50 years ago this week, the greatest cartoon in the history of cartoons was premiered.
If you say there is a better cartoon in existence, anywhere, you are wrong. It is truly that simple.
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Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
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July 9th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Cool. Love your site.
July 9th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Ahh, my first exposure to Wagner. It’s good stuff, but be warned. If you listen to too much it, you’ll suddenly feel the urge to invade Poland.
July 9th, 2007 at 10:49 am
There was one with barbers chairs that Yosamite Sam and Bugs raced upwards into the sky in by cranking the handles up, though. Too close to call.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:09 am
memories…
Had to love Bugs Bunny for not treating kids like babbling idiots.
OEJ
July 9th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Did you ever find Bugs Bunny attractive when he put on a dress and played a girl bunny?
July 9th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Ahhhhhhhhh……..what great childhood memories! Bugs was my favorite of all the Loony Toons characters. No matter who or what he was up against, he always won………….royally!! Who can forget “The Wrabbit of Seville” or my personal all time favorte “Bully for Bugs”. They just don’t make cartoons like that any more………………..
July 9th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Better than Tom and Jerry? Surely you’re joking, Mr. Plait?
July 9th, 2007 at 11:18 am
“The Rabbit of Seville,” you mean? I’d rank that third behind this and “Duck Amuck.”
Okay, really, those three are interchangeable for the top spots, arrange them to taste.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:20 am
The rabbit of serville is also one of my favs- http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?ei=UTF-8&b=1&vid=42703&gid=110983
I feel old. 50 years?! hard to believe I also watched them as a kid (I’m about to turn 19)
July 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Yes! One of my favourites. But the power of one man’s artistic vision, namely Wagner’s, elevates it to extraordinary heights; even with Mel Blanc’s funny animal voices. It’s like Bach played on old saucepans – great music still sounds great. It’s all in the mind.
And Cain, in answer to your question, no. However, I would find that an attractive girl dressed as a bunny would be even more attractive.
Cheers me dears.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Agree with others on the Rabbit of Seville!!
July 9th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Sorry, but showing that cartoon around this house is dangerous. People get the urge to either throw others in the shower or study industriously for a few hours; neither activity is conducive to watching cartoons. My son does like it, though…
July 9th, 2007 at 11:40 am
“What’s Opera Doc” is indeed, a classic, as most of the Warner Brothers cartoons, especially those involving Bugs Bunny. However, I’m not sure I’d call it my favorite, although it’s quite high on the list. Rabbit of Seville is better, in my opinion, but my all time favorite is the “hunting trilogy” of “Rabbit Fire”, “Rabbit Seasoning” and “Duck! Rabbit, Duck!”
“Duck season!” “Wabbit season!” “Duck season!” “Wabbit season!” “Duck Season! FIRE!”
Need I say more?
July 9th, 2007 at 11:40 am
I have the cartoon on DVD. When I bought the Looney Tunes collection, it was the first one I watched!
July 9th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
The BA says: “If you say there is a better cartoon in existence, anywhere, you are wrong. It is truly that simple.”
Them’s fightn’ words, McGee!
I noticed that almost every cartoon mentioned above was not only WB, but directed by Chuck Jones. Most of my favorites were done by him as well, but “What’s Opera, Doc?” isn’t really one of them. Of the CJ productions on my list, I’d put “Feed the Kitty” and “Pronoun Trouble” ahead of it (actually, I think the cartoon’s title is “Wabbit Trouble”). And don’t forget “Haredevil Hare” that introduced Marvin the Martian, and the apex (dare I say “Acme”?) of WB cartoons, “Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century!”
From other studios, almost any Fliesher “Popeye” cartoon is wonderful for his muttered-under-the-breath asides. Some of their “Bimbo” cartoons were actually quite dark and disturbing (see if you can find “Bimbo’s initiation”).
From Disney, most of their best shorts are from before they went to color. I have a copy of “Hell’s Bells” from about 1930 that the studio won’t even admit exists. Probably my favorite, though, is “The Art of Skiing” with Goofy. I’m always in tears laughing when he does the “Goofy yodel” going down the ski ramp.
- Jack
July 9th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
>>> If you say there is a better cartoon in existence,
>>> anywhere, you are wrong.
Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century.
The original, not the series.
You know deep down I am right.
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?p=Duck+Dodgers+in+the+24%C2%BDth+Century&ei=UTF-8&b=0&oid=18d90e1b941113b6&rurl=video.yahoo.com&vdone=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.yahoo.com%2Fvideo%2Fsearch%3Fp%3DDuck%2BDodgers%2Bin%2Bthe%2B24%25C2%25BDth%2BCentury%26ei%3DUTF-8
I’d also nominate some of the Fleischer Superman toons.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Surely not better than Eastern Europe’s favourite cartoon Worker and Parasite?
July 9th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
One problem, I’m afraid, is that if you really know your Wagner, you’ notice that most of the music isn’t from “Der Ring”, but from “Tannhäuser” and “Der Fliegender Hollander”.
Anyway, have we all forgotten the Silver Age so soon? What about “King Yakko”, “Sepulveda Boulevard”, “The Potty Years”, and “Meatballs or Consequences”?
July 9th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Warner Bros. cartoon shorts from the 40s and 50s are the best, hands down, to this very day. Chuck Jones was a true comedic genius.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Phil the BA: I like you, and I just adore your work. Now I like you even MORE! This cartoon is a perfect work of art
I must have seen this cartoon … I lost count ages ago, and I have it on my computers, iPods and even my cellphone.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Jack Hagerty: what you meant to say was obviously “You realize, of course, that this means war.”
July 9th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I dunno, I’m not so keen on any of the WB cartoons. For me it’s Simpsons and South Park
July 9th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I had forgotten (or perhaps it was because many of these cartoon shorts are, sadly, trimmed heavily when shown on tv) about the Fantasia reference at the beginning.
This is truly a deep cartoon. Funny stuff, but with the nod to the Night on Bald Mountain scene, it’s also laying on the meta-humor from the start.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I gotta agree. Looney Tunes were THE best cartoons ever. Of course there are some other good cartoons out there but come on! None are as classic!
And forever sitting on my desk are figurines of the Road Runner and Wile E Coyote.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
The Tom and Jerry with “Hungarian Rhapsody” is a close second, either that or the Smurfs with the “Unfinished Symphony” (and maybe “Scheherazade” too, it’s been a few years) playing in the background a lot, but it’s really hard to top Wagner.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
No argument about your choice, BA. The unpatronizing attitude of the classic WB cartoons is why they are classics.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Hate to rain on the parade, but does anybody else remember an absurdly racist Bugs Bunny cartoon? I guess it wasn’t that surprising in its time. It features a young boy sent out by his mother to shoot a rabbit. So the kid has to be the villain. But he’s black, and drawn as an absolute picaninny! (Apologies to anyone this offends.) With big fat white lips, he slouches along in slow motion, dragging his shotgun behind him, singing, “Ma mamma done tole me, to get me a ra-abbit.” Can’t remember any more of it, and I wouldn’t believe I remembered that much right, if I wasn’t positive. Much worse than anything in “Song of the South.” I’d be very surprised if it was shown anywhere after 1965 or so; anyone else as old as me remember it?
July 9th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
PK Says: “I dunno, I’m not so keen on any of the WB cartoons. For me it’s Simpsons and South Park”
Obviously a lost generation.
- Jack
July 9th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Hey, I think there’s something wrong with your link. This doesn’t go to Duck Amuck, which, as we all know, is the greatest cartoon.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Phil, you made my day!!
All hail the almighty Chuck Jones and Mel Blanc!!
There’s a CD that came out a few years ago called “Bugs Bunny on Broadway” and it includes this, Rabbit of Seville, and a bunch of others. We played it one night for a guy we know who professes himself as a “classical music expert.” As the first strains of Wagner came up, he was “ahhh yes!!!” and was “air-conducting” along with the music. But as soon as heard Elmer Fudd, he got really ticked off: “ohh!! how dare they!!!!” We just laughed and laughed.
And to prove I have true geek moments, I’ve been know to – when a storm is coming – run outside and quote “Arise storms… North winds blow, south winds blow… Typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, SMOG!.. Flash lightning strike the rabbit!”
July 9th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Mapnut, I recall that cartoon…and another one, equally racist, called “Coal Black and the Sebbin Dwarfs.” Not to make excuses, but they were of their time; I suspect that in the 1930s no one even thought to ask the question. Horrifying by today’s standards, but the producers did come to realize that and dropped the cartoons from future release of their own accord.
July 9th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
What about Barber of Seville?
July 9th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
One Froggy Eventing was the best. I mean, come on!! “Hello by baby, hello my honey …” (O great, now I’ll be singing it all afternoon).
I’m not wrong, that’s all there is to it.
July 9th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
One more vote for “Duck Amuck.” Introduced me to self-referential semi-postmodern humor right when I needed it. Though I agree with Grey Duck that “What’s Opera, Doc?” and “The Rabbit of Seville” are all more or less in a three-way tie for first. But if I had to choose, it’d be “Duck Amuck.”
July 9th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I’m going to throw a particular Simpsons episode out there (I don’t know if it’s my favorite – it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen “The Rabbit of Seville” or “What’s Opera, Doc?”. Anyway: Cape Feare. was truly fantastic and had some great cultural references (though more modern than those discussed here).
July 9th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Did you ever find Bugs Bunny attractive when he put on a dress and played a girl bunny?
Well, those little bunny paws were awfully..
Errm, I mean, no, of course not! Wierdo!
Best cartoons ever. The timing between the music and the cartoons was amazing.
“I think monsters are the most interesting people…”
July 9th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Personally, I was never a big fan of Chuck Jones’ animation style. Don’t get me wrong, I think his work is great, it’s just his artwork that I didn’t much care for. (For an example, see The Grinch who Stole Christmas. I love the execution of the story, but the artwork doesn’t do much for me. Note I don’t speak of the animation, just the art style.) I’m more of a Bob Clampett and Friz Freling devotee. But I think four names need to be pointed out here that were probably the most important for all of the WB cartoons: Michael Maltese, Ted Pierce (writers), Carl W. Stalling (music) and Mel Blanc (voices, of course.) An honorable mention needs to go to Arthur Q. Bryan who did the voice of Elmer Fudd until he died and of course June Foray who did almost all of the female voices. (I got a chance to talk to Ms. Foray on a radio talk show and we did a Rocky & Bullwinkle skit. What a great and gracious lady!) I put Mssrs. Pierce and Maltese right up there with Rube Goldberg in coming up with convoluted plots that were resolved nicely and had you guessing what was going to happen next. Mr. Stalling was a musical genius who was able to take classical music and fit it to the action on the screen with superb perfection. And of course, Mr. Blanc’s voice characterizations have almost no peers, certainly none for that age of cartoons. (It is possible that Frank Welker has done more voices, but none so unforgettable as Mel Blanc’s.) I’m reminded of my favorite poster that was issued when Mel Blanc died. One one side a lone microphone stood in a pool of light and on the other side the characters he voiced had their heads bowed in reverence. One word was on the poster: Speechless. It’s been nearly 20 years and I still mourn his passing. There will never be another like him.
July 9th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Sorry BA, you’re all wrong. “That’s Opera Doc” is exceeded by The Rabbit of Seville, Hare-Way to the Stars (Marvin and the Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator) and any of the Hunter’s trilogy; Rabbit Seasoning is my personal favourite there.
What’s Opera Doc is still top 10 material, though, if it’s any consolation.
July 9th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Of course this one is near the top of my list, but I prefer Tex Avery – Can’t beat “Red Hot Riding Hood”, “Bad Luck Blackie”, and “Swing Shift Cinderella”.
July 9th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
My goodness! The Rabbit of Seville deals with the gay marriage issue before people even thought about it! Ha, ha, ha, ha!… I mean, Bugs givinig Elmer flowers, candy and an engagement ring… and Elmer marrying him in a wedding gown… Those cartoons were so intelligent.
July 9th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Ribozyme
Says:
“… and Elmer marrying him in a wedding gown…”
Thanks to “The Rabbit of Seville”, I will always expect Rossini’s overture to divert into Mendelssohn’s wedding march when I hear that particular chord. Similarly I cannot listen to the overture from Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” without hearing Bugs Bunny singing to Elmer Fudd. Not that I’m complaining.
July 9th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
All of the pre-60s WB cartoons are without peer. And not a single mention of THE best one, “The 3 Little Bops”. Check it out on YouTube.
“That Big Bad Wolf, he learned the rule,
You gotta get hot to play real cool.”
July 9th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Wow…this used to be my dad’s favorite cartoon. Brings back good memories…*sigh*
July 9th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
“O bwoonhilda you’re so wuvwee†—-“yes, I know it, I can’t help it,â€
I agree with you on this. The images from this cartoon have been stuck in my head since childhood.
‘Pinky and the Brain’ a few years ago raised the bar, but for the most part there has been very little to challenge these classics.
“Typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, SMOG!â€
July 9th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
“What’s Opera Doc?” and “The Rabbit of Seville” are 1-2 in my book.
SMOG!!!!
July 9th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Since this *is* an astronomy-related blog, I do have to mention “A Fine Day Out”.
Though, speaking of Marvin, for some reason in my family, television remote controls are known as “modulators”, supposedly because the part/model number
on our first one was Q36. The process of clicking rapidly through the channels looking for something worth watching is called “modulating”.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Oh. my. goodness. I have not EVER sat and watched an embedded UTube before, but that was too good to pass up. One of my faves; I reference it all the time (usually incorrectly). How do you guys know all the names? I also love the one(s) with the giant red hair-monster and the one where Daffy Duck plays Robin Hood (”dodge, parry, spin… THWACK”).
July 10th, 2007 at 4:30 am
I’m with you Heather T, I’ve watched some wonderful cartoons over the years but I couldn’t tell you the title of one of them!
Another vote here for Warner Brothers – although I liked The Jetsons, The Flinstones, Yogi Bear etc. back in the ’60s, the quality of the art work left a lot to be desired. Hanna-Barbera certainly lowered the standard when it came to the look of cartoons. The same can be said about The Simpsons & South Park, the art work is crap. Having grown up in the era of WB & Disney it’s hard to get used to the more recent minimalism in cartoon drawing. But everyone to their own taste I suppose.
July 10th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Actually, it was last week (the 6th).
July 10th, 2007 at 7:00 am
How great is this cartoon? Witness: with 4:42 left, Bugs is singing. His chest expands just before his line, to show that he is inhaling.
They animated the inhale! The cartoon is great on a broad level, but the attention to detail evident in that is just astounding. I would call it “unheard of”, but I just saw the touring Pixar exhibit here in Melbourne, Australia — and with them you find a rival. Of course, there were SEVERAL tips of the hat to Looney Toons in the Pixar exhibit, which should surprise no one…
PS Kudos to the person who mentioned “Feed The Kitty” too, which contains the combination saddest/funniest moment ever animated or filmed…
July 10th, 2007 at 7:11 am
“What’s Opera, Doc” and “Rabbit of Seville” are my 1-2. Though “Duck Amuck” is up there.
I remember when I was in grad school, the Wang Center in Boston was showing a 6 hour marathon of classic Warner Brothers cartoons. My husband (then boyfriend) and I went and I would say most of the audience did not have kids with them. It was great seeing them up on the big screen.
We now get the DVD sets that come out. I’m still waiting for the one with the abominable snowman.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Heather T:
Robin Hood! Daffy’s best work!
Daffy was such a great character. I’ll always remember him standing up to his neck in a sudden flash flood and holding that glass of water and saying something like, “Well, ya gotta say one thing for me…brother, when I buy water, I really get my money’s worth!”
July 10th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Mark S:
Another of my favorite little details in this one is when elmer is jabbing his spear into the ground and the fringe around his waist all fall down like dominoes.
And the ballet scene was WELL researched.
Kill da wabbit!
July 10th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I think Fleischer was the better artist but Chuck was the better entertainer if that makes any sense. And definitely “What’s Opera Doc” is one of, if not THE, best examples of short film animation ever made.
July 10th, 2007 at 10:36 am
For feature length animation, I am only aware of 2 movies worth mentioning, Fantasia and Heavy Metal and there is no way I can vote one better than the other. It’s comparing apples and oranges,
July 10th, 2007 at 11:38 am
All you nay-sayers are wrong. Wrong wrong wrong wrong. What’s Opera, Doc? is indeed the best cartoon of all time. At 5 years of age, when I first saw it, I was captivated. NO other animated piece has done that.
Maybe it helps that I grew up in a classical music home – lots of Beethoven/Bach/Mozart (the three greatest composers), with Handle, Etc thrown in. Needless to say, I was somewhat familiar with the music.
Seeing it spoofed so well just did me in. I’ve been a huge fan of Mr Jones since, and pre 1960 sWarner Brothers cartoons have remained as my all-time favorites. Since then there have been some lighter spots in the darkness of animation.. again, mostly provided by Warner Brothers (Not talking movies here). The original-ish Batman series from the 1990s, Pinky and the Brain… but one was good for the animation and style, the other for the plots. The Animaniacs had a few good ones (usually their musicals).
South Park is generally spot on with political comment (regardless of the side they chose, the targets are usually good)
Family Guy, Futurama are both fun, but not *art*.
Simpsons.. just leaves me cold. It’s badly drawn, it’s badly scripted, and just not funny. (yes, I admit there are occasional good ones, but I’m talking over all, here. I won’t waste my time waiting for the one good show out of two seasons)
But, to return to the glory that is What’s Opera, Doc?, it was obviously assembled by somebody who had a goodly knowledge of opera, and knew just what features absolutely needed to be included, and which could be abused. I mean, what sane individual came up with that horse? On top of that, he took one of the longest operas in existence and *successfully* condensed it down to something like 7 minutes.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that not until Genndy Tartakovski has there been an animator with the genius that Chuck Jones displayed.
July 10th, 2007 at 11:54 am
What truly made the old Warner cartoons so great is that they where not created just for children but as movie extras. They where made for all ages so they have something in them for all ages. It’s only in post 1960s America that that everybody presumes that cartoons are only for kids (and some great animation was relegated to Saturday mornings). And it’s only in America that we presume that things need to be simplified to the point of stupidity for children. What’s up with that, Doc?
July 10th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I grew up watching these with my brothers (who were 10, 11, and 12 years older than I) on Saturday mornings. And then in 8th grade, I had a music class where they showed this one and we talked about opera. I was always greatful to the student teacher for that one!
July 10th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
>>> “Ma mamma done tole me, to get me a ra-abbit.â€
I’m almost positive the character was a vulture (or a buzzard), not a black stereotype, unless there are two toons with that line.
July 10th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
[...] “What’s Opera, Doc?” ha cumplido 50 años 9 Julio 2007 Posted by Javier Arántegui in Cultura popular, Música, Humor. trackback Phil Plait, más conocido como el Mal Astrónomo –en inglés–, tiene toda la razón cuando dice: “Si dices que existe un dibujo animado mejor que éste, estás equivocado. Es asà de simple.“ [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Beaky Buzzard sings his version of “Blues in the Night” in his first appearence, in “Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid”.
July 10th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Lurchgs:
Thanks for reminding me of Batman, that was also a good one. But you don’t like the Simpsons??
You realize, of course…this means war!
July 10th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Naaah Tex Avery’s Magical Maestro is a funnier cartoon!
July 10th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
[...] http://www.badastronomy.com [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
“Rabbit Seasoning” is definitely higher on my list than “What’s Opera Doc”. But as long as you’re listing a Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies cartoon as the all-time best, that’s all I care about.
High five.
July 10th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Bugs is now 68 years old, not 50..! Debut on July 27, 1940…
He could kick Mickey’s BUTT..!!
July 10th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Actually the best Bugs Bunny cartoon is Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips
July 10th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
My favourite looney toon was the one about the dog and cat.
“What no gravy, next time don’t forget the gravy”
It has a classic very dark ending.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Daffy
“but the producers did come to realize that and dropped the cartoons from future release”
Not too sure about that, I remember seeing a WB cartoon (from the amination style it was late 30’s eary 40s) in Australia about 15 years ago on a afternoon cartoon show. Cant remeber too much about the plot but it was about a tribe of Africans and they were drawn too look like and act like monkeys.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
“Leopold! Leopold” Whats opera Doc was great. Barber of Seville is my Favorite. Bugs eyes As he massages Elmers head gets me every time. I have to say that “hillbilly hare” should have been mentioned by now, I still laugh every time I see it.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Yeah its right up there, but Rabbit of Seville is better IMHO
Others that rule:
———————
Stupor Duck
Windblown Hare (the three pigs/red riding hood mashup)
Hillbilly Hare (…purty little sound.. bang yer head again the ground!)
Fast and Furryous
I Gopher You.. (two gophers lost in a food factory)
Duck Amok
Bugs and the Opera singer.. (cant recall the name)
Abominable Snow Rabbit..
The one where Bugs is misplaced by the Stork with the Gorilla family
The one where Daffy is the gag salesman sent in to cheer up the
millionare?
Im an avid collector.. some of these you can get but on VHS tape anymore. WB is holding out from DVD release to nickle and dime us to death!
The one with bug’s and the dam? Black Jack Shalock.. no Jac.. not this one!
That one you cant find anywhere.. was never released other than the Sat. am Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour
..
My kids love these things as much as I (and I’m 42)
Clever stuff that only some modern day cartoons seem to duplicate.. but
by and large, much of it is pretty much slapstick humor.. think about it..
characters always beating up each other, blowing each other up.. etc.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Its a shame, I think it will be a while before we see these kind of cartoons for kids again, It seems to me that the industry as a whole has bowed to pressure and pulled back on a lot of the violence that was prevalent in the older cartoons (and in many ways made them funny) . However in order to keep viewers they have resulted to higher level of vulgarity. Bugs was a violent but smart cartoon to watch. Simpsons comes closest today.
July 11th, 2007 at 1:28 am
And how could we all have missed the Pink Panther, “Psychedelic Pink” One of the funniest toons I ever saw.
July 11th, 2007 at 1:52 am
Mapnut, “All this and rabbit stew” 1941 is the toon you speak of.
July 11th, 2007 at 1:53 am
While I do appreciate cartoons, especially those by WB that I grew up as a child watching, it should be noted that um…some of them were very, very racist.
I am not accusing WB or anything, I just thought that should be noted. Who knew that Bugs and Yosemite Sam not only hated Nazis, but also the Japanese and Africans? Popeye too…
July 11th, 2007 at 2:27 am
I keep running accross old favorites that need mentioning, does anyone remember “The dot and the line?”
July 11th, 2007 at 4:28 am
T. Schneider
Says:….. Hillbilly Hare (…purty little sound.. bang yer head again the ground!)
————————
LOL! That’s another one that I’ve never forgotten. I remember making up my own crazy lyrics…
July 11th, 2007 at 6:20 am
Wow, not only are there people on here who don’t *get* the classics, there are people on here who missed the quite obvious Wayne’s World reference someone made up at the top of the page!
And while yes, Bugs Bunny may have debuted 68 years ago, the point is this particular cartoon is 50 years old this week.
I have to agree that this one ranks right up there with “Rabbit of Seville”, “Duck Amuck” (I still laugh out loud every time I see it), “Rhapsody Rabbit” (better than the Tom & Jerry “Hungarian Rhapsody” toon, any day), and the other musical one with the opera singer who throttles Bugs with his instruments and then Bugs gets back at him by dressing up as Leopold Stokowski. Absolutely brilliant.
July 11th, 2007 at 6:24 am
While I agree this is one of the best cartoons ever, I have to say, for pure laugh value, Duck Amuck or Wabbit Season were better. But this one is Fantastic for other reasons.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Mike Maltese wrote this great cartoon along with many others. Few know of him but some rare photos are available at my site. He deserves a little recognition.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:35 am
there are people on here who missed the quite obvious Wayne’s World reference someone made up at the top of the page!
I hate to burst your bubble, but there are people who’ve never seen a Wayne’s World sketch or movie. Like me. And damned proud of it.
I love What’s Opera, Doc?, Duck Amuck (even though they misspelled “amok”) and The Rabbit of Seville, but I’ve always been strangely partial to Hair Brush, the cartoon where Elmer thinks he’s a rabbit and Bugs takes his place in the sanitarium and ends up thinking he’s Elmer. Best ending ever.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Duck Dodgers is one of my all-time favourites too, and not only for the Disintegrator ray joke: “When this baby disintegrates, it really disintegrates…”
But as a musician I think I have to agree with Phil. Well, what do you expect from an opera, a happy ending?
Classic stuff. There will never be another Chuck Jones.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Duck Dodgers is one of my all-time favourites too, and not only for the Disintegrator ray joke: “When this baby disintegrates, it really disintegrates…”
But as a musician I think I have to agree with Phil. Well, what do you expect from an opera, a happy ending?
Classic stuff. There will never be another Chuck Jones.
(Incidentally, did you know that Leopold Stokowski was a true cockney Londoner, born “within the sound of Bow Bells”? Not a lot of people know that.)
July 11th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Sorry for the double (now triple) post!
July 11th, 2007 at 9:55 am
[...] what’s up, Doc? Bugs Bunny turns [...]
July 11th, 2007 at 10:28 am
This is a good one, as well as “Hillbilly Hare”, but my all time fave is “The Bunny of Seville”, it’s not “The Rabbit of Seville” as it is a parody on the Barber of Seville… It’s true though they simply do not make cartoons like this anymore, the closest cartoon would have to be Duckman! However Duckman is strictly 15+ cartoon, where Bugs was for kids with a few cackles added that only Adults could get!
July 12th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
[...] since Buggs Bunny and his famous What’s up doc? line was launched. Happy Anniversary Bugs!read more | digg story Posted by admin in Uncategorized on July 13th, 2007 Both [...]
July 16th, 2007 at 5:19 am
[...] to the Bad Astronomy Blog — and who am I to argue? — the world’s greatest cartoon ever was released 50 [...]
July 16th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
[...] “Kill da wabbit….kill da wabbit…” (thanks, Bad Astronomer) [...]
July 27th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
[...] what’s up, Doc? Bugs Bunny turns [...]
February 28th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Sigh…and I seem to be the only one to remember “Ali Baba Bunny”