Let the Music Begin
ReFrederator introduces “Muscial Moments Week” with a deathless classic, Bob Clampett’s “A Corny Concerto.” In one swell foop, Leon Schlesinger’s cartooniest director delivers death blows to both “Tales of the Vienna Woods” and “The Blue Danube” with a couple of animated interpretations that will forever corrupt your abstract enjoyment of these musical selections.
To drive his demented points across, Clampett uses several of the Warners’ signature cartoon stars, although, oddly, all in somewhat idiosyncratic fashion. “Tales” features a teaming of Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, two characters who spent virtually no time together in other classic WB shorts. The hero of the crazed ugly duckling story in “Danube” is unmistakably Daffy Duck, but in a tiny, infantile form. And the whole melange is introduced by Elmer Fudd, apparently sending up Deems Taylor, the narrator in Disney’s “Fantasia.” Now, Mr. Fudd is a fellow who traditionally shows up, even while rabbit hunting, nattily attired and impeccably groomed. But seen here, the guy is wearing some sort of clown-tuxedo with an outsized pair of Harold Lloyd glasses. His gloves look like they belong to E.T. and he has a five o’clock shadow that would put Fred Flintstone AND Homer Simpson to shame.
All in all, a very, very silly film, and an undeniable cartoon classic. Don’t you just love Bugs’ big death scene?
Check in this week for more toons with tunes. ReFrederator. Your daily dose of classic cartoon craziness.
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On May 30th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I grew up learning the classics by way of cartoons, though I didn’t know it at the time or I probably never would have watched them. In my chaotic “nobody’s teaching me nothing” childhood, once I began to understand that these were classics, I figured they had borrowed them from cartoons. (Now banging my head against my desk)
A life lived backwards,
PJ
On May 31st, 2006 at 12:00 am
“Wasn’t that wuv’wee.” Modern cartoons should be like this.