Author Archives: Phil Hall

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The Bootleg Files: The Deer’s Bell

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BOOTLEG FILES 919: “The Deer’s Bell” (1982 Chinese animated short).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Maybe as part of a collection of Chinese animation.

One of the great joys of being a film writer is accidentally discovering a film that you never knew existed, then falling in love with it, and then being able to share that newfound love with anyone who will listen. I am now experiencing that sensation by sharing “The Deer’s Bell” with you via this column.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Bedevilled Rabbit (1957)

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Bedevilled Rabbit (1957)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Ted Bonnicksen, Keith Darling, George Grandpré
Music by Milt Franklyn

When the Tasmanian Devil – or Taz, as his friends know him – debuted in the 1954 “Devil May Hare,” producer Edward Selzer took a dislike to the character and ordered director Robert McKimson not to use him again. However, studio chief Jack L. Warner later intervened by pointing to the surplus number of fan letters asking when Taz would be in another cartoon. Three years passed after “Devil May Hare” before he returned in “Bedevilled Rabbit,” which was the best of the Bugs-Taz pairings.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Ali Baba Bunny (1957)

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Ali Baba Bunny (1957)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Music by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn
Animation by Richard Thompson, Ken Harris, Abe Levitow, Ben Washam and Harry Love

The major problem with the Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck frenemy cartoons is the surplus amount gags focused on Daffy, with Bugs serving mostly as a polite onlooker to the violent humiliation generated by his web-footed friend’s self-destructive greed, jealousy, and rudeness. “Ali Baba Bunny” is the best of these pairings because Bugs shares an equal load of generated laughs with Daffy, and the two work in unison in dealing with a memorable adversary. The result is one of the very best of the Bugs Bunny series, as well as one of the most comically satisfying cartoons ever made.
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10 More of the Best Musical Numbers You May Not Have Seen (But Need to See)

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Last Friday’s feature on 10 great musical numbers from films that never quite achieved classic status but are too much fun was so well received that we’re serving up another 10 under-the radar numbers that deserve some extra attention.
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The 10 Best Musical Numbers You May Not Have Seen (But Need to See)

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When it comes to the subject of movie musicals, it always seems like a handful of numbers from classic films are always presented as being the best of the genre. And, to be fair, they deserve that attention. Whether it involves Judy Garland pining to be “Over the Rainbow” or James Cagney giving a new meaning to patriotism with “Yankee Doodle Dandy” or Gene Kelly getting happily soaked while “Singin’ in the Rain,” everyone knows these numbers by heart.

Today, we’re going in the opposite direction with segments from 10 films that never quite achieved classic status but nonetheless feature larger than life musical sequences that are too much fun.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: To Hare is Human (1956)

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To Hare is Human (1956)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Abe Levitow, Richard Thompson, Ken Harris, Ben Washam
Music by Milt Franklyn

Wile E. Coyote wants Bugs Bunny for breakfast – not as a guest, but as his meal – but the self-proclaimed genius quickly discovers capturing his prey is beyond his intellectual capacities. For this pursuit, the coyote installs a supersized Univac computer in his cave and consults the machine for strategies on catching Bugs. The computer offers several ideas, but all these seemingly ingenious efforts wildly backfire on the coyote.
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