Here is more solid drawing and direct animation, with no reliance on tricks by Bob McKimson.
Note how all the wrinkles wrap around the characters' forms, and in perspective when they tilt their heads.
McKimson animated the best death scenes. All very subtle, carefully drawn and animated stuff.
McKimson always said that the WB artists took their lead from Disney, but except for the good drawing, this is nothing like Disney. McKimson had his own way of animating that was just very direct and to the point.
http://www.cartoonthrills.org/blog/Clampett/45OldGrayHare/bugsdeath1short.movhttp://www.cartoonthrills.org/blog/Clampett/45OldGrayHare/bugsdeath1short.mov
30 comments:
Didn't he also animate Bugs' faux death scene in 'A Wild Hare'?
- trevor.
The face Bugs makes after he says, "I can't believe it. Oh!" is really funny at the 'Oh!' part.
It's funny but it's really sad at the same time. McKimson was very effective in acting this scene out.
Brilliant stuff.
This is comedy executed brilliantly, the moment you don't know if you should cry of laugh. The very best Warner cartoons had this. Marc Anthony crying because he thought the kitten was killed in FEED THE KITTY is one example. I would even count when Bug's feels so trimuphant and then loses the race to the tortise in TORTISE WINS BY A HARE. Bugs pain and fusteration is just so hilarous and sad.
This scene had an enormous influence on me. Elmer's rolling head wasn't just a nice touch, it really helped to make that scene the centerpiece of the cartoon.
Elmer's design was brilliant. It was beautiful and funny and the big hat emphasized the head rolls.
whoa! Elmer's mustache disappears for a few frames..
click here
Stepping through the .mov, I noticed a continuity error in Elmer - right after Bugs says "Who turned out the lights?" Elmer looks up, as if to check the lights (hilarious), but as he does, his grey mustache disappears for a few frames.
Great stuff John, but what exactly do you mean by "Disney Tricks"? Call me stupid, but I still don't understand that. Perhaps you could do a post about that and give examples.
BTW, this is one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons of all time.
The colors are amazing, too.
This is indeed an excellent scene, John. I imagine McKimson probably had some death sequence in mind from contemporary cinema, after which he modeled the sequence.
I appreciate very much that these screen captures do not suffer from the digitalization and the color blowout of those you posted in the previous installment.
I like the microgag of Elmer looking around when Bugs says, 'Who turned out the lights?'.
Clampett's good at layering laughs. You can find the cartoon mayhem funny but if you look closer you can laugh at the subtle stuff too. Another example in this cartoon is Elmer's musical crying when Bugs is digging his own grave.
Man, I wish there were more geriatric Bugs cartoons.
the subtlety is awe inspiring...
The tweens on Bugs' cough are great! His hand movements accentuate the air coughed from his lungs... so funny!
...To say nothing of the shrewdly observed, realistic pattern of wrinkles on the characters - McKimson obviously studied real old people - and the volumes of subtle detail and character nuance that went into the skillful acting.
This is one of those scenes that, once viewed, is never forgotten. The whole thing turns out to be farcical, of course, pure "bait" for the audience. But even so, it's actually a more affecting death scene than in most legitimately serious films! Pretty amazing.
These solid drawing posts actually make me worship Bob McKimson even MORE, and I certainly didn't think that was possible.
that scene used to make me cry when I was little ;_;
One of the best death scenes I've seen
and that old elmer looks like ollie johnston
it's perfect!
One of my favorite cartoons. I love the Bugs line "No tears! Smile! Smile!"
Thanks for showcasing this amazing short. This is a far better Bugs film than "What's Opera, Doc?" or so many others I can name.
Somehow I knew you were going to talk about this scene. I loved this scene. Also, this is my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon out of them all.
I think I like it now because McKimson could move wrinkly old cartoons around in a way that left me amazed at how rock-solid everything was. On the flipside, Scribner seemed to take advantage of how expressive old people could be with their wrinkly features and I bet he had fun with it.
Thanks for posting the exercise idea with this cartoon as well. I thought I was cheating before when I did this kind of thing with screenshots, but if it helps you learn quickly, I'll keep doing it.
The acting in this scene is incredible!
Wow, I've never been a big fan of Robert McKimson's directing, but I'm amazed at what an incredible animator he was. This has to be one of the best death scenes they ever did. I remember as a young kid, this cartoon actually upset me because I thought Bugs was gone for good! And yet this is one of the few as a kid I would watch over and over again! This is a great cartoon, and I never knew beforehand that Clampett was responsible for it. Great, great stuff.
The funny thing is ,Elmer aged,looks like Ollie Johnston.
The end of this cartoon was really brilliant.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing.
skin wrinkles float my boat.
and bunny beards.
I love that scene... In the middle Grandpa Elmer loses his mustache for a few frames as he blinks!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gFbgXswtM8YatjYwHgHZXA
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ocWLRshMzaCYMmqw8fMLpA
Mustache:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ocWLRshMzaCYMmqw8fMLpA
No Mustache:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gFbgXswtM8YatjYwHgHZXA
There's an episode where SpongeBob has a Handlebar mustache for a split second when he's talking to his sea horse.
I think Mel Blanc sounded so much more natural under Clampett and that's not a slam towards any other director. His emotion just felt alot stronger and genuine.
yeah very nice but the missing moustace bugs me =)
whoa did anybody catch his mustache? Oh wait, everybody? Ok. Cool.
C'mon guys it was intentional . McKimson makes good use of the Jim Tyer disappearing moustache take technique here, though it probably should have been on 1's .
These are great drawings.
I've been looking for this cartoon for a while now. I loved it as a kid, and now I can watch it.
Thanks again for the solid drawing posts, John.
-J.
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