Book Revue (1946)

Director:

Robert Clampett

Writer:

Warren Foster (story)

Release Date:

5 January 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Animation | Short | Comedy

Plot:

The ultimate Warner Brothers "books come to life" cartoon. Parodies and caricatures of Harry James...

Plot Keywords:

Celebrity Caricature | Scat Singing | Daffy Duck | Little Red Riding Hood | Looney Tunes

Cast

Sara Berner	...	Henry the VIII's mother - Swooning Girls (voice) (uncredited)
Mel Blanc	...	Daffy Duck / Big Bad Wolf / Cop / Cuckoo / Sailor / Henry VIII / Mice (voice) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Book Review

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Daffy Duck's impersonation is based on Danny Kaye.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Daffy and Little Red Riding Hood are dancing at the end, the dancers in the background suddenly disappear.

Quotes:

Daffy Duck: Swing music. Jazz. Phooey! Ah, bublichas, how difference in my native willage. Soft music, wiolins, the happy peoples sitting on their balalaikas, playing their samovars. And then, there was Cucaracha. Ah, Cucaracha: so round, so firm, so fully packed, and so easy on the draw. They would sink to me a little gypsy love song, like this. Listen. CUCARA-CHA! Cucaracha, cucaracha - hoo hoo hoo hoo! Cucaracha, cucaracha - hoohoohoohoo!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Behind the Tunes: Sing-a-Song of Looney Tunes (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Light Cavalry Overture

A classic and easily the best of the "books come to life" subgenre

Of all the cartoons where books, magazines etc. come to life, Bob Clampett's 'Book Revue' is by far the finest. The problem with many of these kind of cartoons is that they rely on cultural references that have been long forgotten, inescapably dating the picture. Although there are many references to popular books of the day in 'Book Revue', it manages to sidestep the detrimental dating effect thanks to Clampett's typically engaging speedy pacing and the inclusion of Daffy Duck as a character. Daffy emerges from the cover of a Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies comic and proceeds to completely steal the cartoon away from all the witty book parodies. Ever the showman, Daffy opens with a Danny Kaye impersonation followed by the highlight of the cartoon, a phenomenal scat version of the Little Red Riding Hood Story. Mel Blanc must be given enormous credit for pulling this off so brilliantly but Clampett makes it all the better by matching this brilliant vocal performance with stunning visual, including the infamous moment in which Daffy turns into a giant eyeball. This is the sort of joke no other director would even attempt and Clampett pulls it off with grotesque glee, 'Book Revue' is so much better than all other cartoons of its kind because it doesn't get hung up on visual pun after visual pun. Instead, Clampett uses these books as the backdrop against which to stage a high speed chase. Unlike some of these reference heavy shorts, 'Book Revue' can be enjoyed whether you get the reference points or not. It's a classic cartoon bursting with energy and ideas.