Now Hear This (1962)

Directors:

Chuck Jones
Maurice Noble (co-director)

Writers:

John W. Dunn (story) &
Chuck Jones (story)

Release Date:

27 April 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Short | Animation | Comedy

Plot:

In this very abstract cartoon, a hard-of-hearing old Britisher finds a red horn and uses it as a megaphone...

Plot Keywords:

Looney Tunes | Hell | Devil | Hearing Impaired | Phonograph

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Mel Blanc

...

Vocal effects (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Chuck Jones
Maurice Noble		(co-director)

Writing credits
John W. Dunn		(story) (as John Dunn) &
Chuck Jones		(story)

Original Music by
William Lava		(as Bill Lava)

Sound Department
Treg Brown	....	sound effects

Animation Department
Bob Bransford	....	animator
Philip DeGuard	....	background artist
Ben Washam	....	animator

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Animation
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Runtime:

6 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Warner Bros. Animation

Trivia:

This was the first Warner Bros cartoon to use the "modern" Looney Tunes opening and closing sequence featuring stylized animation, an abstract WB logo, zooming "OO" in the word "Cartoon", swirling zooming lines (in place of the zooming shield), and slick lettering, on a black background, all to a "modern" rendition of the Looney Tunes theme ("The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down"). This title will also be used on four 1964 shorts ("Bartholomew Vs. The Wheel," "Senorella and the Glass Huarache," "Pancho's Hideaway" and "Road to Andalay,) and then every WB cartoon from 1965 to 1969.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Behind the Tunes: Crash! Bang! Boom! - The Wild Sounds of Treg Brown (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Rule Brittania

Remarkable use of limited animation!

This cartoon, which was nominated for an Oscar (losing out to the remarkable short, The Hole), is an exceptional use of limited animation. In order to compensate for the drawbacks inherent in limited animation, something else isneeded to counterbalance the lack of motion. Through very creative use of color and sound (as well as a fascinating and thought-provoking idea), Chuck Jones manages to turn a weakness into a strength and the result is truly inspired. This runs relatively often on Cartoon Network on the weekends and doubtless will run on the Chuck Jones Show eventually, if it hasn't already. Most highly recommended.