Looney Tunes: February 2005
Cover
In space, Penelope Cat scrambles, trying to run from Pepe Le Pew who seems to effortlessly pronk along after her. Pepe proclaims, "Ma cherie, you are out of this world!"
Credits
Synopsis
The French manned space program gets underway with the launch of the space station Croissant. Aboard the station are two French astronauts and Penelope Cat who seems to have gotten too close to an earlier rocket pack demonstration. Once in orbit, one of the astronauts goes out on a spacewalk. It's then that stowaway Pepe le Pew makes his appearance. His odor carries through the air supplying umbilical, gagging the astronaut. The affected astronaut takes his chances and flees from the station.
Pepe's advances on Penelope are interrupted by the astronaut who remained inside the station. The interruption is short-lived since once he smells Pepe, he uses an escape rocket to abandon the Croissant. Alone with Pepe, Penelope also abandons the station by rocket. Alas for her, Pepe manages to get aboard the escape rocket.
Once well into the atmosphere, Penelope parachutes out of the rocket and is followed by Pepe. They both wind up on a tropical island, where Penelope is put off by a Pepe gone mad and expressing his love for sports equipment he sees as another skunk.
Did You Notice...
The title plays off the title of the Tom Wolfe book about the seven original Project Mercury astronaut, The Right Stuff. The book was the basis for the 1983 movie of the same title.- The station looks like its namesake, a croissant.
- There is a European space effort which has a heavy French influence, the European Space Agency and its Arianne rocket. That space effort is however, so far, not a manned space effort.
- The space-walking astronaut is playing hopscotch on a rock.
- The partial line, "Houston, we have..." is from the Apollo 13 mission itself. Astronauts Jack Swigert and Jim Lovell both reported, not simultaneously, "Houston, we've had a problem."
- The situation, as well as Pepe's line, refers to the 2000 movie Cast Away.
Technical Nits
A space station capable of manuevering would be kept well away from any sizable rocks. Also, the rock seems far too small to have sufficent gravity for an astronaut to play hopscotch on it.
Credits
Synopsis
Marc Antony notices Pussyfoot isn't safely on his back and goes looking for the kitten. Seeing that Pussyfoot is climbing onto the roof, the dog tries to follow, only to wind up falling backwards as Pussyfoot pushes the ladder away as she pushes herself onto the roof. The kitten falls and Marc Antony rushes to catch her, but she's sprung back onto the roof by a clothesline while he gets tangled in a hose.
Marc Antony climbs out a window and onto the roof, using an antenna for support. His luck continues to fail as lightning strikes from what seems to be a calm sky. Another try has the dog almost succeed after an unfortunate miss and encounter with thorny roses. His new trajectory sends him right down the chimney. Pussyfoot follows and lands on Marc Antony.
Did You Notice...
- The titles plays on the name of the Tennessee Williams play, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
- While unusual, a "bolt from the blue" does occasionally happen. Charge from a storm can travel great distances and strike from an apparently calm sky.
Technical Nits
- The mast for the antenna is straight, even though it's attached directly to the outside wall and the roof overhangs the wall, so that should not be possible
Credits
Synopsis
Porky sees a TV commercial for Crazy Daffy's and decides to shop there for a present for Petunia. Daffy himself greets the pig and gives him a balloon as he arrives at the store. The already inflated balloon winds up inflating Porky who floats around the store. Not paying attention, Daffy sets about showing off a sharp electric marshmallow roaster and punctures Porky.
The duck next shows off a fancy blender, but Porky finds the result lacks taste. Porky rejects a few silly items such as a carrot sharpener, a musical cheese grater, and a strange water softener that clobbers him. The duck tries to get back on the pig's good side by showing him a massage chair, but Daffy gets carried away and the highest setting sends Porky flying into what looks like a whirlpool.
Unfortunately, it's not a whirlpool but an industrial mixer. Daffy defuses the now livid pig by showing him the ultimate entertainment system. Just announcing a demonstration has everyone else fleeing. The demo pushes Porky well back into his chair, and Daffy's ringing up a very high price is more than the pig can stand. In the end Porky does get something for Petunia: a coat made of duck down.
Did You Notice...
- Daffy's hat is the style stereotypically associated with Napoleon, and belief that one is Napoleon is a typical cartoon depiction of craziness.
- Porky's being pressed back into his chair is reminiscent of a famous ad for Maxell cassette tape which showed a listener being blown back into a chair by an obviously powerful wind from a speaker.
Technical Nits
Credits
Synopsis
Witch Hazel returns to her house riding her new nuclear T-4000 vacuum cleaner while musing to herself that she can now retire her broom. Overhearing that, the broom quickly cuts a hole in the floor, covers it with a rug, and sweeps some dirt onto the rug. Seeing the dirt, Hazel has the vacuum cleaner deal with it. The vacuum doesn't fall through the floor, but Hazel does. She blames dry rot.
Hazel asks for a cup of tea and the broom spikes it with pepper while the T-4000 isn't paying attention. This also doesn't work as planned, as Hazel likes her tea spicy. Hazel decides to go to town for more Blue Zinger tea, and the broom sabotages the vacuum with a wrench and a toothbrush. When the T-4000 fails, the witch discovers the extra items and realizes the cause of the problem: the broom that was going to be given a nice retirement. Instead, the broom is sold to a pig who will his house with the broom's straw. The money from the sale will pay for repairing the vacuum.
Did You Notice...
- Blue Zinger tea is based on Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger herbal tea. Hazel's reaction to black pepper in her tea isn't too surprising, either as another of their herbal teas, Bengal Spice, does have black pepper as one of its ingredients.
- The pig must desperate for straw to pay so much money for such a small amount of straw. (Or perhaps magical straw is worth quite a bit and a wolf might be in for a surprise. -- PN)
Technical Nits
- The wrench shown is not a monkey wrench. A monkey wrench is adjustable.
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Last updated 16 March 2005