The Sour Puss -- Underrated?

Hammerson has posted a bunch of pictures from Bob Clampett's "the Sour Puss" on his blog, and wonders why the film has such a bad reputation:

Ladies and gentlemen, here's a cartoon usually regarded as the worst thing that Bob Clampett has ever done at Warners. So often I've seen the opinion that "The Sour Puss" represents a real nadir, a big stinky blot in an almost faultless filmography of a great director. I've also seen it mentioned on various lists of the worst classic cartoons of all time... and I wonder why? What's the matter with you, people?!?

John Young agrees:

This is one of my favorites. I had no idea people hated this one, I find that extremely puzzling. There are so many funny drawings in there it's almost ridiculous. It makes me feel alone in the universe 'cuz this is one of those cartoons I show my my non-cartoon friends so they can see why i like cartoons so much.

J. Lee offers his opinion on why the cartoon is so derided:

I like the first half of the cartoon -- the cartoon deserves respect if for no other reason than the "Now I've seen everything" suicide gag debuts here -- but the second half comes across as something Ben Hardaway would have done if Cal Dalton designed wilder poses for the animators.

Clampett was obvously feeling constrained by 1940 at having to use Porky in every cartoon, and one of the ways to liven things up was -- as Hardaway did in "Porky's Hare Hunt" -- take the Avery-Clampett Daffy Duck model and stick it into a different body. So here we get the original Daffy in a fish suit, and in "Paitent Porky" we get the original Daffy in a cat costume. There are some good gags in both cartoons, but neither of Porky's antagonists are Daffy Duck, which takes away from both shorts.

Taz and Marvin -- what's the deal?

Oceansoul, posting at the Golden Age Cartoons forum, wonders why the Tazmanian Devil and Marvin the Martian receive so much marketing hype despite their relatively sparse filmography:

Actually when you see any Looney Tunes merchandise or ad, you probably recognise either of the two very overrated character faces there. What's the legacy of the two characters to become so big merchandise faces of the golden series? OK, Marvin has one memorable episode (Duck dodgers), which I always considered a bit of overrated, but there are a lot others have even more: Michigan Frog, Gossamer, Henery Hawk, Rocky, Sniffles, Sylvester Jr, Witch Hazel... all of them are secondary stars but never got the same spotlight that Marvin got. As for Taz, he is even worse. Neither of his five shorts were great, Ducking the devil was average to good, but that's all. And he was hyped after the end of LT series, even got an own series, Taz-Mania.

Matt the Y provides a prompt response:

Taz was overrated even from the start. Even studio boss Eddie Selzer found him annoying to the point where he ordered McKimson not to make anymore cartoons featuring the character after "Devil May Hare". Jack Warner, however, thought that ol' Taz was absolutely hilarious and asked Selzer to reconsider his anti-Taz edict and he did. Thus, we got "Bedevilled Rabbit" and the remaining Taz shorts. Why J.L. found the character so delightfully funny is a complete mystery to me; sure, he's kind of funny but not that funny; what difference would it have made if he starred in more shorts or not?!

Anyway, to answer your question as to why Taz is just so popular in merchandising and otherwise, Jerry Beck virtually summed it up in his audio commentary for "Devil May Hare" on the first GC DVD; people can actually relate to Taz because he's the ultimate slob. He's always hungry, he's completely unbridled and untamed, and, as Mr. Beck himself put it, if you can actually bring yourself to imagine Taz's personal bedroom at his home, you can almost bet that it would be an absolute mess. People think that's cool; hence the bountiful merchandise of the character.

As for Marvin the Martian; I honestly never noticed that the character was that heavily merchandised. I certainly noticed the extreme over-merchandising of Taz; that's undeniable. Marvin much less so. But to answer your question, I can see how general audiences could find Marvin "cool"; he's an outer-space oriented science-fiction cartoon character with seemingly hostile motives (i.e. in two cartoons, he's intent on destroying the Earth; in one cartoon, he's intent on bringing back a helpless Earth rabbit to his home planet). That probably adds to his popularity; hence his bountiful merchandise.

Ben Hardaway -- the Birth of the Screwball

At the Golden Age Cartoons forum, Lonesome-Lenny shares his theory about Ben Hardaway:

It seems pretty clear to me that he is the creator of the "daffy" screwball character, as we know it, in classic Hollywood cartoons. He had a strong hand in creating Bugs Bunny, and it's evident that he played an equally strong role in creating Woody Woodpecker. I'm uncertain if he contributed to any of Daffy Duck's early appearances, but I'd guess it's likely he did. Hardaway was truly onto something with this notion of the anti-social, screwball character. It was a fresh wind of influence in animation. It helped others give up trying to create an imitation Mickey Mouse, and fanned the flames of the brash, lively spirit of 1940s animation.

J. J. Hunsecker disagrees with this theory (and doesn't seem to be a very big fan of Hardaway's cartoons, either):

I wouldn't credit Hardaway with the creation of the "daffy" screwball character. I give that credit to Tex Avery, with Porky's Duck Hunt (the writing is credited to Rich Hogan for that cartoon. Though sometimes the credits on the Schlesinger cartoons are wrong). From the interviews I've read it seems that Hardaway decided to imitate Porky's Duck Hunt with Porky's Hare Hunt, by putting Daffy in a rabbit suit. The "daffy" hare eventually evolved into Bugs Bunny thanks again to Tex Avery. Woody Woodpecker is also based on Avery's version of Daffy Duck.

Hardaway's entire style -- from writing, drawing, and directing -- was crude and unsophisticated. Avery might not have been a great draftsman himself, but he was a terrific gagman and director. Shamus Culhane wrote that to Hardaway a joke was a joke, and it didn't matter if it fit the character or not.

Lonesome-Lenny responds:

I do agree that Avery deserves the credit for the basic creation and refinement of the screwball character in animation. Hardaway had his own formula, which he tried out at WB, in competition with Avery's (and Clampett's) and ran amok with at Lantz. What fascinates me is that Hardaway kept pursuing his heavy-handed path, while other writers and directors continued to refine the zany character in animated cartoons.

I re-read portions of Culhane's memoirs last night, and refreshed my memory of how much the director disliked Hardaway's writing. So did co-storyman Milt Schaffer. Culhane describes story meetings in which Hardaway kills himself with his lengthy puns, while Schaffer just rolls his eyes toward the ceiling... I really wonder how Hardaway was able to have such influence in the animation world when his work was so checkered. Perhaps Lantz liked him personally, and wanted to give him steady work?

Sogturtle replies:

Actually Hardaway's cartoon career goes all the way back to Iwerks' Flip the Frog cartoons and we can credit him with a lot (if not all) of the lovably strange and weird humor in those cartoons. His hiring and influence at Schlesinger's is definitely attributable to Friz Freleng. Ben's gag-influence during his six plus years at Schlesinger's really only became recognizable when he graduated up to director and particularly the second time around. Honestly his writing there (or story-editing) is SO submerged into the "omelettes" that the directors and two story crews created that a person can't really detect a clear "Hardaway cartoon mindset" until he took the director's chair.

Whether Ben had any contribution into "Porky's Duck Hunt" is and will remain unknown since the story-crews alternated and the cartoon bears no story credit. As such we really can only credit Tex Avery with Daffy's creation (and Tex always sat in with the story crew so regardless which crew helped with the cartoon, the demented duck had to have been Tex's baby). HOWEVER as well documented, Hardaway loved the idea of Daffy being a looney-tooney character and latched onto it with the oft quoted line "I'm going to put that duck into a rabbit suit". And THAT is where Ben's weakness is most obvious as he and the crews came up with some fine and funny gags in his and Dalton's two rabbit cartoons, but he showed NO understanding of HOW to create a LIKABLE character. His rabbit is not just looney but patently obnoxious in those cartoons.

The Censored Eleven

There's a discussion about which six of the censored eleven cartoons they'd like to see released at the Golden Age Cartoons forum. The two constants among the bunch seem to be Tin Pan Alley Cats, and Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs. Speaking of Coal Black, at his blog, Jaime J. Weinman ponders whether that controversial cartoon will ever see a release:

I'm not sure how to get around that, because in all honesty, if "Coal Black" were released and a controversy erupted, that probably would be bad for the marketing/franchising of WB cartoons. I don't think the controversy over "Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips" did Turner any favors back in the '90s (Turner released it on a laserdisc but then, foolishly, released it on a mass-market VHS as well, and people who bought this thing for their kids were understandably outraged). To get a release, someone would probably have to convince WB executives that there won't be any controversy, and I'm not sure that anyone can guarantee that. "Coal Black" is a great cartoon, but I've seen the reactions to it of people who are not cartoon buffs, and it does make many people very uncomfortable and, yes, even angry.

Duck Amuck

Though most videogames featuring Looney Tunes characters have been less than impressive (putting it mildly), there's a new one that sounds like it might actually be kind of interesting. Announced at the last week's E3 (the annual trade show for the videogame industry), it's for the Nintendo DS, and it's called Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck, based on the classic Chuck Jones cartoon of the same title. It sounds like you get to play the role of the animator messing with Daffy Duck:

Rub out part of Daffy’s body, for instance, and draw in something else. Use the DS microphone to alter Daffy’s voice. And you even can temporarily close the DS while still following instructions from Daffy on when to push the left and right shoulder buttons (to achieve the desired result upon re-opening).

Source: Joystiq

More Golden Collection speculation

Over at the Animation Show forums, TinaMarina wonders if we might finally see some of the controversial "censored 11" on the upcoming volume five of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVDs:

This sounds like the Golden Collection of every cartoon fans' dreams--especially since the Fairy Tale and Bob Clampett discs could give way to some of the Censored 11 cartoons appearing, preferably:

--Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs (could be on either the Bob Clampett disc or the Fairy Tale disc)
--Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears (Fairy Tale disc, since this is a Friz Freleng cartoon)
--Tin Pan Alley Cats (Clampett disc, since it's not based on a fairy tale)

To me, Coal Black seems to be the one most likely on the disc set since it is a fairy tale, it is a Bob Clampett cartoon, and everyone loves it despite the racial stereotypes. The others have a chance, but it's a long shot. Then again, I said the same thing about "Mississippi Hare" appearing in volume 4 and look what happened.

Alas, it is not to be. Jerry Beck puts this idea to rest:

I hate to break it to you... but those titles will not be appearing on Vol. 5. Sorry.

Which is unfortunate, but not altogether surprising. Why would Warner Brothers bother risking the type of backlash they might suffer by releasing a cartoon like Coal Black, when there are still so many great cartoons not yet on DVD?

Tex Avery and the Golden Collections

At the Golden Age Cartoons forums, Houserunner ponders why Tex Avery has been so underrepresented so far on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVDs:

I read LTGC VOL.5 news. Yes, it looks like another great set, Robert Clampett is my second favorite cartoon director, so Clampett disc is a great news to me. But, I don't understand why five volumes of Looney Tunes not had one Tex Avery disc. Yes, I believe Tex Avery set will happen newt year or in the near future, I agree Tex made his best cartoons with MGM but he made so many innovative, influential classics with WB. But, after five volumes of LTGC, not one single Avery disc? I don't understand.

Janiepooh34 is blunt:

Why? Because the people that make the decisions are idiots.

Leviathan:

Avery also has the worst representation of all the directors on the Golden Collections (7 measly cartoons. Even Clampett and Tashlin have much much better showings). As a matter of fact, we've had two WHOLE Golden Collections with no Avery shorts whatsoever. Why? Is is because Avery's WB cartoons are considered inferior to his MGM cartoons?

J. J. Hunsecker has a theory:

It's probably because most people prefer the WB cartoons from the 40's and 50's (the classics most people remember from childhood). The cartoons from the 30's are largely unknown to most audiences, and are probably a little troubling for Warners since most of them are in black & White or are somewhat crude in their animation. Most of Avery's Warner cartoons are from the 30's, so you can see why an entire disc hasn't been devoted to him.

Leviathan isn't so sure about that:

They had no problem giving Tashlin his own disc (full of '30's cartoons, animation quality comparable to the Van Beuren cartoons from earlier in the decade). And a Clampett disc is imminent (Most likely More 30's cartoons). Furthermore, Avery's color cartoons greatly outnumber his B/W cartoons (He made only 12 B/W cartoons, since he worked exclusively in the Merrie Melodies from 1937 through for all intents and purposes his Departure to MGM)

Jack has a different theory:

I think they're trying to space out some of the more marketable content in the discs (and regardless of whether Avery's WB work was crude or not, he is actually fairly well known to a lot of people, so his name on anything is a draw). I think it'll happen, we just need to wait for it.

More details on LTGC Volume 5

Over at the Golden Age Cartoons forum, the Cartoon King posts word that a few more details have been released about the upcoming fifth volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD. Still no full list of cartoons, but better than nothing for now. From tvshowsondvd.com:

More Looney Tunes...your wish is our command. In this 4-disc set are 60 of the most hysterical Looney Tunes ever created and over 5 hours of extra special features. Indeed, some have never before been on home video! Disc 1 celebrates a duo every bit as famous as thunder and lightning or beans and weenies: Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Termite Terrace provides peerless takes on Fairy Tales in Disc 2. Not to be outdone, Disc 3 showcases the hilarious talent of the great animator Robert Clampett. And the fowl deeds and rabbit-fire jokes wrap with Disc 4's hamboree jamboree of Porky Pig and more classics.

Kaseykockroach wonders:

Does this mean Porky is going to get another disc? Or is it another All-stars? By the sound of it, it sorta sounds like a "Porky & Friends" type of disc to me.Either way, Mouse Menace just has to be included! P.S: Also, if there a Clampett Disc, does this mean more John K. commentaries?

Eugene the Jeep quickly puts that notion to rest:

No. He thinks the series is an abomination.

Leviathan weighs in:

Clampett getting his own disc is overdue. I would expect to see at least one commentary from you-know-who on the disc (and an appropriate blog entry damning Warner Bros. for turning the shorts into candycane lane, but that's neither here nor there). And here's hoping at least one Foghorn Leghorn makes it to the last disc.

What's Opera, Doc -- 50 years later

Apparently it's the 50th anniversary of Chuck Jones' classic short, "What's Opera, Doc" and the Toronto Star has posted an article to commemorate the occasion. According to Wikipedia, the cartoon was initially released on June 6, 1957. There's nothing in the article you probably didn't already know, but it's still a nicely written reminder to the masses that yes, animation did exist before computers.

The key was placing it between two Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons in the production schedule. Formulaic by design, those ones could be done fast and cheap. Knock off the Coyote films ahead of schedule and under budget, reallocate the time and money to "What's Opera, Doc?" so the overall budgets remained intact, and voila! A masterpiece created right under the noses of studio executives who would have vetoed the idea long before Elmer Fudd could have raised his spear and donned his magic helmet.

Looney Tunes Golden Collection -- Volume 5 News

It appears that Madison Carter over at the Golden Age Cartoons forum has gotten his hands on an advance copy of the upcoming Popeye DVD. And apparently one of the discs features a preview for the still-unannounced upcoming Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD. Madison was kind enough to post some screengrabs from the promo.

Based on those, here's what Duck Dodgers says we can expect from this set:

Senorella and the Glass Huarache.
The Abominable Snow Rabbit
Paying the Piper
Scrap Happy Daffy
A Pest In the House
Goldimouse and the Three Cats
The Turn-Tale Wolf
Buccaneer Bunny
A Star Is Bored
Little Red Rodent Hood
The Super Snooper
The Stupor Salesman
Hollywood Daffy
The Old Grey Hare
Red Riding Hoodwinked
The Wacky Wabbit
Bacall To Arms
Little Red Walking Hood
Prehistoric Porky
Patient Porky
The Daffy Doc
Porky's Preview
Milk and Money
Bugs Bonnets

It's not a complete list, obviously, but interesting nonetheless.



The Spectre gets a bit worried when he notices that the black & white cartoon "Patient Porky" appears to be colourized. Duck Dodgers quickly puts any fears to rest:

This promotional trailers are worth only because they reveal a bit of the contents. The clips usually come from unrestored copies and even from colorized versions of b/w cartoons. They do not reflect anyway the real quality of the cartoons in the set.

And then of course, the apparently requisite ugly cover art is discussed. Sean Gaffney puts it bluntly:

Wow, that jacket art is hideous

LTS agrees, but puts things into perspective:

That cover art is hideous but they can throw four discs, with no box, at me and i'll still pay $45-50.

It is quite baffling that they continue to give these things such outrageously ugly covers, but like LTS says, it's the content that counts. Hopefully we'll get an official announcement soon.