Cartoon Discussion Of The Week - Mouse Warming

[Marty26]

Since everybody's getting tired of post-48 WB cartoons, next week, I'll do a non-WB short.

Anyway, this week's CDOTW will be for Chuck Jones's 1952 Claude Cat short Mouse Warming.

Dailymotion - Mouse warming, a video from thadk. claude, cat (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2u2jb_mouse-warming_shortfilms)

This is certainly one of more interesting cartoons in the Chuck Jones catalog, as it's one of several psychology-themed shorts he did in the 1950's. In this case, the theme is teenage angst. The red-hot stud falls in love with the pretty brunette who just moved in across the street. She develops these same feelings for him. But just when the male is about ready to woo the female, Claude Cat (whose especially menacing-looking drawing in this cartoon deserves some mention of its own) steps in with the hopes of getting a two-for-one deal. So now, the biggest obstacle between them is getting past the cat (who could almost metaphorically be seen as the "big bully" trying to keep them from getting together).

Anyway, I really like this cartoon. Great plot, some funny Claude Cat moments (such as his "scented letter"), and also a great musical score courtesy of Carl Stalling. Comment!

[frizfrelengfan]

The thing that strikes me about the cartoon is the facial expressions. No one did facial expressions like Jones.

[larriva9/11]

Interesting how timelessly reverent a la Romeo & Juliet the treatment of 50s-style "teenage" subject matter was. Nothing at all exploitive here. (In McKimson's or Freleng's hands, it might have been different.)

[Marty26]

Interesting how timelessly reverent a la Romeo & Juliet the treatment of 50s-style "teenage" subject matter was. Nothing at all exploitive here. (In McKimson's or Freleng's hands, it might have been different.)

Well, Freleng DID do a nice job with his stab at a Psychological short in Each Dawn I Crow.

Or, for a similar example to this one, Tashlin's Porky's Romance had a similar timelessness about it, despite being made in 1937.

[Glowworm]

I greatly enjoy this one-although ABC always took out the part in which Claude writes a threatening letter that he signs as the young male mouse to the girl mouse's father. This causes the father to take out a really big(for a mouse's) pistol and in the meantime, Claude places a "Boarders welcome" sign on the house's door. The young mouse steps into the door-which is now Claude's mouth-but manages to get away when the father mouse somehow manages to unintentionally shoot Claude.

My favorite sequences have always been the set up "Ron de vouz" with the girl mouse puppet, the awesome scene in which the young mouse send Claude a letter "signed" by the bulldog who wants to be friends-the sequence in which Claude falls for the setup is hillarious. Of course the romantic scene at the end in which the young mouse finally gets his dream girl and together they share a milkshake inside the refridgerator. AW!:)

[Marty26]

I greatly enjoy this one-although ABC always took out the part in which Claude writes a threatening letter that he signs as the young male mouse to the girl mouse's father. This causes the father to take out a really big(for a mouse's) pistol and in the meantime, Claude places a "Boarders welcome" sign on the house's door. The young mouse steps into the door-which is now Claude's mouth-but manages to get away when the father mouse somehow manages to unintentionally shoot Claude.

My favorite sequences have always been the set up "Ron de vouz" with the girl mouse puppet, the awesome scene in which the young mouse send Claude a letter "signed" by the bulldog who wants to be friends-the sequence in which Claude falls for the setup is hillarious. Of course the romantic scene at the end in which the young mouse finally gets his dream girl and together they share a milkshake inside the refridgerator. AW!:)

I always thought that was a bottle of soda, actually.

[Glowworm]

Eh-I haven't seen it in years,sadly.:o

[oceansoul]

This one is definately a hit. Warm, charming story, and entertaining gags. Facial expressions as always are great. Actually I prefer this one to "Cheese Chasers" and "Hypo-chondri Cat", both having a better reputation.

[absolutpaul]

Yah - the part ABC cut out is the funniest. The scene with Dad mouse and the giant gun is so funny! And he looks like he's used one before!

I also think one of the most priceless moments in Looney Tunes is when the dog's eyes turn red and his sleepy-eyed wakeup turns to rage. The look on the cat's face when he smiles and waves, not knowing what's coming to him, is also funny.

[larriva9/11]

Well, Freleng DID do a nice job with his stab at a Psychological short in Each Dawn I Crow.

Or, for a similar example to this one, Tashlin's Porky's Romance had a similar timelessness about it, despite being made in 1937.

True, perhaps, but neither of them deal with generation-gap-inducing "postwar teenage" type subject matter...

[Treadwell]

I love the fake letter from the dog inviting Claude for a game of canasta. And Claude setting up the card table, putting down drinks, dealing, and waving. Great sequence.

[Marty26]

I love the fake letter from the dog inviting Claude for a game of canasta. And Claude setting up the card table, putting down drinks, dealing, and waving. Great sequence.

I especially like the dog's confused expression while Claude's doing all that.

[Vdubdavid]

This has always been one of my favorite Jones cartoons from the first time I saw it. His timing was flawless here, combined with Stalling's rare use of Raymond Scott's "Reckless Night on Board an Ocean Liner," in the opening scene, both tricking the audience with heavy strings on what viewers think is a real truck. Then the camera pulls back to reveal its a toy and the score lightens several octaves in a matter of seconds.

This is also another example of how Jones used to be able to create incredibly attractive characters without being cloying in the form of the girl mouse.

And of course, the gags are hilarious as all get out. I particularly like the aftermath of the canasta scene, with Claude dazedly throwing cards in the air as he stumbles into the horizon.

It's a winner from start to finish and a definate HIT!

[Mr. Semaj]

Ha, Claude was somehow dumb enough to fall for a fake letter when he just staged two fake letters himself.

This was about the time Jones' character designs were becoming more organic, and this made his pantomime cartoons much stronger.

Really good stuff.