Today's cartoon selection begins with a real classic, the Bugs Bunny cartoon, The Wacky Wabbit (1942). As many of you know all the major Looney Tunes directors had their different take on Bugs Bunny. Bob Clampett's Bugs was very much a fun-loving prankster. Unlike Chuck Jones' version of the character, this Bugs did not always need to act in self-defense but could just pick on someone to have a little fun. That is true of the way he treats Elmer here. Elmer in this movie is not hunting wabbits, but simply minding his own business, when Bugs decides to let the poor fellow have it. Elmer in this cartoon looks different from how many movie fans picture him looking. This is because he was briefly redesigned to look like his voice actor Arthur Q. Byran. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Fourteen carrot entertainer this 'Wacky Wabbit.' There's a laugh in every foot. The wise guy rabbit in this instance tries his trick on a gold prospector. He drives the poor guy crazy confounding him and keeping him constantly on the jump. Bugs Bunny grows in stature with every new Merry Melody release. He bids fair to become as funny as any character now in animated cartoons. The smart showman should grab this short."
Next comes Mighty Mouse in Wreck of the Hesperus (1944). This short film marked the first time Mighty Mouse received his name. In the previous cartoons, he was referred to as Super Mouse. However to avoid confusion with a comic book character named Super Mouse, the character's name was changed to Mighty Mouse, which is a better name anyway.
Now we join our old friend Scrappy in The Treasure Runt (1932).
Next comes one of the most famous and important of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, Flowers and Trees (1932). This film was the first Silly Symphony in color and it is obvious that even from this first attempt the Disney cartoons had a mastery of color in a way few film would ever reach. Walt knew that color was not just a novelty or a way to make films look pretty but could be a vital part of storytelling. The colors in these cartoons often added to mood of the scene in a way an audience can feel. Walt was alone in believing Technicolor would help boost the quality of his cartoons and many tried to talk him out of it but as was always true of Walt, he stuck with his instinct and it paid off. The short received much praise (including an academy award) and it still remains a great cartoon to this day. Walt signed a contract with Technicolor for three years, giving them exclusive right to the process in the field of animation. This is why some of the other studios would soon use less famous and less effective color processes for their cartoons of this period. The cartoon itself was directed by Burt Gillett, who would soon direct the most famous Silly Symphony, The Three Little Pigs (1933). J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series states, "David Hand animated most of the film, partly by himself and partly with apprentices." David Hand would later be supervising director on the Disney features, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942). The following is a short article from The Film Daily (dated Sept. 17, 1932), "As a result of the tremendous reception at the Grauman's Chinese in Los Angles and the Roxy in New York of the first Silly Symphony, in natural color, Walt Disney, its creator says all the Symphonies released this year by United Artists will be done in Technicolor and that later the Mickey Mouse may also be photographed in natural color. The first Silly Symphony in Technicolor 'Flowers and Trees,' was in the nature of a feeler. It was made to touch [sic] out the public reaction to color in an animated short feature. After the first showing in Hollywood, in conjunction with MGM's 'Strange Interlude,' Disney had decided that he hit upon one of his most popular moves. Sid Grauman also was highly enthusiastic about 'Flowers and Trees.' The same thing happened at the Roxy. And now the second Silly, 'King Neptune' will have its premiere at the opening of 'Mr. Robinson Crusoe,' Douglas Fairbanks new feature, at the Rivoli next Wednesday."
Now it is time for a commercial break.
I have mentioned before on this blog, how the Goofy cartoons Jack Kinney directed for Disney are some of my all time favorite cartoons. While here is another Jack Kinney directed cartoon starring that lovable Goof, Californy 'er Bust (1945).
Tiday's cartoon selection ends with a cartoon staring the original star of Looney Tunes, Bosko. The film is Bosko's Soda Fountain (1931). Watching this movie, you will probably feel that it more closely resembles an early Disney cartoon than a later Looney Tune and that was true of all the Warner Brothers cartoons of this era. In his landmark book Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon, film historian Leonard Maltin quotes animator Jack Zander, "We were doing something and Hugh Harman [who co-directed the early Warner Brothers cartoons with Rudolf Ising] said 'You remember that scene in the Disney picture where Mickey Mouse did do-and-so?' I said 'You want me to do almost the same thing?' and he said 'No I want you to do exactly the same thing.'"
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of classic cartoons. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russel Merrit and J.B. Kaufman
https://mediahistoryproject.org/
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