Birth of a Notion

Rather than flying south for the winter to keep warm, Daffy Duck cons a dog into letting him stay in his master's house. However the dog's master is a scientist who needs a wishbone from a duck to complete the experiment.

My favourite cartoon character has got to be Daffy Duck. Even when they phased out his `crazy' character they made him cynical and bitter and just as fun. Here he is a mix of the two – a little crazy but pretty street smart with it! The plot is essentially a chase between Daffy and the scientist. The dog is used to set up the action but then forgotten (aside from a scene where he re-introduces himself and comments on his `lousy part in this picture'). The cartoon is very imaginative and even self mocking (at one point Daffy says `well, that is just plain silly'). It is very funny throughout and is great fun.

The animation is real quality. Daffy is great and the backgrounds all show a lot of effort has gone in. The scientist is a really good impression of actor Peter Lorre and it is amusing even before he speaks! While a cartoon can be good with average animation, it is usually a sign that it has been made with care and attention when the animation is good. This is the case here – the cartoon is quality in almost all areas where it matters.

Overall this is a superb cartoon and I cannot recommend it enough.

Controversial Looney Tunes short about the post-Civil War South where a black duck...okay no, not really. This is a hilarious Robert McKimson-directed short that pits Daffy against a mad scientist inspired by Peter Lorre. Daffy doesn't want to fly south for the winter, so he convinces a gullible dog to let him into a warm house. The house and the dog belong to the aforementioned mad scientist, who just so happens to be needing a duck's wishbone for his next experiment. Great voice work from Mel Blanc and Stan Freberg. The animation is lovely with nice colors throughout and well-detailed characters and backgrounds. The Lorre parody and the laboratory are especially nice. It's one of my favorite Daffy cartoons from when he was still wacky and a bit crazy and not the greedy opportunist that he would evolve into in the 1950s. Love that ending!

I was not overly disappointed with this episode, nor was I overly not expecting how good it was. However, this is not your average episode, Daffy is his sometimes crazy self here, with a newly formed mean streak as well. This episode also has good side characters, animation and lines. I liked the episode because of this.

There was one reason that I did not want to watch this episode at first. I had seen a picture of the baddie side character and he reminded me too much of Stephen Hawking. Funnily enough, this episode was made when Stephen Hawking was only a child! So do not worry yourself if you are perplexed about it as well.

Anyhow, this cartoon character who looks like Stephen Hawking here also happens to be a scientist! He wants a duck's wish bone for his science experiment and as a matter of fact, Daffy is staying in that very house while the other ducks are flying south for the winter! The other side character is a dog, who helps Daffy (after Daffy has cunningly gained his trust towards him). Daffy decides to receive his revenge on the scientist, when he hears that he wants his wishbone...

I recommend this episode to anyone who likes Daffy, crazy at first then sneaky and crazy later and the sound of the plot. Enjoy "Birth of a Notion"! :-)

For a while, I'd heard of Robert McKimson's "Birth of a Notion" but never seen it. Until now. What a treat! In this one, Daffy eschews flying south for the winter, opting instead for staying in a house. The only problem: he chooses a house occupied by a sarcastic dog and a Peter Lorre-resembling mad scientist! What I found really interesting wasn't necessarily the plot or characters - although there were certainly some funny ones - but the setting. The house seems more like the sort of dwelling that belongs in an Indiana Jones movie! As Daffy puts it: "The only thing missing is a pair of hands coming out of the wall...like those up there." The dog, meanwhile, breaks the fourth wall, complaining about the lesser role that he's gotten in the cartoon. I actually thought that the voices of both the dog and the scientist sounded like Vito Corleone in "The Godfather".

All in all, this is one of the many classic cartoons from the Termite Terrace crowd. There will probably never be another cartoon series like this in our lifetime. I definitely recommend it.

When I think of Looney Tunes and Daffy Duck I think match made in heaven. And it really is. If I had to say which my favourite Looney Tunes character is it's between Daffy and Bugs Bunny, edging it out possibly Daffy. Birth of a Notion is one of Daffy's best cartoons. It is interesting in that apart from the scientist character and the dog it is Daffy on his own while not being paired with Bugs, Porky or Elmer. Daffy is just wonderful here, his personality is a mix of the manic and cynical and he is also smart and even self-mocks himself. The scientist character is every bit as a revelation. He is a great foil and bags all the best lines, while parodying Peter Lorre is not unfamiliar territory when it comes to Looney Tunes(there was also Hair Raising Hare) Birth of a Notion is one of the better cases of doing it. The dog character is cute and has a couple of amusing appearances but his role in the short is small. Mel Blanc and Stan Freberg's characterisation are superb. As is the animation, colourful, fluid and very atmospheric. The music and pacing are of the usual crisp energy, the dialogue is fresh and very inspired especially with the scientist, the story is not too routine and is always entertaining and the sight gags are fast-paced and imaginative. All in all, an absolute winner of a cartoon. 10/10 Bethany Cox