What's Opera, Doc?

Elmer Fudd is again hunting rabbits - only this time it is an opera. Richard Wagner's Siegfried with Elmer as the titular hero and Bugs as Brunnhilde. They sing, they dance, they eat the scenery.

"What's Opera, Doc?" required about six times as much work and expense as any of the other six-minute cartoons his production unit was turning out at the time. Jones has admitted as much, having described a surreptitious re-allocation of production time to complete the short.

There are a handful of cartoons that people will remember forever. This is one of them. Is there another Bugs and Fudd short that stands out more? Not that I can think of.

Every aspect of this cartoon is outstanding, and that's coming from someone who hates opera! The illustrations in this are fantastic, the direction super and the dialog in this "opera" is hilarious.

Kudos, too, to Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny) and Arthur Q. Bryant (Elmer Fudd) for their outstanding voice-work having those two characters sing and talk in this opera. I appreciated their work in here more than about anything, although the direction by Chuck Jones and that artwork is really tremendous. All of them outshine the story in here.

No, I still don't enjoy the "opera" but I will always enjoy this stunning-looking cartoon, which is part of Volume Two on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection.

With my speaw and Magic Hewmut! Magic Hewmut! Kiww the wabbit! Kiww the wabbit!

Immortal lines. Like those other famous lines: "Here's looking at you, kid." "Put your lips together and blow!" "I'm Woodrow Wilson, go to bed!" "How do you split a car in half!"

This little cartoon got me hooked on opera in general and is certainly the best Bugs Bunny around! There are no other!

And, if you never see it, look out for that horse! It takes a lot not to enjoy the sure absurdity of this story! If they ever give a DVD with just this ONE cartoon on, I will probably buy it.

Consider yourself exceptionally lucky if you lay eyes upon this cartoon! It's the crown jewel of classic animation! None of todays sci-fi recycled trash a la Pokemon-Digimon things come near the Wagnerian majesty of WHATS OPERA, DOC?

Elmer Fudd as the demigod Siegfried & Bugs Bunny as the Valkyrie Brunhilde, star in this classic cartoon masterpiece that will not only stand the test of time, but seemingly gets all the better with age. Brilliantly voiced, expertly animated, and amazingly greatly scored. This is Looney Tunes at the top of it's form. Funny and a tad bit sad, but always exhilarating. This short singly handedly got me interested in classical music, when countless music teachers could not. This animated short can be seen on Disc 4 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2 and also features an optional commentary by Chuck Jones, Micheal Maltese and Maurice Noble, a second Commentary track by Daniel Goldmark, as well as a music only track, a voice over only track, and a short featurette. If any cartoon warranted that any extras, this would be the one.

My Grade: A+

There's a tender Bugs-Elmer duet, set to Wagner, that goes like so:

Elmer: Oh, Bwunhilde. You're so wuvwy.

Bugs (in drag): Yes, I know it. I can't help it.

Elmer: Oh, Bwunhilde, be my WUV...

Scholars may detect actual commentary in this seven-minute masterpiece on the seeds of Nazism as sown by Wagner, the absurdity of the opera music-theater construct, or the multiple ironies of anthropomorphic cross-dressing. The rest of us just find it deadpan-knockout funny, musically glorious, and enacted on the greatest Wagnerian set ever built. Bravo tutti, and a deep, grateful bow to the late, great Chuck Jones; we shall never see his like again.