The Big Snooze
| The Big Snooze | |
|---|---|
| File:Thebigsnooze.jpg | |
| Directed by | Bob Clampett (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Eddie Selzer |
| Animation by | Rod Scribner I. Ellis Manny Gould J.C. Melendez |
| Layouts by | Thomas McKimson |
| Backgrounds by | Philip DeGuard |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
Running time | 7' 22" |
The Big Snooze is a 1946 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by an uncredited Bob Clampett, his final cartoon for Warner. Its title was inspired by the 1939 book The Big Sleep, and its 1946 film adaptation, also a Warner release. The Big Snooze features Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, voiced as usual by Mel Blanc
Plot
In this cartoon-within-a-cartoon, Bugs and Elmer are in the midst of their usual hunting-chasing scenario. After Bugs tricks Elmer into running through a hollow log and off a cliff three times (a comic triple of sorts originally used in Avery's All this and Rabbit Stew), Elmer becomes enraged and frustrated that the writers never let him catch the rabbit "in every one of these cartoons". He tears up his Warner contract and walks off the set to devote his life to fishing. Bugs piteously protests, saying "Think what we've been for each other. We've been like Rabbit and Costello, Damon and Runyon, Stan and Laurel! You can't do this! You don't want to break up the act, do ya? Bette Davis is going to hate me for this. Think of your career. And for that matter, think of my career!" He then breaks down, sobbing. Elmer pays him no mind, however, and walks off the set with fishing pole in hand for the nearest pond. Once there, thinking he's alone, Elmer quickly falls asleep.
Bugs, stunned by Elmer's walkout, observes Elmer's nap and takes sleeping pills ("Take Dese and Doze") in order to rock Elmer's "dreamboat" by "invading" his dream and continuing to drive Elmer crazy. Symbolic of his dreamland plight, Elmer appears nearly nude, wearing only his derby hat and a strategically placed "loincloth" consisting of a laurel wreath. The two resume their chase through a surreal landscape.
Elmer's anger at a failed pursuit of the "wabbit" through the surreal landscape, down connected rabbit holes, is promptly used against him by Bugs who forces Elmer to wear a slinky, form fitting bustier gown created from a length of green material Bugs pulls on screen from stage right.
As the fabric wraps around Elmer's body, it reshapes Elmer as a "woman" with a complete feminine hourglass figure. Under the dress, a portion of the material co-opts Elmer's loincloth to spawn a pair of women's panties, while Elmer's feet are clad in open toed high heels to complete the outfit. Bugs adds finishing touches, a ringlet-styled wig and a poke to the abdomen, the latter forcing Elmer to lean forward, purse his lips so Bugs can apply lipstick, turning Elmer into something reminiscent of Rita Hayworth.
While Elmer is stunned from becoming a "woman", Bugs changes the scene to introduce Elmer to a trio of literal and lustful male wolves, lounging by the sign at Hollywood and Vine. Once the trio notice Elmer, one wolf hollers "hooooow old is she?", right before another wolf begins flirting with Elmer. Bugs enjoys watching the male wolves hit on Elmer, making the hunter now the hunted in a new way. The attention from Elmer's male suitors causes her to be a damsel in distress and exclaim "Gwacious!", then flee from the wolves, pausing long enough to ask the audience, "Have any of you giwls evew had an expewience wike this?". He then runs away with Bugs at high speed, mimicking some crazy dance steps suggested by Bugs, ("Hey, Doc, run 'this way'!"). As Bugs and Elmer dive off a cliff, Bugs drinks some "Hare Tonic (Stops Falling Hare)" and screeches to a halt in mid-air, while the dream Elmer continues to careen toward earth, finally crash-landing into the real Elmer's snoozing body as he wakes up with a start: "Oh, what a howwibwe nightmare!"
Elmer dashes back to the cartoon's original set, pieces his Warner contract back together, and tells the audience, "Oh, Mr. Warner... I'm ba-ack!" and the chase through the log begins anew. The happy Bugs faces the audience in a closeup, closing with the catchphrase from the "Beulah" character on the radio show Fibber McGee and Molly,[1] "Ah love dat man!"
Availability
The Big Snooze is available in a restored version on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2 DVD set, and as part of the compilation What's Up, Doc? A Salute to Bugs Bunny on Volume 3.
See also
References
- ^ Billy Ingram. "The Beulah Show". Retrieved 2006-09-15.
External links
- The Big Snooze at IMDb
- The Big Snooze at the Big Cartoon Database