The Horse's Head

#60) What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)

OR “That’s Valhalla, Folks!”

Directed by Chuck Jones

Written by Michael Maltese

Class of 1992

Not the full thing, but here’s the clip you need!

NOTE: This is the original version of my “What’s Opera, Doc?” write-up. You can read the revised and expanded version here.

The Plot: After trying to best each other for 17 years, the longstanding Bugs Bunny-Elmer Fudd feud climaxes in operatic fashion. Taking a cue from Richard Wagner, Fudd (voiced by Arthur Q. Bryan) is Siegfried, who must “kill the wabbit” using his spear and magic helmet. Bugs (voiced by Mel Blanc) outwits the hunter by dressing in drag as Bruunhilde and seducing him. They sing, they dance, and they give most people their only knowledge of Wagner.

Why It Matters: The NFR hails it as “Jones’ cinematic masterpiece” and points out the film’s feat of being the first animated short to be included on the Registry. Also included is a loving tribute to Chuck Jones by his grandson, Craig Kausen.

But Does It Really?: Oh of course. This is the culmination of years of Chuck Jones honing his craft and creating two surprisingly dimensional animated characters. It’s as if all those other shorts were set-up and this is the payoff. Though in order to really appreciate “What’s Opera, Doc?” you should watch some of that “set-up” to get an idea of just how high the stakes are in this one (See “Prior Viewing” below).

Everybody Gets One: Due to what I’m guessing is a good agent, Mel Blanc is the only voice actor credited in any of these shorts. Attention must be paid to Arthur Q. Bryan, the original voice of Elmer Fudd, heard here in one of his final performances. Bryan was a longtime radio performer and voiced Fudd (and his predecessor Egghead) for 20 years.

Wow, That’s Dated: The assumption that an average audience has passing knowledge of opera.

Take a Shot: No one says the title, but Bugs does sing his trademark “What’s up, Doc?”

Seriously, Oscars?: No Animated Short Subject nod for “What’s Opera, Doc?”. The Oscars did, however, nominate two other Looney Tunes shorts that year; Speedy Gonzales’ “Tabasco Road”, and the winner in that category, the Sylvester and Tweety vehicle “Birds Anonymous”. Chuck Jones would have to wait eight more years before winning in this category for “The Dot and the Line”.*

Other notes

• No one has ever been able to tell me the difference between Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes. Are they the same thing?
• Thumbs up to Bryan singing as Fudd to Bruunhilde. It’s so sincere you can’t help but laugh.
• Just like how you can’t fall off a cliff until you look down, cartoon physics dictate that you can’t know it’s a disguise until the wig falls off.
• I realized while watching this that I always get this short mixed up with “Rabbit of Seville”. Interestingly, Fudd’s the one in drag in that one.

Legacy

• Three words: Kill the wabbit.

Prior Viewing: If you want to see where the Bugs/Fudd rivalry began, check out 1940’s “A Wild Hare”. It’s all there, from Bugs’ first “What’s up, doc?” to Elmer’s first “Be vewy vewy quiet.”

 

* UPDATE: Cartoon historian Jerry Beck recently discovered documentation that “What’s Opera, Doc?” was on the shortlist for Academy Award consideration.

#59) Sherlock Jr. (1924)

OR “A Study in Silent”

Directed by Buster Keaton

Written by Jean Havez & Joe Mitchell and Clyde Bruckman

Class of 1991

This is my original “Sherlock Jr.” post; you can read my revised and expanded version here.

The Plot: A young film projectionist/amateur detective (Buster Keaton) vies for the affection of a young woman (Kathryn McGuire) against a rival (Ward Crane). When he is framed for stealing the pocket watch of the girl’s father (Joe Keaton), he is banned from ever seeing her again. While on the job he falls asleep and dreams he can walk into the movie he’s showing. He assumes the role of Sherlock Jr. and solves a mystery using only his detective skills, his porkpie hat, and his deadpan demeanor.

Why It Matters: The NFR praises Keaton and calls the film “a comedic masterpiece that both acknowledges and embraces the cinematic medium”.

But Does It Really?: This is another one where I didn’t write down too many notes because I was laughing too hard. Of the silent film legends, Keaton has always been my favorite. Chaplin had the pathos, but Keaton had the technique. His films contain a seemingly endless supply of gags and stunts, all performed in-camera with no special effects (sometimes at the sacrifice of Keaton’s own health). “Sherlock Jr.” cannot be beat in terms of sheer ingenuity. Plus it’s a breezy 45 minutes. It tells the story it needs to tell and doesn’t forget to be uproariously funny.

Everybody Gets One: Leading lady Kathryn McGuire started off as a dancer and performed in several Mack Sennett comedies. This brought her to Keaton’s attention and he cast her in this film as well as “The Navigator”**. In the late ‘20s she retired from acting to marry and raise a daughter.

Wow, That’s Dated: Phrases like “the local sheik”. Also the job of film projectionist.

Title Track: Keaton is introduced as “Sherlock Jr.” only once about halfway through the film.

Other notes

• Why the fake moustache at the beginning?
• That’s Keaton’s dad Joe playing the girl’s father.
• Only Keaton could make a banana peel gag work and still be funny.
• Ah yes, back in the days when a detective would just show up to your house.
• How did the demonstration of the exploding pool ball not arouse immediate suspicion?
• Wow, this film has more impressive trick shots than “The Hustler”.
• I know it’s a dream and all, but what happens when they have to change reels?
• The story goes that Keaton broke his neck by falling on a railroad track too hard. He kept going and didn’t know he broke it until years later!
• Keaton’s assistant sort of looks like young Ian McKellen.
• So, the bad guys have a guy just hanging around in a torture device?
• This film is filled with a lot of amazing stunts, but the shot of Keaton diving into the suitcase tops them all. I’ve had the trick explained to me and I’m still not quite sure how they did it.
• Let the record show that for my stag party I’d also like to play tug o’ war.
• Like many of the great film detectives, Sherlock Jr. relies primarily on luck and coincidence.

Legacy

• In “The Purple Rose of Cairo”, Woody Allen flips the idea and shows a character walking out of a movie.

Further Viewing: I’m a big fan of the video essay series “Every Frame a Painting” by Tony Zhou (what is it about guys named Tony and classic films?). His look at Buster Keaton in “The Art of the Gag” is insightful, thoroughly researched, and above all an entertaining tribute to the master. Look for all of these Keaton rules the next time you watch one of his pictures.

** 2018 Update: And now “The Navigator” is on the Registry! Kathryn gets two!!

#58) Raging Bull (1980)

OR “Requiem for a Middleweight”

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Written by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin. Based on the memoir “Raging Bull: My Story” by Jake LaMotta with Joseph Carter and Peter Savage.

Class of 1990

The Plot: Robert De Niro plays boxing champion Jake LaMotta from the height of his career in the early ‘40s to his slide into relative obscurity in the late ‘50s. His tempestuous relationships with his brother/manager Joey (Joe Pesci) and his second wife Vickie (Cathy Moriarty) are also examined in contrast to his success in the ring.

Why It Matters: “Hard hitting is the character, hard hitting is the film”. The NFR’s look at “Raging Bull” begins with that line and then praises pretty much everyone involved in the film. An essay by Jami Bernard continues the love-fest, and laments how the film couldn’t be made today. “Raging Bull” was also the first film to be included on the NFR after the minimum 10-year eligibility period.

But Does It Really?: Now that’s how you do a biopic. Scorsese and team manage to avoid any of the trappings of a standard biography and turn La Motta’s life and times into an almost Shakespearean tragedy. De Niro is the main attraction here, giving arguably his best performance in a career filled with so many, but the work of relative newcomers Pesci and Moriarty more than hold their own alongside De Niro’s. Everyone feels very natural, so much that the performances feel more like good jazz than good acting. I could go on and on about the brilliant choices made in every department, but I’ll just leave it at an A+ to everyone involved.

Shout Outs: Jake famously quotes “On the Waterfront” at the end.

Everybody Gets One: Cathy Moriarty, Nicholas “Coach” Colasanto, and pretty much every minor actor in the film.

Title Track: The M.C. at the Copa introduces Jake as “The Raging Bull”.

Seriously, Oscars?: De Niro won a richly deserved Best Actor Oscar, as did Thelma Schoonmaker for her inventive editing (she’s done every Scorsese film since then). Despite leading the pack with eight nominations and being hailed by many as the best film of the year, “Raging Bull” lost Best Picture and Best Director to Robert Redford’s good but more manipulative “Ordinary People”. If it had been for Handsomest Director I could understand, but come on.

Other notes

• LaMotta’s original memoir doesn’t mention his brother. Yikes.
• As of this writing, Jake LaMotta is still alive at 95!
• Clearly everyone’s having too much fun throwing stuntmen around in that first fight.
• Scorsese’s obsession with blondes is second only to Hitchcock.
• Blink and you’ll miss young John Turturro in his film debut sitting at a table with Jake and Joey.
• Mini-golf on a first date? Bold move, LaMotta.
• That montage with the still photography and the color home movies? My compliments to the chef.

• You think these LaMotta boys had issues with women?
• As a longtime “Cheers” fan, it’s fun to watch Colasanto in a role that is night and day from lovable doofus Coach.
• With this film we get the first round of “Joe Pesci vs. Frank Vincent”. Their characters get into a fight here that will escalate with each of them getting to kill the other one in future Scorsese films.
• De Niro’s good in every scene, but there’s this amazing moment of silence after he smacks Cathy Moriarty where he just stares down Joe Pesci. It gave me chills. How the hell did he do that?
• Bet watching this film makes you feel a whole lot better about your own family, now don’t it?
• Back to the Oscars for a second, how did this film not win for its Sound Mixing? The eventual winner, “The Empire Strikes Back”, is impressive and flashy, but this film’s sound is just so much more impactful on the film as a whole. Another count of “Seriously, Oscars?” for this film.
• This is the film where De Niro famously put on 60-70 pounds to play LaMotta post-retirement. It’s a feat I don’t think anyone should try to break.
• Speaking of, plus-sized De Niro kinda looks like Will Sasso doing his De Niro.
• That’s Scorsese as the stagehand at the very end. The giveaway is the brief look at his late ‘70s Charles Manson hairdo.
• The film is dedicated to Scorsese’s former NYU film professor and mentor Haig Manoogian, who passed away just before the film’s completion. He is also posthumously thanked in 1982’s “Zapped!” What a range of influence that man had.

Legacy

• LaMotta co-wrote a second memoir, “Raging Bull II: Continuing the Story of Jake LaMotta” and pushed to get a film sequel made. Legally, the film had to be retitled “The Bronx Bull” and is not a sequel, even though it totally is.

• This Eddie Izzard bit

• And this unsuccessful audition

Further Listening: Did you know that Joe Pesci briefly attempted a singing career? I will not rest until this becomes common knowledge (or until Pesci kicks my ass. I’m betting on the latter).

#57) Nanook of the North (1922)

OR “50 Words for ‘Staged’”

Directed & Written by Robert J. Flaherty

Class of 1989

The Plot: Presented as a realistic slice of life (though with many scenes staged for the camera), an Inuit named Nanook (Allakariallak) and his tribe travel the frozen tundra of Port Harrison (now Inukjuak) Quebec, hunting wildlife and seeking shelter from the cold. Oh, and if you like shots of different animals being killed and skinned on camera, this film has got you covered.

Why It Matters: The NFR sums up all you need to take away from this film with the following passage; “Though Flaherty’s authenticity has since been called into question, its emotional impact and artistic style still resonate.” There’s also a pretty academic essay by Patricia R. Zimmermann and Sean Zimmermann Auyash.

But Does It Really?: The aforementioned NFR selection says it all. The film blurs the line between fiction and reality in a highly questionable way, but “Nanook” wrote a lot of the rules that documentaries still follow. As with other docudramas of the era (see “In the Land of the Head Hunters”), I’m not quite sure whether to chalk this one up to informative or entertaining (infotainment?). Regardless, take what you will from this landmark film, and keep at least one critical eye open.

Everybody Gets One: Among the many myths of this film, the unfortunately true one is that Allakariallak (the real Nanook) died two years after filming. Despite the opening title, his death was most likely due to tuberculosis, rather than starving. We’ll see more of explorer-turned-filmmaker Robert Flaherty when I take a look at “Tabu”.

Wow, That’s Dated: Gramophones, castor oil as a cure-all. Also, jury’s still out on whether or not “Eskimos” is an acceptable term. Just play it safe and say “Inuit”.

Other notes

• Nope, nothing stagey about a scene where everyone pops out of a kayak like it’s a clown car.
• Why is Nanook bartering for candy? WE NEED REAL FOOD!
• Some of these hunting scenes are a bit much. This may be the first snuff film.
• Speaking of hunting, the Inuit had moved on to rifles at this point, but Flaherty insisted on more primitive hunting methods. I imagine this was Nanook’s personal “The 1900 House”.
• Thanks to some quick Googling I learned that the collective noun for walruses is herd. Some search results also accept a pod, a huddle, or an ugly of walruses.
• Geez intertitles, don’t tell me when “the suspense begins”. Not exactly Hitchcock, are we?
• Walruses are “the tiger of the north”?
• Staged or not, it’s still pretty cool to watch someone actually build an igloo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFswUeom96A

• The film takes a moment to point out that the “blubber eating Eskimo” is a misconception. Really Flaherty, that’s the one rumor you want to clear up?
• Wow, I don’t remember this film being such a downer at the end.

Legacy

• 1994’s “Kabloonak” is a fictionalized account of the making of “Nanook”. That’s right, a fictional version of a true story about making a fictional version of a true story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcIMcWwKOZQ

• The documentary “Nanook Revisited” helps dispel some of the myths this film generated.
• Speaking of, it was only a matter of time before “Documentary Now!” got a shout-out here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1wspbvQrN4

• Frank Zappa once dreamed he was Nanook.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpNn1nht0_8

#56) East of Eden (1955)

OR “Cal’s State”

Directed by Elia Kazan

Written by Paul Osborn. Based on the novel by John Steinbeck.

Class of 2016

The Plot: Set in the towns of Salinas and Monterey, California just before World War I, “East of Eden” is the story of twin brothers; troubled Cal (James Dean – in his first starring film role) and do-right Aron (Richard Davalos). They work on the farm of their father Adam (Raymond Massey), who clearly favors Aron over Cal. Aron is intent on marrying his long-time girlfriend Abra (Julie Harris), but as they grow apart Abra finds herself attracted to Cal. Meanwhile, Cal learns that his thought-to-be-dead mother Kate (Jo Van Fleet) is alive and the madam of a nearby brothel. And this family just gets more messed up from there.

Why It Matters: Most of the NFR’s praise goes to Osborn and Kazan for adapting Steinbeck’s novel into “the teen angst theme popular in the ‘50s”. The rest of their description goes to a Kazan quote about how he did nothing to stop the off-screen tension between Dean and Massey. A dick move to be sure, but hey it worked.

But Does It Really?: Of the three films in which James Dean is credited, this was the first to be released, but the last to make it onto the Registry (“Rebel Without a Cause” made it on the second round in 1990, “Giant” followed in 2005). I suspect the film, while still very good, is on the list to “complete the trilogy” if you will. “Rebel” will always be the essential James Dean film, but “East of Eden” is the overlooked one with a fine breakthrough performance by the 23-year-old newcomer, to say nothing of the excellent work being done by everyone else.

Everybody Gets One: Legendary stage actress Julie Harris, and that “big, bearded potato full of song” himself, Burl Ives.*

Wow, That’s Dated: This is from that point in time when some films were shot in epic widescreen lenses like CinemaScope, but really didn’t need to be.

Title Track: Burl Ives says “East of Eden” once, towards the end. And yes, I only mentioned Burl Ives again so I can link to another one of his songs.

Seriously, Oscars?: Though it missed out on a Best Picture nod, “East of Eden” did manage four nominations, including Director, Adapted Screenplay, and a posthumous Best Actor nod for James Dean. Jo Van Fleet won Best Supporting Actress, boosted by her work in two other Oscar contenders that year; “The Rose Tattoo” and “I’ll Cry Tomorrow”.

Other notes

• James Dean died six months after the film’s release. It was the only one of his three starring roles that he got to see completed. “Rebel Without a Cause” was released just one month later.
• The Overture is giving me “13 Lakes” flashbacks.

• Say what you will about James Dean, he does teen angst very well. And look at those puppy dog eyes of his. Who could resist them?
• Shout-out to Lois Smith, who plays Anne, the servant at Kate’s place. She is the film’s last surviving cast member and still a major player on the New York stage at 86!
• Why the crooked angles during dramatic moments between Cal and Adam? Is the house sinking?
• Adam says he got his shoulder injury during the “Indian campaign”. How old is he?
• In addition to Dean’s starring debut, this is Jo Van Fleet’s first film, and boy does she hit it out of the park.
• The photo of young Adam and Kate must be the first instance of Photoshop in a film.
• Quick appearance by the Michelin Man on a poster. Turns out he’s been around since 1894!
• Seems like Cal and Abra make the most of being stuck on a janky carnival ride. Wait until OSHA hears about this one.
• Abra suggests that Cal go with her to a 5 & 10. I say he should come back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.
• Dean’s good, but you can definitely see the Brando influence. Apparently, so could a lot of 1955 film critics.
• Geez Burl, just spell out the film’s biblical metaphor for everyone. Good thing he wasn’t in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”.

Legacy

• Seeing as how this film covers only the second half of Steinbeck’s epic novel; a more all-encompassing remake was inevitable. In 1981 “East of Eden” got the TV miniseries treatment starring Jane “Dr. Quinn” Seymour.

• I guess they’re remaking it again with Jennifer Lawrence? What say you, readers from the future?
• And like so many great pieces of literature, “East of Eden” was turned into a mediocre Broadway musical. “Here’s Where I Belong” opened and closed on the same night in 1968.

Further Viewing: Couldn’t find anything from “Here’s Where I Belong” so…one more Burl Ives song?

*UPDATE: I stand corrected – Burl Ives also makes a cameo in Kazan’s “A Face in the Crowd“. Guess I’ll just have to link to another song.