“Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur” —early Daffy Duck. Early Chuck Jones, too. About the time this one was released, other directors like Bob Clampett and Tex Avery were bending time and space, trying to figure out just how fast and outrageous you could make a cartoon. Meanwhile, Jones was over in the corner, trying stuff that was completely different —films with humor based on anticipation, rather than surprise. Relaxed. Deliberate. Unhurried. We’re talkin’ SLOW here. Laurel and Hardy slow. Jack Benny slow.
So, it’s not surprising Casper Caveman talks like Benny in this one. In fact, the whole cartoon kinda has a Jack Benny radio show vibe going for it; everything is leisurely paced, with the big laughs grounded in solid characterization. And the voice impersonation is pretty good too (years later, the real live Benny did his own voice for a Warners cartoon, but I think the guy doing the impression here is [Read more…]
