Of course, Chuck Jones is the undisputed leading talent of the golden age of Warner Brother's animation. However, there is some debate as what his finest WB work is.
Personally, I vote for this film. It represents the pinnacle on the emphasis on character that made the WB cartoons one of the finest collection of Hollywood animated shorts in film history. Another writer noted that there are precursors of this like the "Out of the Inkwell" series by Max and Dave Fleischer and Porky in Wacky Land. However, they do not depend as heavily on character as this film. The point being that while the mischief the animated inflicts on the Daffy is amusing, the real humour lies in Daffy's increasing frustration in trying to maintain some control over the chaos until he explodes in fruitless rage. This film could not work for any other character, and the latter knock off, Rabbit Rampage served to prove that. Furthermore, most of this film takes place with a completely blank setting and the film depends entirely on Daffy's character to illustrate the real nature of the film. Chuck Jones said he wanted to see if the concept of character as the focus of animation comedy was strong and sophisticated enough for a character like Daffy to carry a film in such a minimalist setting. As it turns out, his hunch was absolutely on the money.
That is a sign of superior artist who takes an artist gamble and we, the audience, get the payoff of enjoying one of the finest example of animation as art in film history.
Personally, I vote for this film. It represents the pinnacle on the emphasis on character that made the WB cartoons one of the finest collection of Hollywood animated shorts in film history. Another writer noted that there are precursors of this like the "Out of the Inkwell" series by Max and Dave Fleischer and Porky in Wacky Land. However, they do not depend as heavily on character as this film. The point being that while the mischief the animated inflicts on the Daffy is amusing, the real humour lies in Daffy's increasing frustration in trying to maintain some control over the chaos until he explodes in fruitless rage. This film could not work for any other character, and the latter knock off, Rabbit Rampage served to prove that. Furthermore, most of this film takes place with a completely blank setting and the film depends entirely on Daffy's character to illustrate the real nature of the film. Chuck Jones said he wanted to see if the concept of character as the focus of animation comedy was strong and sophisticated enough for a character like Daffy to carry a film in such a minimalist setting. As it turns out, his hunch was absolutely on the money.
That is a sign of superior artist who takes an artist gamble and we, the audience, get the payoff of enjoying one of the finest example of animation as art in film history.