Martian Through Georgia

Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow's 'Martian Through Georgia' (co-directed by Maurice Noble) seems to be a case of too many cooks spoil the broth. The excessive directorial input seems to be down to a thoroughly perplexing script by Carl Kohler and Jones himself, which places too much stock in a constant, intrusive narration which is necessary to explain exactly what is going on but is irritating nevertheless. A dark little tale of a depressed Martian who travels to Earth in search of rejuvenation but discovers only rejection and abhorrence, 'Martian Through Georgia' never locates the charm it seems to falsely believe it is in possession of. Over-stylised in every way, 'Martian Through Georgia' is undoubtedly an interesting failure but a failure nonetheless, indicative of Jones's struggle to keep Warner cartoons interesting and relevant during their waning 60s era.

While I am a fan of Chuck Jones and most of his cartoons, Martian Through Georgia doesn't see him at his best. That's not to say it's bad, the animation is eye-popping in colour and detail with character designs that are really quite unique. The standout was in the beginning, the expressionistic look was perfect for life on Mars. The music is vibrantly orchestrated and has a lot of character too, it does give energy to Martian Through Georgia that I don't think were there in the gags. The cartoon also begins very strongly, and Mel Blanc's voice acting is solid as rocks. Sadly, the story and humour never really catches fire. The story is certainly interesting enough in its idea, I just think that the Martian's adventures on Earth takes too much of the running time(they were interesting to see but not particularly fun, memorable or exciting), while the pacing lacked snap and excitement. And some of it feels confused and as though the cartoon is trying to do too much. Martian Through Georgia doesn't really have much that is funny let alone hilarious and the narration is not just annoying but doesn't always make sense either. The Martian is a likable titular character, just not a particularly compelling one. The ending also felt abrupt. To conclude, a cartoon that interests and one that is neither great or awful, just kind of a mixed bag. 5/10 Bethany Cox

If anyone at Termite Terrace could put together a classic sci-fi cartoon, it was Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble, the creative team behind 'Duck Dodgers', 'Mad as a Mars Hare', and of course 'Martian through Georgia'.

The story shows a young alien (though he is called a Martian in the 'toon, it was never established that he was from Mars) whom has become incredibly bored with his home planet. Advised to travel and broaden his horizons, the little Martian comes across Earth, and realizes that here he can be happy. Of course, the people of Earth only see him as a monster and freak out. What makes this cartoon so special is that the little Martian doesn't realize that HE is the monster, and decides to help the Earth out by finding and destroying the monster!

The design and layout of 'Martian Through Georgia' is a prime-example of Jones and Noble's talent, showcasing eye-popping color, beautiful backgrounds, and a great storyline that Jones himself help write ( this 'toon is a rare exception where Michael Maltese, Jones' #1 writer, is nowhere to be found).

A classic 'toon that deserves an honored spot on any collector's list, 'Martian through Georgia' is amazing work from one of the best teams at Termite Terrace. Be sure to check it out!

Not sure why this one isn't getting more love. It's a fun and interesting Looney Tunes short from Chuck Jones, Maurice Noble, and Abe Levitow that doesn't feature any of the regular Looney Tunes characters. Instead, it's the story of a Martian who's bored with the seemingly idyllic Martian way of life. So he travels to Earth (the US state of Georgia specifically) where he is met with terror from the Earthlings, who scream "Monster!" and run away. This leads to several thoughtful and humorous bits until the alien figures out that humans see him as a monster because he's different. In typical Chuck Jones fashion, it's a funny short that also has something to say. Thankfully, it's not heavy-handed in the least nor does it ever feel like a "message cartoon." It makes its point subtly and creatively. The animation is terrific. At a time when WB cartoons were looking and sounding increasingly cheap, this one is stylish and colorful in a way that just pops off the screen. There are a couple of parts that will definitely remind you of Jones' later Grinch work. It's just a great cartoon all around and I'm not sure why it isn't rated higher. Perhaps it's one of those cartoons you have to see when you're in the right mood.

Just watched this Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon on YouTube. Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow along with Maurice Noble directed this pretty amusing one-shot about an inhabitant of supposedly Mars who, unlike others, is lonely and bored. So, on the advice of his psychiatrist, he travels to Earth where he finds some excitement and when he hears of a "monster" he decides to do something about it. Like I said, not much laughs but the story, which was co-written by Jones, is pretty involving and, if you've ever felt alienated, is easy to relate to as well. With all that said, I highly recommend Martian Through Georgia to anyone who's a fan of Jones and/or Warner Bros. cartoons.