Daffy Duck n' Chuck Jones

a look at my favorite Daffy Duck Cartoons directed by Chuck Jones
On
April 17, 2012
Hello, several months ago I had written my first article on Bugs Bunny and Chuck Jones. Not a great article but it was my first and I did the best I could. I do believe my articles have gotten better since then. Now then I want to go back to the subject of Looney Tunes and talk about my favorite Daffy Duck cartoons directed by Chuck Jones.When it comes to Looney Tunes I like Chuck Jones cartoons the best. I think they're the ones that I find the funniest. That is my opinion anyway. One thing I want to note is I also value your own opinions. So in the comments please list your favorites.



Now about Daffy. Daffy Duck's first appearance was in "Porky's Duck Hunt" (1937) directed by Tex Avery in which he was simply just a screwball duck. In later years when Robert Mckimson directed Daffy he became less screwy but still a nut. When directed by Chuck Jones in the '50s he took out his nutty personality, and delveloped him to have more of greedy and jealous personality. As a kid a liked the nutty screwball duck. Now I prefer the Chuck Jones Daffy. With that Daffy you get a more well rounded three dimensional character that I guess I prefer as a mature adult. Although that doesn't mean the nuttier Daffy dosen't make me laugh. Woo-hoo hoo-hoo- hoo-hoo!!!!!

In these first cartoons I will describe he is paired up with Porky, in which Porky is the sidekick and Daffy is the hero. Although at the end Porky is really more the hero than Daffy.

Drip Along Daffy (1951) Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 1


Daffy is supposed to be a western-type hero and Porky Pig is suposed to be the comedy relief. At the end Porky saves the town and he becomes the hero instead of Daffy Duck. My favorite bits are when Daffy enters the saloon trying to sound tough and it doesn't work out. Daffy says, "Drip-Along Daffy's ‘ma name! Anybody care to shoot it out? Man to man? Under western skies? West of the Pecos? Tumbleweeds at ten paces? 10,000 head the cattle? Cut ‘em off at the pass? Prairies? Lariats?…Anyone for tennis? Anybody?…" in which he get's no response. Also I like the effects of the drink forced upon him by the villainn Nasty Canasta.

Robin Hood Daffy (1958) Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 3 / The Essential Daffy Duck


Daffy Duck is Robin Hood and Porky Pig is Friar Tuck. Porky wants to join up with Robin Hood, but is convinced that Daffy is not Robin Hood and just a traveling Jester. Daffy tries to convince Porky by trying to rob money from a noble man to give to some poor unworthy slob. He tries many times, but fails many times as well. Unable to convince Porky, Daffy joins up with him as "Friar Duck." My favorite bits in this cartoon are Daffy with his trusty quarterstaff. Actually its a buck and a quarter-quarterstaff, but he's not telling him that. I also like when he swings from the trees calling out, "Yoiks and away," hitting every tree on the way down. Daffy cuts of the tops of the trees where he hit them and tries again; only this time he hits a boulder.

Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a half century (1953) Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 1 / The Essential Daffy Duck / and Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Vol. 1


It seems that this cartoon is a favorite among many fans, as it appears and various DVD/ Blu-ray collections. In this cartoon the Earth's supply of Illudium Phosdex (the shaving cream atom) is alarmingly low; so then there is reason to believe there is a vast supply on planet "X." Someone must travel to planet "X" and bring that element back to Earth. THIS LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24TH AND A HALF CENTURY! (Daffy Duck) Duck Dodgers and his Eager Young Space Cadet Porky travel to planet "X." On the planet Dodgers claims the planet in the name of the Earth. Just then Marvin the Martian shows up and claims the planet for Mars. Dodgers says "This planet is not big enough for the both of them." Then they commence fighting. Dodgers repeatly gets blasted and blames it on Porky whom is obliviously more qualified to be in charge.
Both adversaries bring out there secret weapon completely blowing up the planets leaving just a small fragment to stand on. Dodgers says "I told you that this planet wasn't big enough for the both of us." He kicks off Marvin leaving him to hang from Porky whom is hanging from the bottom of rock sized fragment that is left. ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE FOR DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24TH AND A HALF CENTURY! There is a lot of great jokes in this cartoon. However my favorite is when Daffy explains to Porky how to get to planet "X" by drawing a intensely complicated path on a chart and questions him if he understands. Porky responds, "Y-y-ye Oh sure." Daffy then looks at the complicated chart he drew out and says, "Well I wish you explain it to me sometime buster." Okay let's take a look at some Daffy Duck cartoons in which Daffy is paired with Bugs Bunny.

Beanstalk Bunny (1955) (not on DVD or Blu-ray to my knowledge)


It is to bad this cartoon is not on DVD or Blu-ray, because I really like it. Daffy Duck is Jack of "Jack in the Beanstalk." Daffy just realized that he got completely ripped off after selling his cow for three measly beans. Jack tosses them away and they end up in Bugs Bunny's hole. Then the beanstalk instantly grows out of the hole carring Bugs whom still is in bed with it. Daffy as Jack decides to climb it knowing there are riches at the top. Jack and Bugs then come across the giant; which of course is Elmer Fudd. So Bugs and Daffy have to escape from the giant's castle. My favorite scene is where Daffy is freaking out under a glass cake cover, and Bugs is just staring out blankly. The best part of it is you can't hear Daffy under the glass which makes all the more fun to watch Daffy's humorous miming.

The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961) Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 5


Just so you know paticular cartoon is also co-directed by Maurice Noble. Bugs and Daffy burrow accidently into the Himalayas trying to get to Palm Springs. This time it was not the wrong turn a Albuquerie. Daffy upset, explains to Bugs they should have turned west at East St. Louis. Daffy Burrows back in the oppisite direction and runs into the Abominable Snowman. The Abominable Snowman's name is revealed in the 1980 short "Spaced out Bunny," His name given in that cartoon by Mavin the Martian is "Hugo." Intead of being a vicious brute as we would expect Hugo to be Hugo is an overly loving and gentle giant that squishes Daffy by hugging and squeezing. Hugo likes Daffy because he mistakes him for a bunny rabbit because Daffy's shirt is pulled up high to make his ears look like sleeves.

Hugo has always wanted a pet rabbit for his very own to hug and squeeze and to pat and pet and call him George. So then to save himself Daffy gets Bugs over to Hugo and then Bugs gets the same treatment as Daffy. Bugs eventually escapes and so does Daffy shortly after. The thing I like about this cartoon is that Bugs and Daffy are getting squished and smashed out of love and kindness. I find violence from love is funnier than violence brought on by hate. This cartoon also has one of my all time favorite Daffy quotes: "I can't stand pain it hurts me."

Well now then I save the best for last. This cartoon isn't just my favorite Daffy Duck Cartoon. But probably my all time favorite Looney Tunes/ Merry Melodies cartoon.

Duck Amuck (1953) Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 1 / The Essential Daffy Duck / Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Vol. 1


Duck Amuck is #2 The 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals. "What's Opera Doc?" also directed by Chuck Jones is #1. I agree with that. Duck Amuck is agreat cartoon featuring Daffy trying to do an animated cartoon but the animator literally draws the cartoon any way he wants. The animator changes scenery, takes out the sound, ends the cartoon early etc. At the actual end it is revealed that Bugs Bunny is the rouge animator. Ain't he a stinker? This cartoon is my favorite because it is so unique and it's just basically Daffy and anything Bugs draws in his way. It works so well and makes me laugh every time. In a similar cartoon known as "Rabbit Rampage" Bugs Bunny is the victim and Elmer Fudd is the animator finally getting even with that screwy rabbit. That cartoon is good, but I prefer Duck Amuck, because I think Daffy's reactions are funnier and seeing Daffy just totally lose it is great.

Honerable mention: "The hunting trilogy" cartoons "Rabbit Fire" (1951) (Rabbit Season/ Duck Season) "Rabbit Seasoning" (1952) (Prounoun trouble) and "Duck, Rabbit, Duck!" (1953) (Daffy gets tricked into saying he is a goat and bugs holds up a "Goat Season Open." sign. Daffy Duck is tricked many times calling himself different kinds of animals and Bugs has a sign for each animal he says.) I mentioned these of course in my Bugs Bunny article so no need to go into detail here.

Well that's it. If you'd didn't like the article then you're despicable, and... and... and picable! And... and you're very definitely despicable. How a person can get so... so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I... I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't that's... that. Goodness knows. It isn't... it's... it's... it's despicable.
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