Difference between revisions of "What's Opera, Doc?"

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|run_time= 7:03
|run_time= 7:03
|starring= [[Mel Blanc]]
|starring= [[Mel Blanc]]
|music= [[Carl Stalling]]
|music= [[Milt Franklyn]]
|story= [[Mike Maltese]]
|story= [[Mike Maltese]]
|director= [[Chuck Jones]]
|director= [[Chuck Jones]]
|animation_director= Chuck Jones
|previous= Fox-Terror
|art_director= Chuck Jones
|previous= Bird-Terror
|next= Birds Anonymous
|next= Birds Anonymous
|title_card= [[File:What's Opera Doc title card.png|300px]]
|title_card= [[File:What's Opera, Doc title card.png|300px]]
}}
}}
'''''What's Opera, Doc?''''' is the four-hundredth and twenty-sixth ''[[Merrie Melodies (theatrical shorts)|Merrie Melodies]]'' theatrical short. It was distributed by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] and [[The Vitaphone Corporation]] on [[February 28]], [[1957]]. It was written by [[Michael Maltese]], and directed by [[Chuck Jones]].
'''''What's Opera, Doc?''''' is the four-hundredth and twenty-sixth ''[[Merrie Melodies (theatrical shorts)|Merrie Melodies]]'' theatrical short. It was distributed by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] and [[The Vitaphone Corporation]] on [[February 28]], [[1957]]. It was written by [[Michael Maltese]], and directed by [[Chuck Jones]].
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==Detailed summary==
==Detailed summary==
==Memorable quotes==
==Memorable quotes==
'''Elmer''': ''Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit!''<br />
'''Bugs''': Kill da wabbit?
'''Bugs:''' ''Oh, might warrior of great fighting stock... Might I inquire to ask, "Eh... What's up doc?"''
'''Elmer''': I'll kill the '''WABBIT!''' Awise, storm! Nowth winds blow! South winds blow! Typhoons... Huwwicanes... Earthquakes... SMOOOOOOOOG!!! Stwike, wightning! Stwike the WABBIT!!!
'''Bugs''': Well, what did you expect from an opera? A ''happy'' ending?
==Characters==
==Characters==
{{CastTop}}
{{CastTop}}
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Elmer Fudd]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Elmer Fudd]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Arthur Q. Bryan]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Arthur Q. Bryan]]<br>[[Mel Blanc]] (one line only)
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Bugs Bunny (character)|Bugs Bunny]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Bugs Bunny (character)|Bugs Bunny]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| [[Mel Blanc]]
|style="background-color:#clear"| Mel Blanc
|-
|-
{{CastBottom}}
{{CastBottom}}
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==Locations==
==Locations==
* [[Earth]]
* [[Earth]]
** [[United States]]
**
***  


==Objects==
==Objects==
*  
* Elmer's spear
* Elmer's magic helmet


==Vehicles==
==Vehicles==
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==Production==
==Production==
[[File:What's Opera Doc 2nd Lobby Card.png|200px|thumb|right|alt=Second Lobby Card|Second lobby card.]]
===Development===
===Development===
===Filming===
===Filming===
==Music==
==Music==
The music was composed by [[Carl Stalling]].
The music was composed by [[Milt Franklyn]] and is based on pieces from classical composer [[wikipedia:Richard Wagner|Richard Wagner]]. It consists of arrangements of ''[[wikipedia:Der Ring des Nibelungen|Der Ring des Nibelungen]]'' (''The Ring of the Nibelung''), ''[[wikipedia:Der Fliegende Holländer|Der Fliegende Holländer]]'' (''The Flying Dutchman''), and ''[[wikipedia:Tannhäuser|Tannhäuser]]''.


===Song===
===Songs===
* "[[Kill the Wabbit]]"
* The overture from ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'', Act I - Elmer's leitmotif as Siegfried; opening and closing scenes
* "Ride of the Valkyries" from ''Die Walküre'', Act III, of Der Ring des Nibelungen - the "Kill the wabbit!" scene
* "Siegfried's Horn Call" from ''Siegfried'', Act II, scene 2 of ''Der Ring des Nibelungen'' - Bug Bunny's introduction
* The overture from ''Tannhäuser'', Act I - Bugs' entrance as the Valkyrie Brunhilde and duet with Elmer
* The bacchanale from ''Tannhäuser'', Act I - Bugs and Elmer's ballet scene
* The "Pilgrims' Chorus" from ''Tannhäuser'', Act III, scene 1 - closing scene


==Release==
==Release==
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==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
* The title is a play on Bugs' catchphrase "What's Up Doc?"
* The title is a play on Bugs' catchphrase "What's Up Doc?"
* This is the last cartoon directed by Chuck Jones to star Elmer Fudd.


==Errors==
==Errors==
*  
*  
==Everlasting influence==
==Everlasting influence==
* In the ''[[Drawn Together]]'' episode "A Very Special Drawn Together After School Special," Spanky returns home from the opera singing "Kill the Wabbit"
* This cartoon would be used as a segment in ''[[The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie]]'', ''[[Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster]]'' and ''[[Bugs Bunny at the Symphony]]''.
* In the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "Movin' In," while watching opera, Stewie tells Brian, "Bugs Bunny is about to make this tenor hold a note far longer than anyone should. Ain't he a stinker?"  
* In [[1992]], the United States Library of Congress deemed the short "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," and made it first animated short to be inducted to the National Film Registry.
* In the ''[[Drawn Together]]'' episode "A Very Special Drawn Together After School Special," Spanky returns home from the opera singing "Kill the wabbit!"
* In the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "Movin' In," while watching opera, Stewie tells Brian, "Bugs Bunny is about to make this tenor hold a note far longer than anyone should. Ain't he a stinker?"
* Elmer Fudd's Siegfried persona would be inspired by this cartoon and used in the video game ''[[Bugs Bunny and Taz: Time Busters]]''.
* The personas of Siegfried Elmer and Valkyrie Bugs would be used as playable characters in ''[[Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem]]''.


==Critical reception==
==Critical reception==
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==Home availability==
==Home availability==
* In the United States:
* In the United States:
**  
**[[Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2]]
**[[The Essential Bugs Bunny]]
**[[Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1]]
**[[Bugs Bunny's 80th Anniversary Collection]]


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:1957]]
[[Category:1957]]
[[Category:Bugs Bunny theatrical shorts]]
[[Category:Bugs Bunny theatrical shorts]]
[[Category:Directed by Chuck Jones]]
[[Category:Elmer Fudd theatrical shorts]]
[[Category:Elmer Fudd theatrical shorts]]
[[Category:Merrie Melodies]]
[[Category:Merrie Melodies (theatrical shorts)]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. Cartoons]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. Cartoons]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. Pictures]]
[[Category:Written by Michael Maltese]]

Revision as of 07:43, 13 April 2024

What's Opera, Doc?
Whats Opera Doc Lobby Card.jpg
Lobby card.
Production company Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributor Warner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date July 6, 1957
Run time 7:03
Starring Mel Blanc
Music composed by Milt Franklyn
Story by Mike Maltese
Director(s) Chuck Jones
Series navigation
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Title card
What's Opera, Doc title card.png

What's Opera, Doc? is the four-hundredth and twenty-sixth Merrie Melodies theatrical short. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on February 28, 1957. It was written by Michael Maltese, and directed by Chuck Jones.

Elmer and Bugs do their usual chase scene in an epic parody of Richard Wagner's operas.

Detailed summary

Memorable quotes

Elmer: Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit!
Bugs: Kill da wabbit?


Bugs: Oh, might warrior of great fighting stock... Might I inquire to ask, "Eh... What's up doc?"


Elmer: I'll kill the WABBIT! Awise, storm! Nowth winds blow! South winds blow! Typhoons... Huwwicanes... Earthquakes... SMOOOOOOOOG!!! Stwike, wightning! Stwike the WABBIT!!!


Bugs: Well, what did you expect from an opera? A happy ending?

Characters

Legend
Character debut Speaking debut Ep. debut No lines Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character Actor
Elmer Fudd Arthur Q. Bryan
Mel Blanc (one line only)
Bugs Bunny Mel Blanc


Locations

Objects

  • Elmer's spear
  • Elmer's magic helmet

Vehicles

Production

Second Lobby Card
Second lobby card.

Development

Filming

Music

The music was composed by Milt Franklyn and is based on pieces from classical composer Richard Wagner. It consists of arrangements of Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), and Tannhäuser.

Songs

  • The overture from Der Ring des Nibelungen, Act I - Elmer's leitmotif as Siegfried; opening and closing scenes
  • "Ride of the Valkyries" from Die Walküre, Act III, of Der Ring des Nibelungen - the "Kill the wabbit!" scene
  • "Siegfried's Horn Call" from Siegfried, Act II, scene 2 of Der Ring des Nibelungen - Bug Bunny's introduction
  • The overture from Tannhäuser, Act I - Bugs' entrance as the Valkyrie Brunhilde and duet with Elmer
  • The bacchanale from Tannhäuser, Act I - Bugs and Elmer's ballet scene
  • The "Pilgrims' Chorus" from Tannhäuser, Act III, scene 1 - closing scene

Release

Dates are in order of release:

  • United States: July 6, 1957 in theatres

Behind the scenes

  • The title is a play on Bugs' catchphrase "What's Up Doc?"
  • This is the last cartoon directed by Chuck Jones to star Elmer Fudd.

Errors

Everlasting influence

  • This cartoon would be used as a segment in The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster and Bugs Bunny at the Symphony.
  • In 1992, the United States Library of Congress deemed the short "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," and made it first animated short to be inducted to the National Film Registry.
  • In the Drawn Together episode "A Very Special Drawn Together After School Special," Spanky returns home from the opera singing "Kill the wabbit!"
  • In the Family Guy episode "Movin' In," while watching opera, Stewie tells Brian, "Bugs Bunny is about to make this tenor hold a note far longer than anyone should. Ain't he a stinker?"
  • Elmer Fudd's Siegfried persona would be inspired by this cartoon and used in the video game Bugs Bunny and Taz: Time Busters.
  • The personas of Siegfried Elmer and Valkyrie Bugs would be used as playable characters in Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem.

Critical reception

In other languages

Language Name Meaning

Home availability

References