From A to Z-Z-Z-Z

While Chuck Jones has been given his just desserts as an animator he is awfully underrated as a filmmaker and should be considered as one of the top directors of all-time regardless of medium. Not only have his works inspired the likes of Steven Spielberg, Chris Columbus and Joe Dante but his characters were always human.

In this short we get the most rounded character Chuck Jones ever created not only because he was "Flesh and Blood" but because he (Ralph Phillips) went through a range of emotions (boredom, whimsy, regret, anger, self-indulgence, loneliness) than most of his characters ever did. This film is a testament to Jones's art. In just 21 minutes Chuck Jones created a character who doesn't shine as brightly but is just as memorable as Bugs Bunny.

10/10

This Oscar-nominated short directed by Chuck Jones is one I can relate with. In school while I'm usually the talkative/class clown type. There are times when I doze off and daydream about fantastic adventures and places and people. So in a way I can relate to this short and it's leading character. And this short is based on Chuck Jones' childhood daydreams. So I guess we have something in common.

Looney Tunes cartoons are mainly known for their stock characters, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, etc., but now and again there was a single cartoon, or one or two, featuring a character who didn't appear anywhere else. One of these characters was the daydreaming little boy, Ralph Phillips.

In 'From A to ZZZZ', Ralph daydreams during class - he's underwater, he's a general, the usual boyish kind of dreams. Cutely drawn and influenced just a touch by Gerald McBoing-Boing, UPA's award-winning creation who only speaks in sound, Ralph and this cartoon are an irresistible combination.

'From A to Z-Z-Z-Z' is a clever, charming and imaginative cartoon that is deserving of more attention. Despite being Oscar-nominated, a high IMDb rating and reviews expressing extreme fondness and adoration, compared to other Chuck Jones cartoons it's not particularly well-known and it's a shame.

It's very well-animated, the drawing of course is sketchier than previous Jones cartoons and the backgrounds more stylised but they don't look cheap or ugly at all. There is some lovely lush use of colour, the backgrounds even when stylised look as though a lot of careful detail went into them and the sketchy drawing style is of the elegant rather than scrappy kind.

Carl Stalling has long been my personal favourite of the regular Looney Tunes composers, his music always elevates cartoons to a greater level and this reviewer has yet to hear a bad score from him. Here in 'From A to Z-Z-Z-Z', fits beautifully and not just adds to the cartoon but enhances it. It's lushly and cleverly orchestrated as always, has a delicious wit, a dream-like whimsy and the rhythms are high in energy and character.

The writing is sharp, whimsical and never misfires, often being hilarious. Ralph's day-dreaming is very imaginatively rendered and never less than highly amusing, especially with the maths. The story is energetically paced and one, particularly anybody known to day-dream or wanting to go on more exciting adventures, will find themselves relating to the story and to Ralph, who is a very charming title character who conveys a surprising wide range of emotions instead of just being adorable.

Voice acting is very good, Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet are always great and Dick Beals more than holds his own.

All in all, a real charmer from Chuck Jones. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Nominated for an Oscar, this cartoon is a takeoff on Walter Mity, with a small boy named Ralph Phillips surpassing Mitty in inventiveness. Thoroughly engaging and extremely hilarious, the situations Ralph imagines are wonderful and so off-beat (particularly his bout with mathematics!) that the cartoon can be watched again and again without getting old or growing flat. Most highly recommended.