Duck Amuck
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Duck Amuck is a surreal 1953 Warner Brothers cartoon starring Daffy Duck, who is tormented by a sadistic animator who constantly changes Daffy's clothing, location, appearance, and even shape.
Its creator, Chuck Jones, claims this film demonstrates for the first time that animation can create characters with a recognizable personality, independent of their appearance, milieu, or voice. Although in the end, the animator is revealed to be Bugs Bunny, according to Jones the ending is just for comedic value: Jones (the director) is speaking to the audience directly, asking "Who is Daffy Duck anyway? Would you recognize him if I did this to him? What if he didn't live in the woods? Didn't live anywhere? What if he had no voice? No face? What if he wasn't even a duck anymore?" In all cases, it's obvious that Daffy is still Daffy; not all cartoon characters can claim such distinctive personality.
Duck Amuck is included in the compilation film, The Bugs Bunny-Road Runner Movie, along with other favourite Chuck Jones cartoons including What's Opera, Doc?
Mel Blanc does the voices. It was directed by Chuck Jones with a story by Michael Maltese.
In 1999 the film was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. This was the second of Jones' animated shorts to receive this honour (What's Opera, Doc? was the first), and earned him the distinction of being the only director (as of 2004) with two animated shorts in the registry.
Quote
- "This is a close-up?!? A CLOSE-UP, YA JERK! A CLOSE-UP!!!"
- "Thanks for the sour persimmons, cousin."
See also: Looney Tunes, Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies filmography