Fox Pop

Now that I'm old enough to understand what a lot of the classic Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons were saying, it's a good thing that I'm only seeing some of them for the first time. "Fox Pop" is a case in point. This one portrays a red-white fox hearing on the radio that foxes are quite popular among high society women, and so he deliberately gets himself caught in a trap, only to then learn that it's fox skins that the rich women want.

This was one of many indications that Warner Bros. cartoons weren't targeted at children; they preceded feature films in movie theaters where adults could see them. This one specifically has a rather dark subject matter, with only mild humor (would it be possible to use slapstick humor to show this topic?).

Anyway, it's an OK cartoon, but understand that it shows some tense things. Worth seeing.

I love it! It is a great short and one of my favorite cartoons from Chuck Jones' early years of directing at Warner Bros. Chuck Jones is my favourite animator, along with Max Fleischer, and I also love foxes. But, you know, I thought there was no such thing as a silver fox. I thought they were mystical, fantasy creatures like flying horses, dragons, mermaids, and such, but I guess I was wrong.

I really like how the fox is depicted in a very effective, sinister silhouette as he sneaks up on an unsuspecting farmhouse. Great work! And I also love the escape scene. Excellent work, Mr. Jones. We will miss you.

It is always interesting to see Warner Brothers cartoons featuring characters that are not the classic ones we know and love and are iconic in animation history.

'Fox Pop' is a little gem and deserving of more recognition. Chuck Jones is a favourite and while 'Fox Pop' is not quite one of his masterpieces but it is still wonderful, one of his better cartoons not to feature any of the iconic Looney Tunes characters and one of his most under-appreciated. The story is slight, but has a dark, mature tone dealt with intelligently. The humour is mild and sporadic, but this turned out to be a good choice considering the subject matter.

The cartoon couldn't have started and ended more perfectly, the fox's big error and jumping to conclusions is beautifully done and has a message of how conclusion jumping has consequences that makes its point without resorting to preaching and the escape is memorable.

On a visual level, 'Fox Pop' is beautifully animated, being colourful and inventively detailed with smooth and fluid character designs. Carl Stalling's music is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed. Stalling always had an unequalled knack for not only having music that adds to the action but enhances it, that's the case here.

Even in slightly subdued form, Jones' style is still distinctive and can be found. The fox character is a relatable lead character and Mel Blanc's vocal characterisations are as ever definitively exuberant. Robert C Bruce and Tedd Pierce also excel.

In conclusion, a little under-appreciated gem. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Fox Pop is featured on a video that I used to watch as a kid. I enjoyed it back when I was little simply because it was a cartoon. Now as an adult, I see it, and things are much more clear to me now. I don't think I really understood the concept of a fox fur coat and the deadly demise that was facing the unsuspecting fox. This is really a piece of dark comedy. Some may really like that, but I on the other hand, didn't find hardly anything funny with this cartoon.

I think I chuckled once when the fox imagined women walking around wearing live foxes around the necks, but that was it. It's kind of disheartening to see this fox try to get caught in a dangerous trap and to almost face death. I know this is a cartoon, and I don't mean to take this too seriously, but it's just not the type of cartoon I enjoy. I also don't get why the crows did what they did at the end of the short. Give me a good Donald Duck cartoon instead!

My IMDb Rating: 3/10

This cartoon is beautifully done and hilarious. A fox makes a monumental error when he hears that silver foxes are highly prized, not realizing that only the skin is prized, not the fox it's attached to. This is one occasion that proves ignorance is decidedly not bliss! The fox gets into various situations and Chuck Jones makes this cartoon a spoof as well as a proof that jumping to conclusions can be a very foolish thing to do indeed. The opening and closing scenes are perfect. Most highly recommended.