#fagettyr-blog

[ducktracy]

I'm glad I've decided to watch all the looney tunes shorts in order, I'm starting to appreciate the original shorts more than ever. Did you ever felt this way before. (Also I love you and your stuff)

YES!!! CONSTANTLY!

it is an incredibly daunting task and is still one i haven't finished myself with only a little over 100 to go. but, if given the opportunity, i absolutely would recommend those who are curious to watch every LT short in order chronologically, and i do mean every single one.

there are a lot of terrible LT shorts out there, whether as a result of technological shortcomings or moral shortcomings--there are absolutely shorts i have sworn off seeing unless i absolutely HAVE to (ie. review them). it is NOT an easy journey--the beginning is tough, and the end is painfully depressing. not to mention, there are literally 1,000 cartoons out there.

BUT. i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER FOR HAVING SEEN (most of) THEM ALL. i started my reviews as an excuse to keep myself engaged when having to watch every single one, and i have discovered SO MUCH information and learned SO MUCH about the craft that i am so, so much more whole as a result. having seen the worst of the worst, the ugliest of the ugly, i absolutely appreciate the best of the best SO much more.

it's also an unspeakably rewarding journey able to track the progression of the directors, animators, voice artists, gags, and characters themselves. i'm absolutely a person more interested in the behind the scenes rather than the characters themselves (save for a few notable exceptions... 🦆🐖), but it's been REALLY rewarding being able to track where certain character traits are birthed and how they are either expounded upon or abandoned. reviewing every single cartoon in depth has allowed me to notice certain details i never would have noticed before, even in repeated viewings. the chronological aspect is a very big help in that as well.

if anyone is considering doing the same, i say go for it--what do you have to lose? there is a lot of uncomfortable, bad stuff that's either aged poorly or has been actively malicious from the start (usually a combination of the two), but i definitely think it's still worth viewing, especially so you can remain critical but ALSO appreciate the best of the best all that much more. it certainly puts things in perspective.

i know plugging myself after all this seems kinda scummy like "and that's why you should listen to ME inform your opinions FOR YOU!!!" BUT, as i'm sure many of you are aware, you can read my blog where i tackle every single LT cartoon and analyze it in-depth if you still want to read about the history but maybe don't feel up to the task in giant chucks. i also provide links to the short at the end of every review (though i may change it to be at the beginning to make things easier, as well as encourage readers to draw their own opinions before reading what i have to say on the matter. my writing is not without personal bias, but i feel it would be restrictive otherwise.)

EITHER WAY, LONG STORY SHORT, YES, viewing every LT short chronologically has made me feel so much more open-minded and PURPOSEFUL! i try to apply everything i learn into my own work--personal or professional--and it's just a very rewarding feeling being able to spout of arbitrary facts. nothing is ever useless if it's fulfilling. i'm so happy i decided to pursue this venture and certainly encourage others to do the same, but understand it is a very dedicated undertaking. (and THANK YOU!! that means a lot!)

[ducktracy]

“Bugs bunny is who we want to be, Daffy Duck is who we are” I really wanna hear your thoughts on this quote?

SEE, i have a hard time taking that quote to heart because every time i hear it, without fail, my first thought is "but what if i want to be Daffy?"

i get that Chuck was (rightfully) saying that with his interpretation of the characters in mind, but the reason Daffy struck such a chord with me personally is because i could absolutely relate to how obnoxious, overzealous, passionate, overzealous, impulsive but social, friendly and charismatic he was.

A Pest in the House was the first Daffy short i saw as an adult (ironically a Chuck cartoon!) and there's a scene where he repeatedly hassles this poor shmuck just trying to get to sleep by waking him up and HOWLING laughing about this hilarious joke he just remembered, he's crying and wheezing and grabbing at this guy's shoulders and shaking him around... only for him to forget the punchline in a hilariously deadpan yet earnest moment of realization before carrying back on again. and i don't know what that says about ME personally (maybe for the best that way HAHAHA), but i had NEVER!!! NEVER EVER saw myself in something more than i did in that scene, instead of finding it annoying i was absolutely blown away and transfixed and new i had to seek out more of his cartoons.

i'm not one to constantly search for characters to be represented with, but i do stand firmly by the fact that Daffy is THE character i relate to and see myself most in (though as we all know i love Porky for very similar reasons, i certainly see a lot of my attributes in him as well) and is my favorite fictional character for that reason. i get how that sounds conceited--especially trying to say “oh i don’t relate to the greedy MEAN Daffy!” and not sound like i’m humblebragging--but i have never felt that sort of connection with any character before! and i’d be lying if i said i never had a “what would Daffy do” moment. i get how hilarious this is talking about these specific characters in this context because i mean... it IS animated slapstick... but i certainly do believe watching those Daffy cartoons has led me to reconcile and embrace my own less-than-admirable attributes; look! Daffy is doing that thing that i also do! i really relate to this a lot! if i enjoy seeing him do it so much, then maybe it’s okay for me to embrace that side of myself as well.

IT’S A HARD THING TO ARTICULATE... it’s not something that will really make exact sense unless you experience it for yourself, so i know how silly this may sound but i won’t let that negate the positives of it. ANYHOO, i’ve had a hard time taking that quote seriously because DAFFY is who i want to be! i get that i’m blatantly disregarding the ego/greed aspects, but the Daffy i’m targeting certainly isn’t flawless and has the same ego/bouts of cynicism/greed that Jones’ duck does, just executed in more palatable ways (and if Jones’ Bugs is the Bugs he mentions wanting to emulate then i CERTAINLY want to be even more like Daffy. much less stale and more fun that way...)