In Memory Of Chuck Jones: Master Of The Art Of Animation

Just over a year ago, I wrote a review of Ron Howard’s film “The Grinch” for the Muse. In the review I said the film had strong visuals, but it did not manage to do in nearly two hours what the original animated special did in less than thirty minutes. The 1966 TV special was superior in almost every aspect. The songs were more memorable, the gags were funnier, the touching moments were more heartfelt and the pacing was flawless. In short, 1966’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is a timeless classic, something the recent film will never be.

I awoke Saturday morning to find that Chuck Jones, the animation genius behind “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and over 300 other cartoons had passed on at age 89. The man whose work had withstood the test of time had fallen victim to congestive heart failure.

If Jones’ name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s likely his resume will. Take for example “One Froggy Evening (1955),” the cartoon that introduced the world to Michigan J. Frog. 40 years later, little did anyone know he would become the mascot of the WB network. Then there’s “The Dot and the Line (1965)”, which won an Oscar for best animated short film. And what about 1957’s “What’s Opera, Doc?” The cartoon, which featured Elmer Fudd singing “Kill the Wabbet,” was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1992. The organization said the film was “among the most culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films of our time.”

For most animation fans, Jones’ name could easily be placed alongside Walt Disney, Tex Avery and Max Fleischer as the greatest to ever work in the medium. Jones had a hand in creating such cultural icons as the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Pepe Le Pew and Marvin Martian. And without him, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck might never have achieved the popularity they did. Along with being prolific, he made some of the best cartoons of all time. It’s no coincidence that his shorts are still in regular rotation on TV. Almost every “Bugs and Daffy” or “Merry Melodies” of “Loony Toons” show you can find will have a few of Jones’ classics in their rotation.

Perhaps Jones’ success can best be summed up by a quote from his official website biography.. Jones wrote, “A small child once said to me: ‘You don’t draw Bugs Bunny, you draw pictures of Bugs Bunny,’ That’s a very profound observation because it means that he thinks the characters are alive, which, as far as I am concerned, is true.” Jones brought Bugs Bunny to life; he gave his characters so much personality they grew off the animation cell into real entities. He not only brought characters to life, he made them part of our lives.

I’m deeply saddened by Chuck Jones’ death, but at least I can find some solace in the output Jones has left behind. I can still look back at my favorites like 1953’s “Duck Amuck,” 1953’s “Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a 1/2 Century” and 1961’s “Abominable Snow Rabbit.” I remember just how hilarious it used to be when Bugs forgot to make that left turn at Albuquerque or when Daffy zapped himself with a disintegrator gun. The world has just lost one of animation’s best, but at least his best work will to live on.