Sunday, March 22, 2009

A day of fond memories

My pal Corey Klemow* sent me an email alerting me that Turner Classic Movies is doing a "spotlight" on one of my favorite artists this Tuesday: Toonmaking great Chuck Jones.

That link leads you to the schedule; it'll include a new documentary containing one of his last filmed interviews, and many of his greatest Looney Tunes, including What's Opera, Doc?

I kinda wish they'd found room for one or two more rarities, like his version of Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears A Who. No one seems to know this as well as their Grinch (which should also be included, but at least isn't exactly hurting for rebroadcasts), but I remember it very fondly.

Here's a short clip WB put on YouTube to promote the DVD release.



On the subject of rarities, they are including his film of The Phantom Tollbooth, which I've long thought is way-cool. Along with the book (by Norton Juster) on which it's based, it was the inspiration for this blog's original title, Dictionopolis in Digitopolis.

Here's about 10 minutes from near its beginning.



I want a deluxe edition DVD of this bad.

*AKA The Beaver. AKA a star of Spiders.

1 comment:

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Just how many of our childhoods are better remembered and richer because of Chuck Jones...not just his work but the guys like Bruce Time, Alex Toth and Paul Dini that he inspired and who later brought us the best of superhero cartoons