The Theology of Looney Tunes (part 3)
Yes, I know, I'm falling way behind on my deadlines, as usual. Should have seen that coming. Reading logs, early experience (more on that later), and a bunch of other details have conspired to make me late with the next part in this series. But here it is now...
Last time, I covered the intro of Daffy Duck, the moment when Looney Tunes set the entertainment media - and the country - on its ear. The insanity and unpredictability of this feather-brained fowl delighted people because he was instantly endearing. He could get into some pretty tough spots and he didn't always walk out of it unscathed. Which, when you think about it, is fairly true to life. We amass our share of bumps, bruises, even the occasional nasty feeling of "I just fell off a cliff and got hit by a train." You know those days. They're all too common for us.
Compared to Daffy, though, we've got it easy. At least we don't have annoying hunters, mad scientists, snarling dogs, and demented doctors after us every time we pop up out of the lake. But Daffy didn't let that stop him. His charm was not so much his insane quirks as it was a daredevil streak. Animals fear the hunter. They fear the gun. It's the nature of the wild. Not Daffy. He boldly stuck his fingers in Porky's guns or twisted them into huge knots. And lots of times, he got his bill blown off for his trouble! Now if that's not fearlessness, I don't know what is!
Daffy's irrepressible sense of humor won its way into our hearts as well. He razzed his opponents with his witty one-liners as he ran circles around them, including his now-famous "Just don't give a darn!" line from the cartoon "Daffy Duck and Egghead," which Bob Clampett directed in the later 1930s. And of course, who can mention Daffy without saying the brilliant comeback line that has become synonomous with wiseguys all over the globe:
"You're despicable!"
Admit it. Haven't you wanted to say that so many times in your life?
Last time, I covered the intro of Daffy Duck, the moment when Looney Tunes set the entertainment media - and the country - on its ear. The insanity and unpredictability of this feather-brained fowl delighted people because he was instantly endearing. He could get into some pretty tough spots and he didn't always walk out of it unscathed. Which, when you think about it, is fairly true to life. We amass our share of bumps, bruises, even the occasional nasty feeling of "I just fell off a cliff and got hit by a train." You know those days. They're all too common for us.
Compared to Daffy, though, we've got it easy. At least we don't have annoying hunters, mad scientists, snarling dogs, and demented doctors after us every time we pop up out of the lake. But Daffy didn't let that stop him. His charm was not so much his insane quirks as it was a daredevil streak. Animals fear the hunter. They fear the gun. It's the nature of the wild. Not Daffy. He boldly stuck his fingers in Porky's guns or twisted them into huge knots. And lots of times, he got his bill blown off for his trouble! Now if that's not fearlessness, I don't know what is!
Daffy's irrepressible sense of humor won its way into our hearts as well. He razzed his opponents with his witty one-liners as he ran circles around them, including his now-famous "Just don't give a darn!" line from the cartoon "Daffy Duck and Egghead," which Bob Clampett directed in the later 1930s. And of course, who can mention Daffy without saying the brilliant comeback line that has become synonomous with wiseguys all over the globe:
"You're despicable!"
Admit it. Haven't you wanted to say that so many times in your life?
posted by david @ 3:46 PM
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