ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA - (1940)

 

I had originally planned on doing the Edgar Wallace film, "The Terrible People" tonight, but after watching it, getting stills, and getting ready to do this write up, I figured out too late that I had already done it eleven years ago, so instead, here is a cartoon from 1940 that creator Chuck Jones thinks was terrible, and I guess that's going to have to do. 

Welcome to another Wacky Wednesday in The Dungeon!

 

 

Here's a quote I found on Wikipedia from the autobiography of Chuck Jones, that tells the way he feels about this cartoon.

"My conception of timing and dialogue was formed by watching the action in the La Brea tar pits. It would be complimentary to call it sluggish."

And the problem is, there's not a whole lot going on in this cartoon, except some simple exchanges between two not really likeable characters.

Elmer Fudd has gotten a camera kit in the mail, and is now ready to go out and do some nature photography. He sees these tracks, and away we go!

Elmer quietly sets up and gets ready to take his first picture!

He's still learning how to frame his subject!

If Bugs Bunny looks funny to you, it's because this version of Bugs was still a prototype, and not the character we've all learned to know and love. He would evolve into the complete Bugs Bunny character later in his career.

Bugs asks Elmer what he's doing.

The two of them have a real face to face encounter.

 

Bugs found that experience to be a little too personal. 

In this shot, you can really see how much different Bugs was!

Bugs pops the lens and Elmer recoils like he was slung from a catapult!

Elmer is flung completely backwards and into this tree that dumps it's whole harvest on him!

 

This doesn't look like it would be too comfortable for Elmer.

 

This cartoon also featured the newly redesigned Elmer Fudd, who was previously only known as Elmer!

Elmer finally captures Bugs!

And then Bugs turns the tables!

Elmer then loses his mind completely and destroys all his camera gear!

I think it's interesting that this cartoon predated the popular "Candid Camera" TV show by a good eight years!

So now let me see if I can figure out an Edgar Wallace film I haven't seen yet. There are still plenty more out there.