chemistry with all the characters. They all fare well, though the dog has a fairly small role – maybe the crew hadn't fully realized his popularity yet (and Henery is still the intended star character according to the titles). Funny gags (especially the last one is memorable), expressive characters and wild animation – another standout cartoon for Foghorn!
    10
    A Pest in the House
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Due to a bad labor shortage, manager Elmer Fudd makes the huge mistake of hiring Daffy to work in his hotel. A tired man comes to the hotel for peace and quiet – and if he's disturbed, he'll punch Elmer. Daffy keeps doing noisy things over and over, to the dismay of the manager. A rare cartoon where Elmer is the sympathetic guy, never doing anything wrong (except hiring the wrong employees, it seems), while Daffy proves to be a nightmare! Out of all the shorts where a character is trying to sleep, this is among the funniest mostly due to the chaos caused by Daffy and the desperate attempts by Elmer to fix things.
    9
    The Foxy Duckling
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A. Fox is desperately trying to sleep when he reads in a book that a duck down pillow is the solution to his problem! He then goes to get himself a duck, but the little yellow duckling keeps foiling his attempts. A funny chase cartoon with nice characters, especially the clever little duck. Again, I'm reminded a little of the early Tweety with how the duck ruins all the fox's plans, with violent consequences (and that they're both cute little birds definitely emphasizes the similarity). An entertaining one-shot that just gets better as it goes on!
    9.5
    House Hunting Mice
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Hubie and Bertie enter the "House of Tomorrow" and try all the modern appliances. Things end up going wrong when a cleaning robot dumps Bertie in the trash. Jones recycled the setting of one of his earliest cartoons here: "Dog Gone Modern" from 1939. However, this is one of the remakes where I feel the new version easily beats the original. Besides the gags being funnier and there being more of a plot here, the replacement of the Curious Puppies with Hubie and Bertie works wonders – the two mice are much more likable with refined personalities than the fairly generic dog characters. Hubie and Bertie's characters also get finalized here – the former is now gray and the latter brown, and Hubie is finally referred to by name. Another good cartoon, showing Jones' improvement as a director in comparison to the original. As yet another cost-cutting measure, some of the cartoons are now produced in Cinecolor, this being the first such one since "Beauty and the Beast" back in 1934.
    9

    Little Orphan Airedale
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Rags McMutt escapes from the dog pound. Hiding in a car, he meets his old friend Charlie who tells him the story of how he found a master – Porky Pig! Charlie Dog makes the first of his several appearances, often with Porky. Surprisingly, this is the second cartoon in a row where the plot is clearly recycled from an earlier entry: Clampett's 1941 cartoon "Porky's Pooch" had the same concept and structure, with the character of Charlie also strongly resembling Rover from that film. But what the cartoon loses in originality, it makes up for in entertainment. There are many funny gags, and I think the dog character is more appealing in this one than the original, and the ending is also more amusing.
    9
    Doggone Cats
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Wellington the dog is told by his owner to deliver a package to Uncle Louie. But two cats (one of whom is Sylvester) sense an opportunity to toy with the dog, and repeatedly snatch away the important package. At this point, Sylvester has constantly switched between speaking and being mute, this time the latter is true. An entertaining cartoon with fun gags all around, a rare chase cartoon where there aren't really good or bad guys – Wellington comes off as unlikable at the start, but the cats soon become the tormentors. The ending is also a good one with some wild animated takes.
    9
    Slick Hare
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Elmer is maître d' at the Mocrumbo where Hollywood stars are dining. Humphrey Bogart orders some fried rabbit, and Elmer has 20 minutes to find a rabbit or else... Bugs happens to be right there, eating carrots, and a chase ensues. Besides the fun Hollywood parodies (especially Bogart has some great lines) and related gags, we get some amusing antics with Bugs and Elmer, both of whom excel in their roles. The highlight is Bugs' wonderfully animated, unique samba performance. Another flawless short with the rabbit!
    10
    Mexican Joyride
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    Daffy goes to Mexico on vacation. After trying the local food with comedic consequences, he goes to see a bullfight. But after heckling the bull, he's forced to take the place of the bullfighter himself! Daffy is very amusing here, and the bullfight is fun to watch – it's a very farcical one even in comparison to the usual bullfight cartoon, with Daffy doing various random things to outwit the bull. The gags are fun, and I like the lively and expressive animation – the Davis unit has a slightly different but very appealing art style. Definitely his strongest cartoon so far!
    10
    Catch as Cats Can
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    A singing canary (a caricature of Frank Sinatra) is the idol of all the girl birds, and his parrot colleague (a Bing Crosby caricature) is annoyed at the newcomer taking away his audience. The parrot decides to convince a cat (Sylvester) to try to eat the canary for the important vitamins, but things don't go well for the cat... I think the singing birds are the main attraction here – I especially like the animation of the Sinatra canary singing while flying! Sylvester's portrayal is a bit weird (then again, it seems the WB crew was generally unsure what to do with him at this point), as he has a different, dopey voice instead of the usual one – I wonder if the decision to use Sylvester as the cat character was a late one, as there's also a scene where his design is very different from the usual one... The ending is a brilliant one, truly surprising and the most memorable part of the cartoon. A good effort, but I feel it would have been even funnier and more enjoyable with the normal Sylvester voice and portrayal.
    9
    A Horse Fly Fleas
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    A. Flea from "An Itch in Time" makes a surprise return! This time, he befriends Duplicate the horsefly. They're both homeless and set out to live on a dog. But they unknowingly trespass on Indian flea territory and get chased by the tribe. Surprisingly, the dog ends up being the funniest character here with his reactions to all the things going on. The earworm "Food Around the Corner" is back with slightly rewritten lyrics ("Home Around the Corner"). There's definitely plenty of action here, but among all the strong entries of the time, it's left in the shade. The horsefly character is underutilized, and the Indians are the same stereotypes we've seen in countless cartoons already. A mildly amusing entry, but by no means a match for the flea's previous appearance!
    8

    All in all, a standout year, with Warner Bros. Cartoons finally receiving the Academy Award they had been close to so many times! While "Tweetie Pie" was certainly the most important cartoon of the year, being the first to pair Sylvester and Tweety, there were many strong entries. Some new characters were also introduced – the likes of the Goofy Gophers and Charlie Dog may not have become bona fide stars, but notable recurring characters anyway. And now we're about to reach the cartoons that have received the most attention on TV...
  3. Tacodidra

    1944: Goodbye, Mr. Schlesinger

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    We've reached the first year when all the WB cartoons in the main series are in full color. Also a year of changes for the Schlesinger cartoon studio...

    Little Red Riding Rabbit
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A teenage Little Red Riding Hood is bringing her grandma a bunny rabbit (Bugs)... to have! The wolf goes to grandma's house as usual, and takes her place easily, as grandma is working swing shift at Lockheed. Once Red shows up, the wolf shoos her away, as he's only interested in eating Bugs. A chase ensues, with occasional interruptions from Red. Another brilliant fairytale parody, though the original story takes a back seat here! The characters are great – Bugs is the clever trickster he's always been, the wolf is a nice comic foil, and Red is amusingly annoying and acts as a running gag of sorts. One of the most memorable shorts of the time, with an unexpected ending! The first time Mel Blanc gets an on-screen credit – very unusual for a cartoon voice actor back then, emphasizing his significance in the series!
    10
    What's Cookin' Doc?
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Tonight, the Oscar for best performance will be given to a spectacular actor. Bugs is sure he'll win, but James Cagney gets the award instead. Annoyed, Bugs demonstrates to the audience how he deserves the award by showing one of his best scenes (from "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt"). This is a short that has its definite strengths and weaknesses. There are many funny parts, especially Bugs' impersonations of various celebrities and the daring ending. At the same time, it's fairly obvious this short was made as a way of cutting costs. There are almost two minutes of live-action stock footage (admittedly interesting material, showing Hollywood at the time) at the start, and almost two more minutes are taken up by the Hiawatha clip, constituting about half of the short. But despite those flaws, I find the short an appealing one with some nice gags – and the short also seems to criticize the Academy for snubbing the WB cartoons in favor of (sometimes inferior) Disney and MGM material, especially considering that the very short they used clips of had been nominated!
    8.5
    Meatless Flyday
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A happy spider wants to catch and eat a fly. But his attempts keep failing, either due to the fly's cleverness or for other reasons. This is an entertaining short, especially thanks to the amusing spider character who keeps laughing (in an Avery-esque way) no matter what and has some funny lines. There are also imaginative gags here, such as one involving a billboard, and even the title has more meaning besides the obvious fly pun!
    9
    Tom Turk and Daffy
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky is trying to shoot Tom Turk, a turkey who asks Daffy to hide him. At first, the duck complies, but the enticement of a turkey dinner makes Daffy betray his friend. But Tom turns the tables by sticking his tailfeathers on Daffy, and now Porky thinks he's a turkey! Great cartoon with an entertaining performance from all three characters, fast-paced chases and some great winter gags. Porky and Daffy always work well together, and this time's definitely not an exception!
    10

    Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Three bears decide to emulate the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. But after they decide to use carrot soup instead of porridge, they manage to lure in Bugs Bunny instead of Goldilocks. The bears featured here would be used by Jones in multiple later shorts – no wonder, since they already impress on their very first appearance. They all have distinct personalities: the angry, even violent Papa Bear, the romantic Mama Bear (who ends up falling for Bugs), and the big dumb Junyer Bear who's constantly forgetting his lines. They're all funny, but I think Mama eventually steals the show here. This is a short that I feel could have been a bit longer for more wacky antics with Bugs and the bears, but it's already very enjoyable the way it is!
    9.5
    I Got Plenty of Mutton
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    A hungry wolf finds out the sheepdog has left his flock to join the WAGS, so he decides to go and steal the sheep! But what he failed to notice is that Killer Diller the ram has taken over and does his best to keep wolves away. The wolf dresses up as an attractive ewe to fool the goat, but this proves to be a bad decision. Despite a slow start (the wolf only reads about the sheepdog being gone two minutes in, and it takes another minute for the ram to show up), this was a great and funny cartoon. Both characters manage to amuse in this mostly dialogue-free short (saving the talking for the funny moments), and there is some quite daring humor for the time. The ending is priceless, in particular!
    9.5
    The Weakly Reporter
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A look at the American daily life and how the war has had an effect on it. A long part of the cartoon is dedicated to how women have taken up jobs that were previously occupied by men. While they're mostly associated with Avery, almost every director seemed to take turns in creating these spot gag cartoons, Jones now joining in. Another very topical short, but I think here it kind of adds to its appeal, and this does the typical corny jokes of these cartoons well. One of the stronger spot gag cartoons.
    9

    Tick Tock Tuckered
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    As another cost-cutting measure, WB decided to make color remakes (with some changes) of Clampett's black and white Porky cartoons. This was the first of the four released in the 40s, based on "Porky's Badtime Story" (1937). As in the original, after Porky and his roommate's boss threatens to fire them for being late, they go to bed early the following night, but various things keep them awake. Gabby Goat has been replaced with Daffy, and the animation has been updated to match Porky's current design. There are some additions like Daffy shooting down the moon, while a scene with a fly bothering the duo has been removed. While this is a rather cheap way to make a cartoon, it gives us a look at how different 1937 Looney Tunes were from the 1944 ones. The designs and animation are much more pleasant here, and the additions are certainly appealing (we even get a Dover Boys shout-out). But with the story remaining unchanged, it also shows that what was a standout release in 1937 no longer feels quite as special among the stronger 1944 cartoons, just being one of many entertaining entries.
    8.5
    Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs sails to a Pacific island in a crate. But the island is full of Japanese soldiers who the bunny has to outwit. This is one of the most controversial cartoons in the whole series. Despite somehow not being included in the Censored 11 (and thus surviving past the 60s), a laserdisc and VHS release featuring the cartoon was withdrawn in 1995 after complaints. This is completely understandable – the gibberish-speaking caricatures here are among the worst stereotypes in the entire series, and while they are obviously trying to harm Bugs, his treatment of them comes off as unusually mean (his way of talking to the soldiers in particular is offensive). This portrayal was sadly rather common in some of the wartime cartoons, but if we try to evaluate it as a product of its time, is it a good Bugs cartoon? There are definitely elements of one hidden beneath the surface – the ending is a fun one, the ice cream van gag is quite imaginative (other than containing by far the worst lines of the entire short), and we get some entertaining fourth wall breaks (one of the Japanese soldiers makes a reference to Leon Schlesinger – not the first time in the series, but I always get a kick out of the in-jokes). Definitely a lot better than "Tokio Jokio", but still definitely dragged down by the stereotypes despite some good material.
    7.5

    Swooner Crooner
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky runs the Flockheed eggcraft factory where chickens lay eggs for the U.S. and its allies. Everything goes well until Frankie the singing rooster shows up and all the hens go watch his performance instead. To save the situation, Porky decides to hire another singing rooster. A brilliant short from start to finish. The various scenes with the hens are funny (both the ones in the factory and when they're watching the crooner), and so are the musical parts – we get parodies of many popular singers of the day, most notably Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby (mirroring their real-life rivalry), and they're all amusing. Another Tashlin gem! This short gave the studio another Oscar nomination, but MGM's Tom and Jerry took the award again with "Mouse Trouble".
    10

    Russian Rhapsody
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    The Nazis' attempts to bomb Moscow have failed, so Hitler decides to send "the best pilot in the Reich" to do it – himself! His attempts get thwarted by the Gremlins from the Kremlin who destroy his plane. A rarely seen cartoon for obvious reasons, but a definite classic! The beginning sets it up brilliantly – unusually, the story is told through (obviously fake) German newspapers. The gags are great and the pacing is wild. The gremlins all have unique designs, many of them based on the Schlesinger crew! The cartoon also has the perfect soundtrack to go with it – Mel Blanc does a perfect delivery of Hitler's deranged speech (containing references to food, popular songs of the day and Bugs Bunny's catchphrase among other things), and the jazzy takes on Russian folk songs are a perfect fit for the cartoon. One of the best war cartoons the studio made.
    10
    Duck Soup to Nuts
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Porky is hunting ducks once again, and with the other ducks having flown away, he's after Daffy. But Daffy keeps driving Porky mad with his wackiness – will the hunter manage to shoot him? Yet another cartoon that takes advantage of the great chemistry between Porky and Daffy – and one of their best! I especially like Daffy here, it's one of the shorts where he's at his wildest. The gags here are amazing ones, though my absolute favorite would have to be the duo's argument about whether Porky is a pig or an eagle. The trick Daffy plays on Porky here would later be used on the duck himself by Bugs Bunny – who knew Freleng had used a version of this gag years before Jones?
    10
    Angel Puss
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Another Censored 11 cartoon. Li'l Sambo is paid four bits to drown a cat, so he does it despite not wanting to. The cat manages to escape at the last moment and decides to play a trick on him. He pretends to have drowned and dresses as an angel to haunt his supposed killer. As expected, the stereotypical content shows up quite a bit in both the designs and the writing – I wouldn't rank it as the single most offensive short in the Censored 11, but it's among the more problematic ones. I think the plot is one that certainly had potential for much better, but despite some lively animation and a surprising ending (which is quite dark and amusing at the same time), it's one of the weaker entries of its time.
    6.5
    Slightly Daffy
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The second color remake of an earlier Clampett Porky cartoon, this time of "Scalp Trouble" where general Daffy and his soldiers (including Porky) defended a fort from attacking Indians. The original cartoon was a wacky and fun one despite its questionable theme. The remake, on the other hand, is lazy (to the point that the different directorial credit just feels wrong). Other than a few replaced scenes with the Indians (some of them recycled from other cartoons!), most of the changes are scenes being removed. The cartoon gets rid of some of the imaginative original gags, like one of the Indians drinking firewater and burning a hole in a fence he can walk through. The animation doesn't look better than the original in every shot either – the animation of Daffy swallowing ammunition stands out as much more lively in "Scalp Trouble". Despite the added color, I'd just go for the superior original.
    7
    Hare Ribbin'
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Bugs is chased by a dumb dog with a craving for a rabbit sandwich. Their chase takes them underwater where Bugs fools the dog by playing an attractive mermaid among other things. A fun cartoon with Bugs at his best (though sometimes a bit meaner than usual!), great gags and amazing animation and expressions. The cartoon taking place underwater is a bit weird, as there's practically only one gag where that plays any purpose, but I guess that's just Clampett's randomness! Two different versions of the cartoon exist, as some alterations had to be made before release to please the censors – the dog meets his terrible fate differently, the original having been considered too violent (though the released version would also be censored on later TV airings), and there are a couple of other small differences too. I think the original "director's cut" is the funnier one, though it's definitely worth a watch in either version!
    10
    Brother Brat
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    During the war, American women have taken up jobs previously occupied by men, and this means some of them need a babysitter. A welder for Blockheed asks Porky to babysit her son Percy (or Butch, as he calls himself). The patriotic pig agrees, but the kid proves to be an absolute nightmare, and the child psychology book provided by the mother doesn't help at all. The theme of a character having to babysit a bratty kid used to be very common in cartoon, and the Looney Tunes had had an earlier example with "The Fire Alarm". This new take on the theme makes the kid even more malicious (downright murderous at times!), which makes it funnier. Great gags, fast timing and a clever ending. Another big success for Tashlin!
    10
    Hare Force
    Directed by I. Freleng
    An old lady saves Bugs from freezing by taking him inside. This annoys her pet dog Sylvester. He throws Bugs out, leading to the two repeatedly trying their best to throw each other out. Another amazing Bugs cartoon with a fun rivalry – unlike his later namesake, Sylvester the dog may not have become a regular, but he's an entertaining foil for Bugs anyway. The ending is also a great and surprising one!
    10
    From Hand to Mouse
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A lion is about to eat a mouse (Hubie?), but inspired by the story of "the Lion and the Mouse", the mouse convinces him to let him go and he'll help him in return. But the mouse immediately shows he has no intention to do so ("Sucker!") The dumb lion keeps trying to catch him again, but the mouse repeatedly manages to outwit him in various ways. An imaginative and funny cartoon, slightly resembling 1937's "The Lyin' Mouse" at times, but with better gags and characters. Probably the closest in style we've had to Jones' later cartoons so far.
    9.5
    Birdy and the Beast
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Tweety, named here for the first time, is again chased by a cat. The cat's attempts to catch the little bird end badly for him, as he gets set on fire and blown up among other things. This is pretty much in the vein of "A Tale of Two Kitties" – the pink Tweety foils the cat's attempts in extremely violent ways, sometimes (seemingly) accidentally, sometimes completely on purpose. Especially with the ending, he comes off as even crueler here, and the juxtaposition of the cute design and voice with his sadistic personality is hilarious. This also focuses more on him than the first short (essentially co-starring Babbit and Catstello) did. Maybe a bit less memorable than that one, in part due to the less remarkable support cast, but a very strong entry with great gags, in any case.
    10
    Buckaroo Bugs
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In the San Fernando Valley, the Masked Marauder is going around, stealing carrots. The goofy cowboy Red Hot Ryder (accompanied by his horse, also quite the character!) goes to stop the thief. Since the Masked Marauder is Bugs Bunny, we already know the cowboy is in for a difficult time. Typically for Clampett's Bugs cartoons, he isn't really portrayed as the good guy, and we see him humiliating the "hero" over and over. In the extremely strong Bugs series, this isn't one of my absolute favorites, but a very good one anyway with its fun gags and animation.
    9

    The end of an era: After 14 years producing the series, Leon Schlesinger sells his cartoon studio. Having previously only been the distributor, WB now owns the studio (renamed Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc.) and all the rights to the characters and series, which will continue without any significant changes. Despite his retirement from producing, Schlesinger would participate in marketing the characters until his death in 1949.

    Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Though there are some controversial entries left among the later shorts, this is the last cartoon to be part of the infamous Censored 11. Another parody of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this time with jazz music. The three jazz-playing bears (stereotypically depicted black characters, like everyone in this cartoon) go for a walk to let their instruments cool down. The Big Bad Wolf is pretending to be Grandma and waiting for Red Riding Hood, but she's busy working at Lockheed. As Goldilocks goes to the bears' house, the wolf spots her and tries to eat her. The stereotypes are the low point here, as expected. The music, on the other hand, is great, and Freleng uses it well in humorous dance sequences. The idea to combine the stories of Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood is pretty much recycled from "The Bear's Tale", which takes away some of the novelty, but there are some good gags. One of the better cartoons in the Censored 11.
    8.5
    Plane Daffy
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Twenty-eight carrier pigeons have failed to deliver a military secret, getting seduced by Nazi spy Hatta Mari. The "squadron woman hater" Daffy Duck volunteers to do it, but will he succeed? Out of all the wartime cartoons, this is among my favorites. Daffy is in top form with all his wackiness, the rhyming narration at the start is a nice touch, the gags are great throughout, the villain is a memorable one... Definitely among the best cartoons of its time.
    10
    Lost and Foundling
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A hawk's egg falls out of its nest, ending up in Sniffles' home. It hatches soon, and Sniffles raises what he thinks is a little chicken. But Orville the hawk grows up fast, and the two soon find out hawks eat rodents... While this may not be as fast-paced and humorous as "The Unbearable Bear" was (despite having the new more talkative version of Sniffles), I really enjoyed this cute short. The ending in particular is a nice one – a very sweet cartoon, with some funny moments included too!
    9.5
    Booby Hatched
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    A mother duck takes her new hatchlings for a swim, but the unhatched Robespierre is left behind. This leads to chaos all around – Robespierre (still in his egg) is cold and looking for someone to sit on him, his mother is trying to find him, and a wolf is trying to eat the egg. Fun cartoon with plenty of fourth wall breaking and other good gags. There are several unexpected scenes, including a funny moment with Robespierre at the end!
    9
    The Old Grey Hare
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Elmer has failed to catch Bugs once again. He is taken to the year 2000 when both of them are old. After Elmer manages to shoot Bugs with his futuristic gun, the two reminisce about the good old days when the two were babies and first met each other. This is an especially interesting short in that apart from the first scene with Elmer, the two characters are always shown as either younger or older than usual. Portraying familiar characters as babies has since become a cliché, often done without any of the appeal of the originals (the Looney Tunes would also fall victim to this decades later), but in addition to being one of the first times this was done, this manages to do it appealingly, keeping the usual spirit. And the same applies to the scenes with old Bugs and Elmer, which even have a nostalgic overtone to them. Definitely a memorable entry!
    10
    The Stupid Cupid
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Cupid Elmer is going around, shooting his arrows and making various animals fall in love (with comedic consequences). But Daffy tries his best to resist due to negative past experiences. But Cupid gets him, and he falls for a chicken. A wacky cartoon with a great role for Daffy and enjoyable gags (including my favorite version of the controversial "Now I've seen everything" gag). Elmer's role is a bit unusual in that he's mute apart from his laugh. The cartoon's last scene was edited out either before its original release or for its reissue, resulting in it ending really abruptly. Truly a shame, as that's quite a big flaw in an otherwise very good cartoon.
    9
    Stage Door Cartoon
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Elmer is hunting Bugs once again. The two run through a stage door and end up performing various acts for an audience while the chase goes on. Bugs' performances are very popular, while Elmer keeps getting humiliated. Despite a somewhat slow start, this short grows into a very funny one with the main characters (as well as a supporting character!) shining. This short even has some elements that were used in various later Bugs cartoons: a high-diving act, Bugs' dance to "The Old Soft Shoe"... And over the titles, we hear the first appearance of "What's Up Doc?", which  would become Bugs' theme song. An influential entry.
    9.5

    The Private Snafu series produced for the U.S. Army continued with 12 more entries made by the Schlesinger/Warner Bros. cartoon studio. Directors were again uncredited.

    Booby Traps
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    The narrator mentions that a soldier will have take care to avoid booby traps, as any object could be one! Snafu tells him to shut up – he's sure he won't fall for any. But things take a turn for the worse when he spots a harem and goes there. This is easily my favorite of the Snafu shorts so far. In spirit, it's very close to the Looney Tunes of the day, but with some content the usual censors wouldn't have allowed, used here to a comedic effect! Snafu's reactions in the harem are entertaining and unexpected. We also get the first use (and one of the best) of the "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms" piano gag.
    10
    Snafuperman
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Unlike the other soldiers, Snafu isn't interested in studying. After Snafu says he'd destroy the enemies if he were Superman, Technical Fairy First Class turns him into Snafuperman. But the superhero's attempts at fighting the enemy go wrong, in part due to his refusal to use a map.  Just a year after Bugs parodied Superman, it's Snafu's turn – I think "Super-Rabbit" had better gags, but this is entertaining enough, with Snafu's usual incompetence (even as a superhero).
    8
    Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Malaria Mike, also known as Amos Quito, spots Snafu taking a bath in a pond. After failed attempts to sting the naked soldier, the mosquito gets another chance when Snafu doesn't use the recommended G.I. repellent. This is another fun one, focusing more on the little insect (not the first Jones cartoon like this) than the soldier, with some funny gags like Mike accidentally stinging a tree. At the end (predictably another sad one for the titular soldier), the moral is presented clearly, but at the same time, humorously.
    9
    A Lecture on Camouflage
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Technical Fairy First Class tells the soldier audience how camouflage should be used. Snafu's attempts don't go well, as he keeps leaving tracks and making other mistakes despite the fairy's warnings, again meeting a tragic fate. Not the best of the Snafu shorts, but it does have some entertaining gags and a daring ending!
    8
    Gas
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu shows up late for the gas drill and has problems finding his gas mask. After this, he's given extra training in gas mask use, but he thinks he won't need the mask and throws it away. He learns a lesson when three gas monsters show up. A good short where we see Snafu (just) avoiding a terrible fate for once. My favorite gag features a surprise cameo!
    8.5
    The Chow Hound
    Directed by I. Freleng
    This short, warning about wasting food, is the strangest in the Snafu series yet – the soldier himself doesn't appear as much as usual, instead it focuses on a bull (also acting as the narrator) who joins the army, becoming "food for Snafu". We see the effort taken to deliver food to soldiers, but unfortunately Snafu doesn't seem to appreciate it. Not the funniest entry in the series, but definitely an interesting one in how different it is (with another good moral).
    8
    Censored
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Snafu wants to send a letter to his girlfriend Sally Lou, telling her about what he and his fellow soldiers are up to. But regardless of what Snafu tries, the censors catch him and cut out most of the letter. Eventually, Technical Fairy First Class agrees to deliver it without censoring, but this proves to be a terrible decision... The letters being censored is presented in various comedic ways, and the moral is again taught humorously but effectively, with some more daring content. One of the most entertaining shorts in the Snafu series.
    9.5
    Outpost
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu is on a distant island where he's supposed to be monitoring possible enemy activity, but he's bored, spending most of his time daydreaming. His crow companion spots a can of pickled fish eyes with rice – belonging to the Japanese navy! But Snafu doesn't take the danger seriously. Another variation on the series, as Snafu is mostly seen sleeping and having dreams about women, unaware of what's going on, while the crow is responsible for all the important observations. Not the strongest in the series, but interesting for its different take on the series.
    8
    Payday
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Snafu is shown in various settings (the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Arctic). Instead of investing in his future, as recommended by Technical Fairy First Class, he's tempted by a devil to spend his money on unnecessary things. An interesting way to present the lesson – every time Snafu wastes his money, things disappear from the picture of his future home. A good entry, though not spectacular.
    8
    Target Snafu
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    We get a look at military training – not that of regular soldiers but malaria mosquito cadets doing target practice and obstacle courses among other things. Once they've completed training, they get ready for an attack against Snafu himself! An interesting short in that the "heroes" of the short are dangerous insects that the soldiers were to avoid, but their mission is still presented in a relatable way to them. And of course, it also serves as a reminder about the danger small insects can present. Another good one, even if the supposed main character doesn't get to appear much.
    8.5
    Three Brothers
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Snafu is working in the army's shoe division and isn't satisfied with his tasks. He thinks his brother Tarfu has it better, but Technical Fairy First Class shows him things aren't that simple, and Tarfu in turn thinks his brother Fubar is lucky with his tasks. While the basic plot here is essentially recycled from "The Infantry Blues", I think this is the superior cartoon with some nice gags – and it's interesting to see more of Snafu's family (the civilian family members showed up earlier in "The Home Front")!
    9

    An additional Snafu short was produced but not released at the time. The reason for this is not known, but it is believed to have been due to a secret weapon depicted in the short having strong similarities to those developed in the U.S. nuclear weapon program.

    Going Home
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu returns home and tells everyone about his experiences. Sadly, this includes military secrets, eventually leading to disaster. Another good Snafu short with an entertaining ending, though some of these stories are starting to feel somewhat derivative – "Spies" had the same basic idea, though of course keeping secrets was something soldiers couldn't be reminded of too much!
    8.5

    While the main Private Snafu series was mostly handled by Warner Bros. Cartoons, the soldier would also appear in a few cartoons made by other studios for the army. The series "A Few Quick Facts" featured cameo appearances by Snafu in five entries this year: "Air Transport / Ships / China / Fire", "US Soldier / Bullet / Diarrhea and Dysentery", "USS Iowa / Brain / Shoes" and "Chaplain Corps / Accident / Gas" all produced by MGM, as well as "Inflation" produced by UPA. These shorts mostly use limited animation and focus more on being informative than funny – the fully animated Snafu segments are clearly the highlight in these films that for the most part don't match the charm of the WB-produced cartoons.

    The Schlesinger studio also made uncredited animation for a United Artists live-action film.

    Sensations of 1945
    A scene with Cab Calloway and his band performing the song "Jive" is accompanied by an animated cat. As Calloway gives the definitions of words used by "hepsters", we see the cat dancing similarly to the singer and helping present the definitions (like turning a doghouse into a fiddle he plays). The animated sequence is fairly short (the cat only being animated in certain parts of the song), but it's lively, and the musical performance is great! Done by the Clampett unit, there's a brief appearance by a female cat previously seen in "Tin Pan Alley Cats".
    8.5

    Before WB took over the studio, Schlesinger had owned all the rights to the characters. The last production made for a distributor other than WB even featured Bugs Bunny! A short sequence was created for a Paramount-distributed Puppetoon short, with Robert McKimson (presumably under Clampett's direction) animating Bugs, the cel-animated bunny sharing the screen with George Pal's puppet characters.

    Jasper Goes Hunting
    Jasper and Scarecrow are hunting big game in a jungle and come across a hole in the ground. Who else pops out but Bugs Bunny! He soon realizes he's in the wrong picture and goes back into the hole. Despite lasting less than half a minute, it's definitely the best scene in the short (otherwise fairly average apart from the impressive stop-motion animation) – the combination of different animation styles is interesting, and it must have been quite a surprise to the audience back then (at least if they didn't read the opening credits)!
    9

    It was another good year for the three cartoon series – the Looney Tunes and the Merrie Melodies being great for the most part (despite a few weaker entries sneaking in), and Private Snafu enjoying a strong second year. Despite Schlesinger selling the studio, the changes won't be huge – apart from the animated sequences in live-action films becoming much rarer, as for some reason WB wouldn't utilize them like the other studios (that obviously wouldn't be entitled to the WB cartoon studio's services anymore) did. But there will be more new projects in 1945, right before the end of the war!
  4. Tacodidra
    With the war over, the studio's full focus is on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. And indeed, we get more shorts in the main series again.

    Book Revue
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Also known by its reissue title of "Book Review", completely ruining the pun! Books come to life in a store at night and the characters in them perform a jazzy tune. Things get really wild when Daffy pops out of a comic book, starting his own performance (impersonating Danny Kaye) and eventually getting chased by the Big Bad Wolf. As good as the likes of "Have You Got Any Castles" were, this one really gives the theme a new energy with Clampett's wild animation and comedy, and the addition of Daffy at his craziest. It might not have the strongest plot in the WB cartoons, but all the wackiness and sheer fun makes up for that – the "books come to life" theme would be retired in favor of more modern ideas, but the last one is certainly the best of them all.
    10
    Baseball Bugs
    Directed by I. Freleng
    In the baseball game between the Gas-House Gorillas and the Tea Totallers, the former is dominating against the home team's geriatric players. Bugs heckles the Gas-House Gorillas, saying he could beat them alone, and he ends up having to do just that! This was not Freleng's first cartoon about baseball, and in fact some of the gags are recycled from "Porky's Baseball Broadcast" (1940). But this is an even better cartoon than that one was, with the new gags being very funny, and the replacement of that cartoon's anonymous baseball players with the always entertaining Bugs Bunny works wonders! A truly great sports cartoon is just as enjoyable even if you're not that familiar with the sport depicted – and while I found some of the earlier ones like "Buddy's Bearcats" a bit hard to follow, this doesn't have any of those problems!
    10
    Holiday for Shoestrings
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A shoemaker is sick in bed, but thankfully a group of elves help him, making shoes for him. All of this happens to the tune of classical music. The timing of the animated action to the music is very good (which is not a surprise, since Freleng always handled this kind of cartoon well), and there are some amusing gags including the last one. But while this is an enjoyable one to watch, I prefer the earlier efforts "Rhapsody in Rivets" and "Pigs in a Polka" – I found those two funnier and even more impressive technically (especially the latter).
    8.5
    Quentin Quail
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Quentin Quail tries to catch a worm for her daughter Toots' supper. But various antics ensue, as Toots seems to be better at worm catching than her father, and a crow also gets in the act... A funny cartoon with the amusing pair of quails – the annoying daughter steals the show. She's responsible for the most memorable gags in the cartoon, including the ending!
    9
    Baby Bottleneck
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Due to the stork being overworked (or rather drunk!), mistakes have been made, with babies being delivered to wrong parents. Porky and Daffy operate a delivery service that attempts to solve the problems, but things end up going disastrously! More Clampett wildness with the usual crazy animation and gags, including cultural references and other randomness. The pure energy (especially from Daffy) makes this an especially entertaining entry!
    10
    Hare Remover
    Directed by Frank Tashlin (uncredited)
    Scientist Elmer tries to create a formula that turns whoever drinks it into a monster. As his experimental dog runs away, he decides to catch a rabbit as a replacement. Bugs plays along and gets trapped, and all kinds of chaos ensue, especially after a bear gets involved. The last WB cartoon directed by Tashlin, who would later become famous as a director of live-action features. I think this is a nice farewell effort from him – a lot of comedy, especially based on characters acting differently from usual, with great roles for both Bugs and Elmer (and the dog and the bear get to shine too).
    9.5
    Daffy Doodles
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Policeman Porky tries to catch Daffy who's painting mustaches on all the advertising signs and people in the city. This proves to be difficult, and many mustaches are painted on Porky, too! McKimson, an animator at the studio since the Harman-Ising days, was finally promoted to director, replacing Tashlin – he would become one of the studio's longest lasting directors. And I think this is the strongest directorial debut (at least if we only count the main series, as he had already made a Mr. Hook short) in the studio's history so far – simply fun, taking full advantage of Daffy's wackiness and the brilliant chemistry between him and Porky. The mustached ads are amusing, featuring many of the popular product mascots and actors of the day (even Bugs Bunny gets a mustache painted on him). The director's lack of experience doesn't show at all – there are no technical faults in the cartoon, and we even see some impressive camera angles. The music is also great, featuring the series classic "She Was an Acrobat's Daughter" (with yet another parodic set of lyrics) among others. A perfect start for McKimson!
    10
    Hollywood Canine Canteen
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    In a gathering of Hollywood stars' pets (who look and sound just like their owners), they decide to start a canine canteen. We see many of them performing music or engaging in other activities. With these kinds of cartoons (which we were much more common earlier in the series' run), there's always the question of how well they have stood the test of time. In this case, I'd say quite well – maybe seeing them in other cartoons may have helped too (and some of them are helpfully labeled on screen with their punny names), but I actually recognize many of the stars here! The fact that they're dogs also gives it a comedic aspect missing in some of the previous ones with the more typical human caricatures. The musical sequences are entertaining with wonderfully chosen tunes, the corny jokes are amusing, and all in all, it forms an interesting time capsule. One of the best Hollywood parody cartoons in the series.
    9
    Hush My Mouse
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The tough Eddie G. Robincat goes to Tuffy's Tavern for some mouse knuckles... and when he wants something, you'd better give it to him! Filligan tries to get some for him, but Sniffles keeps outwitting the dumb cat easily. The later Sniffles cartoons were very good, and this is no exception – the characters are all fun, especially the mouse himself, retaining his extreme talkativeness, but being portrayed as more cunning this time and even taking delight in the cats getting hurt (I'm even getting some Clampett Tweety vibes)! This was his last appearance – considering how strong his last few cartoons were, I wish Jones had kept the talkative mouse around a little longer. This is also the last Looney Tunes cartoon to use the Porky drum ending, introduced in 1937. The end of an era in a way!
    9

    Hair-Raising Hare
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Using a mechanical female rabbit as a decoy, a scientist lures Bugs to his castle. A giant red monster tries to eat Bugs for dinner! The monster, later known as Gossamer, only appeared in a couple of shorts in the classic era but would become a popular character later on. And he's indeed very funny on his debut, which is an excellent one in general. Bugs is very likable, getting some great lines in, his methods of beating the monster are imaginative – one of Chuck Jones' best so far.
    10
    Kitty Kornered
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    All the cats are put out at night, including Porky's. But his cats don't want to spend the night in the cold, and a fight ensues between them and their owner. It's pretty obvious by now that I love Clampett's cartoons, and this is one of his very best. The animation and gags represent his style at its wildest – another cartoon that just oozes energy! The cats, one of whom is Sylvester (with his usual voice but slightly different design, making his first appearance in a non-Freleng cartoon), are all funny with their distinct personalities. But that's not to say Porky fares any worse – he has one of his best performances so far, appearing in his typical straight man role but getting some amusing lines and moments himself. The action never lets up, making this short a captivating one from start to finish.
    10
    Hollywood Daffy
    Directed by Hawley Pratt (uncredited)
    Daffy goes to Hollywood, wanting to see some stars. He tries various disguises but all of his attempts fail to fool the security guard. Another amazing Daffy cartoon – great references to the stars of the day (including Daffy impersonating them), fun gags and the lead character at his best, with plenty of slapstick. This is especially impressive considering it was by an inexperienced director. This was Pratt's first, and for a long time, only directorial job for the studio – Freleng refused to work on the cartoon, as he hated its plot, and left his layout artist to do most of it. Quite frankly, I don't understand what his problem was!
    10
    Acrobatty Bunny
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Bugs is trying to sleep when the noise from the arrival of a circus wakes him up. He confronts the lion that was responsible for most of it, leading to a chase around the fairground. Another good Bugs cartoon – the bunny is once again charming with his nonchalance and clever ways to outwit his enemy. I also like the soundtrack, it fits the circus theme very well.
    9
    The Eager Beaver
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    We take a look at a group of beavers trying to build a dam. Eager Beaver wants to chop down a tree just like everyone else, but he ends up having various problems. A charming cartoon with cute character designs and entertaining gags. My favorite is the one where the beavers misunderstand the narrator saying they should dam a river.
    8.5

    The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Daffy accidentally knocks himself out while reading the latest Dick Tracy comic book. He then dreams about being detective Duck Twacy, trying to solve a crime wave of piggy bank robberies (even his own one has been stolen). Out of all the cartoons in the series, this is among the most beloved. For a reason – it's such an amazing entry, with Rod Scribner's lively animation (some of my favorite scenes in any WB cartoon!), memorable and imaginative villains, and various funny gags. There's of course the usual randomness you can expect in a Clampett cartoon, but it all makes sense in context (it's a dream after all!) and the story is an interesting one, adding some (comedic) suspense. Truly one of the studio's masterpieces.
    10
    Bacall to Arms
    Directed by Robert Clampett & Arthur Davis (both uncredited)
    A movie theater is showing the latest hit film "To Have – To Have – To Have (...)" starring Bogey Gocart and Laurie Bee Cool. A wolf is watching the movie and repeatedly sets his sights on attractive women, both ones in the theater and on the silver screen. This cartoon had a troubled production process – Clampett left the studio while making it, leaving his successor Art Davis to finish it, and then there are some obviously reused scenes from "She Was an Acrobat's Daughter" (a 1937 Freleng cartoon and a 1946 one from Clampett have very different styles). While messy, "Bacall to Arms" is an enjoyable mess – there's more interaction between the audience and the movie than in earlier similar shorts, the wolf's reactions are fun, and there are some other nice jokes too... Though I still feel that in a more ideal situation, this could have been even better!
    9
    Of Thee I Sting
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The four Clampett Porkys weren't the only black and white cartoons to get slightly modified color remakes (one of them is yet to come) – this one isn't based on a Looney Tune or Merrie Melody, but the Private Snafu short "Target Snafu" (by Frank Tashlin)! Mosquito soldiers take part in training on Anopheles Field, preparing for their air attack on a man (not Snafu this time, but an older man with a mustache) who's prepared to defend himself from them. More than two minutes of footage are directly reused, not to mention other scenes that are similar in content despite being newly animated. Besides the scenes with the different target, there are some other new ones like mosquitos being taught in ground school and taking a Limburger test to emulate the effects of bug spray, while other scenes like them being given an X-ray to check for malaria have been taken out. Some of the new gags, including the ending, are good – and I guess the reused footage was more understandable than usual here, as only soldiers would have seen the original anyway. An entertaining cartoon despite being highly derivative at times.
    8

    Walky Talky Hawky
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Henery Hawk is trying to catch his first chicken, but he has a big problem – he doesn't know what a chicken looks like. He meets a loud-mouthed rooster (later known as Foghorn Leghorn) who convinces him that the Barnyard Dawg, his sworn enemy, is a chicken. Chaos naturally ensues as the little chickenhawk tries to catch him. While this cartoon was intended to launch Henery as the new WB cartoon star (having been brought back after his debut in 1942's "The Squawkin' Hawk"), the audience ended up taking a liking to his foil Foghorn Leghorn instead – he would become one of the most popular characters in the series, often co-starring with the same characters as here. Once again, it's not hard to see why the audience liked the cartoon so much. The characters are all brilliant – Foghorn's distinctive personality is essentially fully developed here, and Henery is very endearing with his tough guy schtick which always appealed to me. The dog is an entertaining rival for Foghorn, though I think his character improved the most later on compared to the portrayal here (he gets very few lines, mostly just barking). All in all, an excellent first cartoon for the trio. The Academy also appreciated this short enough to give it an Oscar nomination, but Tom and Jerry won for the fourth time in a row with "The Cat Concerto" (which was involved in a controversy I'll get into soon).
    10
    Racketeer Rabbit
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs decides to spend the night in a deserted house. Gangsters Rocky and Hugo also use the same house as their hideout. After Bugs cons Rocky out of some money, the gangster starts interrogating him, but the rabbit wins the battle of wits once again. Yet another brilliant Bugs cartoon, and theme of him facing gangsters would be used many times later on. He's at his cleverest here, playing various roles (with Mel Blanc giving each of them a different voice) and constantly tricking the gangsters who are also entertaining characters (especially Rocky). A lot of puns and other fun – a definite standout!
    10
    Fair and Worm-er
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The ultimate chase cartoon! A worm tries to eat an apple, but gets chased away by a crow. The crow gets chased by a cat who in turn gets chased by a dog who gets chased by a dog catcher. They start helping each other out to make things better for themselves, and a few other characters also get into the act... Characters chasing each other is one of the most common themes in the WB cartoons, and the crew would sometimes come up with crazy variations on the theme. Storyman Michael Maltese (collaborating with Tedd Pierce here) in particular deserves credit for this – he had previously written the anti-chase cartoon "The Cat's Tale" for Freleng, and this wouldn't be his last one taking the concept to new levels. While the most famous of these cartoons would be even more interesting than this one, this is pure entertainment with the unexpected developments through the cartoon. The ending is the only part I found just a little underwhelming, but it's by no means enough to ruin the great six minutes before that!
    10
    The Big Snooze
    Directed by Robert Clampett (uncredited)
    Tired of how he's treated by Bugs in every cartoon, Elmer decides to tear up his Warner Bros. contract and go fishing instead. Bugs is horrified and decides to mess up Elmer's dreams to change his mind. The dream sequences in particular allow Clampett to make the cartoon as wild as possible, and it's a very fun one! This was the last short to feature any animation directed by him (though he had done preliminary work on some later cartoons like "The Goofy Gophers"). Maybe due to this, there are some strange cuts and missing voices in a couple of scenes (as well as a recycled scene from "All This and Rabbit Stew"), but these don't distract much from my enjoyment of this slightly surreal cartoon – a great last effort from WB's wackiest director! He would go on to create the popular TV puppet series "Time for Beany" among other things, but his WB cartoons are generally considered his best creations, deservedly.
    10
    The Mouse-merized Cat
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Babbit and Catstello make their third and last appearance (all of them by different directors!), and the second as mice. Babbit tries hypnotize Catstello to think he's a dog in order to scare the cat. But things don't go as well as he thought... While not quite as strong as the first two cartoons with the mice (the hypnosis sequences can be a bit repetitive at times), this one has a slightly more likable portrayal of the two mice and many funny gags, including some celebrity parodies (not just the obvious Abbott and Costello, but many others too) and great fourth wall breaking from Catstello, who is clearly the standout character once again. If you liked the first two Babbit and Catstello cartoons, you'll enjoy this one too!
    9
    Mouse Menace
    Directed by Arthur Davis
    After failing to get rid of a mouse both by himself and with the help of various real felines, Porky gets a robot cat to catch the rodent. The proper directorial debut of Davis who had previously finished at least one of Clampett's cartoons. It's another good showing by a new director – the pesky mouse's ingenious ways to beat the cats are fun to watch, giving us some imaginative gags along the way. Porky himself is largely in a side role here, but is a good fit for the part. With some fun animation, this is an enjoyable short even if not an absolute standout.
    8.5
    Rhapsody Rabbit
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs is a concert pianist, performing Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2", but an equally talented mouse attempts to steal the show and Bugs tries his best to stop him. Controversially, the Oscar-winning Tom and Jerry cartoon "The Cat Concerto", released a little later, was very similar in content to this one, both featuring an animal musician being annoyed by a mouse while trying to perform the same Liszt composition. It's hard to imagine this was a coincidence (and both cartoons were accused by the other's creators of being the copy), but in any case, I've always preferred "Rhapsody Rabbit". While it has the less fitting pairing of a rabbit and a mouse, it has the funnier gags and character animation, and can you really go wrong with Bugs Bunny? It's a shame this cartoon has been overshadowed by the whole debacle, as it's a very strong entry in itself.
    10

    Roughly Squeaking
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Hubie and Bertie are trying to snatch a block of cheese when a cat notices them. But Hubie manages to convince the cat that he's actually a lion (since lions are a member of the cat family, obviously it should be true the other way around too)! Furthermore, he tells him that the dog in the yard is a moose – lion food. A lot of confusion follows. Hubie and Bertie now have their mostly final designs, apart from Hubie still being brown and Bertie being gray rather than the other way around. The characters in this one are all funny, as are their interactions, and the cartoon in general is full of comedic moments and randomness. Jones has continued to show a lot of improvement as a director, and this hilarious entry is one of his best so far. It's one of the most unpredictable WB cartoons – you never know what to expect next from the silly characters.
    10

    Another very strong year! In fact, I consider this the best one yet, as the cartoons had a more consistent quality than in any previous year – all of the shorts are good ones, with many absolute masterpieces included. And of course there was also the introduction of another one of the series' big stars, Foghorn Leghorn. Clampett leaving is sad, as his cartoons (especially the recent ones) have been some of the studio's strongest – I'd go as far as to say I liked all of his directorial work to some extent, while most of the others have had at least some weak entries. And Tashlin leaving is likewise a great loss, as his last stint at the studio was excellent. But these farewells also brought us the directorial debuts of McKimson and Davis. The former has started excellently, and the latter's only solo effort so far was also enjoyable. This sets high expectations for 1947, which will be a historic year for the studio...
  5. Tacodidra

    1945: Something new has been added!

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    The production schedule is shrinking... For the first time since 1931 (and also the last time for a while), the number of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts falls below the 20-mark. But there will be some milestones in the series, and the additional commissioned shorts will again form a notable part of the studio's output...
     

    Odor-able Kitty
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A cat is unsatisfied with the way he gets treated. He comes up with a solution – with the help of paint and stinky foods, he disguises as a skunk. It works, since he no longer gets chased by dogs and can have all the meat he wants from the local butcher shop. But it all goes wrong when a real skunk mistakes him for a female skunk and falls for him. The first appearance of Pepé Le Pew (called Henry in this cartoon), who would become Jones' most popular introduction to date. The skunk pretty much has his final personality here, with his amusing French accent and strange way of hopping around. And in what would be a rather formulaic series, I think this is among the stronger entries – some great gags (including a surprise cameo!) and an especially great ending.
    9.5
    Herr Meets Hare
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs gets lost on the way to Las Vegas and ends up in the Black Forest where Hermann Göring is hunting. The bunny saves himself by taking up various costumes to fool the hunting Nazi. Another great wartime cartoon – Bugs shines in various roles, including Brunhilda (a role repeated later in a more famous cartoon). Bugs had already made a reference to Albuquerque two years earlier in "Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk", but this cartoon contains the first occurrence of the line "I knew I should've made a left turn at Albuquerque", used in many later Bugs cartoons. While this cartoon is rarely shown due to its subject matter, it's quite an influential entry, as well as one of the most memorable wartime shorts!
    10
    Draftee Daffy
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Daffy is cheering the latest U.S. military successes, but his patriotism disappears when he hears he's getting a letter from the Little Man from the Draft Board. Despite his best attempts, Daffy can't seem to get away from him. One of the wackiest cartoons we've seen so far – Daffy's portrayal may be at odds with that in his previous wartime shorts, but otherwise, he's the familiar crazy duck. The Little Man from the Draft Board is also an entertaining character with his understated personality and one-liners. Brilliant animation by Rod Scribner and the rest of the Clampett crew, fast-paced action and a surprising but funny ending. A nice goodbye to the WWII-themed cartoons, as we won't be getting any more in the main series (not counting some occasional gags).
    10
    The Unruly Hare
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Railroad worker Elmer Fudd takes a break in nature, but his plans to relax are ruined by Bugs who plays tricks on him. The rabbit starts doing more and more to annoy Elmer after he tries to shoot him. Another great cartoon with the various pranks from Bugs, really bringing Elmer to his wits' end. Tashlin's first Bugs cartoon shows he immediately got the character right (most directors seem to do great with him!) – while Bugs is less innocent than in some of his cartoons (he's the one to start annoying Elmer here), Elmer's attempts to shoot him make his actions much more justified than in "The Wacky Wabbit", for example.
    9.5
    Trap Happy Porky
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky is staying in a cabin but can't get any sleep due to two mice (Hubie and Bertie) making a lot of noise. A cat manages to get rid of the mice, but that doesn't end the noise problem... A fun cartoon based on repeated occurrences of the same problem with funny variations. The theme isn't a new one (Porky's sleep was previously disrupted in "Porky's Badtime Story", its remake "Tick Tock Tuckered", and "Notes to You"), but this is different enough to not feel too much like a remake. The ending is also a fitting one.
    8.5

    Life with Feathers
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After being thrown out by his wife, a lovebird decides to end it all. He tries to get eaten by a cat, but the cat immediately assumes the bird is poisoned and trying to kill him. The cat desperately tries to get away from the bird. Most notably, this is the first appearance of Sylvester – the cat didn't have a name yet and had a slightly blue tint to his fur, but the character is otherwise the one we know and love, with his familiar voice and catchphrase "Sufferin' succotash". Despite the dark theme, this is a great short with funny gags and a twist ending. The lovebird is quite a likable character, though Sylvester of course steals the show – not hard to see why he would become one of the most popular characters in the series! This cartoon also brought the studio an Oscar nomination, but the win went to yet another Tom and Jerry short, "Quiet Please!"
    10
    Behind the Meat-Ball
    Directed by Frank Tashlin (uncredited)
    Fido the dog is hungry and wants meat, not vegetables ("Bugs Bunny food"). After various meat mirages, he misses out on a real steak that fell out of a meat truck, as it gets snatched by a little dog. This eventually leads to a fight between three dogs for the steak. A fun cartoon with an entertaining trio of dog characters – sillier and more cartoony than the Curious Puppies shorts that were somewhat similar in idea. The end gag is my favorite part!
    9

    Hare Trigger
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs Bunny is traveling on a train when the notorious robber Yosemite Sam strikes. The tough little guy won't have it easy, though, with Bugs constantly outsmarting him. This is Sam's first appearance – the character immediately impresses with his short-fused personality and distinctive mannerisms, and has excellent chemistry with Bugs. The gags in this one are great, there's wordplay and even some use of live-action footage. The ending, while somewhat similar to the one in "My Favorite Duck", is still a funny and appropriately random one.
    10
    Ain't That Ducky
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A hunter is after Daffy, but an angry yellow duckling with a suitcase keeps getting involved in the action. The other two characters soon get interested in what's in the suitcase... In this short, everyone seems to be pitted against the others at some point (Daffy helping the duckling escape from the hunter, the duckling telling the hunter where Daffy is...) The duckling is amusing despite being slightly one-note, and then there's the eventual revelation of what the suitcase actually contains. A fun cartoon.
    8.5
    A Gruesome Twosome
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Two cats (one yellow, the other orange) are fighting for the company of an attractive female cat. She says she'll date the one that manages to bring her a bird. The two then fight over Tweety, before collaborating to catch him. This is another great short, building upon the ideas introduced in the first two Tweety cartoons. He still has his original design and personality (this time, a bee and a dog also get caught up in his violence towards the cats). The cat characters are also funny, especially the orange cat with his Jimmy Durante impersonation, and they engage in plenty of good old-fashioned cartoon violence. Wacky gags, including fourth wall breaks and clever jokes snuck past the censors, and the great lively animation often seen in Clampett's cartoons. The last short with the original version of Tweety is definitely worth a watch, just like the first two!
    10

    Tale of Two Mice
    Directed by Frank Tashlin (uncredited)
    Babbit and Catstello from "A Tale of Two Kitties" return, though they're now mice instead of cats! Babbit wants some cheese and forces Catstello to carry out various schemes to get it for him despite his fear of cats. But all these schemes end with Catstello (and sometimes Babbit too) in danger. The characters are amusing just like they were on their debut, maybe even more so this time (Tweety having stolen the show last time around). The loud and obnoxious Catstello is actually the more likable of the two, with Babbit being quite mean to him. The cartoon is a fun take on the traditional cat and mouse theme, with the ending being a particular highlight!
    9.5
    Wagon Heels
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A color remake of "Injun Trouble" from 1938. The story of how the United States took over Injun Joe's territory. Porky is on the lookout for him, soon encountering the secretive hillbilly Sloppy Moe (now finally given a name). Like I've said with the two earlier remakes, this is a cheap and quick way to make a cartoon. But unlike the first two (especially the underwhelming "Slightly Daffy"), I find "Wagon Heels" a vastly improved cartoon in comparison to the original one. Besides the refined animation and character designs, there are many new gags (like the classic "I'm only three and a half years old" line) and narrative elements added, some scenes have been rearranged, a new ending... Some scenes were also removed, though apart from maybe the surreal scene of Injun Joe eating a mountaintop like an ice cream dish, the scenes in question weren't particularly noteworthy. Add to this a new and improved soundtrack, and this becomes the cartoon the original should have been in the first place.
    9
    Hare Conditioned
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    At a department store, Bugs is part of a demonstration that will be replaced with a new show. He finds out he'll be moved to the taxidermy department – stuffed! He has to escape from the manager. Another entertaining one, with Bugs outwitting the manager in various ways. The cartoon gets better as it goes on, with another amusing ending.
    9
    Fresh Airedale
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A dog is man's best friend... or at least it seems so. Shep the dog eats his owner's roast, but the cat ends up getting the blame for it and is kicked out. And this is not the only time it happens – the dog is bribed by a burglar, but when the cat stops him, the dog's the one that takes credit for it. This keeps happening to the heroic cat and the villainous dog. A fascinating cartoon – an extremely bitter story about how good doesn't always win. Jones' recognizable visual style and expressions add to the characters' portrayal. The cat is very sympathetic, while the dog is among the most unpleasant characters in the whole series. There's also an experimental nightmare sequence with stylized animation. From what I've read, this is among the most divisive shorts in the series due to its subject matter – a short that some love and others absolutely despise. I'm in the former group, though I can't help but wonder what could have inspired the crew to make such a commentary on the unfairness of the world...
    10
    The Bashful Buzzard
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Once again, the mother buzzard sends her kids out to bring something for dinner. Killer (or Beaky) is again reluctant, and while the others bring home big animals, he struggles with his attempts to bring even a baby bumblebee. In concept, this is very similar to "Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid", just without Bugs. The first couple of minutes have essentially the same content as in that cartoon, but thankfully it diverges then, with some funny new gags, including one referencing a recent Disney film, and a line that got past the censors. Very entertaining despite its slight derivativeness!
    9.5
    Peck Up Your Troubles
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Sylvester is back, and this time he's after a woodpecker. However, the little bird keeps defeating the cat with both his ability to peck and his cleverness. While Sylvester had already appeared once, in some ways this feels more like his later cartoons than "Life with Feathers" did – he's trying to catch a bird living in a tree, the gags are short and fast-paced, and there is even a dog foiling his schemes in some of the scenes. One oddity is that Sylvester is mute (despite having had his familiar voice in his debut cartoon), which I find the only notable flaw of the cartoon (the usual voice being such a crucial part of his character). The woodpecker character is a likable one, and we even get an example of some entertaining cartoon logic. An early effort, but a very enjoyable one.
    9.5

    Hare Tonic
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Elmer buys a rabbit, planning to make rabbit stew. But Bugs decides to have some fun with the guy, managing to convince him that all the rabbits sold in the last three days are infected with the contagious disease rabbititus. Elmer desperately tries to get away from the supposedly contaminated rabbit and soon starts to experience the symptoms... One of Jones' best cartoons so far – comparing this to his first Bugs cartoon "Elmer's Pet Rabbit" (which similarly has Bugs staying in Elmer's house) shows how much his style has changed and improved. The gags are funny, the chemistry between the characters works really well, and especially Bugs gets to shine in his role. Symbolizing Bugs replacing Porky as the studio's big star (and also perfectly fitting the last gag of the cartoon!), he gets a Looney Tunes end title of his own, though this would only appear in two Bugs cartoons (the following year's "Baseball Bugs" being the second one) before the classic drum ending was retired.
    10
    Nasty Quacks
    Directed by Frank Tashlin (uncredited)
    A father gave her daughter Agnes a duckling, but the now grown-up Daffy has proven an absolute nuisance to him. He tries to get rid of the annoying duck, but Agnes objects to losing her funny pet. Not quite one of Daffy's or Tashlin's strongest, but enjoyable in any case – the wacky duck and the angry man have an entertaining rivalry, and the daughter is also a funny character representing the then common talkative character archetype. Another funny ending – probably my favorite gag in this one!
    8.5

    Five more Private Snafu shorts produced by the studio were released in the Army–Navy Screen Magazine this year. Directors were once again uncredited.

    In the Aleutians – Isles of Enchantment
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A spot gag cartoon about the U.S. island bases on the Aleutian Islands, the wildly changing weather conditions and how soldiers cope with them (the running gag featuring Snafu constantly changing his clothes to more weather-appropriate ones). This has some good gags featuring the soldiers, but it's not one of the strongest in the series (and it's another one where Snafu himself doesn't appear much).
    7.5
    It's Murder She Says...
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Malaria mosquito Anopheles Annie tells the story of her golden days and how they came to an end when the military started to combat malaria. But fortunately for her and her fellow mosquitos, there are still some soldiers like Snafu! I can sense the writers were starting to run out of ideas for Snafu himself, as this is yet another short where he plays a fairly small role. The mosquito and her story are interesting, though – a nice way to promote the importance of fighting malaria.
    8
    Hot Spot
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The devil himself hosts a spot gag cartoon about how lend-lease products are delivered to Russia through Iran, despite the scorching heat (too hot even for the devil). Snafu is one of the hard-working soldiers involved, with some of the typical misfortune befalling him. Another average but enjoyable entry, and (surprise!) yet another one where Snafu himself doesn't appear much. Some entertaining cartoon physics here (even a train going through a painting of a tunnel – a variation of which would be a later Chuck Jones favorite!), though of course Snafu fares worse with them than the other soldiers.
    8
    No Buddy Atoll
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu and a soldier from the Japanese navy end up on a desert island together. The latter is armed with a sword, but Snafu manages to outwit him despite his inferior weapons. This late entry takes a new approach to the Snafu series – the soldier is no longer the incompetent, hapless one from the previous shorts, but actually clever enough to survive a dangerous situation (and it's not a dream like in some of the earlier shorts). The Japanese soldier's portrayal is predictably stereotypical, though thankfully not quite as bad as in the most offensive cartoons of the era. This is among the most Looney Tunes-esque shorts of the Snafu series with its chase sequences and comedic action.
    8.5
    Operation Snafu
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The last released Private Snafu cartoon produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons. In this mostly dialogue-free cartoon, Snafu is in Japan, trying to steal their war plans. He fools the soldiers by dressing as a geisha. As with the previous entry, this is very much in the Looney Tunes spirit and features a more competent Snafu. It's an entertaining one with its mostly pantomime approach and some daring scenes, though I feel the opening scene with the Japanese soldiers carrying the files around is a little too long and repetitive.
    8

    A further Snafu short called "Secrets of the Caribbean", directed by Chuck Jones, was also made but never released due to the end of the war. No copies of it are known to exist today.

    A few shorts featuring Snafu were also made this year by other studios. The soldier appeared in the "A Few Quick Facts" entries "About Fear" produced by UPA, as well as "GI Bill of Rights" and "Voting for Service Men Overseas" by Disney. Like the non-WB Snafu cartoons last year, these were informative shorts with limited animation and little comedic content. But the actual Private Snafu series was now also worked on by other studios in addition to WB. The last released cartoon featuring the character was "Seaman Tarfu in the Navy", produced by Harman-Ising and released in early 1946. This short was closer to the comedy of the WB shorts (especially in the end gag!) despite the slightly weaker animation and focusing on Snafu's brother rather than the usual main character. A short called "Mop Up" by MGM was also in production but never finished.

    Warner Bros. Cartoons also started producing shorts featuring the character Mr. Hook for the U.S. Navy. The character was created by Hank Ketcham, who would later create the famous comic strip Dennis the Menace. Hook had made his animated debut in a 1943 color short by Walter Lantz Productions, "Take Heed Mr. Tojo", where retired seaman J.M. Hook told the story of how he defeated a Japanese jet pilot using war bonds. The WB shorts, likewise promoting war bonds, were in black and white and shorter (just three to four minutes in duration) but with higher-quality animation. Just like in the army cartoons, the directors weren't credited in the films.
     

    The Return of Mr. Hook
    Directed by Robert McKimson
    Hook buys war bonds, but his buddies in the navy make fun of him for it. He then tells them about his post-war plans, making an impression on all the other sailors. While primarily a war bond ad (even featuring the song "Any Bonds Today?", previously sung by Bugs Bunny) with more of a PSA feel to it than the Snafu cartoons, there are enough funny little gags to make this an entertaining watch. For the smart character in the short, Hook is portrayed as surprisingly goofy. This was actually McKimson's first directorial work before any of his Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
    8.5
    The Good Egg
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Not to be confused with the 1939 Merrie Melody (also directed by Jones) featuring chickens and a turtle! The traditional conscience fight, as a devil tries to convince Hook to spend his money on a good time instead of war bonds, while an angel tells him bonds are a good purchase. The latter demonstrates this with a literal nest egg. Nothing groundbreaking but I think this is a charming way to present the message. Jones' recognizable style adds to the appeal.
    8
    Tokyo Woes
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Japanese radio propagandist Tokyo Rose tries to convince Americans that war bonds are worthless. But Hook doesn't fall for it! A more comedic cartoon than the previous Hook ones, but with badly dated stereotypes also thrown in. The wild animation doesn't completely make up for the more annoying aspects of this short (I don't really like the characters here, especially the stereotypical ones). I like that they attempted to include more humorous content this time, but some of it unfortunately falls flat.
    7.5

    A training cartoon series called "Grampaw Pettibone's Gripes" was also produced for the U.S. Navy. While at least two shorts ("Join-Up Collisions" and "Fuel Tank Selection") were made by UPA, only one is known to have been made by the WB cartoon studio, likely with Frank Tashlin directing. The lead character was designed by Robert C. Osborn, and kept appearing in Naval Aviation News columns until the 1990s.

    Dive Bombing Crashes
    There has been an increase in fatal crashes in dive bombing practice, due to pilots not paying enough attention to their altimeter. Grampaw Pettibone, a veteran, tells the audience what they should remember in order to avoid these crashes. While I don't think this has the entertainment value of the Private Snafu or even the Mr. Hook shorts, it's slightly more captivating than UPA's takes on the same character. A couple of short gags, with stylized animation for the crash sequences (in this regard looking similar to the UPA shorts). Fairly effective from an informative point of view, but today, it's pretty much just a curiosity.
    7.5

    While the later Snafu shorts showed a slight decline compared to the earlier ones, the main series retained a very high quality once again. Despite having fewer shorts than in the previous years, this was an unusually important year for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, introducing three characters that would all become very popular. With the wartime cartoons now out of the way, one could say the WB cartoons are about to reach their definitive era...
  6. Tacodidra
    Another year, more cartoons! In what's probably one of the most controversial years of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, we get even more war-themed shorts, and something all new from the Schlesinger studio!
     
    Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Part of the Censored 11, withdrawn from TV distribution in the 60s. A mother tells her child a story parodying Snow White. The mean old queen asks her magic mirror to send her a prince – but Prince Chawmin' is interested in the attractive So White instead. The angry queen tries to have her taken out, and a poisoned apple does its job. Will the prince's kiss revive So White? From what I've seen of the Censored 11, most of them are rather average (or sometimes below average) in quality – I doubt there would be much interest in them without all the controversy. And then there's "Coal Black", a fixture on lists of greatest cartoons. Fairytale parodies have always been one of the WB crew's fortes, and here that's combined with Clampett's wild, fast-paced style. The animation is amazing, there's a great jazzy soundtrack, many funny lines... The cartoon was arguably even ahead of its time in some regards – while it wasn't the first WB cartoon with a black cast of characters, in this case most of the voices were also performed by black actors (Vivian Dandridge being especially brilliant as the lead character). Sadly, it's not free from the stereotypes of the time: some of the character designs are quite unfortunate, and a couple of (thankfully brief) gags would have been better left out. But despite these flaws, Clampett always claimed good intentions behind making this cartoon, and that's probably a big reason why it manages to be such a great cartoon despite some undeniably offensive material.
    10
    Confusions of a Nutzy Spy
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Constable Porky and his constantly sneezing bloodhound companion Eggbert search for the Nazi saboteur Missing Lynx. The sly lynx tries his best to outwit the duo who have to stop him from blowing up a train. Some parts of this cartoon remind me slightly of the 1936 classic "The Blow Out", both of them involving Porky (albeit in very different roles) and a mad bomber. While this might not stand out among its contemporaries as much as that short did, it's a fun and fast-paced cartoon with an amusing cast of characters and some rather surprising gags.
    9.5

    Pigs in a Polka
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The story of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs (the wolf himself hosting and naturally emphasizing the former) is told to the tune of Brahms' Hungarian Dances. The cartoon action is timed to the music – Freleng had done this before in 1941's "Rhapsody in Rivets", but I find this cartoon even better, as the characters and gags are funnier. The result is a masterpiece, and much of it is thanks to Freleng's impeccable timing. While it's a very nostalgic film for me (it may in fact have been one of the very first cartoons I ever saw!), that aspect is something I find myself admiring a lot more now. The short got some accolades at the time – the studio got an Oscar nomination (for some reason for the year 1942) for it, but lost to Disney's topical Donald Duck short "Der Fuehrer's Face" – not an injustice at the level of "A Wild Hare" being beaten by "The Milky Way", but I'd definitely have gone for this one myself. And speaking of Disney, as much of an animation milestone as their 1933 version of "Three Little Pigs" is, "Pigs in a Polka" is the definitive version in my book.
    10
    Tortoise Wins by a Hare
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    After watching a newsreel of Cecil Turtle beating him in their race, Bugs challenges him to another one. Wanting to learn Cecil's secret to winning, Bugs (in an unconvincing disguise) is told by him that the streamlined design of the turtle is the reason the rabbit always loses. Bugs uses a self-made turtle shell and swimming cap to what should be great success, but a group of gangster rabbits has decided to make the turtle lose at all costs... "Tortoise Beats Hare" was one of the biggest highlights in the early Bugs Bunny cartoons, and for a sequel, Clampett was the perfect successor to Avery, being the closest in style of all the remaining directors. The personalities and character chemistry from the original remain, though the approach is different at times – instead of blatant cheating, the two racers mostly use their wits, and outside forces affect the outcome of the race. Definitely a worthy follow-up!
    10
    To Duck... or Not to Duck
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    After Elmer (accompanied by his trusty dog Laramore) manages to shoot Daffy down from the sky, the duck accuses him of poor sportsmanship and challenges him to a real one-on-one fight. The two have a boxing match, but Daffy and a fellow duck as the referee don't really play by all the rules... The first cartoon to star both Daffy and Elmer, a duo that would be featured quite a few times later in the series. And it's a very entertaining one with several funny gags, and both of the main characters (as well as the co-stars) being great in their roles, especially Daffy. Out of the boxing-themed cartoons, which we've already seen a few of (if this even counts as one, as it isn't played straight at all), this is among the best.
    9.5
    The Fifth-Column Mouse
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Mice have fun in the kitchen until the cat shows up. However, the cat convinces a gray mouse that he won't hurt the mice if they sign a truce. The mouse manages to get all the brown mice on his side, but can the cat be trusted? This is an unusually musical cartoon for 1943, as the mice are heard singing multiple songs (including WB cartoon classics "Ain't We Got Fun", "Blues in the Night" and "We Did It Before"). Typically for the time, the film isn't just a story about a cat and mice, but a WWII allegory (with some really obvious wartime references), showing how appeasement can go wrong. At the same time, it manages to be an entertaining cartoon. While the song sequences would sometimes drag down earlier WB cartoons (especially when they had to be placed in almost every cartoon), I really like the ones in this cartoon, especially the "We Did It Before" sequence with the mice marching along. Another good entry in what has so far been an amazing year for WB cartoons!
    9
    Flop Goes the Weasel
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A mother hen's egg is about to hatch, so she goes out to get a worm for the chick. But while she's gone, a weasel snatches the egg. It soon hatches, and the chick thinks the weasel is his mother. The weasel tries to eat him, but the extremely talkative chick ends up giving him a lot of trouble when they play hide and seek and other games. The characters are pretty obvious black stereotypes (in bird form), though thankfully more tasteful than in the earlier "The Early Worm Gets the Bird". The story seems fairly derivative of Avery's "The Sneezing Weasel" (sneezing included), but it's a decently entertaining though rather average short.
    8
    Hop and Go
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Kangaroo Claude Hopper claims he's the best hopper in the whole world. Two Scottish rabbits see him and decide to take him down a peg. They proceed to make a fool of him in various ways. While by no means an all-time classic, the short is a fun one. The lead character is a likable one in his charming goofiness, and the rabbits are a good foil for him. The ending dates this cartoon a bit (almost every cartoon this year has at least some war references).
    8.5
    Super-Rabbit
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    In this Superman parody, we hear the story of how Bugs became the Rabbit of Tomorrow after a scientist gave him a super carrot. He flies to Deepinaharta, Texas to stop Cottontail Smith, a rabbit hater who's planning to shoot all the rabbits. While Superman was parodied multiple times in the WB cartoons, sometimes even more funnily, this first full short dedicated to the theme is already a good one. The most significant aspects of the original are spoofed here, including Clark Kent as a "mild-mannered forest creature". Cottontail Smith isn't as funny as some of the other parodic villains in the WB cartoons, though he fares decently in his role. There are some classic moments, though, especially Bugs leading the villain and his horse in a cheerleading chant. The ending is a surprising one, but fitting for the time.
    9
    The Unbearable Bear
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A burglar fox breaks into a bear couple's house. He meets Sniffles, managing to convince the extremely talkative mouse that he's Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. The mouse's noisiness proves a big challenge to his attempts. Things get even messier when the policeman bear comes home, trying to stop the burglar, but also not wanting his wife to wake up and find out he's been drinking again. This film really emphasizes how much Jones' cartoons have changed in style. This is much more comedic than the cutesy earlier Sniffles shorts. The character himself has also changed a lot, becoming even more talkative than before (resembling his former co-star Batty in this regard) and unknowingly annoying the other characters with this. This new version of the character is much funnier than the previous one, and the rest of the cartoon is also great with all the wacky events, gags and characters. The adorable (or adorably annoying?) mouse's best appearance to date!
    9.5
    The Wise Quacking Duck
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Mr. Meek has to roast a duck for his wife, and Daffy's the unlucky one. He keeps outwitting and annoying the guy over and over with his usual wackiness. The craziest portrayal of Daffy we've seen in a while (and that's saying a lot!) – we see many wild scenes with him, including a very memorable one with him undressing. The humor in this short is indeed pretty risqué in a couple of parts. The only flaw I found here is the ending, which I think is a bit sudden and underwhelming.
    9.5

    Greetings Bait
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The Wacky Worm makes his second appearance, with a fisherman using him as bait. The worm lures various fish until meeting a crab that ends up chasing him. Nominated for an Oscar, but the Tom and Jerry cartoon "The Yankee Doodle Mouse" took the award. I find the nomination a bit surprising, as while this is an entertaining short (mainly thanks to the worm character), the studio released many even better cartoons this year. Still a worthy sendoff to a funny but short-lived character, with some interesting visuals (including a scene of the crab looking at the worm from two directions, from the crab's own point of view).
    8.5
    Tokio Jokio
    Directed by Cpl. Norman McCabe
    A narrator claims this is a public showing of a film captured from the Japanese, showing a propaganda newsreel. We see various gags about Japanese defense efforts, but also ones about fashion and sports, for example. In case this description didn't already make it clear, the cartoon that claims to present "a typical example of vicious Japanazi propaganda" is ironically a vicious propaganda film in itself! It's often considered one of the most offensive shorts in the entire series, and it's hard to disagree with this – unflattering stereotypical designs and voices are seen and heard throughout. While this is not really surprising in a wartime short, another big flaw is that very few of the gags are funny in any way (the last gag with a literal minesweeper is the most amusing one). The animation is well done as usual, but besides that, there's not much to praise here. A pitiful last directorial effort by the otherwise impressive McCabe, who was drafted and would work on army films after this – this was reflected in the credits listing his military rank. He would never direct another Warner Bros. cartoon, but returned to work on the Looney Tunes as an animator in the 60s, doing his last work for WB in the mid-90s!
    4
    Yankee Doodle Daffy
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Porky, president of Smeller Productions, is on his way to an important appointment when actors agent Daffy shows up, representing a kid duck called Sleepy Lagoon. He wants Porky to give the kid a chance, but Daffy being Daffy, he instead performs examples of the kid's repertoire himself to Porky's annoyance. A hilarious cartoon with Daffy being his lovably annoying self – another masterful combination of comedy and music by Freleng.
    10
    Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs has climbed the beanstalk to Giantland after hearing about the giant carrots there. However, a giant notices him cutting the carrots in his victory garden and is angry. After the two duel at Bugs' suggestion, the giant manages to trap Bugs. Can the bunny escape? This cartoon has several funny gags, with Bugs as likable as always, and despite his lack of intelligence, the giant's size makes him an unusually tough enemy for Bugs.
    8.5

    The Aristo-cat
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A pampered cat is left alone and starving when his servant Meadows decides he's had enough of his behavior and quits. He then has to consult a book about how cats usually behave and finds out that cats usually eat mice. But he's so sheltered that he doesn't even know what a mouse looks like, and two mice convince him the dog in the yard is a mouse! This is the first appearance of another new introduction by Jones: Hubie and Bertie. The two sly mice already have their later personalities and familiar quotes ("Hey Boit!", "Yeah yeah, sure sure"), though the still unnamed Hubie is colored brown and Bertie gray here (the colors would be switched later). While some of the later cartoons with the mice would be even better (and have a more interesting foil for them), this is a very good debut. And yet again, the stylized, abstract backgrounds (even stranger than in the last few Jones cartoons) caught my eye!
    9
    Wackiki Wabbit
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Two hungry castaways end up on a Hawaiian island. They find food there: Bugs Bunny! But their plans to have roast rabbit don't work out with Bugs playing tricks on them. Another enjoyable entry in the Bugs series. Bugs himself is brilliant once again, of course, and the two men (caricatures of and voiced by writers Tedd Pierce and Michael Maltese) are also entertaining characters. There's also a memorable gag involving subtitled Hawaiian and English speech with a nice fourth wall break.
    9
    Tin Pan Alley Cats
    Directed by Bob Clampett
    Another Censored 11 cartoon. A cat (a caricature of Fats Waller) is warned by a preacher for Uncle Tomcat's Mission not to go to the Kit Kat Klub where he'll be tempted by "wine, women and song". But this sounds good to the cat. During a jazz performance, he literally gets sent out of this world. In style, this is rather similar to "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs" – a Clampett tribute to jazz music, although with some questionable stereotypes. The soundtrack (with some gospel music mixed in too) is amazing indeed, some scenes are appealingly surreal, and the animation is very wild. But in addition to the controversial aspects, there are a couple of parts of the cartoon that feel rather lazy. The Wackyland sequences from "Porky in Wackyland" are reused with few alterations besides being in color now, and the plot isn't completely new either (compare it with the earlier but inferior and more offensive "Goin' to Heaven on a Mule" and "Sunday Go to Meetin' Time"). Despite the strong parts of this cartoon, these flaws prevent what is an enjoyable film from being a great one.
    8.5
    Porky Pig's Feat
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky and Daffy have been staying in Broken Arms Hotel. They're not allowed to leave before they pay the bill, and Daffy's attempts to get the money by gambling go wrong. The duo try various wacky methods to leave, but the hotel manager keeps stopping them. This was Tashlin's first cartoon for the studio since 1938, as he replaced Norm McCabe in his directorial unit. And what a cartoon it is! Every single gag is hilarious, the characters (especially Daffy) are in top form, the animation is excellent... I'd say this is better than anything Tashlin did in his previous Schlesinger stint, and one of the very best cartoons the whole studio has made so far!
    10
    Scrap Happy Daffy
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Daffy owns a scrap pile, contributing to the American defense effort by gathering up scrap metal and other junk. When Hitler finds out about this, the Nazis send a goat to eat all the scrap. Daffy fights the pest, struggling, but "Americans don't give up". Another fun propaganda short – Daffy is wacky even when he's working for the good of his country, and he gives an entertaining performance of the song "We're In to Win" (why are all these wartime songs so catchy?). Even the patriotic message is presented in a slightly comedic way, parodying a couple of popular heroes of the time.
    9.5
    Hiss and Make Up
    Directed by I. Freleng
    An old lady has had enough of Roscoe the dog and Wellington the cat constantly fighting. If she catches either of them giving her any more trouble, she'll throw the guilty pet out in the snow. The two start framing each other for various things repeatedly. In plot, this is somewhat similar to "The Cagey Canary" (there's a canary in this short too, playing quite a significant role). But even if the concept isn't all new, it manages to be a funny short with the endless fighting between the two sworn enemies... though the canary might in fact be my favorite character in this one!
    9
    A Corny Concerto
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    At the Corny-gie Hall, Elmer Fudd (who's struggling with his shirt) hosts a concert with the music of Johann Strauss in a parody of Disney's "Fantasia". "Tales from the Vienna Woods" is accompanied by a scene with Porky and his dog hunting Bugs, and "Blue Danube" gets a visual with a little black duckling (Daffy as a kid?) wanting to swim with a family of swans but getting rejected and a vulture snatching the little swans. The combination of music and comedy has worked well in the cartoons lately, and this one is no exception. The first segment (which is the first one to feature Porky chasing Bugs since the latter's prototype version's debut) is the funnier one, while the second has stronger synchronization of the visuals and the audio. Both of them are very enjoyable, showing how entertaining the WB characters are even without any dialogue!
    10
    Fin 'n' Catty
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A goldfish (G. Fish) is chased by a cat. But the problem is that the cat can't stand water. We see him trying to catch the fish and stay dry. A funny cartoon, once again played in pantomime, with a documentary-esque narrator. The characters are expressive and watching them outsmart each other is amusing. There's also a twist ending!
    9
    Falling Hare
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Bugs is at the airport, reading a book on how gremlins wreck planes. One soon appears and almost convinces Bugs to hit a blockbuster bomb. After a chase, the two end up on a plane where the gremlin keeps tormenting Bugs. Here Bugs faces an enemy who gives him much more trouble than anyone before. The animation and character action is really wild, even by Clampett standards. The music compliments it all perfectly. My favorite scene is the plane falling, thanks to the characters' reactions – the constrast between the hysterical Bugs and the nonchalant gremlin with his yo-yo is priceless. Another Clampett masterpiece!
    10
    Inki and the Minah Bird
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The third Inki cartoon is pretty similar in theme to the first two – he's hunting small animals, but when he tries to catch the Minah Bird, he accidentally catches a lion. The lion ends up chasing both of the titular characters around. Despite the differences between the three cartoons so far being quite minor, I think this is the best of them – the lion has more personality, the pacing is faster and there are more gags. The Minah Bird steals the show as always, of course.
    8.5
    Daffy – the Commando
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Nazi officer Von Vultur is in trouble – if one more commando gets through, he'll get fired! Almost immediately, Daffy Duck makes a landing, and Von Limburger (as Daffy calls him) tries his best to stop him, while the unlucky assistant Schulz gets seemingly endless mallet strikes on his helmet. I've praised the WWII shorts (well, most of them!) many times, and this is one of my favorites. The wacky Daffy is a brilliant foil for Von Vultur, really shining in his role. Plenty of funny moments, the running gag with Schulz just avoiding being run to the ground, and probably the most memorable ending of any war cartoon!
    10
    An Itch in Time
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A. Flea is looking for food when he spots Elmer's pet dog ("T-bone!"). Elmer tells the dog he'll have to take a bath if he scratches himself, which he tries his best to avoid while in terrible pain. All kinds of wacky antics ensue. The WB crew once again show their talent – an eight-minute cartoon about a dog having fleas and trying not to scratch might sound weird, but it works well! The short is a very entertaining one with amazing character animation and great gags. Oh, and then there's A. Flea's ridiculously catchy theme song "Food Around the Corner", which has later found fans ranging from Clampett's wife Sody (before they had even met) to Green Day!
    10

    Puss n' Booty
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Rudolph the cat's owner has lost five canaries this month (and Rudolph is hiding the fact that he ate Dickie Bird, and presumably the others too). She decides to get another new canary, and Rudolph is immediately after the bird. But Petey the canary proves a bigger challenge for the cat. WB's second cat and canary cartoon is a very entertaining one, with great gags and some beautiful visuals especially in the night scenes. Some of the scenes with Petey even remind me slightly of Clampett's Tweety. And that ending is truly something! This was the very last Looney Tunes cartoon made in black and white. The Looney Tunes and the Merrie Melodies will now essentially be indistinguishable (next year will also see the end of certain characters being restricted to only one of the series), the only significant difference being the theme music.
    9.5
     
    The number of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts released in 1943 was significantly smaller than in the previous few years. This was most likely influenced by the start of the Blue Ribbon reissue program, reducing the need for new shorts in the two series, but also the various additional cartoons the studio was commissioned to do.

    The most notable of these was the Private Snafu series of cartoons for the Army–Navy Screen Magazine. A creation of film director Frank Capra, Snafu ("Situation Normal: All Fouled Up") gave his fellow soldiers advice in a humorous way, by showing them what not to do. Due to their audience, the cartoons had some content that wouldn't have been allowed in generally released films back then, such as mild swearing. The first eight entries in the series (which were usually around four minutes long) were released this year. No on-screen credits are included in the shorts themselves, but the directors are known. These shorts often have rhyming dialogue, and indeed, many of them were written by Dr. Seuss, who was working for the army at the time.
     

    Coming!! Snafu
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    An introduction to the character of Snafu. The incompetent soldier (with an eye for women) is shown failing at packing his equipment and being distracted while moving a plane. This also serves as a trailer for the series, as there's a listing of upcoming cartoons at the end. An entertaining start despite being very short (with some rather daring content included!), definitely making me look forward to what's in store.
    8.5
    Gripes
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Snafu thinks the army isn't fun enough – too much potato peeling, cleaning and getting vaccinated. But then Technical Fairy First Class (a recurring character in the series) pops up, making Snafu's wish come true – he's now promoted and gets to do everything his way. The soldiers rejoice, until the Germans attack... This is a great short – the characters have a lot of personality, and it manages to have a moral and be a lot of fun at the same time. The dialogue is entirely written in rhyme (which adds to the entertainment value) – obviously this was one of the Seuss-written shorts.
    9.5
    Spies
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu has a military secret – he's going to Africa on a ship. But the enemy is always listening. A drunken Snafu falls for a Nazi spy who manages to get all the important details, which has disastrous consequences for the bumbling soldier. Another great short with the rhyming dialogue and an entertaining way to teach the soldiers the importance of keeping a secret. Even stronger than the previous short.
    9.5
    The Goldbrick
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    It's raining, and Snafu doesn't want to take part in the drill. Goldie the Goldbrick (who looks quite similar to Technical Fairy First Class) appears, suggesting Snafu to come up with ways to avoid any work in the army, for example by faking illness. But predictably, it eventually backfires on him. The idea of the short is good once again, and it's well made with a song about "goldbricking". Not as good as the previous shorts, though, and the ending is quite similar in idea to the one in "Spies" but not as funny.
    8
    The Infantry Blues
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Snafu is in the infantry and thinks he'd have it better in the other military branches. Technical Fairy First Class grants him his wish, but the tank corps, the navy and the air corps all prove to be very challenging. A nice short, though not a spectacular one – unusually, things end quite well for our hero.
    8
    Fighting Tools
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    The Daily Sentinel hypes that U.S. fighting tools are "unbeatable if given the proper care". When Snafu meets a Nazi soldier and has to fight him, he finds out the importance of the "if". With the chase sequences, this might be the closest to the typical Looney Tune out of the Snafu shorts so far. Clampett's wild pacing is here, as is another use of the Katharine Hepburn impersonation (this time by a duck)! One of the strongest Snafus.
    9
    The Home Front
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    It's cold, and Snafu is complaining about how easy the people at home have it. Technical Fairy First Class makes a magic TV appear, showing that Snafu's parents, grandpa and his girlfriend Sally Lou are all working hard to help with the defense effort. In addition to the nice theme of the short, there are many funny gags (including the usual cultural references) in this one.
    9
    Rumors
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After a fellow soldier makes an offhand remark about it being "nice weather for a bombing", Snafu tells a third soldier that they're in for a bombing. Rumors start spreading around the camp, as soldiers keep telling each other their misinterpretations. Soon the rumors manifest themselves as strange creatures flying around, telling even more lies and chasing Snafu. Another important lesson told in a humorous and even surreal way. One of Freleng's strangest cartoons, and the weirdest so far in the Snafu series!
    9

    The Schlesinger studio also made a rationing-themed short for the U.S. government. The short was directed by Chuck Jones, though he wasn't credited.

    Point Rationing of Foods
    An unusual WB cartoon in that it's entirely informative rather than entertaining. The six-minute short goes through the subject in detail, explaining both the reasons for rationing food products and how the point rationing system works. For the most part, the short uses still drawings or very simple animation, though there are some nice fully animated sequences where Jones' style can be seen quite clearly. It's quite hard to evaluate a short like this eighty years later, as it's not something you'd watch for entertainment, it's essentially only interesting today for historical reasons. But it does a good job explaining the concept in a way anyone can understand, and I'm sure most people would have preferred watching this to reading a boring brochure about the subject!
    7.5

    And that's still not all, folks – the studio (with Freleng directing without credit) also made animated sequences for a live-action film made by Andrew Stone Productions.

    Hi Diddle Diddle
    At the start of the film, two lovebirds are seen cuddling until one of them flies off with another bird. At the end, the characters on a singer's wallpaper (her inspiration Wagner, his family and their dogs) are annoyed with the film characters' awful singing and all leave. Compared to the quality the studio was producing at this point, this clip isn't that spectacular. The reactions are somewhat amusing, and I like the combination of animation and live-action (parts of the wallpaper sequence being shown behind the actors), though.
    7

    1943 was an interesting year with the increased focus on war-themed cartoons, not only in the commissioned shorts but even the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies themselves. For the most part, these efforts ranged from good to amazing, even if there were occasional misses like the woeful "Tokio Jokio". The cartoons not related to the war were also strong ones, especially the Bugs cartoons, and the pre-Bugs characters like Porky and even Sniffles got to appear in great, energetic shorts. The Private Snafu series is also off to a good start, and all of this will continue in 1944.
  7. Tacodidra

    1933: An end and a new beginning

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    We enter the last year of the Harman-Ising cartoons, followed by the start of a new era for Warner Bros. cartoons. Again, the Bosko cartoons are usually by Hugh Harman, the others mostly by Rudolf Ising, but one of the studio's top animators starts to play a more significant role...
     
    The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives
    An orphan kid is wandering in the snow at Christmas until he meets Santa who takes him to his shanty. There we see musical scenes involving toys. This short reminds me of "Red-Headed Baby" (some scenes are even reused from that one). A cute one, most enjoyable if watched at Christmas, I'm sure.
    7.5
    Bosko in Dutch
    Bosko and others skate to music, then he sings "It's Tulip Time in Holland" with Honey. He also has to save two kittens (who both look like Wilbur) from drowning. Friz Freleng claimed this was the first short he co-directed – but to me, it's closer to Harman's earlier Boskos in style than Freleng's later masterpieces. However, there's a clever visual gag when the kittens scream for help – maybe this was one of his contributions to the short?
    7.5
    One Step Ahead of My Shadow
    Various gags in a Chinese setting, including some with distinctly American themes (contemporary radio shows, jazz music). Again, the music makes way for the villain of the short, this time fittingly a dragon chasing a boy and a girl. I think this is one of the weakest Harman-Ising shorts – not very funny for the most part, and the stereotypes date it badly... But then there's the scene with the dragon where we see possibly the wildest and cartooniest animation so far. If only the rest of the cartoon had been something like that...
    6.5
    Bosko in Person
    This short is all about Bosko and Honey performing in front of an audience. They sing, dance, do impressions... For once, the musical aspect makes complete sense. The quick switches between the acts make it a very fast-paced cartoon, and you're constantly looking forward to seeing what our heroes do next. The most fun I've had with Bosko! Another short claimed to be at least partially Freleng's, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the case.
    9
    Young and Healthy
    King Louis isn't interested in the upcoming ball, he'd rather be free. Thankfully playing with the kids in the yard cheers him up. A pretty typical cartoon of the day, but a nice enough watch in any case.
    7.5

    Bosko the Speed King
    A racing cartoon – something that immediately piqued my interest! This reminds me at times of "Ups 'n Downs", but now with cars instead of horses. Many fun and clever gags like Honey tuning up Bosko's motor and a joke featuring a stuttering starter that would be used a lot of times with a certain character we won't be meeting for a couple more years. Speaking of Honey, I think she's adorable in this one – certainly one of her best roles. All in all, one of the strongest Boskos and I don't think this would even have felt out of place later in the decade!
    9
    The Organ Grinder
    An organ grinder plays music in the street for money. The main character here, though, is his monkey who puts on a show for a group of kids. Entertaining short with a wild ending.
    8
    Wake Up the Gypsy in Me
    A short that takes place in Russia, so a lot of cossack dancing here! The star here is the Rice-Puddin' the Mad Monk – not just brilliantly named, but also easily the standout villain out of all the shorts we've seen. He manages to be both hilarious (a villain so diabolical he even cheats at puzzles) and very creepy (abducting and trying to kiss an obviously much younger Roma girl). I think the very beginnings of the later Looney Tunes spirit can be seen waking up in some scenes.
    8.5
    Bosko's Knight-Mare
    Having read a book about King Arthur's knights, Bosko falls asleep and dreams he's a knight who has to save Honey from the villain. Pretty average for the time.
    7.5
    I Like Mountain Music
    In a drug store, characters in magazines come to life and sing the title song. They have to stop three robbers from stealing the cash. Fun cartoon – this theme was developed further in later cartoons, but most of it is already here. Better than the earlier "Three's a Crowd".
    8.5
    Bosko the Sheep-Herder
    The title pretty much says it, other than that there's a wolf trying to eat one of the sheep. There are a lot of scenes with the characters playing music, even Bosko using an unusual instrument (a beehive), and all of them dancing to it, as well as cutesy scenes with animals. Are we back in 1931 all of a sudden? Some fun moments, but the recent Bosko cartoons have usually been better than this.
    7
    Beau Bosko
    Bosko is in the French foreign legion and has to catch Ali Oop, "the Desert Scourge". Good gags, especially Bosko's way of defeating the band of thieves is true Looney Tunes. Freleng is again believed to have co-directed.
    8.5
    Shuffle Off to Buffalo
    This cartoon shows a factory where elves prepare babies for delivery. The babies seem to be very smart ones, as they can already speak and sing, performing the catchy title song. Another Freleng co-direction, this one is quite cute!
    7.5
    Bosko's Mechanical Man
    Bosko builds a robot to help him and Honey with chores. Sadly, the robot seems to cause chaos more than anything else. A very strong entry in the series with fun gags. I like the animation here (a couple of wild scenes). Honey is in a more significant role this time (being responsible for some of the best moments of the short), which is certainly a good thing! Definitely a standout in its era, and the best Bosko so far.
    9.5
    The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon
    Anthropomorphic utensils are washing and drying themselves and having fun until a dough monster attacks and tries to take away the beautiful dish. Not very different in execution from the typical Merrie Melody of the day, but the atypical character choice and cute designs help make this an enjoyable short.
    8
    Bosko the Musketeer
    Bosko has another daydream – this time he's a musketeer, friends with the famous three. To no one's surprise, he has to save Honey from a villain. After "Bosko's Mechanical Man", which was a masterpiece by the standards of the time, this is a bit underwhelming, but it's more or less an average Bosko cartoon. The events being a character's imagination or dream is something I find quite boring, to be honest (though thankfully we know it from the start here).
    7.5
    We're in the Money
    Another "things come to life" cartoon, this time about toys (and some other goods) in a department store. They perform the title song that would later be heard in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies a lot of times, so here's another first. Otherwise, there's not much that's new here – we've had many cartoons with living toys, and even some of the characters are recycled (the mannequin from "A Great Big Bunch of You" seems to have been rehired from the dump). Still a decent short, this time without a villain appearance.
    7.5

    If you've ever seen "Bosko's Picture Show", you can probably hear it.
    Bosko's Picture Show
    With this short (another Freleng co-directed one), we have to say goodbye to the first Looney Tunes star ever. We get to experience a visit to the movies back in the day – organ music ("We're in the Money" – I said we'd hear it a lot of times!), newsreels, short films... All of it hosted by Bosko, of course! This short is essentially one unrelated gag after another, with a lot of celebrity appearances (some comedic, some more disturbing). Oh, and Bosko appears to utter a very rude word supposedly never before heard in a movie! Our hero sure went out with a bang!
    8.5
     
    At this point, disaster strikes for Leon Schlesinger. Following payment disputes, Harman and Ising leave his studio. They take the characters of Bosko and Honey with them, also snatching many of the animators, and sign a contract with MGM to produce the new Happy Harmonies series. Schlesinger is left with essentially nothing but the titles Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. But he's not one to give up, so he hires a new crew to come up with replacement characters for the series. Disney animator Tom Palmer becomes the new director (or "supervisor", as the credits say) and creates a character called Buddy to be the new Looney Tunes star. The Merrie Melodies will continue as one-shots. Will the new cartoons be a success?
     

    Probably the least "looney" title card in the history of the series.
    Buddy's Day Out
    Directed by Tom Palmer
    Buddy, his dog Happy, his girlfriend Cookie, and her brother Elmer go on a picnic. But Elmer and Happy start driving around in a car, and Buddy and Cookie have to save them. The characters are all boring and shallow compared to Bosko and friends (I won't even try to compare them to the later ones). This short shows how good Harman-Ising's worst efforts were – for all their flaws, they were still competently made cartoons. The timing here is all over the place – the changes between shots are abrupt and awkward, I felt like I was watching a film with scenes missing. And the only somewhat funny joke this short has is also ruined by bad execution (Buddy asks Cookie for a kiss and gets rejected, followed by various animals doing the same – but a completely unnecessary shot of baby Elmer is inserted in between, ruining the flow). Things surely can't get much worse from here...
    3
    I've Got to Sing a Torch Song
    Directed by Tom Palmer
    People around the world (ranging from celebrities to cannibals) are shown listening to the radio, and at the end, there's a performance of the title song by many of them. A weird cartoon – obviously some of the jokes about celebrities are bound to be extremely dated, but many of the ones here feel like they would have been unfunny even back in the day, some hardly counting as jokes (at times kind of giving the film an unintentional dadaist quality). The drawings range from typical of the era to downright ugly. Slightly better than Palmer's first effort. It's not as jumpy as the first one, but maybe that's in part because there isn't even supposed to be a proper plot.
    5
     
    So the answer is a resounding no! Hiring Tom Palmer proves to be a huge mistake – his two cartoons get rejected by Warner Bros. for being unfunny and generally terrible and have to be reworked quickly to make them releasable. Looking at the finished cartoons (especially the first one), this doesn't appear to have helped much. Palmer gets fired from the studio, with other directors quickly taking his place. The character of Buddy will outlast his creator, but not without a redesign – the people at the studio appear to have wanted to forget essentially everything about Palmer's short tenure!
     

    Buddy's Beer Garden
    Directed by Earl Duval
    Buddy and Cookie serve beer and food to people at Buddy's bar. There's also a lot of music to entertain the audience. This is quite similar in style to many of the Harman-Ising era cartoons. Despite Buddy still having little personality besides being cheerful, there are enough funny gags for this cartoon to be an entertaining seven minutes. The animation is also nice to look at – essentially a different world from the last two cartoons.
    7.5
    Buddy's Show Boat
    Directed by Earl Duval
    Various acts perform on Buddy's boat, including Buddy and Cookie themselves doing a duet of "Under My Umbrella" (no, not that one). A villain tries to kidnap Cookie, and it's Buddy to the rescue! Nothing world-changing here (it resembles many of the Bosko cartoons), but it's a good take on that basic formula. The phone scene with Buddy and Cookie (and the villain) is my favorite part of this cartoon.
    7.5
    Sittin' on a Backyard Fence
    Directed by Earl Duval
    Cats have fun at night, dancing to music. Chaos ensues, as two tomcats start fighting over a female cat. This was fun, with some very impressive animation during the chase sequences (especially the camera angles). And cartoon cats are cute!
    9
     
    In addition to the cartoons by the Schlesinger studio, Warner Bros. released a Pepper Pots short combining live-action and animation, created by Charles J. Geigerich.

    Inklings
    A live-action "royal cartoonist" draws three historical figures on paper while the narrator tells the stories of their lives with some humorous comments included, revealing who the person is at the end, followed by some live-action stock footage. The drawings come to life, reacting to their surroundings and the narration. The cartoonist here is a talented one, it's nice to see a fairly detailed portrait being drawn from scratch. However, other than that, I find the entertainment value of the short to be lacking. The interaction between the drawing and the live-action isn't at the level of "Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid" or later such works, the animation is quite limited, and I don't find the commentary particularly funny either. Maybe it was more impressive back then, I don't know.
    5.5

    To put it briefly, 1933 was a messy year. The last entries of the Harman-Ising era showed strong improvement in their cartoons, particularly the Looney Tunes, with Bosko getting some of his best shorts. But sadly that ended all of a sudden. The replacement character, Buddy, is essentially a more boring copy of Bosko. Thankfully the quality of the cartoons seems to be improving again with Earl Duvall becoming the director – hopefully the trend will continue in 1934. There will be more firsts for the series, at any rate!
  8. Tacodidra

    1942: Tweety and... Conrad?

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    Despite some very bleak times in the world (which will also be reflected in the contents of many of the cartoons – some of them obviously wouldn't show up much in the later TV airings), the WB cartoons are doing extremely well.

    Hop Skip and a Chump
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The fast and cunning grasshopper Hopalong Casserole outwits two dumb crows who try to catch him. This is a fun one-shot with charismatic characters — could there have been potential for more? Hopalong is a trickster slightly similar to Bugs, while the crows (based on Laurel and Hardy) have entertaining chemistry. There's another well-timed musical gag, and the ending has one of the best fourth wall breaks in the series (surprising from Freleng who hasn't used them as much as some of the other directors).
    9.5
    Porky's Pastry Pirates
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Porky owns a sanitary bakery where bugs are absolutely not welcome! A bee manages to get there and eat many of the delicious pastries by threatening him with his stinger, and the pig's attempts to get rid of the pest aren't successful. A fly then tries to do the same by pretending to be a bee. Another amusing entry, I especially like the tough guy bee. The ending is my favorite part, though!
    8.5

    The Bird Came C.O.D.
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Conrad the Cat is a delivery driver, bringing a palm tree to a theater. After difficulties fitting the tree through the door, the hapless cat spots a top hat and pretends to be a stage magician. But this angers the pigeon (the one from "Stage Fright") living inside the hat. A strange cartoon. Again, there's no dialogue, just sound effects. Conrad's repeated chuckle treads the line between sympathetic and annoying, since it's heard over and over especially in the first minutes of the short. The rest of the cartoon, while beautifully animated, mostly feels like random stuff put together – though I quite like the pigeon, the tree sequence was more to my liking. Some sources claim this short almost got Jones fired from the studio – it's not that bad, but not his finest seven minutes either. But introducing new characters to the series was where he really led the way at this point. Many of them never really took off, but Conrad was yet another attempt, appearing in three cartoons in very close succession.
    7
    Aloha Hooey
    Directed by Fred Avery & Robert Clampett (both uncredited)
    Stowaways on the S.S. Sabotage, Cecil Crow and Sammy Seagull have sailed to Hawaii. They set their sights on beautiful Laylani, both trying their best to impress her, with Sammy having more success. But there's a mandatory villain in the short, of course... I found this a cute and funny short, despite not being either director's absolute best (but you can expect Avery and Clampett to deliver most of the time anyway). Mel Blanc and Pinto Colvig give the main characters a lot of personality with their charming voice acting. I also like how the two birds are genuine friends – while they compete to impress the same girl, they never resort to fighting, remaining respectful and helpful to each other, even after Laylani makes her decision. Who knew the two wackiest directors would be responsible for what might be the best friendship in the entire series?
    9
    Who's Who in the Zoo
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Porky is the keeper of the Azusa Zoo, and we see him at work. But most of the focus is on visual puns and funny antics involving the various animals of the zoo. The lion seems to be looking for something... While McCabe took over Clampett's old unit (and seems to be equally disinterested in giving Porky much of the spotlight), this generally has the feel of an Avery spot gag cartoon – the most obvious similarity being to "A Day at the Zoo", obviously. The gags are different this time, including a couple of topical ones related to the war effort.
    8.5
    Porky's Cafe
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    In his café, Porky manages to serve a customer who makes strange requests with no trouble (on Porky's side, not so much the customer's). However, his employee Conrad the Cat is having more difficulties baking pancakes, especially when an ant ends up in the pancake batter, eventually leading to a wild chase. Conrad becomes the fastest character to appear in both a Merrie Melody and Looney Tune, just two other shorts having been released between those. Despite being an improvement over his first appearance, his ant-ics (sorry!) are probably the weakest part of the short – there are more imaginative gags in the Porky scenes, like the letters in an alphabet soup being produced with a typewriter. There's also an early appearance of the Rube Goldberg machines Jones loved to use, as a very complex machine is used to make a simple egg toast. The ending is also a fun one!
    8
    Conrad the Sailor
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Conrad is swabbing the deck of a ship he and his fellow sailors sail on. But Daffy has walked on the deck, leaving his footprints all over, and keeps annoying the cat who desperately tries to get rid of him. Out of the three shorts featuring Conrad, this is by far the best for several reasons, not least his new voice, which gives him some much needed personality. Daffy is a great foil for him, just like for many other characters. "The Song of the Marines", often used in navy-themed shorts (like the earlier "Porky the Gob"), is an absolute earworm, and here we hear a humorous rendition by Conrad, with Daffy making fun of his singing. There's a funny running gag with Conrad and Daffy stopping whatever they were doing to salute the captain. All in all, it's one of Jones' best so far, with some of his most entertaining gags and best pacing. This was Conrad's last appearance – his short but eventful career makes him one of the fastest recurring characters to be retired!
    9.5
    Crazy Cruise
    Directed by Fred Avery & Robert Clampett (both uncredited)
    A travelogue cartoon, showing us wildlife and attractions around the world. Naturally, there are some cultural references from the time, as well as war-themed gags. The ending gag is my favorite, featuring a surprise cameo! The very last WB short to feature any work by Tex Avery isn't his best spot gag cartoon but definitely an enjoyable one.
    8.5
    The Wabbit Who Came to Supper
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Elmer is hunting rabbits again and has Bugs trapped. But then he gets a telegram and finds out his uncle Louie is leaving him three million dollars. The only condition: he doesn't harm any animals, especially rabbits! Bugs obviously takes advantage of this, staying in Elmer's house and repeatedly annoying him. The basic idea of Bugs staying with Elmer and being a nuisance was already used in "Elmer's Pet Rabbit", but this short is clearly the superior one. In light of the early conflict, there's more of a reason for Bugs' treatment of Elmer here, and with the development in the previous shorts, the rabbit's personality is much more likable than in that one. Elmer also has a clear motive to at least to try to tolerate his behavior. We see some great character acting (including fourth wall breaking) from Bugs, and many great gags made even better by the vocal performances. Another early Bugs masterpiece – with such a strong run, it's no wonder he immediately became such a popular character!
    10

    Horton Hatches the Egg
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Despite the apparent failure of "Mighty Hunters" in 1940, another Merrie Melodies cartoon was made that was based on an outside property, this time the popular children's book by Dr. Seuss (whose name pops up in WB cartoon history a few times, the first one having been the two lost Flit ad cartoons from 1931). Lazy bird Mayzie is tired of sitting on her egg, instead wanting to go on vacation. She manages to convince Horton the elephant to hatch the egg for her. But as Mayzie doesn't return, the elephant faces everything from stormy weather to hunters – but "an elephant's faithful one hundred percent"! The animation in this short is amazing, especially Horton's funny way of walking. Clampett adds his own touches to the story, with the addition of gags like Mayzie's Katharine Hepburn impersonation (the WB crew seemed to like her – really they did!) and Horton repeatedly trying to sing the then-popular "Hut-Sut Song" but not remembering the words. But at the same time, I was positively surprised how faithful (if not quite one hundred percent) this is to the original story at its core – Seuss' great rhyming writing was preserved, and the designs combine his original illustrations with Clampett's style. With plenty of comedy and even some emotional moments, I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best Clampett and the Schlesinger crew ever made.
    10
    Saps in Chaps
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The Looney Tunes really start moving away from the Porky focus now, with the third one-shot in the series (which will be so common from now on that it's not really worth mentioning anymore) – in fact, he won't appear again until the second last cartoon of the year. We look back at the American settlers heading westward in this spot gag cartoon. We see a thirsty man in the desert and a hero in a saloon who literally laughs at danger among others, with the highlight being a visit to the rodeo. Apart from some amusing jokes (the anthropomorphic horses being the most entertaining), I found this a fairly weak one compared to many others from the time. Even with the overall theme, I feel there was less of a connection between some of the gags than usually in these cartoons, and many of them weren't particularly memorable.
    7
    Dog Tired
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The Curious Puppies end up in a zoo where they have run-ins with various animals. The big dog ends up in a kangaroo's pouch, while the small one keeps losing its bone. A laughing hyena finds their antics hilarious. While all the cartoons with these dogs are very similar, this one might be the best, even if the other characters tend to steal the show, such as an amusing pair of lovebirds. There's also the first appearance of a joke Jones would end up using for a couple of his later characters – the signs for the animals show humorous pseudo-Latin names, the stork being "infantus-portus", for example. This is the last appearance of the puppies, who were Jones' first recurring characters – while not among his best creations, they were his first attempt at making a fast-paced, comedic cartoon.
    8.5
    Daffy's Southern Exposure
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    When the other ducks fly south for the winter, Daffy decides to stay north. But winter soon sets in, and he finds himself in the blizzard, starving. A wolf and a weasel take him in for dinner, but they have more nefarious plans... I find this quite similar in style to Clampett's Daffy cartoons (no surprise considering it's his old staff working on it), but with some Avery influences creeping in with the humorous intertitles and other signs. For a still inexperienced director, this is an amazing effort by McCabe – many fun gags and an entertaining portrayal of Daffy.
    9.5
    The Wacky Wabbit
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Elmer goes to a desert to dig gold, but Bugs keeps being a nuisance and making things difficult for him. This one features the jerkier side of the early Bugs – the characters he torments don't necessarily always do anything to annoy or endanger him (at least in the same cartoon, since we're talking about Elmer here), he just enjoys making a fool of them. But we get some fun gags and wild animation. The wartime references are starting to sneak in even when the cartoon itself is not related to WWII – here we see a sign advertising war bonds, and Elmer and Bugs' version of "Oh! Susanna" is modified to include the lyric "V for victory". The end gag is essentially recycled from "Buddy the Dentist" of all shorts, but naturally it's handled better here. Clampett's first Bugs cartoon might not be the best of either the director or the character, but it's an entertaining one regardless.
    8.5
    The Draft Horse
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A horse plowing the field on a farm sees a billboard about the U.S. army looking for horses. He runs to the draft office where he's tested for eligibility. After a little over three years as a director, Chuck Jones is finally starting to reach his prime! This cartoon has none of the slow pacing and cutesiness that plagued some of his earlier shorts – it's fast-paced comedy all the way! The character acting is brilliant (not just that of the horse but also the military people he meets) – Mel Blanc is such a great voice actor (his impact on the whole series can't be overstated), and the characters' expressions are a perfect fit. Many of the gags are absolutely hilarious, the soundtrack appropriately incorporates patriotic tunes of the time, and despite obviously being influenced by the war, there isn't any especially dated material. Jones may not have thought much of his cartoons from this time, but I consider this his first real masterpiece.
    10
    Lights Fantastic
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Billboards in a big city come to life at night. We see gags and musical sequences mostly featuring the characters on the billboards. This is a modernized version of "Billboard Frolics", now featuring neon signs in addition to the more traditional billboards, as well as new gags, some of which are quite clever! However, this is generally more of an interesting short than an especially funny one – definitely nice to watch, but in the days of Bugs Bunny and friends, it doesn't really stand out the way it would have just a few years earlier.
    8
    Nutty News
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Elmer Fudd (or at least someone with exactly the same voice) narrates a newsreel with the latest news from America. We see comedic scenes about hunting, new inventions, wildlife and much more. The typical spot gag cartoon of the time, with amusing jokes, some of them rather topical. There's also a surprise cameo appearance by Sandy from "Porky's Pooch" – I never expected to see him again, but he seems to have found a master in baseball pitcher Carl Bubble!
    8.5
    Hold the Lion, Please
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The lion, "the king of the jungle", is made fun of by the other animals who say he couldn't kill a rabbit. To prove a point, he sets out to do just that. But Bugs Bunny proves to be too clever for the lion to outwit, and there are other obstacles along the way too... Unlike in Jones' first Bugs cartoon "Elmer's Pet Rabbit", this features the familiar version of Bugs we all know and love. It's another strong appearance for the rabbit. This one doesn't have quite as many gags as some others in the series, instead focusing on a few longer ones and creating the setting. But it's an entertaining cartoon, especially the door gag (with some Avery influences) and the ending! The cartoon is also interesting visually, including an imaginative transition from the animals to similarly positioned flowers, and the stylized colorful backgrounds Jones would use for a while.
    9
    Hobby Horse-Laffs
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    A spot gag cartoon looking at people with unusual hobbies. We see everything from boat enthusiasts to inventors and impressionists. As usual in these cartoons, we see a lot of corny jokes. This time, most of them are just silly events instead of visual puns. The last few gags are the most imaginative and funniest, some of the others are quite predictable and at times juvenile. Not a bad short, but definitely not one of the strongest of the year.
    7.5
    Gopher Goofy
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    A man is admiring his beautiful garden. However, two gophers suddenly start eating his lawn, and he tries to get rid of the pests. The gophers are entertaining tricksters, even if they don't quite match the appeal of a certain later gopher duo! The portrayal of the man who's chasing them is also interesting – the gophers really seem to be taking a toll on him, as he gets increasingly frustrated and crazy as the cartoon moves along. He gets to break the fourth wall humorously once, and it's easy to feel quite sorry for him at times. With his various attempts to catch the gophers, it's a pretty typical Looney Tune in style, but a very well-made one!
    9.5
    Double Chaser
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A cat is chasing a mouse, trying to lure his prey with a piece of cheese. But the mouse gets helped by a bulldog, always alerting it to the cat's location. Things get even wilder later when they all enter a henhouse. Pretty much a chase cartoon at its purest, as it features the most typical animals involved in such cartoons (this time non-speaking ones). There are some less usual gags, though, as we see a character switching sides, and an ending that despite its impossibility is pretty funny in a cartoon! Some of the animation is also the wildest we've seen in a Freleng cartoon (his style usually being a little more grounded than the likes of Clampett and Avery).
    9

    Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    The mother buzzard sends her sons to get something for dinner. The slow-witted Killer (later known as Beaky Buzzard) is reluctant, but is told to at least get a rabbit. Of course, Killer soon sees Bugs and tries his best to capture him, but the buzzard is fooled too easily. Killer is an amusing character, Bugs is in his best trickster mode, the animation is brilliant, and there are many memorable gags (one involving a skeleton possibly being my favorite). Bugs also comes off as much more likable than in Clampett's previous cartoons with him (as strong as those were otherwise), as he has a clear motive for his actions here, unlike with Elmer in those couple of shorts. All in all, another amazing Bugs short. Beaky would make several more appearances in the cartoons (though not with Bugs), in addition to becoming a regular in the Looney Tunes comics.
    10
    Wacky Blackout
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In this cartoon full of blackout gags (literally in a couple of cases), we see farm animals during the war. A running gag involves a woodpecker pecking a cat's tail. As typical in these spot gag cartoons, there's not much of a plot here, just the war being a connecting theme. Entertaining cartoon with a somewhat daring end gag (featuring the catchy song "We Did It Before", often heard in the WB cartoons of the era).
    8
    Foney Fables
    Directed by I. Freleng
    This spot gag cartoon features various fairytales and nursery rhymes, such as Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, and the Grasshopper and the Ant in parodic versions (of course with wartime references in some of them). The running gag is about the Boy Who Cried Wolf, who is warned by the narrator that his pranks will eventually backfire on him. Fairytale parodies are something WB always did well, and while this might not be the absolute funniest take on them, it's an amusing one in any case. Also beautifully animated, including some surprisingly realistically drawn human characters.
    8.5
    The Ducktators
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    While many war-related cartoons had already been released, this was WB's first to be entirely dedicated to making fun of the enemy, here specifically the leaders of the Axis powers. Mr. and Mrs. Duck are expecting a new hatchling, and soon a duck version of Hitler hatches out of a black egg. After failed attempts at art, he starts his political career, getting some gullible followers, including a goose version of Mussolini. Later on, duck Tojo joins them too. The Dove of Peace is horrified at the events. The wartime propaganda cartoons are one of the most controversial chapters in the Looney Tunes history... but at the same time, some of them are among the wildest cartoons the studio ever did. Some of them are rather mean-spirited by today's standards, but this one mostly avoids that by having the leaders of the Axis as a (deserved) target, instead of mocking the general population of the countries like some other cartoons of its kind, though some stereotypes are obviously still there to see. Great animation, clever gags, and an interesting story – probably the most pro-peace (while showing that war isn't always avoidable) of all the war-related cartoons. A brilliant short, though one that should really only be shown in a proper historical context.
    10

    The Squawkin' Hawk
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A little chickenhawk doesn't want to eat a worm for dinner – he wants chicken, though his mother thinks he's too young for it. After being sent to bed without any dinner, he sneaks out at night and goes to the henhouse. But while he's trying to steal a chicken, a rooster foils the little hawk's plans. The little chickenhawk, only called Junior in this short, would be brought back a few years later with the new name of Henery Hawk. It might not be the most popular opinion, but the tough little guy has always been one of my favorite characters in the entire series – there's just something endearing about him. Most of the later Henery's personality is already here, with him trying to play tough against a much bigger rooster, though his voice is slightly different, and he seems to have less trouble finding a chicken (actually stealing one is a different story). Henery's debut elevates this cartoon quite a bit for me, though there are other parts I like too – some fast-paced chases, and the worm is an entertaining character (another non-speaking Jones character with a lot of personality).
    9
    Fresh Hare
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The mounted police are trying to catch Bugs Bunny who's committed various (petty) crimes. Elmer is the one with the task, but in a wintery chase, Bugs constantly outwits him. This is another great short with the usual strong chemistry between the lead characters. There are various funny visual gags, and while some of the antics are fairly similar to previous shorts, the winter theme keeps it... fresh, indeed. The short isn't entirely without weaknesses – the music in a gag involving posters at the start appears to have been messed up, and the minstrel show ending is badly dated, in addition to feeling very close to being just randomness for randomness' sake. But these flaws don't prevent it from being another good Bugs short.
    9
    Eatin' on the Cuff or The Moth Who Came to Dinner
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A singing, piano-playing narrator tells the story of a moth and a honey bee who were in love. The two were to get married, but the moth got in trouble when a black widow spider set her sights on him. This is one of the few Looney Tunes to use live-action (for the scenes with the narrator), which gives it an interesting touch. The characters are both cute and funny, the moth being the star here, but the other insects (and the entertaining narrator) also get their moments to shine. Also a very rare short for the time in that the bride has to save the groom rather than vice versa (the following scene with "My hero" etc. appears to parody that cliché)! There's a sweetness to it that Clampett's shorts might not have very often, but it's still very recognizably his. Among the best one-shots of its time!
    10
    Fox Pop
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Two crows see a red fox destroying a radio. The fox tells the story of how he heard a radio ad for the Sterling Silver Fox Farm. He painted himself silver and got himself trapped on purpose, thinking it was a great place for foxes until he found out his skin would be used for a cape. Another good cartoon with a likable lead character, I especially enjoyed the way the story was told, starting with a strange scene that's only explained through the past events. There are some fun gags and reactions along the way. The ending in particular is a priceless one!
    8.5
    The Impatient Patient
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Daffy is delivering a telegram to Chloe. But he gets the hiccups, so he goes to meet Dr. Jerkyl to get them cured. The doctor decides to try the scare cure, drinking a concoction that turns him into a monster, and Daffy has to get away from him. This cartoon is quite a crazy one, with the fast pace and gags resembling a Clampett cartoon. Storywise, it isn't the strongest entry of the time (it can feel a bit too random at times), but an enjoyable watch anyway.
    8

    The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    These titles are sure getting long! Tom, Dick and Larry, better known as the Dover Boys, have to save their fiancée Dora Standpipe from their archenemy, "coward, bully, cad and thief" Dan Backslide. A comedic short set in the 1890s wasn't an all new idea in the Merrie Melodies, previous examples having been "Those Were Wonderful Days" (1934) and "Love and Curses" (1938). But as charming as those two cartoons were, it's clearly third time lucky in this case. The exaggerated character acting from the 1938 short is repeated here in an even funnier way, there are a lot of entertaining gags and catchphrases that are known by pretty much everyone now. And no matter how many times you've heard them ("Unhand her, Dan Backslide!"), they still retain their comedic value. It's an influential cartoon, often considered Jones' first masterpiece (I'd say his second, but anyway). The strange but effective animation smears are something that have been used in countless cartoons later on, as have the stylized designs. An undeniable all-time classic.
    10

    The Hep Cat
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A night with a singing, tap-dancing cat. He tries to impress a girl cat and gets chased around by Rosebud the dog (a very similar character to the earlier Willoughby) who comes up with various schemes in an attempt to outwit the feline. Eight years after Merrie Melodies made the switch, this was the first cartoon in the Looney Tunes series to be produced in color, though part of the series would still be in black and white for a while. And for that first, they certainly chose a great short. The cat has a simple but good-looking design, his voice and singing gives him a lot of appeal, and the cartoon is just fun all around – full of the wild animation that Clampett's cartoons are known for. There are many great gags, especially the ending (the basic idea of which was later recycled in a Bugs Bunny cartoon), and the soundtrack is also perfect with many catchy tunes like "Five O'Clock Whistle" and "Java Jive".
    10
    The Sheepish Wolf
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A dumb sheepdog is watching over a flock of sheep. A wolf comes up with a plan to disguise himself as a sheep to fit in with his prey. After a black sheep realizes there's a wolf in sheep's clothing around, the sheepdog tries his best to find and catch him. A comedic entry with entertaining characters – and the first but definitely not the last time the series would feature a wolf and a sheepdog! The story takes a nice turn near the end when the sheepdog tries to prank the wolf back and we get another fairytale parody. The ending also has a great twist!
    8.5
    The Daffy Duckaroo
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Crooner and film cowboy Daffy Duck quits his job, moving to the Wild West. He falls for a Native American female duck, but ends up angering her human boyfriend and eventually the entire tribe. Not one of the best-known shorts in the series (maybe due to the expected stereotypes, though there have been worse cartoons in this regard), but Daffy is very entertaining here. His character acting is great and the gags are amusing (including another wartime reference), in some cases quite imaginative! And then there's Daffy's performance of "My Little Buckaroo" that starts the cartoon – sheer fun!
    9.5
    The Hare-Brained Hypnotist
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Elmer has learned hypnosis in order to use it in hunting. After successfully hypnotizing a bear, he tries to do the same to Bugs, which doesn't go as well. Eventually it's Bugs who hypnotizes Elmer to think he's a rabbit, but this backfires massively. A great short – the first cartoon where Bugs and Elmer's roles are switched, which is hilarious. Bunny Elmer is especially funny, and it's refreshing to see a short where things don't always go well for Bugs (more common in the early days, but still relatively rare). The ending is also an imaginative (and somewhat topical) one.
    9.5

    A Tale of Two Kitties
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Two cats, Babbit and Catstello, try to catch a little bird sleeping in his nest. Catstello comes up with the plans and Babbit is the one to carry them out (despite being scared), but the bird foils them, often very violently. Babbit and Catstello would appear a couple more times after this cartoon, though with a drastic redesign. But the most significant character here is of course the bird – an early version of Tweety! He already has his recognizable voice, and his first line is the iconic "I tawt I taw a putty tat". But in addition to being colored pink, Clampett's version of the character is downright sadistic in his treatment of the cats – after each childish reaction to their misfortunes, we see a huge smirk on his face. While this is obviously very different from most of his later portrayals, it's very entertaining especially thanks to the contrast with the cute design. Clampett (through Babbit) even takes a shot at the censors, maybe not having expected to get away with some of the content in the short. A great cartoon all around.
    10
    Ding Dog Daddy
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A dumb dog tries to get a girlfriend without success. But then he spots a statue of a dog named Daisy, and mistaking it for a real dog, falls in love with it. He tries to meet his "girlfriend" despite a bulldog guarding the yard she's in. Eventually things take a tragic turn... A cartoon about a dog falling in love with a statue, and it's a great one – shows that the WB crew could make anything work! The main character is an appealing one with some funny reactions to being "kissed" by Daisy when lightning strikes, and the bulldog fares well too. And despite such a ridiculous concept, there are even a couple of more emotional moments.
    9.5
    My Favorite Duck
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky goes on a relaxing camping trip... or it would be one if not for Daffy being there and constantly annoying him. Every time Porky tries to deal with Daffy, the latter reminds him he'll be fined if he harms a duck. While Porky and Daffy had appeared together many times, this cartoon puts them in the roles they'd be mostly seen in later on, with Porky being the straight man and Daffy his comic foil. And this works brilliantly, including here. The characters' chemistry is great, there's a good reason why Porky doesn't immediately put a stop to Daffy's antics, the gags are done amazingly, and Jones gives the characters his typical expressiveness. A wonderful short.
    10
    Case of the Missing Hare
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Magician Ala Bahma is posting ads for his performance all over, even on the tree Bugs lives in! He takes offense at this, especially after the magician throws a blueberry pie in his face. He takes revenge by ruining the magician's performance. The basic plot of Bugs comically taking revenge on someone who has wronged him would be used in several later cartoons, especially by Jones himself. Some of the later versions may have been slightly more memorable, but this is also a great one. Bugs is funny as always, and while his vengeful actions might at times be even more humiliating than what had been done to him, the other character is unlikable enough for you not to feel sorry for him. The visuals are interesting – the stylized colorful backgrounds sometimes even change mid-scene in reaction to something that happens. The animation is nice and full of personality too.
    9.5

    In addition to the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, the Schlesinger studio produced a 90-second war bond advertisement for the U.S. Treasury, featuring their biggest star character.

    Leon Schlesinger presents Bugs Bunny
    Better known as "Any Bonds Today?" after the featured song. Bugs performs a song asking the audience to buy war bonds and stamps to support the defense effort. He also impersonates both Uncle Sam and Al Jolson, and Elmer and Porky join in at the end. Of course, you can't expect the usual wackiness (even with Clampett as the director!) here given the short's theme and purpose, but for an ad, it's an entertaining one – the song is catchy, Bugs' voice expectedly gives it a lot of charm, and the animation is great as usual. At the same time, it's clearly a product of its time – besides the topical theme, the Jolson impersonation (complete with his trademark blackface makeup) is a gag that's aged very badly. But even with its slight flaws, I doubt a much more memorable war bond ad could have been conceived.
    9

    The WB cartoons are truly starting to reach their prime, as this year had many of the most amazing entries so far. All the directors (including relative newcomer McCabe) delivered at least one absolute masterpiece, and Chuck Jones deserves a special mention – this is the year when he achieved greatness as a director for the first time. The Bugs Bunny cartoons continued their impressive run, and we got new characters to look forward to more from, Tweety of course being the most notable one. The schedule of the two cartoon series will be cut down by around ten shorts the following year, but the studio will have interesting new side projects that I'll also cover here.
  9. Tacodidra

    1941: The year of the rabbit?

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    It's a year of changes for the Warner Bros. cartoons. The new Merrie Melodies star Bugs Bunny will make several more appearances, showing what an impact his debut had. Porky's role as the star of the sister series Looney Tunes is also showing further signs of weakening...

    Elmer's Pet Rabbit
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Elmer Fudd goes to the pet store and gets himself a "thoughtful, considerate, gentle" rabbit. Sadly, Bugs proves to be anything but that, constantly annoying Elmer. This is the first cartoon to officially name Bugs (in the title sequence rather than in the cartoon itself), but the character otherwise feels less like the familiar Bugs than the version in "A Wild Hare" did – his voice is deeper than usual, and the yellow gloves that even the prototype had discarded after one short return once more. I can only guess the crew was experimenting to see which version of the character would work best. The plot device introduced here is one of the most common in Bugs cartoons, with Bugs annoying a human character either knowingly or accidentally. This would be done more funnily and effectively in later cartoons (the rabbit's portrayal here isn't one of his most likable), but it's still an enjoyable and influential cartoon with some nice animation and comedic antics.
    9
    Porky's Snooze Reel
    Directed by Robert Clampett & Norman McCabe
    Porky hosts a newsreel, showing us last week's significant events. Many corny puns, celebrity impersonations and visual jokes follow. Parodic newsreels have been seen before in shorts like "Bosko's Picture Show" and "The Film Fan", but this is the first time an entire cartoon is based on one. Despite McCabe handling some of the actual directorial work, many of the gags and the animation are definitely in Clampett's style – maybe even more so than in "The Timid Toreador" last year. A fun short, with a gag involving a jellyfish and a mine being my favorite.
    9
    The Fighting 69½th
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Two ants start fighting over food left on a picnic blanket. This soon turns into a full-blown war between the red and black ants. We see imaginative uses of the foods like Limburger cheese being used as stink bombs. Will there eventually be peace? A kind of a prelude to the war cartoons we'd see after the U.S. entered WWII. As such, the portrayal of war itself is slightly more farcical than it would be a little later. The ending is probably my favorite part in this amusing entry.
    8.5
    Sniffles Bells the Cat
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    After Sniffles and his friends get chased around by a cat, he comes up with an idea to put a bell on the cat to warn them of his presence. The other mice then force him to do it, which proves quite difficult. Sniffles is an endearing character (unlike his friends who come off as rather unlikable), especially his unconvincing attempts to sound tough. He's pretty much been the best thing about the cartoons he's appeared in – this one is slightly faster in pacing than the previous ones, with the chase scenes. Definitely among the stronger Sniffles cartoons.
    8

    The Haunted Mouse
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A starving cat in the desert sees an ad for "Ma's Place Home Cooking". Unfortunately, the restaurant is in a ghost town. The house is occupied by a ghost mouse who decides to have some fun with the dumb cat. The ghost aspect adds some novelty to what would otherwise be a fairly typical cat and mouse chase cartoon. The mischievous mouse is the funniest character here – the boyish voice fits the prankster's personality quite well. The ending is also an amusing one. While the Merrie Melodies have largely been one-shots, this is the first Looney Tunes short ever not to feature an established character, and the first since 1936 not to feature Porky Pig (except in the title sequences). The differences between the two series are disappearing little by little... Also the first story credit for Michael Maltese, who would go on to write many of the most famous cartoons in the series, especially his collaborations with Chuck Jones.
    9
    The Crackpot Quail
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Willoughby is hunting a quail this time. But just like in his debut "Of Fox and Hounds", he gets outwitted by the little bird, and also has a problem with constantly running into trees. Willoughby is maybe slightly (emphasis on slightly!) smarter this time around, while the quail is a fun character with his quirky noises and cleverness in dealing with the dog. While there are many similarities with Willoughby's previous appearance, this is a great cartoon in itself, with some Avery trademarks – Willoughby breaking the fourth wall, especially as a part of a running gag that gets a hilarious conclusion. This cartoon was censored before its release – originally the quail kept blowing a raspberry, but the sound effect (as well as the dog's impersonations of it) was considered rude and replaced with a whistle. This made the cartoon slightly less funny, with its worse synchronization with the visuals, and one gag making less sense (the quail telling Willoughby what sounds a quail really makes). Thankfully, both audio versions are now available to watch.
    10
    The Cat's Tale
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A mouse who is sick of being chased by cats convinces a cat to stop chasing him. He also manages to get the cat to try to convince a dog to stop chasing cats. Will he succeed like the mouse did? Despite this being the third cartoon in the last four to feature cats and mice, the crew manages to come up with new takes on an old concept, this one being a deconstruction of the whole idea. While writer Maltese would create an even more interesting twist on chase cartoons later under Jones' direction, this one works well too, and must have been something truly different at the time!
    9
    Joe Glow, the Firefly
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Another one-shot Looney Tune. Joe Glow, a firefly in more than one sense (he's wearing a fireman's helmet), flies inside a tent where a man is sleeping. The bug explores his surroundings, trying not to wake up the man. The big world from a small creature's point of view appears to have been an interesting theme to Jones, as he had already explored it before in cartoons like "Tom Thumb in Trouble" and the Sniffles shorts. Sadly, this one proves to be too mundane despite the appealing design of the lead character and some good animation. The most memorable thing to me, besides the visuals, is the cute one-off arrangement of the Looney Tunes theme that goes well with the style of the short.
    6.5

    Tortoise Beats Hare
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Insulted by the title of the cartoon, Bugs challenges Cecil Turtle to a race to prove he's the faster of the two. But things don't prove easy for the rabbit despite the desperate measures he resorts to. Besides being the third appearance of the studio's new star, this features one of Avery's favorite themes: variations on well-known fairytales. The result is an excellent one. The understated turtle is a brilliant foil to the slightly arrogant rabbit. There's a relatively early use of the gag where a character tries to escape from someone, with the other character then popping up in a different place in a seemingly logic-defying manner. And the lead-up to the story with Bugs reading the credits out loud and then seeing the offensive title is something only a WB cartoon would have done at the time (and even then it's usually only with Avery as the director and Dave Monahan as storyman like here). The wacky chase cartoons are really Tex's forte, as the last couple of years are showing.
    10
    Goofy Groceries
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In what must have been a huge relief for him, Clampett finally gets to work on a Merrie Melodies cartoon and doesn't have to use Porky Pig for once. Product mascots in a grocery store give musical performances until a gorilla from an animal cracker package sets his sights on the dancing tomato cans. Various mascots try to fight him and save the day. Along the way we get parodies of everything from Jack Benny (as a bunny again, of course) to Superman. This is a clear return to the 30s concept mastered by Frank Tashlin, but obviously there are some gags to remind you this is a Clampett cartoon. Not the absolute best cartoon of its kind, but definitely among the stronger ones, with some entertaining chaos especially in the last few minutes.
    8.5
    Porky's Bear Facts
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Hard-working farmer Porky has all the food he needs for the winter, unlike his lazy bear neighbor. After almost resorting to eating his pet dog, the bear sees Porky having a nice dinner. Will he learn the importance of hard work? This reminds me slightly of Freleng's earlier cartoons with a moral like "Pigs Is Pigs", but in a more comedic version – the bear and the dog are both entertaining characters, and the musical sequences push the story forward in a humorous way.
    8.5

    Which WB cartoon star doesn't belong?
    Toy Trouble
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Sniffles and the Bookworm are looking at toys in the Lacy's department store. After some chaos involving the toys, Sniffles sees a real cat and has to outwit it. Neither the strongest nor the weakest entry in the Sniffles series – this is another cartoon that focuses more on being cute than funny, though there are some nice gags, like Sniffles hiding among a group of Porky Pig dolls (I want one!) and sound effects being displayed by building blocks. A charming entry, though it could do with slightly faster pacing at times.
    7.5
    Porky's Preview
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Animator Porky hosts a picture show, showing the audience his own cartoons. A skunk can't get to the show, as he only has one "scent" (an Avery trademark corny joke), forcing him to think of another way to get there. The majority of the short is taken up by Porky's cartoons, which are quite amateurishly drawn, mostly featuring stick figures. I imagine the animators had fun with this unusual task – for once, they would have had an excuse to turn in shoddy work, but despite the simplicity and ugliness of Porky's supposed creations, the movement in them is animated flawlessly as usual. Carl Stalling provides the soundtrack with fittingly off-key versions of "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" and other tunes. Not a masterpiece, but definitely a unique and funny short, providing a meta take on animation that must have been really unusual back then.
    8.5
    The Trial of Mr. Wolf
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The Big Bad Wolf is in court, accusing Little Red Riding Hood of conspiring against him, just so Grandma could make a fur coat out of him. We hear his side of the story, which is completely different from Red's version. This is very much in the style of Avery's fairytale cartoons, especially "Little Red Walking Hood" – I guess this could be considered a sequel of sorts, with the wolf's reference to going to the pool hall and Red's Katharine Hepburn impersonation. While I don't think this cartoon quite reaches the level of that one, it's still a funny entry with several amusing gags, the scenes with Grandma being my favorite parts.
    9
    Farm Frolics
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A series of gags featuring farm animals. We see cultural references, topical humor and ordinary cartoon animal comedy. An entertaining eight minutes. We even get a joke with a grasshopper making fun of movie censorship (even namechecking the Hays Office), though this predictably ended up getting cut from most prints of the cartoon. Most of the gags have aged surprisingly well – just a couple rely on popular catchphrases at the time.
    8.5

    Porky's Ant
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky, traveling in Central Africa with a native companion, reads about the rare pigmy ant, worth 150,000 dollars! He soon spots one and tries to catch it, to no avail. Like many Jones cartoons from the era, this short has little dialogue – Porky has just a few lines, while the other two characters are mute. It's a more comedic entry than his usual one at this point, though, with his style still obvious in the characters' expressions. Jones seems to be finally getting rid of the slow pacing in his cartoons – apart from maybe one scene involving a lion, the film doesn't drag on like some of his earlier shorts. While I can't say this one is a real standout, it doesn't have any particular problems either, apart from the unfortunate design of Porky's native friend (who's otherwise portrayed less offensively than many other African characters at the time).
    8
    Hollywood Steps Out
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Celebrities of the time spend an evening in the Ciro's nightclub. They dance to the music and watch a bubble dancer perform. The running gag features Clark Gable chasing an attractive lady. Considering the theme of the cartoon, there are obviously a lot of references to forgotten stars and films, although some have stood the test of time better. But at the same time, this gives the cartoon a special charm, and several of the gags are amusing. We even see a cameo by producer Leon Schlesinger, seated with assistant Henry Binder. Just a shame an original print of the short isn't available – the reissue cuts out several scenes, a couple of the edits being very abrupt.
    8.5
    A Coy Decoy
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Once again, books in a store come to life. But this time the characters on the books include Porky and Daffy in addition to random literary characters. The Wolf of Wall Street uses a female duck decoy to lure Daffy, leading to a crazy chase. Another fun cartoon, with wackiness from Daffy, including a random song performance. I kind of view this as a prototype version of a later Clampett cartoon with a very similar theme, but this is definitely an enjoyable one in itself.
    9
    Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Bugs reads the story of Little Hiawatha who's hunting a rabbit. To his horror, that's happening right then, and the rabbit is Bugs himself. But no matter what the hunter tries, Bugs outwits him. The second time Bugs had to face a hunter, with his great trickster spirit shining. While the cartoon isn't entirely without flaws, it's much better than I expected – while Bugs invokes some of the typical Native American stereotypes here, Hiawatha's characterization is decent for the time. While not particularly intelligent (typical of the characters chasing Bugs), he comes off as slightly more cunning than Elmer, for example. Using Bugs to narrate parts of the story from the book he was a reading is a clever idea, and the ending managed to catch me by surprise. One of ten (!) Oscar nominees for best short cartoon this year. The Schlesinger studio got two nominations, but Disney's "Lend a Paw" emerged the winner anyway.
    9.5
    Porky's Prize Pony
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    A racehorse gets kicked out of the stables. He then tries to impress Porky, but the pig already owns a horse, and the newcomer's attempts to impress the potential owner all go wrong. But then Porky's regular horse is unable to participate in the steeplechase. The horse racing theme isn't new to the WB cartoons, even Porky himself has appeared in the likes of "Milk and Money" and "Porky and Teabiscuit" before. But this is definitely a charming entry, especially with the cute horse. He's very clumsy and ends up making things worse for Porky over and over, but he remains happy and keeps attempting to impress him. And all of that without a single line of dialogue for the character. Definitely a recent pattern for Jones, and thankfully so is the increase in comedy, and quality in general.
    9
    The Wacky Worm
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A crow is chasing a worm with a big mustache. The funny worm keeps getting away from the predator by hiding in various objects. This is probably one of the least remembered shorts from the era – undeservedly, as it's a very good one! The worm has an amusing personality (the caricature of Jerry Colonna might not be recognized today, but the character is funny even without getting the reference), and much of the chase action is brilliantly timed to the music. The ending is also a great one, with a funny reaction from the crow (who's otherwise slightly overshadowed by the worm).
    9.5
    Meet John Doughboy
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Draftee 158¾ (Porky) shows the audience a newsreel on America's defense effort. We see many visual gags and puns involving soldiers, military equipment and even animals. Another enjoyable spot gag cartoon, this time more topical than before (having been released just months before the U.S. entered the war). The silly and cartoonish take on a serious theme is enjoyable, though I wonder how different this cartoon would have been if it had been produced a little later – some of the scenes don't portray the U.S. army as particularly competent. But thankfully the day is saved by an unexpected hero!
    9
    The Heckling Hare
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Willoughby is trying to catch an animal yet again, and as before, he picks the wrong one to deal with – Bugs Bunny himself. Bugs plays pranks on the dog, but eventually they both end up in danger! The production process of this cartoon was a dramatic one. There's an extremely long sequence with Bugs and Willoughby falling, but originally there were going to be three (with the first two played in full)! However, the last two were cut before the original release (with the footage most likely destroyed) for unknown reasons, leading to a really obvious cut at the end. How much of a part this debacle played has been debated, but Avery left the studio soon after the short was finished, later joining MGM where he would make many of his most famous cartoons, including the Droopy series. "The Heckling Hare" has definitely been overshadowed by this controversy, but as with Avery's previous Bugs cartoons (and the Willoughby ones, for that matter), it's a strong one with great gags. The gag with a "Silly isn't he" sign would later be used in several other cartoons, and really, who else but Avery would have put a 40-second falling sequence (or two of them plus some) into a cartoon?
    10
    Inki and the Lion
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Inki is hunting again, trying to catch a monkey and the Minah bird without success. But when he sets his sights on a lion cub, he angers its father and gets chased. This is very close in plot (including a similar ending) to the first Inki cartoon, but with faster pacing and better gags. The characters prove charming enough without any dialogue – apart from Inki's design, the usual stereotypes are avoided.
    8.5
    Aviation Vacation
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A travelogue cartoon, starting with plane-related gags (rather similar to those in "Ceiling Hero"). After visiting Mt. Rushmore, the tourists head overseas to Ireland and then Africa. Jokes range from political ones to fourth wall breaking and other randomness. An enjoyable short, even if it's not an outstanding one.
    8
    We, the Animals - Squeak!
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky hosts a radio show where animals tell their life stories. The guest star is champion mouse catcher Kansas City Kitty. She tells the story of how her reputation was almost ruined when a group of mice took her son Patrick hostage. I like the characters here, especially the Irish-influenced Kitty, whose tales of her mouse catching skills seem to be a bit exaggerated at times... But the gangster mice are entertaining too. Besides the great character acting, Clampett snuck in some fun jokes, like Kitty changing her story on whether her son was born before or after her marriage to Tom Collins, as well as a comedic musical sequence with the cat and mice. A fun short that I've always enjoyed.
    9.5
    Sport Chumpions
    Directed by I. Freleng
    More spot gags, this time funny vignettes about various sports, ranging from archery to auto racing. Interestingly, this is a rare cartoon featuring only human characters, some of them animated very realistically (probably rotoscoped). Apart from slightly less cartoonish animation, this is very similar to Avery's spot gag cartoons – his departure from WB seems to be honored through a football game being held at the Avery Memorial Stadium. I was especially pleased to see a rare Finnish reference: Paavo Nurmi doing an impressive ski jump at Lake Placid – never mind that he was a runner in reality!
    8.5
    The Henpecked Duck
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In the "court of inhuman relations", judge Porky presides over the case of Duck vs. Duck. Mrs. Duck wants a divorce after Daffy made their egg disappear while she was away. Poor Mr. Duck just wants another attempt at making it appear... I've always found this one of the most memorable shorts from this era. We see some scenes of Daffy at his wackiest ("Yes, my love!") but also feel sorry for the treatment he receives from his rather unlikable wife. Brilliant character acting and lively animation all around. Clampett also manages to sneak in what might be the dirtiest joke in the entire series (blink and you'll miss it, as the censors did). All in all, one of my absolute favorites from him.
    10
    Snowtime for Comedy
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The Curious Puppies are chasing a bone again, this time on snow and ice. The big dog tries to slide his way to it on ice, while the smaller one tries to stay afloat on a block on ice. There's a running gag with the two dogs accidentally destroying a beaver's dam. All the cartoons with the puppies are rather similar in execution, but I find a slight improvement over most of the previous ones – the gags are more imaginative and cartoonish this time. The dam gag is probably the most memorable one and gets a nice conclusion. One of the best cartoons with these characters, though not quite reaching level of "Stage Fright".
    8.5
    All This and Rabbit Stew
    Directed by Fred Avery (uncredited)
    And we return to the infamous Censored 11, namely the only one of them to feature Bugs Bunny. A black hunter is trying to catch Bugs, but the rabbit keeps outwitting him. This cartoon has many imaginative and fast-paced gags. The scene where the duo meets a bear is funny, and a scene where the hunter chases Bugs through a log was even reused by Clampett a few years later for another even better cartoon. The only part where the cartoon falls flat is the character of the hunter. The stereotypical design and portrayal were very common at the time, but they have aged extremely badly. The slightly earlier "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt" avoided at least some of the overused stereotypes for the Native American hunter, but I can't really say the same about this cartoon. Too bad, since the short is otherwise very good.
    9
    Notes to You
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Porky is trying to sleep, but a singing alley cat prevents him from doing so. All of his attempts to silence the annoying cat go wrong. This is one of the funniest cartoons of the time – the cat's singing is amusing, and it's used brilliantly (especially his take on "Jeepers Creepers"). The other gags are fun too, especially a clever one involving Porky throwing a "Fu Manchu" book at the cat. The use of Porky as the protagonist also works great – most likely this wasn't entirely by choice, as he was still officially the star of the Looney Tunes, but when the usually rather calm pig is driven to madness, it's especially effective. A character's desperate attempts to sleep were a relatively common theme in cartoons (already seen in "Porky's Badtime Story" and "Good Night Elmer"), but this is the best one yet, and Freleng would in fact reuse the plot of this cartoon later in the decade.
    10
    The Brave Little Bat
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Sniffles finds shelter from a rainstorm in an old windmill. There he meets Batty, an extremely talkative bat. But the two new friends soon meet a mean cat, and Sniffles is in danger! Jones returns to his Disney-esque phase here (not a big surprise considering the characters). The cartoon starts in a sickeningly sweet way (Sniffles driving around in a toy car, honking the horn and singing), but thankfully it gets better. Batty represents a character archetype often used by the studio at this point: a character who rambles on and on, never shutting up (previous examples including Dizzy Duck and Blabbermouse). Perhaps to emphasize this, Sniffles himself is a lot quieter than on his previous appearances. I think the cartoon is a rather sweet one with the two little creatures and their friendship – not a real standout or the typical WB cartoon at all, but a nice watch anyway.
    8
    Bug Parade
    Directed by Fred Avery (uncredited)
    A cartoon about bugs – with a lowercase b, this time. We see a series of spot gags about various insects, ranging from flies to termites. All of them are given quite a bit of personality. Besides the bugs being surprisingly cute, the jokes are funny in a corny way, and in many cases, more timeless than in some other cartoons of the same style. A good candidate for my favorite in this genre! Also a nice send-off for Tex Avery, as this was the last cartoon he completed for WB – a few more he had started would be finished by Bob Clampett who took over his former unit of animators.
    9.5
    Robinson Crusoe Jr.
    Directed by Norman McCabe
    Porky embarks on a voyage on his ship. After a hurricane, he ends up shipwrecked on an island where he meets Friday, who was expecting Robinson Crusoe. He then goes to explore the island, watching the wild animals' antics, until he meets some natives who chase him. The first cartoon for McCabe as a solo director, having taken over for Clampett in his old directorial unit. I think it's a good debut for him. While the natives' depiction is predictably dated, Friday is likable enough as a character. His performance of "Java Jive" is the most memorable part of the short, though we get some fun gags (fittingly for the time, some patriotic ones included) and fast-paced chases too. Another one I've always enjoyed, maybe in part thanks to it being one of the first I saw from this era.
    9
    Rookie Revue
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Spot gags about life in the military. We see the soldiers waking up, in the mess hall and in various divisions practicing – all of it presented in a humorous way, with the silliness that's typical in this kind of cartoon. Entertaining gags about a topical subject.
    8.5
    Saddle Silly
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    The pony express is trying to deliver mail to a fort. The rider and the horse repeatedly run into trouble, falling off cliffs and eventually coming across the Sioux Moe Hican (once again stereotypically conflating the two completely distinct tribes). A man keeps asking them for a lift, to no avail. This cartoon is very different from the earlier ones by Jones, showing some signs of the style of his later cartoons. The pacing is very fast, there are a lot of gags (my favorite being the bubble joke in an underwater sequence)... Even the desert backdrop is very similar to some later Jones classics. It's definitely not at the level of those (I feel the cartoon is a bit disjointed at times), but you have to start somewhere, and though not a masterpiece, this is definitely an enjoyable one.
    8.5
    Porky's Midnight Matinee
    Directed by Charles M. Jones
    Porky, working in a movie theater, lets a trained African pigmy ant out of its cage. But once he finds out the ant is worth 162,422,503.51 dollars (the price has gone up a lot from "Porky's Ant"!), he tries to get it back using various methods. This is an entertaining one, better than the ant's first appearance. Despite the cute design, it's portrayed as very mischievous here, being downright cruel to Porky at times. The pantomime approach is used here again (apart from Porky having a few lines), and it's one of the most successful attempts yet.
    9
    The Cagey Canary
    Directed by Fred Avery & Robert Clampett (both uncredited)
    A cat chases a canary, but their owner puts a stop to this. If the cat bothers the canary, the latter can just whistle, and she'll throw the feline out in the rain. The cat desperately tries to come up with ways to snatch the bird without her noticing. The cat and canary theme would be used countless times in the series later on, but this doesn't pale in comparison to most of the later ones – it's a wild cartoon with various fun gags. The characters, especially the clever canary, have a lot of personality without any need for dialogue (something a lot of cartoons have attempted lately, especially those by Chuck Jones). The ending is a particularly amazing one!
    10
    Rhapsody in Rivets
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A construction foreman conducts his band of workers who construct a building to the tune of Liszt's Second Hungarian Rhapsody. The mostly canine workers handle this well for the most part, but not everything goes right. From the start, music has played a huge part in the WB cartoons, but this cartoon takes the combination of music and comedy to a new level – essentially every action of the characters is timed to the classical music. This is something that requires perfect timing of the animation, and Freleng and his crew achieve this brilliantly. Using different movements of the composition for each scene (where a different floor is being built) was also a great idea. While the musical comedy approach would be used many times later, the results sometimes being even funnier than here, this is definitely a successful and important cartoon for the series. It also made an impression at the time, being Schlesinger and WB's (as well as Freleng's) other Oscar nominee this year.
    9.5

    Wabbit Twouble
    Superwision: Wobert Cwampett
    Yes, there's a fun gag with not only the title but also the credits listed the way Elmer Fudd would pronounce them! He goes to Jellostone national park for some rest and relaxation. But this proves impossible due to Bugs' constant tricks on him, and a grizzly bear also getting into the act. The early Bugs cartoons have been absolutely brilliant, and this one is no exception. The characters are hilarious with their personalities and acting, especially Elmer has some great reactions here. Showing that the crew was still experimenting with the characters, Elmer gets a more heavyset redesign, apparently based on his voice actor Arthur Q. Bryan, but this would only last a year before the old design was brought back. Nowadays, this cartoon is probably best known for Bugs' impersonation of Elmer (which would inspire the "Big Chungus" meme almost eight decades later), but that scene is just one of many highlights in this short!
    10
    Porky's Pooch
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Rover the dog tells his homeless friend Sandy how he found a home. We see his various attempts to get Porky to take him in. This is another fun short – Rover is entertaining in all his annoyingness, Porky is a great foil for him, and even the other dog making a brief appearance is funny with his unique voice (the triple role in this short being one of the many great moments for Mel Blanc). Many funny gags, including fourth wall breaking, and Clampett again getting things past the censors (through a line of dialogue that's seen but not heard)... The visuals are quite unique too, using photos for the backgrounds instead of paintings.
    9.5

    Leon Schlesinger Productions also created (without receiving credit) an animated title sequence for another live-action Paramount film.

    The Lady Eve
    A snake with a top hat and a maracas on his tail places apples containing the film title on branches of a tree. Then we see him slithering down the tree while the credits roll. He goes through the "O" in director Preston Sturges' name, which gets stuck on his body, and an apple falls on him. The simpler end title shows him shaking his maracas. Out of the three film title sequences created by the studio, this is my definite favorite! The lively animation gives the snake a lot of personality, and the interaction with the credits is something I doubt was seen much in those days.

    1941 was another very strong year for the cartoons – my favorite one yet. A lot of great entries, and very few that I'd consider weak ones (just one, really). Bugs is already taking his place as the star of the Merrie Melodies, even getting his own special opening sequence for the cartoons he appears in. On the other hand, Tex Avery leaving the studio is the definite low point of the year – he contributed a lot to the Looney Tunes style during his six years at the studio, being responsible for many masterpieces, creating some of his best cartoons in his last year. Norm McCabe may not have achieved those heights yet, but shows promise as the newest director, based on his co-directions with Clampett and solo debut. While the U.S. entry to WWII only came late in the year, the war was clearly already having an effect on the plots of the cartoons a few months earlier – something that will naturally only get more obvious in the following years. Bring on 1942!
  10. Tacodidra

    1940: What's up, doc?

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    The Looney Tunes head on to their second decade. The year 1940 will be one of the most important in the history of the series, and I'd say animation in general (and that's not an exaggeration at all).

    Porky's Last Stand
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky is running a fried chicken stand. Daffy works there and has to make a hamburger for a customer. But there's a problem – the ingredients have been eaten by mice. Daffy spots a calf and starts chasing it, but he ends up angering a bull. Some good Clampett wackiness here – Daffy is funny as always, and while Porky gets slightly overshadowed by him here, he has some brilliant moments too. A lot of singing too (from chickens, Porky and Daffy), seemingly in a parody of musical cartoons. Definitely worth a watch, especially if you like Clampett (and I certainly do).
    10
    The Early Worm Gets the Bird
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A little blackbird is reading the book "The Early Bird Gets the Worm" and is inspired to get up early to do just that. However, his mother tells him not to, as he'd get eaten by a fox, and the other two little blackbirds don't think it's a good idea either. The bird tries anyway, and after meeting a little worm who wants to see what the early bird looks like, chase ensues, and the fox of course joins in a little later. This is one cartoon with clear high and low points. Despite being portrayed as anthropomorphic animals, the characters are among the more stereotypically portrayed black characters of the day, and apart from the fox, I wouldn't consider them particularly memorable. However, the end gag is a pretty entertaining one, and we get the first time a character turns into a "sucker" (a joke that would be used many times in the series). But I'd still say this is one of Avery's weaker efforts.
    7.5
    Africa Squeaks
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky is on an expedition in darkest Africa, and we get to see the natives and wildlife. The running gag involves Stanley looking for Dr. Livingstone. This is a spot gag cartoon similar to the ones by Avery, so Porky is once again relegated to a bit part. As for the gags, they're quite random, thankfully with slightly less reliance on stereotypes than in the rather similar "The Isle of Pingo Pongo". Not all of them work equally well, but there's enough entertainment and surprises.
    8
    Mighty Hunters
    Directed by Charles Jones
    The first Merrie Melodies cartoon based on an outside property – James Swinnerton's comic strip "Canyon Kiddies", published in the Good Housekeeping Magazine. In the short, we follow the kids in a Native American tribe. One of them is trying to ride a donkey to no avail, two others go squirrel hunting, while a fourth kid (who is carrying his baby brother with him) gets chased by a bear. The visuals are my favorite thing about this cartoon – the designs of the main characters are cute, and the background paintings by Swinnerton are nice to look at. But plotwise, this isn't a particularly memorable cartoon. This was supposed to be the first of a series of Canyon Kiddies cartoons, but no others were ever released. Maybe it didn't indeed reach the success WB had expected.
    7
    Busy Bakers
    Directed by Ben Hardaway & Cal Dalton
    Swenson's bakery isn't doing any business. After a poor hungry old man shows up and the baker gives him a donut, the man promises to reward him for his kindness. He then gets a group of funny baker men to bake pies and cakes while the baker's asleep. This is more the type of cartoon you'd have expected to see a few years earlier – it has a Disney feel to it, a musical approach, and the fairytale-esque story is mostly played straight here. It's a nice representative of its style, though the studio has had a lot better. The last cartoon directed by Hardaway and Dalton – they were demoted to their old roles of storyman and animator, respectively, to make room for a returning director...
    8
    Ali-Baba Bound
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Legionaire Porky and his camel Baby Dumpling have to defend the Desert Fort from Ali Baba (the Mad Dog of the Desert) and his Dirty Sleeves, as the rest of the legion is away. A lot of fun, fast-paced gags here, with many amusing characters (Mel Blanc really gets to shine here with his voice acting). The basic plot was used before in "Little Beau Porky", but this short is definitely an improvement over that one.
    9.5

    Elmer's Candid Camera
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Elmer goes to photograph wildlife, but a rabbit (the Bugs Bunny prototype) keeps bothering him and ruining his attempts. WB cartoon history is made here – Elmer Fudd appears for the first time with his final design (although still wearing the clothes of the prototype version), and Arthur Q. Bryan gives him his familiar voice. It's also the first cartoon to have him rather than Porky or John Sourpuss against a rabbit, meaning we're getting closer to the eventual Bugs cartoons... Besides being a significant cartoon for the series, it's a fun one – the pace is a bit slower at times (though that's quite fitting for the theme), but Elmer is a great character and is already very close to his famous version in personality. The scene with him going crazy has the wildest animation and the most personality we've seen in Jones' cartoons so far. Surprisingly, the rabbit (now slightly redesigned with white instead of yellow gloves and partially black ears – the former becoming permanent) might be the weakest part in this cartoon – the way he annoys Elmer feels less justified here than in the earlier and later rabbit hunting cartoons, as the photographer isn't really trying to cause any harm to him, and when he thinks he has, he's showing regret as he would later on. But even with these slight teething troubles, it's a very good and influential entry, and a contender for the director's best so far.
    9.5
    Pilgrim Porky
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In 1620, Captain Porky and other pilgrims sail to America on the Mayflower. On the way, we see many spot gags related to the weather and the ocean among other things. This is another humorous cartoon – some of the gags are familiar from earlier cartoons (such as "Porky the Gob" and "Fresh Fish"), but there's enough new material and nice animation to make this one worth a watch, even if the titular pig doesn't show up much.
    8.5
    Cross Country Detours
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A spot gag cartoon showing wildlife in various U.S. states, with the usual corny puns. The running gag involves an Eskimo dog from Alaska trying to get to California (it'll all make sense in the end). Many entertaining gags here, including jokes about censorship. Besides being funny, it's a beautiful cartoon – the painted backgrounds here are the most impressive I've seen yet, with some great multiplane camera pans. A good candidate for the best cartoon of its kind.
    9
    Confederate Honey
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After a couple of years at MGM, Friz is back! His first cartoon after returning is a "Gone with the Wind" parody, taking place in Kentucky in 1861 BC (before Seabiscuit). Tobacco plantation owner Colonel O'Hairoil's daughter Crimson is courted by lots of men, but she has set her eyes on Ned Cutler (portrayed by Elmer, making his second appearance with his final voice and design). But just as it seems he's about to propose to the lady, the Civil War starts and he joins the army. The Avery influences are pretty strong here with the various visual puns and randomness. There are some badly dated parts in the cartoon, but I generally found it an entertaining one, and it shows Freleng already starting to move towards the comedic approach of the newer WB cartoons. Elmer is always great to see, and the female lead has some funny moments too. My relative unfamiliarity with the movie it's parodying didn't hamper my enjoyment much either.
    8
    Slap Happy Pappy
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    On Porky's farm, Eddie Cackler and his wife Ida are expecting chicks. But despite Eddie's wishes, he can't seem to get a son, just daughters. For fellow singing rooster Bing, it's the other way around – all of his hatchlings are boys. Can he give Eddie some useful advice? Of all the Porky cartoons so far, this features him the least. But it's a fun one with all the celebrity parodies (besides Cantor and Crosby, we see Jack Benny among others), and naturally, quite a bit of humorous singing. For some reason, Crosby was portrayed as a rooster a lot in these cartoons.
    8.5
    The Bear's Tale
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Another one of Avery's fairytale parodies – this time spoofing Goldilocks and the Three Bears. As Goldilocks accidentally goes to grandma's house instead, the wolf and eventually Little Red Riding Hood herself get caught up in the story too! Avery has been brilliant at this type of cartoon, and this one is no exception – a lot of jokes, and the characters here are very funny, especially the dopey Papa Bear voiced by the director himself. It gets more and more random as the story goes on, with some of the conflict not even getting resolved (which doesn't bother much in this type of short). Definitely one of the best cartoons of its time.
    10
    Porky's Poor Fish
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky owns a pet fish shop and performs a cute song along with the fish. When he goes out to lunch, a cat enters the store and tries to eat one of the fish. The other fish in the shop unite to save her and fight the cat. A fun cartoon with puns and visual gags involving the various fish, in addition to some typical fast-paced scenes.
    8.5
    The Hardship of Miles Standish
    Directed by I. Freleng
    After hearing a radio play about the Courtship of Miles Standish, an old man tells the story of how it really happened. Miles wants to propose to Priscilla, but he's shy, so he sends John Alden (portrayed by Elmer Fudd) to do it via a singing telegram. Soon after this, Indians (including the Cleveland Indians!) attack. At the time, Freleng seems to have had the idea of using Elmer in various stories, portraying historical or literary figures (as he had done before in "Confederate Honey"). This is a humorous cartoon, Elmer being the obvious star – we even hear him singing "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", which makes quite an impression on Priscilla (and indeed, he has a surprisingly nice singing voice)! There are several entertaining jokes, including one scene with mouthed swearing!  
    8.5
    Sniffles Takes a Trip
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Sniffles goes to the countryside to have a peaceful time. But things don't go like he thought – a woodpecker prevents him from taking a nap, then he has run-ins with some other animals and is eventually creeped out by the dark. Visually, this cartoon is impressive with the detailed animation, shading and beautiful backgrounds. However, despite the adorable lead character, I don't find the short itself particularly interesting. Most of the conflict stems from Sniffles' misunderstandings of his surroundings, which I guess is cute, but I find myself missing the humor and faster pace of most other shorts of the era. I generally like the early Chuck Jones cartoons (many of which were clearly attempting to emulate the Disney style) more than many other WB cartoon fans do, but this is among his weaker attempts of the era. Slightly better than the previous Sniffles cartoon, but far behind the first two.
    7

    You Ought to Be in Pictures
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Daffy wants to become the star of the studio, so he convinces Porky to quit his job and try to make it in feature films. Leon Schlesinger agrees to this and tears up Porky's contract – "He'll be back!" Porky's attempts to reach movie stardom don't go as well as he expected. This is an unusual short with its combination of animation and live-action – something that was rare back in the day and is done very impressively here. The WB cartoon crew get to play the live-action roles, including Michael Maltese as a studio guard. But I think Leon Schlesinger does the best job here playing himself – his performance is excellent, also showing his sense of humor in process. As for the cartoon characters, both Porky and Daffy get to shine, the duo having brilliant chemistry. One of the most memorable shorts in the entire series.
    10
    A Gander at Mother Goose
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A spot gag cartoon parodying classic nursery rhymes, featuring the likes of Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, and the Three Little Pigs. In a cartoon like this, it's obvious some gags will work better than others, but it's generally an entertaining watch. There's another joke about dogs and trees, for example (obviously a Termite Terrace favorite). The final gag (based on the Night Before Christmas) is my favorite, it took me completely by surprise!
    9
    Tom Thumb in Trouble
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Tom Thumb is a woodchopper's son, named for his diminutive size. When his father goes to work, Tom is doing the dishes and almost drowns, getting saved by a bird. The father thinks the bird caused the dangerous situation, and Tom goes looking for his new friend in the cold weather. This cartoon probably takes Jones' attempts to emulate Disney to an extreme – very little in it feels like the typical WB cartoon. Tom and the bird have very cute designs, while detailed, realistic animation is used for the father. I know this is not an especially popular cartoon, but it does have its appeal, including some emotional scenes with Tom's father. Out of Jones' cute cartoons, I think this is a much more successful one than the last couple with Sniffles – despite some slow pacing and little comedy, there's more to it than just cutesy characters and good visuals.
    8.5
    The Chewin' Bruin
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    A hunter tells Porky the story behind his mounted bear head – how he and his dog came across a bear with a liking for chewing tobacco. I found this a surprisingly tame entry by Clampett's standards, though there are still some fun puns and visual gags in this one. The "Starring Porky" card is pretty much a lie, as he appears for less than a minute and the least of all four characters. The characters we get to see are entertaining enough to make this an enjoyable short, even if it's not an absolute must-see.
    8.5
    Circus Today
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Spot gag cartoon featuring various acts at the Jingling Bros. Circus. We get in-joke references to the crew (like Captain Clampett and Hotfoot Hogan), a couple of acts that end tragically, and amusing animals among others. Harman and Ising did a cartoon full of similarly themed gags back in 1932, but this one is definitely funnier than the earlier attempt. Some jokes are recycled from earlier Avery spot gag cartoons but with slight variations, and the new ones are entertaining.
    8.5

    Little Blabbermouse
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Mice go on a cable car ride in a drug store, and the W.C. Fields-esque host shows the various products to them. Combining the earlier "things come to life" cartoons and the recent spot gag entries, we see many humorous puns like a bottle of cough medicine that actually coughs. We get some musical numbers featuring earlier Merrie Melodies songs (such as "Shake Your Powder Puff" and the ubiquitous "We're in the Money"). An extremely talkative kid mouse keeps bothering the host, and eventually the mice end up in a dangerous situation! The characters in this one were amusing (especially Blabbermouse himself), and while some parts of it felt like a cartoon from a years earlier, I found this one of the best of its kind. Definitely worth a watch for its humorous parts (we also see the first use of the alum gag that I always enjoyed).
    9
    Porky's Baseball Broadcast
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Porky is the commentator for a decisive World Series baseball game at the Yankem Stadium where the Giants face the Red Sox. Plenty of puns and wacky baseball action involving cartoon animals are seen, of course! Freleng (who's doing brilliantly after his return – the switch from musicals to comedy is really suiting him) would handle this theme even better a few years later, but this prototype version of sorts is very entertaining in itself. A few gags would in fact be recycled for that later entry, like the screaming ball and the literal bat boy.
    9
    The Egg Collector
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Sniffles and the Bookworm are reading an egg collecting book, and the great barn owl's egg catches their eyes. The Bookworm knows there's an owl's nest in the nearby church tower, so the two go there, unaware of the danger involved. This is a cute short, Sniffles in particular with his naivete (he reads that owls eat rodents, but thinks a rodent is "some kind of a flower or something" – there are also other small nice touches like his inability to pronounce "etc.") It's not one of the most humorous in the series, but there are some funny scenes like Sniffles insulting the owl not realizing he's listening. Charming, definitely an improvement over the last couple of cartoons with the mouse, but it doesn't quite reach the level of the similarly themed "Little Brother Rat" – that one had a little more cuteness and action yet.
    8.5

    A Wild Hare
    Directed by Fred Avery
    And now we've reached one of the most significant milestones in the series, if not number one on that list! Elmer Fudd is hunting rabbits and immediately comes across one. His attempts to catch the rabbit don't succeed, as he's too smart to fall for Elmer's traps. The rabbit is Bugs Bunny, of course, making his first appearance in his recognizable form. Elmer's final version had appeared in various roles earlier this year, but this is the first short to put him in his famous role as a hunter. For the first cartoon to pair these two new characters, it's amazing how many of the elements that would be used in later cartoons are already here. Elmer thinking he's hurt Bugs (and even more obviously, a scene where he goes crazy) is a variation on a scene from "Elmer's Candid Camera", but the character acting here is much more effective, and the more appealing personality of Bugs here in comparison to the prototype version naturally plays a part. This cartoon got an Oscar nomination as the best short cartoon of the year. But showing how clueless the Academy can sometimes be, it didn't win the award, and neither did the first Tom and Jerry cartoon "Puss Gets the Boot", for that matter. A cute but forgettable MGM short "The Milky Way" beat both of these legendary firsts – my pick for the greatest awards injustice ever. But today, "A Wild Hare" is deservedly recognized as the masterpiece it is, in addition to being the template for most Bugs cartoons we'd see later on.
    10
    Ghost Wanted
    Directed by Charles Jones
    A little ghost is learning how to scare people when he sees a newspaper ad looking for a ghost to haunt a house. When he arrives there, a big ghost tells him to try to scare him. Once this fails, the big ghost scares the little one and starts chasing him around the house. Out of Jones' early cartoons, this is among the faster-paced and more gag-filled ones. The ghost characters are nice – the small ghost is cute and expressive despite having no dialogue, while Tex Avery's voice and trademark laugh contribute to the big ghost's amusing personality. There are some nice explosion effects here too.
    8.5
    Ceiling Hero
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A series of plane-related gags. We see new innovations in aviation, as well as pilots showing their skills. Obviously there's a lot of randomness along the way. Another entertaining spot gag cartoon, though not the best one.
    8
    Patient Porky
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky goes to the hospital with a stomach ache. But instead of a doctor, Porky meets one of the patients (an insane cat) pretending to be Young Dr. Chilled-air. As the cat attempts to operate on Porky (with a saw), he tries to escape. A wild cartoon with some funny jokes like a bellhop reciting the diseases treated on various floors like products in a department store. Prototype Bugs also makes a guest appearance – his last one, since we've already met the real thing now. Some of the scenes with the cat are pretty obviously reused from "The Daffy Doc" (just with the cat replacing Daffy), but there's still plenty of new and crazy stuff to enjoy!
    9
    Malibu Beach Party
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Jack Bunny (a Jack Benny parody – this time a human, unlike his namesakes in shorts like "I Love to Singa" and "Slap Happy Pappy") invites various celebrities to a beach party at his home. We see comedic antics involving the guests and a few musical performances, the highlight being the host himself playing the violin. This cartoon is one where part of the joke is lost nowadays – most of the celebrities shown here have faded into obscurity. Some of the gags are funny despite this, but I think the song scenes aren't particularly humorous, apart from the one with Jack Bunny himself (mostly thanks to the audience reactions). An interesting time capsule of sorts, but there have been funnier celebrity parodies in the series, at least from a modern point of view.
    7.5
    Calling Dr. Porky
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Porky is a doctor at New Rightus Hospital. He has to treat a drunken man who's being followed around by little elephants. When Porky goes to get him some medicine, the elephants start further pestering the man, pretending to be doctors themselves. Freleng's stay at MGM has mostly been regarded as a failure, but his return to Schlesinger seems to have invigorated him – this is another brilliant cartoon. The elephants' antics are the funniest part, and the ending is also a very amusing one. One of Friz's best shorts so far.
    10
    Stage Fright
    Directed by Charles Jones
    The two Curious Puppies are fighting over a bone. They run through a stage door and end up dueling with not only each other but also a trained seal and a pigeon living inside a magic hat. The Curious Puppies cartoons are all fairly similar in execution, but I consider this my favorite so far. The puppies' foils, especially the angry pigeon (who reminds me slightly of a certain hawk who would appear a couple of years later), provide some much needed variety. Also, there's less barking now, allowing much of the cartoon to be done in proper pantomime, which works better. There's also a logical but amusing solution to the conflict at the end. Certainly a solid effort!
    8.5
    Prehistoric Porky
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    In the year one billion trillion B.C., Porky is a caveman. Inspired by the Expire magazine, Porky decides to get a new suit, so he goes bear hunting. Unfortunately, a hungry saber-toothed tiger sets his sights on him. A wacky cartoon with many sight gags (including a very long one involving Porky's pet dinosaur) and a comedic random ending. We also hear a rewritten, period-appropriate version of the 1934 classic "Those Were Wonderful Days". Good cartoon with one of Porky's best recent roles.
    8.5
    Holiday Highlights
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A look at the various holidays of the year, with a comedic vignette for each. Many of them are just as funny as they would have been back then, such as the April fool gag. And also poignant in parts, as the "most likely to succeed" on Graduation Day goes right to the bread line. Out of the Avery spot gag cartoons, this is definitely among my absolute favorites!
    9.5
    Good Night Elmer
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Elmer is trying to fall asleep, but this proves difficult. At first, he struggles to take off his coat, and then the flame of a candle refuses to go out despite various attempts from him. This is not the strongest cartoon about a character trying to fall asleep (I prefer "Porky's Badtime Story" from three years ago), but it still proves rather entertaining, especially the last minute when Elmer gets really frustrated. The short also shows Jones' continued experiments with dialogueless cartoons – Elmer, who's the only character in this cartoon (I don't think the flame really counts as one), only expresses himself visually and through simple vocal effects. A better cartoon than its reputation would suggest.
    8
    The Sour Puss
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky and his cat go fishing. The first fish they see is a flying fish – a really crazy one that's very hard to catch! This could be considered a follow-up of sorts to "Porky's Duck Hunt" and "Porky's Hare Hunt", as all three feature Porky and an animal companion trying to catch their wacky prey. However, this is the wildest of the whole trio, with very expressive animation. Porky's cat gets a very significant role here, unlike the dogs in the two aforementioned shorts. Many funny gags along the way, like Porky's fish impersonation (probably his strangest moment to date in the series). We also see the debut of a Clampett favorite gag – the "Now I've seen everything" suicide joke (often censored on TV airings), this time featuring a canary. Definitely not a sour one!
    10
    Wacky Wild Life
    Directed by Fred Avery
    More spot gags about wildlife. There are many cute and funny jokes involving animals once again. There's plenty of fourth wall breaking, including a gag with a packrat that takes (intentional) repetition to a new extent – another thing Avery liked doing, with an infamous example coming up rather soon! It's inevitable that some of the jokes are similar to ones in earlier shorts (including another joke about dogs and trees, of course!), but again, the new ones are entertaining enough. As with the previous cartoons in this style, the visuals are very beautiful, especially the background paintings. The cute creatures and funny voice acting naturally add to the appeal too.
    8.5
    Bedtime for Sniffles
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Right after Jones made a short about a character trying to fall asleep, he makes one about a character trying to stay awake. It's Christmas, and Sniffles wants to see Santa Claus. The problem is that he keeps falling asleep despite trying various things to keep himself awake (listening to the radio, drinking coffee, reading a magazine). A cute short, for sure, but not the most remarkable one. Probably more enjoyable at Christmas with its theme and atmosphere (emphasized by the Christmas songs on the soundtrack).
    7.5
    Porky's Hired Hand
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The employment agency provides Porky with a watchman for his henhouse. However, Gregory Grunt proves to be quite lazy and naive, as the fox fools him by claiming the two will become business partners and make a lot of money. But this doesn't prevent the fox from getting himself in trouble too... The sly fox is the most entertaining character here and has some funny lines (with great voice acting by Mel Blanc, of course). Another enjoyable short, but don't expect to see much of Porky himself (once again)!
    9

    Of Fox and Hounds
    Directed by Draft No. 412
    That's Tex Avery as the director – the original on-screen credits had a war-themed gag (far from the only time even the credit sequences were used for jokes). Hunters and their dogs go fox hunting – and so does Willoughby, a very dumb dog. He decides he'll catch a fox, but his stupidity proves to be his undoing, as George the fox constantly outwits him. One of the funniest of its time – the characters may not have had much longevity in the series (though Willoughby would make a couple more appearances), but they're very amusing with brilliant chemistry. This short contains another example of repetition being used in a humorous way, and it's very effective, emphasizing how naive Willoughby is. The ending in particular is a clever one, with a surprising variation on an earlier scene. Interestingly, this is the second short in a row to feature a fox in a significant role – the first time this has happened since Foxy's brief glory days in 1931.
    10
    The Timid Toreador
    Directed by Robert Clampett & Norman McCabe
    Porky is selling (extremely) hot tamales in a Mexican town. But he accidentally ends up in a bullfight! The first directorial job for McCabe who will fill in for Clampett, who was ill at the time, on a couple of cartoons. The latter's involvement is still quite obvious here with some of the wild animation and gags. There's also a repeating part with Porky advertising the tamales to the tune of "La Cucaracha" – for some reason, this was something that really stuck in my mind when I first saw this cartoon years ago, so there's some nostalgia for me here. Porky unintentionally ending up as a bullfighter wasn't admittedly an all new idea, but that doesn't hurt my enjoyment of this cartoon much.
    8.5
    Shop Look & Listen
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Blabbermouse is back and even gets a special title card at the start – goes to show how many characters were planned to become stars at some point! This is pretty similar to "Little Blabbermouse" – the W.C. Fields mouse is giving other mice a sightseeing tour in the J.T. Gimlet department store, and the talkative kid keeps bothering him. The difference is that this time the main attractions are modern machines that do everything from wrapping up packages to dealing cards. There are no dangerous situations this time, but Blabbermouse proves to be just as much of a nuisance. Slightly weaker than its predecessor, as it's quite derivative (sometimes also of non-Blabbermouse shorts like "Sweet Sioux") despite some funny scenes – still entertaining, but two was pretty much the maximum that could have been made with this concept!
    8.5

    Besides the cartoon shorts, the Schlesinger studio (uncredited) created an animated title sequence for a movie released by Paramount.

    Love Thy Neighbor
    An illustration of the two lead actors (Jack Benny, often parodied in the WB cartoons, and Fred Allen) is shown, after which their names are animated and start fighting. They then chase each other while the other on-screen credits appear. A very small footnote in the history of the Schlesinger studio, but animated names acting as characters is an interesting idea – and definitely more entertaining than the typical credit sequence of the day.

    1940 was a very strong year for the cartoons. The introduction of Bugs Bunny was of course the standout moment, and a new star for the studio seems to have been long overdue, as Porky is getting upstaged increasingly often in his own cartoons. But there were many other strong entries too. Friz Freleng's return to WB brought us some gems, and Chuck Jones is slowly but surely starting to find his way. I'd go as far as to say WB had its all-time strongest director team at this point with the aforementioned two, Avery and Clampett. This line-up wouldn't last for long, though...
  11. Tacodidra

    1938: Going up!

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    The Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies move on to another year. With the introduction of Daffy Duck last year, we can look forward to more of him... and maybe some surprises!
     

    Daffy Duck & Egghead
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Egghead goes duck hunting, but the duck he meets is a really crazy one, making him difficult to outwit. More Avery wackiness, continuing from "Porky's Duck Hunt". Despite that short being one of the most important in the whole series, I think this one is even better as a stand-alone cartoon – Daffy's personality is further refined, we get a fittingly wacky song (to the tune of "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down") from him, and the ending is a much funnier and more memorable one. Besides only being Daffy's second appearance in the cartoons, this is his first one in color and the one where he gets his name. His design wasn't quite finalized yet, as the ring around his neck is blue instead of white. A brilliant entry!
    10
    Porky's Poppa
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Bessie the cow is no longer producing milk the way she used to, and Porky's father is struggling with the mortgage of the farm. He gets a robot cow that even produces cheese and ice cream without hassle! But Porky wants to prove Bessie can still beat the newcomer. Wild and fast-paced with many good gags. For a character with no lines that's as close to a regular animal as you get in the Looney Tunes, the cartoon still makes you root for good old Bessie, which speaks for how well the crew handles their characters. But my absolute favorite part is the chaotic rewrite of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" at the start – easily the funniest musical sequence so far in these cartoons!
    10
    My Little Buckeroo
    Directed by I. Freleng
    In 1872, the town of Boiled Beef, Texas, is terrorized by a criminal fittingly just known as "The Terror". All the sheriffs try to catch him to no avail. We focus on a pig (with a horrible singing voice – I doubt this would have helped sell many copies of the title song!) who tries to do the job. I feel some of the gags show a slight Tex Avery influence, though the cartoon on the whole isn't quite as wacky as his. Still a nice one with impressive animation in the chase sequences.
    8.5
    Porky at the Crocadero
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky dreams of seeing popular musicians perform at the Crocadero and maybe performing there one day. An attempt to get to see the bands by washing the dishes fails and gets Porky kicked out, but after the bandleaders fail to show up, he gets an unforgettable opportunity... Probably the jazziest Looney Tune yet, the impersonations of various performers by Porky are the most memorable part of this. Not a highlight of the series but another enjoyable one in any case.
    8.5
    Jungle Jitters
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Part of the Censored 11 – so expect some badly dated stereotypes here. A goofy salesman goes to an African village, trying to sell stuff to the natives. But unfortunately for him, the natives turn out to be cannibals! The salesman character is an entertaining one, and I think the brilliant ending makes up a little for the predictability and slight repetitiveness of some of the other gags.
    7.5
    What Price Porky
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Farmer Porky is feeding corn to his chickens, but a group of ducks manages to snatch all of it. Things soon turn into a full-on war between the birds, with even newly hatched chicks joining the battle. Another fun Porky cartoon, despite the intended star being largely overshadowed by the dueling birds here. There have been previous entries with somewhat similar gags and theme (including "Bosko the Doughboy" years ago), but Clampett's humor and relentless pace is clearly better than those. And he even manages to sneak in another surprise at the end!
    9
    The Sneezing Weasel
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Wilbur the chick has a cold, and her mother goes to get him a doctor. But Willie the Weasel notices an opportunity – he dresses as one while the mother hen's away in order to eat the little chick. His disguise doesn't fool the chicks for long, and they fight the predator. Another humorous short with good characters, especially the weasel as a bumbling villain. Cute and funny – better than I expected.
    9
    Porky's Phoney Express
    Directed by Cal Howard & Cal Dalton
    The pony express tries to deliver mail to Red Gulch, but they fail due to being attacked by Indians. Porky wants to ride the mail too, but he's relegated to sweeping and licking envelopes, until he gets the chance as a decoy for the more experienced riders. The first cartoon directed by the two Cals, replacing Freleng who went to MGM (he'll be back). There are some good gags, but at the same time, I feel the directors' lack of experience shows in the animation quality varying between scenes (there's some fun animation especially of wild takes, but some scenes look a bit mediocre). Porky himself looks a bit different too.
    7
    A Star Is Hatched
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Emily the chicken is back! Now she's dreaming about becoming a Hollywood actress, and when she meets the famous director J. Meggaphone, she thinks her dream is about to come true. But things aren't that easy. There are obviously many celebrity caricatures here, and the temptation of fame and empty promises made to those looking to make it big are an interesting theme – exploring that theme even further would have made for a really fascinating cartoon. The short we got is an enjoyable one too, even if some parts are a bit derivative (the ending is pretty much a 1:1 remake of that in the slightly better Emily cartoon "Let It Be Me").
    8.5
    Porky's Five & Ten
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky plans to open a five and ten cent store on Boola-Boola Isle. But while he's on his way there, fish steal the products he plans to sell with wacky consequences. Porky's stuff forms a Hollywood Hotel underwater and we see fish, including celebrity parodies, having a good time there. Out of these Hollywood-themed cartoons, this is definitely among the better ones – even if it's strange to see Porky get upstaged by random fish in his own cartoon!
    9
    The Penguin Parade
    Directed by Fred Avery
    At the grand opening of Club Iceburg, a bunch of penguins (and some walruses) enjoy musical performances, including a wild jazzy number by a penguin band. The last performance is clearly my favorite part here – I think the short is enjoyable for what it is, but more a really well animated musical cartoon than a particularly funny one (despite some gags). A couple of years earlier, this would have stood out a lot more!
    7.5

    Porky's Hare Hunt
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Another hunting cartoon with Porky – this time he and his dog are hunting a rabbit. The rabbit is a very crazy one who keeps coming up with various ways to outwit and annoy the hunter. Of course this is quite similar in both concept and execution to the previous year's "Porky's Duck Hunt", but the gags are new ones... and very entertaining at that (my favorite being the punny "hare remover"). And of course there's one thing that must be mentioned – the white rabbit in this short would eventually evolve into Bugs Bunny. The personality of the rabbit is more similar to the early Daffy Duck (with a laugh that Mel Blanc would later reuse for Woody Woodpecker), but some aspects of the later Bugs are already there – the rabbit is heard saying "Of course you know that this means war" and fakes a fatal injury the way Bugs would often do. Great short whose historical significance is often forgotten.
    10
    Now That Summer Is Gone
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Squirrels are collecting acorns for the winter, but one of them has another way to get them – gambling. The little squirrel (named Spunky in promotional material) keeps doing so despite the opposition of his parents, but he's bound to lose at some point... This brings to mind "Pigs Is Pigs" from the year before – more a cartoon with a moral than a particularly funny one, though it's not completely without jokes and I find it slightly less preachy than that one. I still enjoyed it – there's some great animation with cute characters, and a gambling addiction is an interesting subject for a cartoon.
    8.5
    Injun Trouble
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky is on lookout for the dangerous Injun Joe, so that a wagon train can travel safely to California through his territory. On the way, he meets a strange bearded hillbilly who "knows something he won't tell". I find the villain here slightly less stereotypical than some of the previous Native American characters, and he's an interesting one – he's extremely strong and fearless, which is used for a couple of gags too (such as a fun one with a bear). The way the conflict gets resolved is also very surprising!
    8.5
    The Isle of Pingo Pongo
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Yet another Censored 11 cartoon. This is one of Avery's travelogues, as people go on a cruise to the titular island. We see nearby islands with punny names and the wildlife on Pingo Pongo, which is quite fun. Then comes the part with the island natives, and even if we were to ignore the stereotypical depictions, I think this is where the quality of the short declines significantly – most of the gags in this part just aren't very funny, though the featured music is good. There's also a running gag where Elmer (the version we saw in "Little Red Walking Hood") is asking if it's his time to show up, and a comedic use of a live-action sequence (something that's quite common in cartoons even today). A good cartoon at times, but it could have been so much better.
    7.5
    Porky the Fireman
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky and his colleagues are trying to put out the fire and save people from a burning building. They have a lot of trouble along the way. For Porky cartoons, this is quite average – there are some entertaining parts, but at times, the running gags start to border on repetition.
    There's still quite a bit to enjoy, though – I especially like the unpredictable end gag.
    8
    Katnip Kollege
    Directed by Cal Howard & Cal Dalton
    In swingology class at Katnip Kollege, everything is sung, including homework! But Johnny can't swing, so he's forced to stay after class. However, later that night he finally gets it and impresses the other cats, including his crush Kitty Bright. The animation is beautiful with all the cute cats, and the soundtrack is wonderful. The most musical short in a while, but also one of the very best of its kind!
    9.5
    Have You Got Any Castles
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Another cartoon with books coming to life. There are many funny puns on book titles, and of course we also see the characters singing, dancing and playing instruments. A running gag involves Rip Van Winkle trying to sleep but being bothered by the noise made by all the other characters. The theme is something we've seen many times, but I feel the last couple have improved a lot on the previous ones – this one differs in that while there is still a villain that the others are chasing, this doesn't take up as much of the short, and the ending is a funnier one. Possibly the second best cartoon in this genre?
    9
    Porky's Party
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    It's Porky's birthday and his uncle gives him an Oriental silk worm as a present ("When you want him to do his stuff, just say 'Sew'!"). A penguin and a goose come to visit him. But Black Fury the dog gets drunk and causes a lot of chaos along with the worm! Hilarious Clampett wackiness where the action just doesn't stop! I also love the music here, especially the fast-paced version of "Joseph Joseph" in the chase sequences.
    10
    Love and Curses
    Directed by Ben Hardaway & Cal Dalton
    An old couple, Harold and Emily, reminisce about their youth in the 1890s. When they were on a picnic, Emily was kidnapped by the evil Roger St. Clair and Harold had to save her. This reminds me a little of "Those Were Wonderful Days" from four years ago – the 1890s theme, barbershop quartets and a mustache-twirling villain appear in both. I think this is a very good cartoon – besides the nostalgic approach (which I'm a sucker for!), there's an entertaining theatrical approach with the characters' exaggerated delivery, probably inspired by the actors of the day. The ending is an amusing one too. One of the most underrated shorts of the time.
    9
    Cinderella Meets Fella
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Another crazy parody of a famous fairytale, similar to "Little Red Walking Hood". The Fairy Godmother is an alcoholic, Prince Charming is portrayed by Elmer... Definitely not your typical version of Cinderella. While I thought the previous fairytale parody was a little better, this one is also fun with a lot of randomness and the concept still feels novel.
    9
    Porky's Spring Planting
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky plants a garden with the help of his dog Streamline, but a group of chickens comes to eat all the vegetables, and Porky has to chase them away. An enjoyable cartoon with good side characters (the dog and the chickens both have some funny scenes), but not one of my favorite Porkys.
    8
    Porky & Daffy
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Daffy is a boxer, with Porky as his manager. They decide to challenge the championship fighter, a rooster everyone else is afraid to fight. What Daffy lacks in strength, he makes up for in insanity! Another really fast-paced short with imaginative fighting tactics from Daffy (who's obviously the star here despite the title), much more fun than the earlier boxing cartoons!
    9.5
    The Major Lied 'til Dawn
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Major Twombley tells little Freddie about how he hunted big game in Africa, catching a lion. The story is quite an incredible one. After a slow start, there are some funny scenes like the major's fight against the lion. Cultural references that surprisingly still work today, action well timed with the music, and a great running gag with a forgetful elephant. Another enjoyable short.
    8.5
    Wholly Smoke
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky (a kid here) is on the way to Sunday school but meets a tough boy. Urged by him, Porky bets a nickel that he isn't afraid to smoke. The cigar smoke makes him dizzy and he dreams about going to a smoke shop where he's forced to chew tobacco while the products in the store perform the song "Little Kids Shouldn't Smoke" (to the tune of "Mysterious Mose"). Unusually moralist for a Looney Tunes cartoon, I find the anti-smoking theme here a bit ahead of its time – the dangers of smoking weren't quite as well known back then as they are today. This cartoon treads the line of preachiness at times, but it's a very good message in any case... and the dream sequence is a great one with its visuals and music.
    8.5
    A-Lad-in Bagdad
    Directed by Cal Howard & Cal Dalton
    Aladdin, portrayed here by Egghead, gets a magic lamp from a claw machine. He finds out that there's a competition – whoever manages to entertain the Sultan will get to marry his daughter. But his lamp gets stolen before the big performance. This is a short I've always enjoyed – I thought the auditioning acts were funny (even if the Sultan didn't agree), Egghead's performance of "Bei mir bist du schön" (already heard as background music in a few other shorts) is memorable and the whole cartoon is a funny one. I can see quite a lot of Avery influence here – the audition sequences are a bit similar to "I Love to Singa", and then there's the fairytale spoof and of course Egghead himself. But the short still doesn't feel too derivative. This was the last short co-directed by Cal Howard (as Ben Hardaway takes over as Dalton's co-director), though he'll make occasional appearances as a writer until the very end!
    9
    Cracked Ice
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    W.C. Squeals returns – after he sees a St. Bernard rescuing a drowning bird and giving him alcohol, he wants some himself. He comes up with various ideas to get the drink, but they all go awry in comedic ways. This is another funny one-shot, especially thanks to the lead character with his funny mannerisms and dialogue. There's an in-joke about the Termite Terrace, for example (this having been the animators' nickname for the studio building).
    9

    A Feud There Was
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Yodeling peacemaker Elmer Fudd (yes, named for the first time!) tries to end the feud between two families, the Weavers and the McCoys, to no avail. While a bit slow-paced at first (the background pan in the beginning is very impressive for the time, though), it gets more entertaining as it goes on, with funny gags involving the feuding families, great one-liners and some fourth wall breaking once again. While proto-Elmer is the star here, the other characters also have some amusing moments. The ending is also a great one, and one I didn't expect!
    8.5

    Porky in Wackyland
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky flies to the darkest Africa to hunt for the last Do-Do bird. He lands in Wackyland which is definitely true to its name. A lot of random gags involving the crazy inhabitants, not least the Do-Do. Clampett has included many wacky and random scenes in his cartoons, but this time he takes it to an extreme, while still managing to incorporate it into the plot. The weirdness is punctuated by Mel Blanc's amazing voice acting and a wild jazzy soundtrack by Carl Stalling. At the time, this cartoon must have been unlike anything ever seen before, and it's still a very appealing and memorable one today. Its uniqueness hasn't been ignored – it's the earliest released of the four WB animated shorts that have been chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry.
    10

    Little Pancho Vanilla
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Pancho, a little Mexican boy, wants to become a bullfighter despite his mother's opposition and three girls' mockery. He tries to go a to bullfight and isn't admitted, but things take a surprising turn. An unusual cartoon in that the bull is the only non-human character here. Cute 30s character designs (with huge eyes!) and a lead character with some attitude, but despite being adequately entertaining, I think both the series and the director have had more interesting cartoons by now. This was Pancho's only appearance in the cartoons, but with a slight redesign, he ended up becoming a recurring character in the Looney Tunes comics in the 50s!
    8
    Porky's Naughty Nephew
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky is on the beach with his nephew Pinky. He's trying to have a relaxing day, but Pinky keeps causing trouble for him, both on purpose and by accident. Then there's a swim race for cartoon animals, and Porky of course takes part. The annoying nephew is something we've already seen before in the series with Ham and Ex having been a nuisance for their uncle Beans in a couple of cartoons. And the swim race part reminds me a lot of "Pettin' in the Park" from 1934 – coincidentally (or not?) the first cartoon to credit Clampett as an animator! But despite this derivativeness at times, there is enough comedy to make this worth a watch... and the annoying nephew actually comes up with something useful near the end!
    8.5
    Johnny Smith and Poker-Huntas
    Directed by Fred Avery
    And guess what – WB made a Pocahontas cartoon more than five decades before Disney! Captain Johnny Smith (portrayed by Elmer) arrives to America on the Mayflower and gets in trouble with the Natives. Who will save him? Another fun cartoon from Avery with anachronisms, corny puns, fast-paced chase scenes and self-referential humor. There are definitely aspects to this that are dated with the stereotypes, but I feel this fares better than the earlier "Sweet Sioux", for example – the gags are much more imaginative and random, and it relies slightly less on stereotypical humor (though it goes without saying that it wasn't entirely avoided). The character of Poker-Huntas was also a likable one, and despite not getting as much screentime as I expected, still plays a big part in the plot. A fun short, if you can look past its questionability.
    9.5
    You're an Education
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Brochures in a travel agency come to life. The characters on them perform music (linking together various songs from the time), and we see many puns on the place names. These are pretty imaginative – a thief from Baghdad uses the Florida Keys to rob the Kimberly diamond mines. All the countries collaborate in an attempt to catch him. This is another good one – the "books come to life" theme was used a lot, but Tashlin's takes on it are among the most entertaining. There's an unfortunate problem with this short, though – the existing reissue had 45 seconds of the original cartoon removed, and this results in a few jarring cuts and ruins the flow of the song sequence a little.
    9
    Porky in Egypt
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky is riding a camel called Humpty Bumpty in the desert and suddenly it gets really hot! The rest of the cartoon is mostly the camel (and sometimes Porky) having a heat stroke and hearing and seeing things that aren't there. Not much in the sense of a plot, but we do get some crazy animation and acting and funny scenes. The scene where the camel starts hallucinating has impressive effects. Works well as a one-off.
    9
    The Night Watchman
    Directed by Charles Jones
    Thomas Cat, the night watchman, is sick, so his son has to fill in for him. But the mice aren't afraid of the little kitten, bossing him around, eating all the food and playing loud music. This short has great animation – it's another one of those "more cute than funny" shorts, though there are some humorous moments like the effects the various foods (like bananas and pretzels) have on the mice's body shapes. The lead character is also a likable one. This short is most notable for being the first one directed by Chuck Jones. He'll definitely have many better shorts later on, but I think this is a charming debut.
    8.5
    The Daffy Doc
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Daffy returns – and this time he pretty much relegates Porky to a bit part. The duck is an assistant to Dr. Quack who kicks him out for being noisy and a general nuisance. But Daffy decides to prove his worth and find his own patient! Clampett's wacky style suits Daffy perfectly – his antics are hilarious in this cartoon. The only minus is a surprisingly sudden (and somewhat weak) ending, I'd gladly have seen more of this chaos!
    9.5
    Daffy Duck in Hollywood
    Directed by Fred Avery
    And we get another Daffy cartoon, this time in color (he becomes the first character to have starred in multiple entries in both the Looney Tunes and the Merrie Melodies)! He asks movie producer I.M. Stupendous for a role but gets turned down. He then proceeds to ruin things when director Von Hamburger is making a film and even tries his hands at film making himself! Another nice cartoon with Daffy being annoying in his lovable way, though it's not one of his absolute best shorts – the previous Avery and Clampett shorts with him made even better use of his crazy antics. I can't deny its creativity, though – we even get live-action sequences in Daffy's "movie".
    8.5
    Porky the Gob
    Directed by Ben Hardaway & Cal Dalton
    Porky is in the navy. When the rest of the crew go to find a pirate submarine (for which there's a 50,000 dollar reward), Porky has to stay on the ship to his frustration. But when the pirates attack, he's the one who has to deal with them! Quite an action-packed cartoon, a fun watch even if there isn't much that hasn't been seen before. A slightly better gob than Buddy was!
    8
    Count Me Out
    Directed by Ben Hardaway & Cal Dalton
    Egghead starts to learn boxing in an attempt to become champion. After completing his lessons, he goes to fight champion Biff Stew. Boxing cartoons were relatively common back then – this is better than the early attempts, but not quite at the level of "Porky & Daffy". Still an entertaining one, again with some Avery influences at times. Egghead's last appearance in the series, though his brother Elmer will keep making appearances.
    8.5
    The Mice Will Play
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A bunch of mice enter the laboratory of Dr. I.M. Nutts and have fun with the equipment there. Test subject Susie Mouse is locked in a cage in the next room, and Johnny has to save her. A cat is lurking in the background too... With the cute mouse characters and a musical number, this feels like the Merrie Melodies from a couple of years ago – but since it's an Avery cartoon, there are more jokes. It's not as fast-paced and wild as his typical cartoon, but there are some cute gags here. I like the ending too. Definitely better than Avery's previous mouse cartoon, the more saccharine "A Sunbonnet Blue".
    8.5

    The studio also made another animated sequence for a live-action film, this time for Paramount. Only producer Schlesinger received credit, but the scene appears to be by the Clampett unit.

    The Big Broadcast of 1938
    A three-minute musical sequence featuring Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra performing the foxtrot "This Little Ripple Had Rhythm". An anthropomorphic ripple emerges from water and joins the band on stage. He plays various instruments, and dancing trees and fellow ripples join the performance. Plotwise, this isn't very remarkable, but the combination of live-action and animation (especially the ripple interacting with the instruments) is really well done – a huge step up from "Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid" nine years earlier! And the ripple is very cute, too.
    8.5

    The ninth and last MGM short featuring former WB character Bosko was released this year: "Little Ol' Bosko in Bagdad". Again, Bosko is taking cookies to his grandma and dreams about a bunch of jazz frogs trying to take them from him. The animation here might be the cartooniest and wildest that we've seen in these shorts, but it's hard to look past the fact that it's the third Bosko cartoon in a row that's essentially the same (the only difference being an Arabian setting with one of the frogs being the sultan). Soon after this cartoon, Harman and Ising's MGM contract was terminated after the hiring of Freleng. They would come back soon, but Bosko never made another appearance, bringing the story of the first Looney Tunes character to an end.

    1938 was another good year for the series, with the introductions of a couple of significant characters, or at least their prototype versions! Bob Clampett really shone this year as a director, creating some of Porky's best cartoons. Tex Avery kept making fun shorts. Cal Dalton and his co-directors were less consistent, but at their best, they could deliver masterpieces too. Oh, and this Charles Jones guy seems like a decent director based on his debut. Maybe we'll see more from him next year.
  12. Tacodidra

    1937: Grumpy goats and darnfool ducks

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    After what was clearly my favorite year so far, we enter the eighth year of the WB cartoons. After Porky became the Looney Tunes' lead character, we'll see many more cartoons with him, including introductions of potential co-stars! So it's another important year...
     
    He Was Her Man
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A female mouse is selling apples on the street to earn some money for herself and her gambling husband Johnny. But he leaves her for another woman, and once she sees them together, things take a tragic turn... This was an interesting cartoon – I didn't quite expect the developments here. Johnny is an extremely unlikable character with his violence and lack of appreciation towards his well-meaning wife... though her character has more sides to it than expected, too!
    8.5
    Porky the Wrestler
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Porky is going to watch a wrestling match but ends up being mistaken for one of the wrestlers. Does he have any chance against the champion? The wrestling match ends up being a very crazy one, including a really random train sequence. A chaotic and funny short, even if it's not quite the director's best. However, perhaps the most significant thing about this short is the first appearance of Mel Blanc as a voice actor! He does Porky's "Woohoo" screams in one scene – a very minor role, but he'll have more significant ones soon...
    8.5
    Pigs Is Pigs
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Piggie from "At Your Service Madame" returns! He's eternally hungry and keeps eating all the food, to his mother's annoyance. He then has a nightmare where he is forcefed in a laboratory. The laboratory scene makes this a rather memorable one, even if it's not really a funny cartoon – it's a cartoon with an obvious moral, thankfully without being too preachy!
    8
    Porky's Road Race
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky participates in a car race, racing against the celebrities of the day (including Boris Karloff Borax Karoff as the villain). This is an enjoyable cartoon in all its wackiness – and the celebrity gags are fun, even if some of the people included are no longer well known. I might be biased, but racing cartoons are almost always fun, this one being no exception!
    9
    I Only Have Eyes for You
    Directed by Fred Avery
    An ice truck driving bird delivers ice to old maid Tizzy Tash who's interested in him – but definitely not the other way around! He loves Katie Canary, but she wants to date a crooner. But then the ice man finds Professor Mockingbird, an impersonator, to sing for him and impress Katie. This cartoon has many funny jokes, including the lead character's tendency to use spoonerisms. The art is pretty typical of the era (though nice-looking), but it's definitely better than the average cartoon from back then. The ending is also a funny one.
    9
    Picador Porky
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Porky and his two friends decide to win 1000 pesos in bullfighting, with Porky as the bullfighter and the other two (one of them voiced by Mel Blanc in his most significant role yet) dressing in a bull costume. But things go wrong when the two guys get drunk and Porky ends up fighting a real bull, without even realizing it! This one has many nice gags, some of them and the music even remind me of a later much more famous bullfighting cartoon in the same series. All the characters here are fun, including the mostly silent bull. Brilliant for its time.
    9.5
    The Fella with a Fiddle
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A grandpa mouse tells his grandchildren the story of a greedy mouse who tried to hide his riches from a tax assessor. Not really extraordinary but an entertaining cartoon in any case. More so than Freleng's last cartoon with a moral, I'd say (and I think the ending here is funnier despite being a bit similar).
    8.5

    Porky's Romance
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky proposes to his crush Petunia Pig, but she rejects him. Porky is so distraught that he attempts suicide, failing but getting knocked out, and has a dream about getting married to Petunia. In this dream, their relationship isn't quite the ideal one... This is a great short with some funny moments, especially the beginning and the ending, but also gets very dark at times. The characters are the main strength here, though. Petunia (making her first appearance – she's even introduced as "Leon Schlesinger's new Looney Tunes star", which would mostly be the case in comics) isn't very likable here, but she provides some humor with her erratic personality and way of messing up her words a bit similarly to Porky's stutter – I'm surprised they didn't use this gag more. Her dog Fluffnums is a fittingly annoying pet for her. And poor Porky – I don't quite know why he liked Petunia so much. The last time he was voiced by Joe Dougherty – his real stutter made the recording sessions too difficult, which makes me feel sorry for him, especially as his last few performances in the cartoons showed a lot of improvement.
    10
    She Was an Acrobat's Daughter
    Directed by I. Freleng
    At a movie theater, we see some wacky newsreels and shorts. There's also chaos in the audience, especially when a little duck starts annoying the rest of the moviegoers. Probably another short that would have been funnier back in the day, but there's still enough humor in it today. The scenes with the audience are much more entertaining than the films. The highlight for me is the performance of the title tune (a version of which was already featured in "Alpine Antics" last year) with funny lyrics.
    8.5

    Porky's Duck Hunt
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Porky and his dog go duck hunting. But shooting one proves to be more difficult than expected, especially after they meet a particularly crazy specimen. Yes, this is the first appearance of Daffy Duck! Many funny gags including more fourth wall breaking, most of them courtesy of the new character who steals the show here. But Porky and his dog also have some great moments. This is also where Mel Blanc takes over as the voice of Porky. He would go on to voice almost all of the popular characters in the WB cartoons, and does a brilliant job here as both main characters.
    10
    Ain't We Got Fun
    Directed by Fred Avery
    The cat's asleep, so the mice eat all the food they can! The cat gets the blame for this and is thrown out by its owner. A nice cartoon with good music and a great ending, even if it's surprisingly slow-paced for an Avery short.
    8.5

    Porky and Gabby
    Directed by Ub Iwerks
    The first appearance of Gabby Goat, another attempt at a co-star for Porky. He goes camping with Porky, but everything they try goes wrong. Gabby, who is pretty much the star in this cartoon, might be slightly one-note as a character but is still funny with his eternal angriness and ranting. I've enjoyed most of the Porky cartoons so far, and this one is definitely no exception. The first cartoon directed for WB by Ub Iwerks, best known as co-creator of Mickey Mouse! Though I've heard claims that Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett (credited here as animators) did most of the work for him.
    9.5
    Clean Pastures
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The third cartoon in the Censored 11. A cartoon that seems to have been controversial since its creation – at first for its depictions of religious themes, later for the stereotypical depiction of black characters. Saint Peter is worried that the population of Heaven isn't growing – more people keep choosing the sinful life of gambling, dancing and alcohol. A more modern way is needed to recruit people! One of the most dated cartoons in the bunch, as much of the humor here seems to stem from either (largely forgotten) celebrities or (even worse dated) stereotypes. There are some good aspects – a good idea for a plot (even if it could have been done in a more interesting way), the end gag is surprising, and the jazzy music is great. But all in all, this is by no means a highlight of the series.
    7
    Uncle Tom's Bungalow
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Another Censored 11 cartoon – controversial times! A comedic take on the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", or at least the basic setting of it. Little Eva and Topsy save the titular slave by buying him from the evil Simon Simon Legree, but when the monthly payments are due, a chase ensues! Again, a very dated short based on its subject matter. If you can get past that, there are some typical Avery gags, and the characters are at least more defined and interesting than in the previous shorts with similar stereotypical portrayals. Well animated with some fun lines and other randomness, though it's definitely not in the best taste...
    8
    Streamlined Greta Green
    Directed by I. Freleng
    In a town full of anthropomorphic cars, a little car wants to become a taxi, but his mother doesn't approve of it. After struggling in traffic, he fills up with some high power gas and has fun in the railroad crossings. But his fuel will run out eventually... This reminded me a little of Disney's variation on the same theme decades later (though this one also features a few human characters)! Unique designs, fun puns (like edible "traffic jam") and naturally some high-speed scenes!
    8.5
    Porky's Building
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky and his rival have a competition to build the new city hall. Whoever finishes first wins. Dirty Diggs has machinery at his disposal, while Porky is helped by animals (except he doesn't let a rabbit help him for some reason – "How 'bout me, Porky?"). Does Porky have any chance of winning? Another good Porky cartoon with some nice jokes. The animals are fun and cute too, even if they don't appear a lot.
    8.5
    Sweet Sioux
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Various gags featuring a Native American tribe. Then a trader comes to their land and battle ensues! I felt many of the jokes in the early parts fell flat, and the dated stereotypes don't help (not to mention that the title says "Sioux", but a gag has the tribe as being Mohicans). The part where the trader and the tribe fight is funnier, as large parts of it are treated like a sports match in typical WB cartoon randomness. All in all, decent but far from spectacular. The most important thing about this cartoon is probably that there's a scene where we hear the tune "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" for the first but far from the only time.
    7
    Porky's Super Service
    Directed by Ub Iwerks
    Porky is fixing cars at his service station. Sadly for him, one of the cars he has to work on has an extremely annoying brat in it who makes things difficult. Some of the cartoony gags here are fun, but I don't really like how Porky ends up with all the trouble while the extremely annoying supporting cast (Junior's mother is barely more likable than he is) gets away pretty much scot-free. The ending is especially unsatisfying. Iwerks' second and last cartoon for the studio, despite having been contracted to do more.
    7.5

    Egghead Rides Again
    Directed by Fred Avery
    After so many Merrie Melodies one-shots or characters that only appeared a couple of times, we get the debut of a recurring character – Egghead (who would play a significant part in the development of a more famous character)! In this short, he wants to become a cowboy, so he goes to the Bar-None Ranch. But his attempts at doing cowboy things don't go to plan. One of the best Merrie Melodies of the time, especially thanks to the entertaining lead character. Another fun cartoon with some fast-paced chase scenes.
    9
    Porky's Badtime Story
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky and Gabby fail to wake up and show up late for work. The boss tells him they'll be fired if it ever happens again, so they go to bed early the following night. However, the two have troubles sleeping due to all kinds of distractions ranging from cats to thunderstorms. The first Looney Tunes short directed by Bob Clampett, allegedly with the assistance of Chuck Jones. An excellent debut for the new director, this is such a funny and relatable short. The grumpy Gabby is perfect in his role (who wouldn't be annoyed in that situation?), I find him a very underrated character.
    9.5
    Plenty of Money and You
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A mother hen welcomes new hatchlings to the world – surprisingly there's an ostrich among them! The (not so) little bird keeps getting in trouble, eventually getting caught by a weasel (who appears to be the same one from "My Green Fedora" two years earlier). At first, the short doesn't seem to be very different from the average Merrie Melody of the time, but it gets a lot more interesting near the end: a parodic version of the title song, wild animation and the first use of the "Eat at Joe's" gag that would be seen many times later on!
    8.5
    Porky's Railroad
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky is driving a steam train but it's not easy, especially since his train Toots has seen its best days, even being slower than a snail on occasion. But when the driver of a modern streamline train ("the Silver Fish") insults Porky's train, they proceed to have a race. There are some of the old gags from previous train cartoons (there were many in the Harman-Ising era, especially!) like the cow on the track. But the short is clearly better than any of those, thanks to there being a plot that for once doesn't revolve around the train being out of control – though we briefly see that here too. It may not be the very best Porky cartoon, but a fine one anyway. This short is a slightly nostalgic one for me, too – for quite a while, it was the oldest Porky cartoon I had seen thanks to its airing on Finnish TV.
    9
    A Sunbonnet Blue
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Mice in a hat shop, singing songs and having fun. This feels a lot like the slightly earlier Merrie Melodies, with the musical approach (we even hear a couple of songs from earlier cartoons) and the typical story of a villain trying to steal the girl (in this case, the female lead being taken away by an evil mouse). A cute cartoon, for sure, with some cultural references mixed in, but it doesn't hold a candle to the funnier cartoons of the day.
    7.5
    Get Rich Quick Porky
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky buys the deed to a lot supposedly containing oil from a scammer. He and Gabby try drilling for oil, while a dog tries to find a place to hide its bone and gets bothered by a gopher. Maybe not one of the best in the series, but still enjoyable with some great animation and fun characters. The last appearance of Gabby (based on the storyboard, he was going to appear in the following year's "Porky's Party" but was removed from the final version). He was slightly less grumpy here than on his previous appearances, but I think I'll miss him and his attitude a little.
    8.5
    Speaking of the Weather
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Characters on magazine covers in a drug store come to life. "Public enemy number one" escapes from prison (on the cover of Life magazine) and the other magazine characters have to stop him. Sounds familiar? This "plot" has been used a few times already with slight differences. But the improved animation and jokes here make this the best of its kind so far.
    8.5
    Porky's Garden
    Directed by Fred Avery
    At the Podunk County Fair, the largest home grown product is given a cash prize. Porky competes with his garden, while his Italian neighbor is trying to win with his chickens. The neighbor tries to destroy Porky's garden by letting the chickens eat in it. This is another good one, many funny gags with my favorite being a scene where a chick eats spinach.
    9
    Dog Daze
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Various dogs appear in the pedigree dog show. A lot of puns related to dogs' names, as well as dogs from specific countries (such as Russia and Scotland) performing stereotypical dances. A nice short, with surprisingly detailed animation for some of the dogs, but still very cartoony at times. For a spot gag cartoon, I think it's one of the best I've seen.
    9
    I Wanna Be a Sailor
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Peter the Parrot wants to become a sailor like his father, but his mother is against it. He builds a pirate ship out of a barrel, with a talkative duck as his mate. The story itself is fairly standard for the era, but since it's an Avery cartoon, there are many funny jokes which also serve to give the characters more personality, including the fourth wall being broken many times. Both funny and cute at once, definitely one of the best Merrie Melodies so far.
    10

    Rover's Rival
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Porky tries to teach his dog Rover new tricks, but Rover is very old, and the famous saying seems to apply to him. A mean puppy shows up to insult Rover and proves a real nuisance to Porky, too! Clampett already directed a few before this, but I think this is where we really start to see the wild and wacky style of his later cartoons. Very expressive animation with fun chase sequences – and the dog characters are entertaining, with the pesky puppy stealing the show here. This is the first Looney Tunes cartoon to use "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" as the series theme. It would remain the theme until the series ended more than three decades later. It's also the first to have the iconic ending of Porky coming out of a drum to say "That's all, folks" – this phrase had been used by other characters before (starting with Bosko), but Porky is definitely the character most associated with it.
    10
    The Lyin' Mouse
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A mouse is about to be eaten by a cat and he pleads to be let go. To convince him, he tells a story of how a mouse was spared by a lion and then helped him in return. An entertaining take on the old fable, with the ending being a highlight.
    8.5
    The Case of the Stuttering Pig
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    The Pig family (including Porky and a returning Petunia) inherits the property of their late Uncle Solomon... but if anything happens to them, Lawyer Goodwill will get it all! He goes through a Jekyll and Hyde style transformation and tries to get rid of the entire family, and Porky has to save them. This must be one of the creepiest cartoons in the whole series, especially with the villain, but there are still a few humorous moments too (including more fourth wall breaking). This is a cartoon that I feel could have benefited from being a bit longer, but it's definitely a very enjoyable one as is.
    9.5

    Little Red Walking Hood
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A wacky parody of the fairytale with classic Avery gags. Again, the characters are very much aware they're in a cartoon – they interact with silhouettes of audience members, for example (a gag that would be used many times in the series). Little Red Riding Hood herself is my favorite character here with her Katharine Hepburn impersonation and various quips, but the wolf and the grandma also get some funny lines and scenes. The art style is a unique one, as the backgrounds were made in colored pencil. We also get another character debut – there's a running gag involving the character Elmer (who would later develop into the one we all know). He's very similar in design to the earlier introduced Egghead (their eyes being the main difference) – the two were mentioned as being brothers in some publicity material. WB would do countless fairytale parodies over the years, and this is definitely one of the standouts.
    10
    Porky's Double Trouble
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    Porky has become a bank teller. The "Killer" escapes from Alcarazz prison and notices that he looks very similar to Porky. He proceeds to kidnap him and take his place so he can rob the bank! Based on this and his previous cartoon, Tashlin seems to be bringing new elements to the Porky series, as they've had a lot more suspense and action than the average one. But there's still room for some comedy too, especially in the ending (where Petunia, the secretary, gets involved too).
    9
    The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos
    Directed by Frank Tashlin
    The Woodland Community Swing radio show broadcasts musical and comedic acts, all of them performed by animal parodies of the celebrities of the day. This is another short where some of the references are hardly understandable today, as many of the people parodied have been forgotten decades ago. But there's still some enjoyable randomness in parts here – and that title tune is another one you won't forget any time soon!
    8
    Porky's Hero Agency
    Directed by Robert Clampett
    Having read a book on Greek myths, Porky dreams he's the hero Porkykarkus. The Gorgon has turned people into statues, and Porkykarkus has to steal her life-restoring needle to turn them back. Another good cartoon – not quite one of the best Porkys, but there are some good gags and the plot is an interesting one. The ending is a bit underwhelming – I'd have expected Clampett of all people to come up with something more imaginative.
    8.5
    September in the Rain
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Product mascots (including celebrity parodies) in a grocery store come to life and perform music... yes, once again! There's some nice jazzy music here, but otherwise, it's pretty much more of the same. This is less than six minutes long and reuses many of the mascots from similar older shorts – I can't help but guess this was made as filler to reach the annual quota of shorts.
    7

    In addition to the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, Leon Schlesinger Productions made a short uncredited animated sequence for the opening of the RKO film "When's Your Birthday?" This was made in color, but sadly only black and white copies can be found.

    When's Your Birthday?
    A scientist explains astrology to the audience. The characters from the horoscope are shown in "astrology heaven". Taurus is treated as king by everyone when the moon is shining, but when it's not, he's everyone's punching bag. There's some nice and wacky animation of Taurus, and the scene in general is very much in the WB cartoon spirit. This was actually Bob Clampett's first directorial work, released five months before "Porky's Badtime Story".
    8.5

    Harman and Ising made four Bosko cartoons for MGM this year: "Circus Daze", "Bosko's Easter Eggs", "Little Ol' Bosko and the Pirates" and "Little Ol' Bosko and the Cannibals". The first one is fast-paced and chaotic but at the same time quite unremarkable. The second one is slightly more enjoyable with a better plot, but Bosko himself has become less likable (especially his treatment of Bruno and other animals). With the latter two, Harman and Ising attempt a return to the more musical approach of the earlier shorts, though with the addition of a fairly funny group of jazz-singing frogs as the villains and a basic plot of Bosko trying to take cookies to his grandma – sadly, those started to feel very repetitive by their second appearance. While Harman-Ising's efforts have improved in some regards (having more detailed animation than their early Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), they're nowhere near the level of WB's best contemporary shorts.

    1937 was another very strong year, with the classic Looney Tunes humor further developing, and the introductions of several popular characters, or at least their early versions. While the Porky cartoons are still usually the highlights, the Merrie Melodies cartoons also finally appear to be moving away from the musical approach to a more comedic one, though some cartoons still follow the old style. What will 1938 bring?
  13. Tacodidra

    1936: Porky settles in

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    This year, the first bona fide Looney Tunes star will claim his rightful place. Other familiar aspects of the series will also be introduced!

    I Wanna Play House
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Two bear cubs play hide and seek. The black bear finds a cottage with food and gets drunk on cider. The brown bear goes looking for him and the two get in a lot of trouble! A nice short that may not be a standout but has some cute moments. This is also the first Merrie Melodies cartoon (at least from what we know – "Flowers for Madame" is only available as a reissue) to feature the famous rings most later WB cartoons would have in their opening and closing titles.
    8
    The Phantom Ship
    Directed by Jack King
    Beans flies to Iceland (with stowaways Ham and Ex) in search of a haunted treasure ship. He finds it, but the three end up in trouble with the ghosts aboard! Another fast-paced cartoon with a lot of fun and action.
    9
    The Cat Came Back
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A mother mouse is teaching the little mice how to avoid cats, while a mother cat is teaching her kittens how to chase mice. But one of the little mice makes friends with one of the cats and soon has to save the kitten! Another cartoon that's cute, but there are also some fun and cartoony scenes, especially the ending.
    8.5
    Boom Boom
    Directed by Jack King
    A war-themed cartoon with many military-themed gags. Beans and Porky are soldiers (the latter quite a cowardly one) who have to free General Hardtack who's being held prisoner. Another good cartoon with the new Looney Tunes stars – and Beans and Porky now get equal screentime, with the latter (unsurprisingly) providing more entertainment!
    8.5

    Page Miss Glory
    Directed by Fred Avery (uncredited)
    Abner, a bellboy in a hotel in Hicksville, is waiting for the famous Miss Glory to arrive. But he falls asleep and dreams about working at a much fancier hotel where everyone is also looking forward to Miss Glory's arrival. An interesting cartoon – there are some Avery-style gags in the second part of the short after a relatively slow start. However, the visuals are a clear highlight here – the dream sequences feature the "moderne art" of Leadora Congdon (not just the only artist credited on the film, but also the first female artist ever to get an on-screen credit on these cartoons). No other WB cartoon has looked quite like this!
    8.5
    The Fire Alarm
    Directed by Jack King
    Finally a non-Beans character from "I Haven't Got a Hat" gets the star billing... Ham and Ex! Beans is a fireman and has to watch over the two puppies. And it proves to be a disaster – while slightly mischievous on their previous appearance, here they make Wilbur from the Bosko cartoons look like an angel, as they enjoy causing fake fire alarms and just wreaking havoc all over. An enjoyable cartoon in all its chaos, and a big reason for that is a more satisfying ending than in anything involving the other brat I referred to!
    9
    Alpine Antics
    Directed by Jack King
    Beans participates in a ski race. However, a cheating villain keeps making things difficult for him and the other competitors. Can our hero win? A nice cartoon to watch even if the theme and gags may not be the most original (we already saw a race with a sabotaging villain in 1931's "Ups 'n Downs"). The music here is great, it's the first short to use the often heard "She Was an Acrobat's Daughter" (here fittingly with lyrics about an ice skater's daughter).
    8.5

    The Blow Out
    Directed by Fred Avery
    And here it is, the first solo Porky Pig cartoon! Porky doesn't have enough money for an ice cream soda, so he helps the people on the street pick up things they dropped in order to get the missing five cents. A mad bomber is going around blowing up buildings, but after he leaves a time bomb in front of a building, Porky doesn't realize what it is and tries to give it back to him. This results in a wild chase between the helpful pig and the desperate criminal. This is a truly great short – the villain is a very funny one, Porky (portrayed here as a kid) is charming in his helpfulness and unawareness of the danger, and unlike many other cartoons of the era, it never feels too slow-paced. An early masterpiece.
    10
    I'm a Big Shot Now
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A bunch of criminal birds rob a bank in Birdville, and the police try to catch the "big shot". This is more action-packed than the average Merrie Melody, thanks to its plot. But there are aspects of it I find a bit underwhelming too – the characters here aren't particularly interesting, and the chase sequences don't really bring anything new, if we compare it to the previous cartoon, for example. It's still a fun watch, but definitely one that could have been improved upon.
    7.5
    Westward Whoa
    Directed by Jack King
    The Beans gang travels on a wagon. After they arrive to their destination, Ham and Ex start playing Indians and fool the others to believe they're under attack. When this eventually happens, no one believes them, and we see a huge cartoony fight. The subject matter may not have aged in the best way, but other than that, it's an entertaining cartoon with a lot of slapstick. The two puppies are again portrayed as mischievous, but are slightly more likable than on their previous appearance.
    9
    Plane Dippy
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Now deservedly the Looney Tunes main character (Beans having been demoted to a non-speaking cameo), Porky joins the air corps and is made to test a speech-controlled robot plane. Unfortunately, Little Kitty and another kid are nearby telling a dog to do various tricks and the plane ends up doing all of them, putting Porky and others in a lot of danger! Very wacky cartoon, with a lot of visual gags and classic Porky stutter jokes.
    9.5
    Let It Be Me
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Mr. Bingo, the crooning rooster, is loved by all the chickens, and consequently disliked by the other roosters. He goes on a date with Emily the chicken, to the dismay of her boyfriend Clem. But is Bingo as charming as he appears to be? One of the stronger Merrie Melodies from this era – the characters are more enjoyable than in many of the other one-shots, and the Bing Crosby parody is an amusing one in its unlikability.
    9
    I'd Love to Take Orders from You
    Directed by Fred Avery
    A father scarecrow tries to teach his son the right moves to scare all the crows away. In the morning, the kid decides to go out and prove his skills but ends up getting chased by a crow. A cute short – the scarecrow family is sweet.
    8.5
    Fish Tales
    Directed by Jack King
    Porky goes fishing, only to fall asleep and dream about being caught by a fish himself. He almost gets eaten by the fish and gets chased by the other sea creatures. Does this sound familiar? It's essentially a remake of King's earlier "Buddy's Bug Hunt" with different characters. Surprisingly, despite having a better main character, I didn't find it as entertaining as its predecessor (no rhyming witnesses or ACME references here), but decently enjoyable anyway (it's missing the slow pace of many cartoons from the day, for example).
    8
    Bingo Crosbyana
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The crooning bug Bingo Crosbyana is the idol of all the female bugs, but the male bugs hate him. Besides his singing, he is a skillful flier. But when a spider appears, his cowardliness shows and it's up to the other bugs to save the day. The second cartoon making fun of Bing Crosby in the last four shorts – Freleng must really not have liked him! And the real Crosby reportedly hated this short to the extent of trying to sue Warner Bros. for his portrayal! It's a nice short with adorable 30s style designs, but I think the previous Crosby parody was a little more enjoyable.
    8.5
    Shanghaied Shipmates
    Directed by Jack King
    A captain who has lost all his crew forces all the people in a bar to work for him, including Porky cleaning the deck. But after they don't get any food, there's mutiny! Some funny gags here, especially in the last minute – despite some slow pacing at times, it's another enjoyable early Porky effort.
    8.5
    When I Yoo Hoo
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The Weavers and the Mathews are feuding families in the Hickory Holler. The sheriff has had enough – they'll be forced to settle the feud with a rooster fight, with the loser leaving the county. Who will win? This is one of the best Merrie Melodies of its time. The title song fits the rural theme well. The rooster fight is an entertaining one, but the ending is my favorite part.
    9
    Porky's Pet
    Directed by Jack King
    Porky and his pet ostrich Lulu are invited to perform in New York, but there's one problem – they have to get on a train, and the conductor doesn't want to let animals on board. Chaos ensues, as Porky comes up with ways to hide the ostrich, to disastrous consequences. A bit surprisingly, I found this one of the funniest cartoons so far – the ostrich's antics are unpredictable and really entertaining. Porky works well as the straight man to a more comedic character (in this case, the ostrich), which I've always thought was the role that suited him best. This might not appear in most listings of best WB cartoons, but I loved it in any case!
    10

    I Love to Singa
    Directed by Fred Avery
    An owl family gets four hatchlings! Three of them impress their father Professor Fritz Owl with their skills in performing classical music, but the fourth one likes to sing jazz music to Fritz's horror! After failed attempts to get him to sing more traditional tunes, Owl Jolson gets kicked out, but he soon finds out a radio station is having a contest for performing talent. Most likely the best remembered cartoon from this era... and for a good reason! The main character is the best one-shot so far – while he's far from the first happy-go-lucky singing character in the series, there's immediately more to his character than to someone like Buddy. He "loves to singa", but the difference in musical preferences between him and his father creates the conflict in this one. This also makes the conclusion of the story a very satisfying one. While the rest of the owl family get less screen time, we get a good insight into them too. There are plenty of small visual and verbal gags. And the music – while the animators definitely weren't fans of having to include a song in each of the Merrie Melodies, this one incorporates both the title song (which you'll never forget once you've heard it!) and other music perfectly. Another brilliant cartoon from the new director.
    10

    Porky the Rain-Maker
    Directed by Fred Avery
    There's been a long dry spell, and Porky's father's farm is one of the many suffering from it. Thankfully, Dr. Quack arrives to save the day with his famous rain pill (with other weather pills included for free)! But Father Pig throws the pills away, angry that Porky didn't buy the feed he was supposed to get, and they get eaten by the farm animals. Another brilliant cartoon, many fun gags with very wacky animation for the animals reacting to the pills – I thought the first WB cartoon to feature earthquake pills was in 1960! And when you think it's all over, there's another gag, and then yet another one!
    10
    Sunday Go to Meetin' Time
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The second cartoon from the controversial Censored 11. It's Sunday and everyone is going to church – except for the lazy Nicodemus who has to be dragged there by his wife. He sneaks out anyway but gets knocked out while chasing a chicken and has a dream where he ends up in Hell. Plotwise, it's pretty much a remake of the earlier "Goin' to Heaven on a Mule". And this is one short that definitely hasn't aged well (maybe even worse than the aforementioned one) – the way the black characters were drawn, as well as the main character's portrayal in general. The cartoon isn't without its positives (the scenes in Hell have good visuals and the songs are nice with their jazz and gospel influences), but the stereotypical aspects of it make parts of it a bit hard to watch now.
    6.5
    Porky's Poultry Plant
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky tries to protect his chickens from an aggressive hawk. When it manages to take one of the chicks, he proceeds to fight the hawk with a plane! Looney Tunes history is made here in two ways. Frank Tashlin (or "Tash", as he's credited in his first cartoons) makes his debut as a director, and replacing Norman Spencer, Carl W. Stalling is now responsible for the musical score. Stalling would compose most shorts until 1958 – essentially all of what are usually considered the series' best years. For Tashlin's first effort, this is a good one – it's not quite at the level of some of the recent best (the start of the cartoon is a bit slow), but there are some fun scenes, especially those involving the chickens.
    8
    At Your Service Madame
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A charming male pig (later known as W.C. Squeals, but not named here) visits the widow Mrs. Hamhock, but he's only planning to take her money. Her kids, led by Piggie (not to be confused with Piggy who appeared in two cartoons in 1931), decide to get rid of him. Somewhat slow-paced at times, but it's fun to watch the kids deal with the dishonest guy. Squeals is the star here, he's an entertaining character with his W.C. Fields spoofing mannerisms.
    8.5
    Porky's Moving Day
    Directed by Jack King
    Porky, his aggressive assistant Dopey and Lulu the ostrich (returning from "Porky's Pet") have to move Miss Cud's furniture and save it from being washed away. A lot of chaos ensues. This cartoon is definitely not an uneventful one, but I felt it got to the point of it being a bit hard to follow at times. The running gag with Dopey saing "Okay, boss" got too repetitive, hearing it a couple of times would have been enough. King's last cartoon for WB (sadly not one of his masterpieces) – he went to Disney where he would be responsible for many of the best Donald Duck cartoons.
    6.5
    Toy Town Hall
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A little kid has to go to sleep, but he'd rather listen to the radio. In his dream, toys perform some popular songs for him. Many of these songs are recycled from earlier shorts (the animation included) – we get a rooster singing "Let It Be Me", a caricature of Eddie Cantor performing "Merrily We Roll Along", "The Lady in Red" with the cockroaches redrawn as people, a rabbit singing "My Green Fedora"... I can't deny it feels a bit lazy, but I guess this was done to save some money. And it does have some charm to it – like a compilation album in cartoon form. And they did do pretty well in choosing some of the best songs we had heard in the last couple of years!
    7.5
    Milk and Money
    Directed by Fred Avery
    The final seal for Porky as the star – the Looney Tunes get a new opening title where he's the only character shown. Porky's father (I never knew how many appearances he made in the early cartoons!) will lose his farm if he can't pay the mortgage by tomorrow at 3 o'clock. Porky and their horse go to the city to earn the money delivering milk and later by winning a horse race. Another fun and fast-paced cartoon with good gags. The supporting characters are also entertaining – there's a horsefly who plays quite a significant part, and Mr. Viper who even moves like a snake despite being a human! In addition to the wackiness, there's a clear plot here with something at stake – something that was missing from the weaker entries of the series.
    9.5
    Boulevardier from the Bronx
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A baseball exhibition game between Hickville and the Chicago Giants. The latter keep dominating the game, especially thanks to the talented but arrogant rooster Dizzy Dan. Can Claude and Hickville turn the tide? Emily the Chicken returns (as Claude's girlfriend). This is much better than the previous baseball cartoon "Buddy's Bearcats", but Freleng and crew were yet to make their best one. The iconic "Merrily We Roll Along" becomes the Merrie Melodies theme starting with this cartoon. It would be used in the shorts until 1964 and is probably the tune most associated with the whole Looney Tunes franchise today.
    8.5
    Don't Look Now
    Directed by Fred Avery
    It's Valentine's Day! Cupid is going around making couples fall in love, but there's also a little devil trying to ruin their relationships with various plans. Who will win? Fun cartoon with adorable character designs!
    9
    Little Beau Porky
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky is in the French foreign legion (reusing a theme from earlier Bosko and Buddy shorts). When everyone else goes to search for the notorious Ali Mode, Porky has to stay behind and scrub the camels. But in the end, he's the one who has to deal with the criminal (who speaks Pig Latin for some reason). Fun and fast-paced, better than Tashlin's first (though his best cartoons are yet to come). Joe Dougherty does a great job voicing Porky here, a lot of personality and funny dialogue.
    8.5
    The Coo Coo Nut Grove
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The second Merrie Melodies cartoon that's entirely dedicated to celebrity parodies – and it's a lot better than the first one (the low-quality "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song"). A night in the titular restaurant, hosted by bandleader Ben Birdie. The parodies (for some reason, some of them are animals while others remain humans) are amusing, though I imagine this would have been a lot funnier back in the day – many of the celebrities incuded have faded into obscurity, though some are still recognizable. W.C. Squeals from seven cartoons ago makes a short appearance, this time trying to charm the equine Katharine Heartburn. Dated for sure, but at the same time a fascinating look into the pop culture of the day.
    8
    The Village Smithy
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Porky is working at a blacksmith shop, trying to shoe a horse with disastrous consequences. The jokes in this cartoon, while not rare in later cartoons (especially those from Avery himself), were very unusual at the time. The settings keep interacting with the narrator, and the whole cartoon is self-aware to a point we haven't seen in these shorts before. Naturally there's a lot of breaking the fourth wall, too. Most importantly, Avery shows his sense of comic timing – some of the gags involve repetition of earlier scenes, but there's enough changed or just enough of the scene is shown for it to be funny instead of boring. An exemplary comedic cartoon!
    10
    Porky in the North Woods
    Directed by Frank Tash
    Porky starts a game refuge where all the animals are free from danger and taken care of. But a hunter called Jean Baptiste threatens to ruin it all. Now the animals have to save Porky from him! A nice cartoon with plenty of cute animals, some parts with them remind me of the Bosko and Buddy cartoons but done better. A truly unlikable villain, watching him get defeated was satisfying.
    8.5

    Former Looney Tune Bosko appeared in one MGM cartoon this year, "The Old House". In addition to having the redesigned Bosko from the previous short, Honey also returned with a similar new design. While it's a little on the long side again, it's the fastest-paced short with the characters, and the most entertaining one of their MGM run so far.

    1936 was clearly the strongest year for WB cartoons to date. The new hiring Tex Avery is often mentioned as having played a huge role in them becoming such funny cartoons, and I think his significance can't be overstated. I had never realized the extent of his influence before watching these chronologically – there's a wackiness to his shorts that was rarely there before. You'd never realize he was pretty much new to directing when he joined Schlesinger. That's not to say the other directors didn't deliver, as well. Freleng's Merrie Melodies, while slightly less wild, were also enjoyable, Jack King made some of his best cartoons right before leaving, and his replacement Frank Tashlin is also already showing a lot of promise. And of course Porky becoming the star of the Looney Tunes series helped a lot – even in his early incarnation, still voiced by Joe Dougherty and not completely refined as a character, he's much more likable and interesting than the studio's previous characters. I'm going to the next year with even higher expectations!
  14. Tacodidra

    1935: A star is born... but who?

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    And now for the most interesting year so far! You'll see why...
     
    Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Two little merpeople (sometimes thought to be the very similarly designed Buddy and Cookie — if that's the case, this is their only color appearance) find a sunken ship with a treasure chest on it and have fun. But then an octopus starts chasing them. A cute, somewhat Disney-esque cartoon, but there's also some wilder animation, especially for a singing crab. I may prefer my Merrie Melodies a little wackier, but this is definitely one of the better in this style.
    8.5
    Country Boy
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    A little rabbit called Peter decides to break into a garden instead of going to school. But things don't go as well as he thought. Another cartoon that's not really focused on being funny, and you could even say it's a rare WB cartoon with a moral. But it's enjoyable for what it is (despite the ending being a bit weak), and the title tune, sung here as "Naughty Boy" by three rabbits, is quite a nice one.
    8

    I Haven't Got a Hat
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Just short of 100 entries into the series, we get the debut of the first character who would become more than a footnote in cartoon history – Porky Pig! The kids at a school are giving a benefit performance. The great thing about the new group of characters is that they all have distinct personalities or traits – Porky stutters a lot but bravely struggles through his recital, Little Kitty (who I think surprisingly has the funniest part here) is very timid, Ham and Ex are identical twins both in looks and voice (except one of them can switch to a very deep voice at will), Oliver Owl is a musical prodigy but slightly arrogant, and Beans the Cat is a troublemaker (similar both in design, and at this point, personality to the earlier Wilbur, but thankfully less annoying). The use of these very distinct characters makes the gags work better than with the admittedly unremarkable characters a lot of cartoons had in the early days. Considering the effect this cartoon (or at least one of the characters) would have on the whole series, it's impossible to look at it as just one short out of many, but I think even ignoring what would become of Porky, this is one of, if not the most entertaining WB cartoon so far. And so we have another first:
    10
    Buddy's Pony Express
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    But despite the introduction of new potential stars, we'll still be stuck with Buddy as the Looney Tunes lead for a while. Showing that Schlesinger and WB may still have placed their bets on the wrong horse, Buddy and Cookie get yet another redesign – the former is now wearing a hat, while the latter is dressed in a flapper style, with both having slighty smaller eyes too. As for the cartoon itself, it's at least a fast-paced and fun one. Buddy owns the fastest horse in town, so he naturally wants to participate in a pony express race. A villain replaces his horse with a nag from the glue factory, and when even this doesn't seem to work, keeps sabotaging him in other ways. Hardaway is often great at making the Buddy cartoons fun despite the mediocre lead.
    8.5
    Buddy's Theatre
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Buddy runs a movie theater and shows the audience newsreels, trailers and a film starring Cookie (who's probably more popular here than she ever was among real audiences). Unsurprisingly, it's rather similar to "Bosko's Picture Show". Not as good as that one, but still a decent effort with enough new gags for it to be enjoyable.
    7.5
    Buddy of the Legion
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Working in a book shop, Buddy dreams he's leading the French foreign legion through a desert. The rest of the legion is lured to be slaves for the Amazons, so Buddy has to save them. Watchable but unremarkable short, not as good as the similarly-themed "Beau Bosko" was.
    7
    Along Flirtation Walk
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    The chickens from Plymouth Rock College and Rhode Island Reds University have an egg laying contest. Plymouth Rock struggles badly, not helped by the other team's cheating tactics. Will they be able to win against the odds? A fun cartoon with more gags than usual for the Merrie Melodies of the time – I think we're starting to see them moving further to comedy from the earlier musical approach... One of the best sport-themed cartoons so far, even if it's about a chicken sport rather than an actual human one.
    8.5

    My Green Fedora
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    For the first time since Goopy Geer in the Harman-Ising days, we get a returning character in the Merrie Melodies series! Peter the Rabbit from "Country Boy" is back, which I would never have expected. He has to watch his annoying baby brother Elmer. After Peter's attempts to entertain Elmer fail, he leaves, only to come back and find the baby gone. He has to save him from being eaten by a weasel. At first glance, this is one of those very cutesy cartoons from the era, but it ends up being quite fun, with some chase scenes and impressive animation. And one of the catchiest title tunes, too!
    9
    Buddy's Lost World
    Directed by Jack King
    Considering how popular themes prehistoric times and dinosaurs have always been in cartoons, I'm surprised it took this long for the Looney Tunes to get into them. Captain Buddy and his dog Bozo find the lost world, with dinosaurs, a man who acts like a dog, cannibals... The lead duo keeps getting into trouble, but thankfully there's someone to save them. The weakest part of this cartoon is unsurprisingly Buddy himself, otherwise it's a mildly entertaining entry.
    7.5
    Into Your Dance
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    On Captain Benny's show boat, various acts perform. A quartet sings and tap dances to the title tune, followed by a wacky orchestral performance. But amateur hour after that proves to be a disaster with incompetent performers. This concept has been used many times before, but I think this is one of the best versions so far – the performances are funny, as are the reactions by the annoyed captain.
    9

    Buddy's Bug Hunt
    Directed by Jack King
    Buddy has a bug-house where he keeps insects (and for some reason frogs) he has collected. But he is knocked out by ether and the bugs turn the tables on him. Now he's tried in court for cruelty to the bugs he captured! The bugs are the stars here, especially the witnesses who speak in rhyme. The plot has been recycled many times in various series, but this is the first at least in this one. This is definitely one of Buddy's best, even if the ending is a little predictable. And notably, this is the first Warner Bros. cartoon to have an ACME product in it!
    9
    Buddy in Africa
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Variety store owner Buddy arrives to an African village called Snake-Eyes and sells various products to the natives, who then come up with interesting uses for them. But while trying to stop a monkey from stealing his health drinks ("Buddy's Bitters"), Buddy manages to anger its father. Far from one of the best in the series, but still watchable. The ending is a bit weird.
    7
    Country Mouse
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Country mouse Elmer (a common name in the series!) goes to the city to become boxing champion. But it won't be as easy as he thinks... Definitely an improvement over the previous boxing cartoon ("Battling Bosko") – there's a great scene where the fight is set to the tune of "La Cucaracha", combining the series' traditional musical approach with the later comedy. The start of the cartoon is a bit slow-paced and more typical of the time.
    8

    Trivia: In 1943, Schlesinger and WB realized they could reissue older cartoons in addition to releasing new ones. This resulted in the launch of the long-running Blue Ribbon program, which enabled people to see some of the older color cartoons in theaters again, but as a downside, the cartoons had their original title sequences and in some cases even scenes removed. "Country Mouse" was the earliest short to be included in this program.

    Buddy Steps Out
    Directed by Jack King
    Buddy and Cookie go out, and Cookie's canary ends up getting in trouble. A photo of Buddy comes to life and tries to save it, with the help of an Atlas statue. I think combining the idea of things coming to life with an established character is interesting on paper, but sadly the cartoon wastes a lot of time on the typical dancing scenes, while the conflict is solved in a little over two minutes. Some cute moments, but at times, it feels even too saccharine. Not the character's finest hour.
    6.5
    The Merry Old Soul
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Old King Cole marries the Old Woman in the Shoe. But he ends up having to take care of a lot of babies – will he remain such a merry old soul? Another cartoon that I'd count in the "more cute than funny" category. The king having to take care of the babies is the main source of comedy here, but this is one of the shorts where it's hard to ignore the fact that the same thing has been done much more funnily later on.
    7.5
    Buddy the Gee Man
    Directed by Jack King
    With this cartoon, we say goodbye to Buddy who lasted surprisingly long for a character that never seems to have been that popular. Here he's a federal agent who has to investigate how prisoners are treated in Sing Song Prison. Not very well, he finds out, and suggests some changes! Buddy leaves us with one of his strongest shorts – plenty of punny names, good pacing, and the kind of plot that suits his character well.
    8.5
    The Lady in Red
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Cockroaches have fun in a Mexican store while the owner is away. They enjoy the food, sing and dance. However, a parrot then starts chasing them, and it's up to a male bug to save the beautiful "lady in red". While the style of the cartoon is pretty typical for the time, I think this is better than the average Merrie Melody – I've never seen cockroaches this cute, the Latin-style music is great and the ending gag could very well have been used even decades later! A charming one.
    8.5

    A Cartoonist's Nightmare
    Directed by Jack King
    And a character from "I Haven't Got a Hat" becomes the new Looney Tunes star... Beans the Cat, of course! An animator drawing a Beans cartoon falls asleep and has a nightmare where the various villains from his cartoons take revenge on him for his treatment of them. Beans has to save him. The series has had fourth wall breaking references to animation in previous cartoons (including in the pilot "Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid"), but I think this one does it best – we not only see the animator interacting with his character, but the other way around too. I bet the audience back then really got a kick out of this!
    9
    Little Dutch Plate
    Directed by I. Freleng
    A girl on the titular plate and a salt shaker boy are in love. But a vinegar bottle man threatens to ruin it all – if the girl can't pay the mortgage for the mill she lives in, she will either have to marry him or lose the mill. The boy tries to come up with a solution. Despite the beautiful animation, this felt like a very syrupy short at first, but thankfully it gets better. The ending is something I never expected on multiple levels!
    8
    Hollywood Capers
    Directed by Jack King
    Beans ("one of the Boston Beans") sneaks onto a movie set, to the annoyance of director Oliver Owl. He unintentionally causes a lot of chaos, including making Frankenstein's monster come to life! Most of the gang from "I Haven't Got a Hat" have roles here, including a small cameo from Porky working on the film. Another fun cartoon with the new star.
    8.5
    Gold Diggers of '49
    Directed by Fred Avery
    Beans finds gold in Red Gulch, and soon everyone goes there to dig for gold. But there's a villain planning to snatch all of it! Porky has his most significant appearance since his debut, now as an adult... and is portrayed as the father of Beans' girlfriend Little Kitty! Tex Avery's first short for WB is a fun one, very fast-paced with many gags. Signs of the things to come!
    9
    Billboard Frolics
    Directed by I. Freleng
    Characters on billboards, clothes and other random things come to life, sing and dance. Pretty much something we've seen many times already. The second half of the cartoon is better, as a chick from one of the billboards starts chasing a worm before getting chased by a cat. The catchy song "Merrily We Roll Along" is heard here both sung by Eddie Camphor and Rub-Em-Off and as background music – the first time we hear it, but definitely not the last! A fun entry despite some weaker parts.
    8.5

    We are such happy flowers...
    Flowers for Madame
    Directed by I. Freleng
    The Merrie Melodies switch from two-color Technicolor to full color – and what better way to showcase this than with some beautiful, colorful flowers? All the flowers in the forest are having a flower pageant. But then a fire starts, and a cactus has to fight it! Even more than the other one-shots from this era, this feels more like a Disney short to me than what you'd expect from a WB cartoon, apart from some scenes, I guess (there's the often repeated gag of characters getting their butts burned). But I think the cute animation and characters make this a very charming short!
    9

    Over at MGM, Harman and Ising made two more cartoons with the former Looney Tunes star Bosko: "Hey-Hey Fever" and "Run Sheep, Run!" The former is more story-based than most of his WB cartoons, but not without the musical parts we've come to expect. The latter takes a more comedic and fast-paced approach (though the ten-minute duration includes a lot of repetition that could have been avoided), and redesigns Bosko to appear more realistic and childlike. By now, I think the new WB output is clearly superior to Harman-Ising's contemporary efforts, despite Bosko being a more interesting character than Buddy.

    So now we've finally been introduced to the first truly legendary character in the series. The crew still seems to be convinced Beans is the character with the most star potential, but that will change soon.
  15. Tacodidra

    1934: Buddy the Cartoon Star

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    The Schlesinger crew is now trying to make Buddy the new Looney Tunes star. After a couple of bad entries, new director Earl Duvall managed to make several enjoyable cartoons, even if the main character wasn't the most interesting personality in animation. The first full year of the new gang beckons!

    Buddy the Gob
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Friz Freleng's first official credit as a director! Sailor Buddy goes to China where he finds out a girl will be sacrificed to the Sacred Dragon. He has to outwit a guard and save her. I like how Buddy actually has to try more than one thing to succeed and doesn't even escape completely unscathed himself!
    7.5
    Pettin' in the Park
    Directed by Bernard Brown
    This is how messy things were at Schlesinger at that point – even the studio composer gets to try his hand at directing cartoons! Romantic scenes involving both people and birds. Then the latter participate in a diving and swimming contest where they use everything from bikes to bathtubs. Things get quite chaotic. For the most part, this is a fun and wacky cartoon. A slight minus for the somewhat ugly scenes with the humans – thankfully there aren't many of them.
    8

    Honeymoon Hotel
    Directed by Earl Duvall
    This Merrie Melodies short was the first color cartoon ever released by Warner Bros., though most of their shorts will remain in black and white for now! This one is about a couple from Bugtown who go to the titular hotel. But their honeymoon keeps getting interrupted by other characters peeping on them. At the same time cute and daring for its time, with entirely sung dialogue. One of the very best in the series so far.
    9.5

    Buddy and Towser
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Buddy tells his dog Towser to guard some chickens for him, and a fox immediately shows up. The fox and the dog end up in a wild chase that Buddy joins soon after. For a character often thought to be the most boring in the entire series, this cartoon truly surprised me. Freleng seems to handle Buddy the best out of all the directors – he's not infallible, and while that was often the case with Bosko too, when Friz's Buddy gets humiliated, that isn't carried out by an extremely unlikable character like Wilbur. He also lets the visuals, sound effects and music do their job – no unnecessary dialogue. Proof that virtually any character can shine in the right hands!
    9.5

    Beauty and the Beast
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    The second color cartoon by the studio. The color scheme is a bit limited (both this and "Honeymoon Hotel" use two-color Cinecolor), but I've definitely seen much worse uses of it. A little girl dreams about going to Toyland where she's welcomed by all the toys, but the "mean and vicious" Beast is lurking. It's a charming little cartoon, more of the cute type than a particularly funny cartoon (though there are still some decent jokes)... and just try to get the title song out of your head!
    8
    Buddy's Garage
    Directed by Earl Duvall
    Buddy fixes cars in his garage. One of his customers kidnaps Cookie, and a car chase ensues. This is quite similar to most of the Buddy cartoons (and the Boskos for that matter), including the ending being essentially recycled from that of "Buddy's Show Boat". Sadly, Duvall's last cartoon for the studio wasn't as good as his best ones (which admittedly didn't feature Buddy), but still a solid entry.
    7.5
    Those Were Wonderful Days
    Directed by Bernard Brown
    A look at the old days, complete with a song performed by a barbershop quartet. The first half focuses mostly on music and old-fashioned sequences, but the short gets more interesting when a mustache-twirling villain shows up, and surprise, the hero has to save a girl from him. The main difference from the average cartoon of the day is the memorable ending. The second and last cartoon directed by Brown who would continue composing for the cartoons for a couple more years. Interestingly, both of his cartoons feature a diving contest – I can't help but wonder if they were something he particularly enjoyed watching or participating in.
    8
    Buddy's Trolley Troubles
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Buddy is a trolley driver. He ends up getting in trouble with a rude police officer and a train among other things. Buddy has to save Cookie once again when an escaped criminal takes over the trolley with her on it. Railroad-themed cartoons seem to have been very popular back then – this may not be the best of them, but neither is it the worst.
    7.5
    Goin' to Heaven on a Mule
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    A man on a cotton farm prefers boozing to working. Will a dream where he's thrown out of heaven (or "Pair-o-Dice") change his mind? There are some entertaining moments like the angel vs. devil conscience fight often seen in later cartoons, and the music is very nice. On the other hand, the stereotypical portrayals of the characters make this a very dated one (and have pretty much ensured its obscurity).
    7.5
    Buddy of the Apes
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Buddy, here in the role of Tarzan, helps the animals in the jungle. First he has to save a little monkey from danger, then the two outwit a group of cannibals. Again, Buddy appears to be at his best when the focus is more on the action (and a little music) instead of having too much dialogue. A good and cartoony first effort from Hardaway who will be another important figure in Looney Tunes history.
    8.5
    How Do I Know It's Sunday
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Food package mascots come to life in a closed store on Sunday. Then flies try to eat the foods. After they attack a cookie girl, the mascots and flies fight each other. This reminds me of some of the Harman-Ising cartoons, especially "I Like Mountain Music", also with the imaginative use of products as weapons. But it's still a fun short to watch, despite a gross gag involving a popcorn ball near the end!
    8
    Buddy's Bearcats
    Directed by Jack King
    Another debuting director – a lot is changing at this point. Including Cookie's design – she's now blonde (and no longer resembles Betty Boop). Buddy's Bearcats are a baseball team, facing the Battling Bruisers. A lot of people are trying to see the game without paying. The game itself is quite a crazy one – I can't say I'm a baseball expert, but surely bug spray and wheels aren't usually used in the game! Wacky but a bit hard to follow at times – a later attempt at the same theme is more to my liking...
    7
    Why Do I Dream Those Dreams
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Rip Van Winkle and his dog are thrown out by his wife. In the forest, Rip sees some gnomes, drinks their beer and turns as small as they are, which causes him some trouble. I think this is a pretty weak entry especially by Freleng's standards – the animation is fine, but most of the short feels uneventful even for the time (it's pretty much just the first and last minute of it where anything happens).
    6
    The Girl at the Ironing Board
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    This short takes place in a laundry where clothes fall in love, make music and dance just like people. Yes, this is another cartoon where the hero has to save a damsel in distress, but I find this one an interesting take – the clichéd mustache-twirling villain leaves his clothes in the laundry and they proceed to act like he would. Nothing groundbreaking, but a delightfully weird take on the "things come to life" theme that appeals to me! The cartoon starts with a huge MPPDA seal, signifying that they now had to get approved by censors (though not many of the earlier ones would probably have struggled with that anyway).
    8.5
    The Miller's Daughter
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    A china sculpture of the title character is broken and discarded, to the dismay of another sculpture of a shepherd. Thankfully he glues her back together and they dance, until the shepherd's lamb gets chased by a lion. A cartoon that doesn't have many gags – but I think this one is very cute with some interesting animation.
    8
    Buddy the Detective
    Directed by Jack King
    A mad musician, who hypnotizes others to play the piano for him (but not jazz!), abducts Cookie. It's up to Buddy (and Cookie's dog) to save her. An entertaining short, the musician steals the show here compared to the still somewhat bland Buddy. Definitely a lot better than King's first effort!
    8.5
    Shake Your Powder Puff
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    The "Powder Puff Revue" in a barn, consisting of several animals performing music. A heckling dog keeps getting thrown out. The highlight is the title song, another memorable one, performed first by a female rabbit trio (and three Donald Duck lookalikes) and later by three male pigs. Another nice one, mixing music with some comedy.
    8
    Rhythm in the Bow
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    A hobo gets kicked off a train but ends up finding the perfect place for him – a retreat where fellow hobos are having a good time. But an angry dog gives him some trouble. This is not a particularly special short for the most part, but I think the ending is a lovely one.
    7.5
    Buddy the Woodsman
    Directed by Jack King
    If Buddy has felt like a less interesting version of Bosko, this short does nothing to change that. He's a lumberjack (a role played by Bosko not once but twice), there are scenes of him playing music and Cookie dancing... A bear starts eating the lumberjacks' food and then starts chasing Buddy and Cookie. The problem for me is that Buddy obviously provokes the bear by punching him (he had shown no intent to harm Cookie before that, just licking her like a dog), making the lead unlikable in addition to being bland. Some of the scenes where the leads fight the bear are decent, but otherwise I'm expecting better by now.
    6.5
    Buddy's Circus
    Directed by Jack King
    A series of circus acts, rather similar to 1932's "I Love a Parade" (even the rubber man act returns). Many of these acts are performed by African natives whose portrayal hasn't aged very well... A baby from the audience gets caught up in the performance, with Buddy of course having to save Junior. Decent but by no means spectacular.
    7
    Those Beautiful Dames
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    The Merrie Melodies now permanently switch to color, though the Looney Tunes (the Buddy cartoons at this point) will stay in black and white for almost a decade. An orphan girl finds shelter in a cold house. While she's asleep, a bunch of toys arrive to decorate the place and throw a party for her. A cute short that's enjoyable despite a lack of real standout moments – there's a fun gag with a skipping record, though.
    7.5

    Buddy's Adventures
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Buddy and Cookie get another redesign – the former is now cuter, slightly more childish, while the latter is back to being dark-haired. The duo is traveling on a hot air balloon and lands in Sourtown where laughing, singing and dancing are banned by decree of King Sourpan. Of course, the jolly Buddy breaks these rules and they get arrested. How can they get out of trouble? This is actually a strong contender for the best Buddy cartoon so far – the plot is an interesting one, the "sour" people are depicted entertainingly, and the usually boring lead character ends up being perfect for his role. Possibly the biggest positive surprise for me so far!
    9.5
    Pop Goes Your Heart
    Directed by Isadore Freleng
    Various animal gags, many of them musical. Three frogs perform the title song. A bear tries to chase the smaller animals but gets beaten embarrassingly. Rather a cute cartoon than a particularly funny one, but it does have that 30s charm to it.
    7.5
    Viva Buddy
    Directed by Jack King
    After "Buddy's Adventures", we get a more average Buddy cartoon, though this is still more eventful than the worst ones. Buddy is in Mexico and goes to the "Cantina El Moocher". Everyone has fun until the evil Pancho shows up. It's pretty much the ordinary plot – Pancho tries to take Cookie with him, then Buddy comes to the rescue. Pancho is a surprisingly funny character with his manic laugh and some fun lines ("I kill you to little pieces"). The ending in this one is a bit strange, I guess the crew was getting tired of doing essentially the same thing over and over.
    8
    Buddy the Dentist
    Directed by Ben Hardaway
    Buddy makes some fudge for Cookie, but his dog Bozo ends up eating it all. Bozo gets a toothache, and Buddy has to pull out his tooth, which proves very difficult. Good cartoony antics, with a twist ending that would be reused for another much more popular cartoon later on.
    8

    And what about our old friend Bosko? He lived on at MGM, appearing in the Happy Harmonies cartoon "Bosko's Parlor Pranks". His first color appearance was a pretty lazy one, as almost a third of it was recycled footage from the earlier WB cartoons. But there was a standout moment – the bratty Wilbur not getting what he wanted for once!

    1934 was for the most part a good one for WB cartoons. There were still some weak entries, and obviously the best days were yet to come, but there were more good and even great cartoons than in the earlier years. After a difficult start, the new crew is starting to truly impress, the all-new directors included. On to 1935, which will be the most interesting year for WB cartoons yet!
  16. Tacodidra

    1932: Bring Goopy Geer?

    By Tacodidra,


    Looney Tunes
    The Schlesinger/WB cartoons enter their third year. Hooray for Bosko and random one-shots! Once again, Hugh Harman directed the former, with Rudolf Ising responsible for the latter.
     
    Bosko at the Zoo
    The title says it all, and Honey is there too. At first, there's some annoying "la la la" singing from the duo and cutesy scenes with the animals, but thankfully we get some excitement later on with Bosko and some of the animals in a chase.
    7.5
    Pagan Moon
    A Hawaiian boy and girl perform a song and dance. However, the boy keeps losing his guitar, eventually ending up underwater. The pace picks up nicely – after a slow start, we get some chase action.
    8
    Battling Bosko
    Boxer Bosko fights the much bigger champion Gas House Harry while Honey and other fans root for him. This was a short I was looking forward to, but I think the theme could have made for a much more interesting cartoon. Especially the ending is disappointing and a bit abrupt.
    7
    Freddy the Freshman
    Freddy arrives at a college party where everyone sings a song praising him. Then they all participate in a chaotic football game. The latter part is better, very fast-paced and cartoonish, I can definitely see some of the same spirit as in the later sports-themed shorts.
    8

    Big-Hearted Bosko
    Bosko and his dog Bruno are skating and playing in the snow when they find an abandoned baby. They take him home and try to entertain him, but he just keeps crying. This was essentially the opposite of "Battling Bosko" – I expected this to be an annoying cartoon, but there are some fun moments. The unusually anthropomorphic Bruno is the star here.
    8
    Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee
    The generation gap in an Indian tribe – the adults sing about how much they hate the popular crooners of the time, while the kids sing the same song with lyrics praising them. The kids also have to save three little birds from a fire. A fairly typical cartoon of the time with the first half dedicated to singing and the second to the conflict.
    7.5
    Bosko's Party
    It's Honey's birthday, and Bosko and friends are having a party. Wilbur (thankfully much less annoying than in his first cartoon) gets stuck under a flower pot and tries to get out. The basic cartoon antics of the day with some singing, of course!
    7.5

    Goopy Geer
    Goopy Geer, a dog who's the new recurring character in the Merrie Melodies, plays the piano in a restaurant. There are also some food-related gags and things coming to life. The jaunty music is the best thing here, otherwise I'm expecting a little more from these cartoons by now. The reused scenes from the much better "Lady, Play Your Mandolin!" feel a bit lazy, too.
    7
    Bosko and Bruno
    The titular characters run away from trains and chase a chicken. The train scenes are again very derivative of some earlier cartoons, to the point of reusing animation. On a positive note, it's not as repetitive in itself as "Box Car Blues" (one of the sources for its scenes).
    7

    It's Got Me Again!
    A bunch of mice dance to a record, play instruments and have fun until the cat arrives. The first of many times the studio got an Oscar nomination for best short cartoon, but this lost to Disney's "Flowers and Trees". The short really picks up after the cat appears, but I must say it lost to a more memorable cartoon.
    8
    Moonlight for Two
    Goopy Geer and his girlfriend go to a barn dance. A fight ensues when a villain shows up and tries to kiss her. Like the previous Goopy short, the focus is on music, but the fight at the end is a highlight.
    8
    Bosko's Dog Race
    Bosko enters Bruno in a dog race, but he seems to be more interested in chasing squirrels. Definitely one of the most entertaining Bosko shorts so far – the faster pace and comedy helps!
    8.5
    The Queen Was in the Parlor
    The third and last Goopy Geer cartoon before we go back to one-shots. He is a court jester, trying to entertain the king. He also has to fight a bad guy who's trying to take the princess (the girl dog from the previous Goopy cartoons) away.
    8
    Bosko at the Beach
    Bosko is selling hot dogs at the beach and meets Honey. They have fun... playing music, of course! Bruno and Wilbur keep either getting in trouble themselves or causing trouble for our heroes. Slow at the start, but I think the end part makes it one of Bosko's best, and this is also the first time we hear the very catchy "Ain't We Got Fun"!
    8.5
    I Love a Parade
    A circus barker introduces various acts, essentially connecting otherwise separate gags. There are some imaginative jokes like a cleaner's reaction to the title song, but at times, this reminds me of the very first entries in the series, like the physics in the scene of the "rubber man".
    7
    Bosko's Store
    Bosko is working in his store, but a dog, a mouse and Wilbur (back to being a nuisance) keep giving him trouble. An entertaining short despite a certain annoying character and an unsatisfying ending.
    8
    Bosko the Lumberjack
    Bosko has to save Honey from a fellow lumberjack who kidnaps her. This is quite similar to many earlier entries in the series (even Bosko chopping down trees was done before in "The Tree's Knees"), but still fun and better than most of the early ones.
    7.5
    You're Too Careless with Your Kisses!
    Annoyed at her husband's (the second character in the series named Wilbur!) drunkenness, a female bee flies out to do his work. But a storm strikes, leaving her to seek shelter in a creepy spider's house. The other bugs have to save her. Another good one, I especially like the imaginative use of the bug theme – alcohol being spiked honey, the imaginative use of objects as weapons...
    8
    Ride Him, Bosko!
    Cowboy Bosko goes to the Western town of Red Gulch. He has to save Honey and stop a gang of robbers. This is my favorite Bosko so far – while the plot isn't the strongest, there are gags all the way through, and the ending is certainly the most memorable and surprising in the series so far!
    9
    Trivia: "Ride Him, Bosko!" is the earliest Warner Bros. cartoon not to be in the public domain, as either WB or United Artists (who used to own the early Merrie Melodies) failed to renew the copyrights of all the earlier ones at some point. This also happened with many of the later shorts, including some from the 40s.
    I Wish I Had Wings
    Scenes at a henhouse, such as chicks chasing worms and a rooster waiting for eggs to hatch. The main focus is on a hungry chick who wants to get to the garden behind a fence and wishes he had wings (one of the best ways so far to link the mandatory song to the plot). Cute animation with some entertaining scenes, and the hungry chick is surprisingly fun for a kid character.
    8
    Bosko the Drawback
    Another football-themed cartoon, this time with Bosko. There's an overly long massage scene that's not particularly funny, and gags and animation are lazily recycled from the previous football cartoon "Freddy the Freshman" and also some others. From the strongest to the weakest Bosko cartoon with just one cartoon in between – talk about variety!
    6

    He gets a bunch of trash dumped on him, but he's still happy... truly an inspiration.
    A Great Big Bunch of You
    The most purely musical Merrie Melodies in a while... A mannequin ends up in the dump. He performs the title song with various objects joining him. As you can expect, not much happens in the sense of a plot, but sometimes a feel-good atmosphere and a fun and jazzy song are enough to make a short very enjoyable! The ceaselessly happy main character must have done quite a bit to cheer up the Depression-era audience.
    9
    Bosko and Honey
    An originally unreleased cartoon. Honey is trying to teach Wilbur to play the violin, disastrously. She and Bosko go on a date, but things don't go the way they expected. Harman and Ising have often reused animation and gags in these cartoons, as I've already mentioned a lot of times, but with this cartoon, it's taken to a new extent – many scenes are either partially or entirely recycled, even from the very first Looney Tune! Ignoring this, it's a rather basic Bosko cartoon.
    7
    Bosko's Dizzy Date
    Apparently the reused footage in "Bosko and Honey" was so blatant that it was rejected by either Schlesinger or WB and ended up being reworked into this cartoon, having the same basic plot but replacing many of the recycled scenes with new ones. In some cases, the difference is small (Bosko and Honey's phone call), in others more significant (Wilbur pouring water on Bosko is done differently, for example). There are added gags that make the cartoon flow much better – really shows how much of a difference small changes can make!
    8
    Three's a Crowd
    Characters from books (both fictional and historical) come to life at night – this will be a common theme in the 30s cartoons. They sing and dance until everyone has to save Alice from Mr. Hyde. This is again a theme that's been seen many times, but it's still an adequately entertaining cartoon. The most surprising thing about this short is that some of the human characters are drawn unusually realistically, possibly rotoscoped.
    7.5
    Bosko's Woodland Daze
    Bosko is playing hide and seek with Bruno in the forest. He falls asleep and has a dream featuring gnomes, and an evil giant chasing him. Quite a cutesy cartoon, reminds me of some of the earlier Boskos.
    7

    Besides his cartoons, producer Leon Schlesinger released Western movies, some of them featuring John Wayne before he became famous (again showing how great Schlesinger was at finding talent). As they're live-action films, I won't be covering them here, but one of them did have an animated title sequence.
    Haunted Gold
    Ghostly bats fly towards the screen while the credits appear. Not much animation here (and it lasts less than a minute anyway), but it must have set the tone for the film nicely! The same animation was also used for the film's trailer, along with additional animations of eyes and moving text.

    Bosko had some of his best cartoons so far this year, as the focus switched more from music to comedy (though short singing and dancing sequences were still in many of the cartoons). His cartoons sometimes even eclipsed the Merrie Melodies in quality. As for the latter, thanks to them, I'm starting to have an all-new appreciation for the music of this era. The following year will be an eventful one...
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