This Is a Life
8 /10 1 Votes
Duration | Director I. Freleng Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Release date July 9, 1955 (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This Is a Life? is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon of the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Friz Freleng, written by Warren Foster, and produced by Edward Selzer, with music directed by Milt Franklyn. Originally released to theatres on July 9, 1955, the voices are done by Mel Blanc, Arthur Q. Bryan, and June Foray. This is one of the few Bugs Bunny cartoons whose title does not contain Bugs, bunny, rabbit or hare.
Contents
This is one of the only two Warner Bros. shorts in the original classic era of Looney Tunes (the other being A Star Is Bored) in which Bugs is paired with his main three antagonists. This is also the first time that June Foray provides the voice of Granny, which Foray would then reprise for nearly 60 years.
Summary
In a parody of 1952's This is Your Life, Elmer Fudd (aping Ralph Edwards) is the host and Bugs Bunny is the guest of honor, much to the disgust of Daffy Duck. On several occasions, Granny whacks Daffy over the head with her umbrella to keep him quiet. Meanwhile, Bugs reminisces with Elmer and Yosemite Sam about their previous encounters (reviewed via footage from past Bugs Bunny cartoons A Hare Grows in Manhattan, Buccaneer Bunny, and Hare Do), in which Bugs always gets the best of them. Elmer and Sam plan to finally get even with Bugs by presenting him with a special gift — a time bomb — in appreciation of their "friendship," but Daffy — stubbornly refusing to believe that he was not the guest — grabs the gift ("I really deserve it!"), and takes the resulting explosion. Naturally, Daffy ends up telling Bugs: "You're... You're... You're despicable", then leaves.
Cast
Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam and Announcer
Arthur Q. Bryan as Elmer Fudd (uncredited)
June Foray as Granny (uncredited)
Availability
This Is a Life? is featured uncut & digitally remastered on the new Looney Tunes Superstars DVD set, "Daffy Duck: Frustrated Fowl". However, it was cropped down to widescreen format; which caused anger among most Looney Tunes fans and collectors.
Analysis
The cartoon uses arranged music for the opening title card and the introductory credits before showing the title of the picture.