The Corny Concerto (1943)*** 1/2 (out of 4) Warner Brothers's spoof of Disney's FANTASIA has Elmer Fudd playing the orchestra leader and then we get two different sequences. The first has Porky Pig and his dog stalking Bugs Bunny while the second has a group of stuck up white ducks not playing well with a baby Daffy. This here is certainly a classic film for the series as it really does do Disney better than Disney did in FANTASIA. Both of the stories are extremely good and that's certainly the cast for the first one. I thought the little back and forth between Porky and his dog was quite funny. Of course, the real highlight here was the wonderful music and how it was used for the animation.
... View MoreA Corny Concerto, what can I say? Simply wonderful. Maybe not as hysterically funny as other Looney Tunes cartoons, but it is special to me for many reasons. A Corny Concerto isn't necessarily what you call hilarious, the funniest it comes to is Elmer's struggles with his loose fitting evening clothes though Porky and the pointer dog sobbing in Waltz time at Bug's "death" was funny too as was Bugs revealing his bra, tutu and pointe shoes and the stunned looks on Porky and Pointer Dog's faces. The animation though is wonderful, the wood in Tales from the Vienna Woods is beautifully rendered, but in terms of animation On the Beautiful Blue Danube was superior, with vibrant colouring particularly of the river itself. In terms of humour, Tales from the Vienna Woods is the better of the two, On the Beautiful Blue Danube is beautiful essentially but rather humourless in comparison. But what both segments have in common is that the music is outstanding. Johann Strauss II is rightly nicknamed "The Waltz King". Both pieces featured are fantastic and two of my favourite classical music pieces of all time, though I am more familiar with On the Beautiful Blue Danube. What impresses me most is how so much is fitted in in such a short running time without feeling bloated. This cartoon is fantastic, perfect for a classical music listener. 10/10 Bethany Cox
... View MoreOne of the great things about the classic Looney Tunes cartoons is how they introduced children to elements of culture. "What's Opera, Doc?" was probably their most famous cartoon involving opera, but there was also "A Corny Concerto". Elmer Fudd - having some trouble with his clothes - presents two short films with opera music in the background. And both come out very well.The one with Porky Pig hunting Bugs Bunny had ending that seems like it would have been a little risqué for 1943 (especially in a cartoon), but that's what makes these cartoons so good; they weren't afraid to push the limits. But the one with a black duckling - possibly Daffy Duck - is truly the highlight; but how could it not be, featuring "The Blue Danube"? One scene there gave the cartoon a real feeling of WWII.So, this is truly one of the classics. Up in that great animation studio in the sky, Mel Blanc, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, and that whole crew can take pleasure knowing that their work continues to impress us to this day.
... View MoreA parody of a great many Disney films, this short is simply fantastic and yet another feather in the hat of Bob Clampett (I know I seem to say that a lot, by Clampett was indeed a genius of animation). The music is magical, the animation is great, and although it might not be nearly as hilariously surreal as most of Clampetts other works, it's still very VERY good and I remain captivated by the short every single time I sit down to watch it. This animated short can be seen on Disc 4 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2 and also features an optional commentary by Micheal Barrier.My Grade: A+
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