A Wild Hare

Bug's first cartoon and Oscar nod. It's a great, funny short with beautiful animation done by Virgil Ross and Rod Scribner. The backgrounds are just as lovely. I wanted to post this one because today is actually Tex Avery's birthday! If he was still around he'd be 103 today. So happy birthday to the funniest cartoonist ever.

As a bonus, enjoy my favorite Tex Avery cartoon as well.

Der Fueher's Face

Where do I begin with this one?

Well, it's my favorite Disney cartoon that won an Oscar. It's funny, daring, politically incorrect, friggin' sweet, and it's Donald!

Of course, it was made in WWII, if you couldn't tell by the title. Ol' Uncle Walt was probably one of the most patriotic Americans back then, and he definitely had a hand with the victory on the home front with all those propaganda films he did. This is one of those films, but it's weapon is comedy, not information. It's almost like watching a Daffy cartoon. Key word: almost.

Another nice thing about it is that it doesn't really cram education down your throat like some of the others he and his artists did.

I think that Disney was really right on the money with Donald. In this period, Jack King was the director that handled Donald the best. Dick Lundy did a good job with Donald as well, but Jack Hannah from the late 40's -50's did better. So did Jack Kinney on the few he did.

Geez, there's a lot of Jacks here.

Life With Feathers

Nominated for the 1946 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but lost to the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Quiet, Please! It's funny how it's Freling's cartoons are the ones to get nominated for this award.

Also the first appearance of one of my favorites and also Freling's baby, Sylvester.

Knighty Knight Bugs

So far, the only Bugs Bunny cartoon to win an Oscar. Nice entry, but I think Hare-Way to the Stars would have been a better choice for this year.

And, as a bonus, here's a video of the cartoon actually winning the award.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6AipTOMpd0&feature=related

Birds Anonymous

It's February! You know what that means? OSCAR MONTH!!

This February, I'm posting cartoons that have been nominated or won an Oscar for Best Animated Short. I posted Rooty Toot Toot earlier today, but this one is one of my all-time favorite cartoon that was recognized by the Academy as well as, what I think, the best Sylvester-Tweety cartoon.

I just love the black humor in this one. What Sylvester goes through in this cartoon is a definite parallel to anyone that has ever tried to give up an addiction, whether it's smoking, alcohol, drugs, sex, or anything else. There' s also a pretty good morale summed up by Tweety at the end. And of course, it's pulled off with the traditional Warner Bros. slapstick.

Ed Seltzer had died before this cartoon won, but Mel Blanc accepted it for him. He later went on to say that this was one of his favorites to voice for, especially Sylvester.

Do I think Birds Anonymous deserved it's Oscar?

Yes. Yes I do.