What's Opera, Doc? (1957) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: What's Opera, Doc?
Year: 1957
Director: Chuck Jones
Country: US
Language: English

What's Opera, Doc? s widely regarded as Chuck Jones’ masterpiece. Most film historians, critics and fans of animation have considered it one of the greatest Warner Bros. cartoons ever conceived. The United States Library of Congress deemed it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1992, making it the first animated picture to receive such an honor. 

In this short Elmer Fudd is again hunting rabbits - only this time it's an opera. Wagner's Siegfried with Elmer as the titular hero and Bugs as Brunnhilde. They sing, they dance, they eat the scenery. 

The film uses all the cliches of the chase, which go all the way back to the first Bugs Bunny Cartoon A Wild Hare (1941), while simultaneously satirizing and playing homage to the Wagnerian Opera. Milt Franklyn’s score pulls music from five Wagner operas: ‘Der fliegende Holländer’, ‘Die Walküre’, ‘Siegfried’, ‘Rienzi’ and ‘Tannhäuser'. For the ballet scenes, Chuck Jones and his animators studied dancers Tatiana Riabouchinska and David Lichine,who were working at Warner Bros at the time and had previously worked on Fantasia (1940)

The animation is outstanding throughout, especially in the ballet and love duet between Bugs and Elmer. Yup, here we see Bugs in drag, which was not unusual to see in his cartoons before or after this film. It was kinda his thing. Bugs being dressed as Brünnhilde and riding an oversized horse is absolutely hilarious; certainly making this short quite memorable in the process.

Maurice Noble’s extreme background layouts and bold color designs look outstanding, especially when Elmer becomes furious. We can see the characters' emotions through both color of the scenery and tone of the music. What's Opera, Doc? is a must-see considering it is as good as its reputation in the film and animation community.