As beloved as animation pioneer Chuck Jones was in artistically revolutionizing the Warner Bros cartoons, he did lend towards pretension a lot in many of his later efforts. In the case of his one off experiment Now Hear This, it was a fascinating attempt at trying out something new with the media of animation and sound design. Despite the short being nominated for an Oscar, it has now been regarded as somewhat of a polarizing picture in its own regard. Considering that Jones himself admitted that he didn't understand what he was trying to achieve, perhaps looking at this short should be taken under face value.
The basic premise follows an elderly British man who mistakes one of Satan's horns as an ear trumpet and proceeds to fall into hijinks and chaos. With the right comedic timing and all the sound effects courtesy of legendary LT editor Treg Brown, this short could easily be a delight throughout. Unfortunately, what bogs it all down is how sluggish and labored the pacing becomes, making a lot of the surprises feel more off putting than funny. Outside of the variety of sound effects which do at least convey a lot in how they're utilized, much of the humor is executed through eye popping pop art, making the short feel too dated for its own good. As a result, much of what happens as a result of the hellish horn feels as made up as it goes along, with the so-called wacky nonsense feeling all over the place. Unlike any other cartoon where you empathize with the unfortunate victim in this circumstance while also being entertained by all the inventive trickery on screen, the short makes you feel sorry for the old man and wish he could get out of this nightmarish predicament.
If there is one notable quality that does actually pay off in the cartoon's favor, at least controversial musical composer William Lava made the most with the material. Lava's work in the later WB cartoons paled in comparison to the likes of Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn as his trademark style favored experimental cutting edge tracks over classic vaudeville or jazzy bands. That being said, as this short goes all over the place in its execution, it actually allows for a lot of free range in the usage of musical instruments, conveying the tone a lot better than any of the writing or animation does. As mechanical and alienesque as Lava's work tended to sound in the later WB shorts, this one fully displayed his talent through careful planning and pay off. Also, the pantomime acting Chuck Jones was known for in a lot of his best work like Feed the Kitty and Mouse Warming lends itself well in how much emotional turmoil the old man is going through. Even at a time when the UPA influence in animation was still at play, albeit not so effectively, Jones was still able to lend his solid tropes well.
So despite an interesting concept and some fine details sprinkled throughout, Now Hear This fails as an experimental piece by indulging too much in its minimal grandeur. It should go without saying that while any animated short film has the right to go outside what is expected from casual viewers, it should at least understand what it's trying to accomplish while entertaining whoever is interested in it. If it's supposed to be for a niche market, it should at least know what is to be expected in the long run. Perhaps recommending this short is up to whoever lies in that type of field.
