Tweet Tweet Tweety

Friz Freleng's 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' is one of the dullest cartoons in a series I don't particularly like, the Sylvester and Tweety shorts. Set in a national forest, 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' proceeds to run through a series of tired gags with only the setting to distinguish them from past usage. There are a few inventive moments here and there, including a highly unusual beginning where Sylvester actually has to hatch Tweety out to get at him. However, once Tweety arrives on the scene the cartoon takes a nosedive. As a big fan of the original Bob Clampett take on Tweety, Freleng's cutesy pie version has always grated on me and in 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' (a title which betrays the dearth of ideas surrounding this project) the little yellow bird is especially obnoxious and irritating. He even manages to spoil an otherwise fine climax in which Sylvester rows up a waterfall with a quip that doesn't even try to be funny. With Freleng's Tweety, the writers obviously wanted to emphasise the cuteness in favour of gags but a big pair of blue eyes is no substitute for a decent wisecrack. The only other noteworthy feature of 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' is a nifty little gag in which Sylvester and Tweety actually turn time backwards and forwards in order to effect what time a geyser will erupt. Unfortunately, the inevitable payoff of the gag is badly directed and utterly anticlimactic. All in all, 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' recalls the levels of tedium reached in the similarly dull 'Bad Ol' Putty Tat', a cartoon which 'Tweet Tweet Tweety' actually reuses footage from.

Here is another funny Looney Tunes effort but I really appreciated was the beautiful artwork. The browns, golds and blues in here of the national forest are spectacular. The restoration process on these Golden Collection DVDs really are apparent on cartoons like this one. This episode is on Vol. 2 of the set.

As for the story, we are in a beautiful national forest with huge redwood-type trees and Sylvester's family has the camper in the trailer park. Sylvester has his own compartment door which he swings open at the first sound of a bird. He rushes out, but a park ranger is there to quickly remind, "Don't get any ideas in that head of yours. Now, get going, cat!" Sylvester slinks away.

The cat spots a nest high up in a tree, investigates, finds an egg, decides to sit on it and hatch it....and out comes Tweety. From that point, it's a chase a la Tom and Jerry and some clever sight gags. One strange sight: Sylvester with all the fur blown off his face. An orange, stubble-faced cat was really a weird thing to see!

Sylvester cat is in a forest park. He finds an egg that he decides to sit on an hatch, but the egg contains one Tweety bird. And the chase is on once more. The poor cat also has to deal with the park ranger. I inward cringe whenever Tweety opens his mouth or especially sings, I have no clue why, I just really don't like the voice. The cartoon is alright I guess, but NOT because of Tweety, but rather in spite of him. And I have to get through a few more Tweety cartoons. Joy *rolls eyes* This animated short can be seen on Disc 3 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2 and also features an optional Music & effects only track.

My Grade: C

Sylvester the Cat escapes from the family RV in a national park. He sets off to hunt for some birds, but it is a Bird and Game Refuge and the Park Ranger is watching him. He climbs up a tree to find an egg in a nest. He sets about to hatch the egg. Tweety is born and becomes a pain in Sylvester.

I don't like Tweety born from Sylvester. It is not only weird. It also ignores imprinting and Tweety is no newborn. It is a weird way to introduce him. There is a lot of the Tweety Sylvester interactions, but none of them are all that memorable. All in all, this is pretty good, but not the best Tweety.

I have to say something in general here about the Sylvester and Tweety cartoons: while I can fully understand why they would try to prevent Sylvester from making Tweety a satisfying belch, I am puzzled when humans in the shorts seem shocked or angry that he wants to absorb bird calories into his system-he's a cat and cats try to do that as often as possible. It's like a Frenchman and wine or Garfield and picking on Odie-a natural law of the universe.

Poor Sylvester never has a chance. Tweety had a "no consumption" clause put in his contract. So the park ranger piling on is adding insult to injury. I have a better chance of dating Angelina Jolie than Sylvester has of eating Tweety! Lots of sight gags and fun to watch, but pity the poor cat. Well worth watching and recommended.