Ah’ Love Pimento U.
Satires of gay nineties’ melodramas were a major cartoon sub genre back in the thirties, when folks still had a living memory of the originals being parodied. Those films got most of their titters gingerly poking fun at stuff like handlebar mustaches and ladies’ bustles. Then in 1942, comes the dazzling “Dover Boys at Pimento University, or the Rivals of Roquefort Hall.” Yeah, we’re still, technically, sending up the conventions of an earlier era, but the eccentric pacing, stylized animation, and out-the-window humor was a staggering leap forward for director Chuck Jones. It’s also one of the funniest damn things Warner Brothers ever released!
Tom, Dick and Larry, ‘Good Old P.U.”, Dainty Dora Standpipe — what a riot! An antique motorcar figures into the proceedings (after all, this is “Planes, Trains and Automobiles Week”) and we just love the asthmatic sound effect that comes with. When evil Dan Backslide swipes said put-put, he takes us into his confidence (and, judging by his decibel level, most of the lower 48) by screaming “A RUNABOUT! I’LL STEAL IT!! NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!!!”
A personal aside — that last bit has been a catch phrase in MY family for years. For decades now, whenever my wife or I are about to embark on some endeavor, no matter how trivial, that might suggest a modicum of discretion, one of us will inevitably turn to the other and incompetently imitate Mel Blanc — “NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW!!!”
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On July 14th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Oh yeah, my friends and I used the NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW as well. It was a theme throughtout art school for us. What a fantastic cartoon this is. Monumental! This cartoon is probably more responsible for the way I animate than any other WB cartoon if only because I literally watched this one frame by frame dozens of times emulating each and every stretched frame and frenzied timing. Before this I had never even thought of the possibility of someone having blue skin…before this I had never even thought that something could be funny in only 3 frames and if repeated you would still see it clearly (the part where he does shots.) Before this I had never thought that you could make a woman slide across the screen and still get the idea across that she was walking… Before this I never tried to make a blur frame. I read somewhere (probably something Mr. Jerry Beck wrote) that when this cartoon first premiered, they had to stop the projector and back it up to play it again as it caused such a stir among the audience! How COOOL is that!?!?!? GREAT CHOICE!
On July 14th, 2006 at 12:00 am
One of the cool things about this one is that you never notice how long it is (almost ten minutes — almost as long as its official onscreen title!!) It’s so darn funny, it seems to zip along, and when it’s over you DO feel like watching the thing all over again!
On July 14th, 2006 at 12:00 am
This one is interesting for more than just the immaculate timing and blur techniques. Jones was fired for this one.
On July 15th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Really? Wow! I did not know that!
On July 21st, 2006 at 12:00 am
Does anyone know what or who the ‘hopping old man’ is representing or a parody of. The cartoon may be a bit before my time, but I still get the subtle nuances of it, but that guy just goes right over my head.