What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)

What’s Opera, Doc? Review

What’s Opera, Doc? is a 1957 animated short film from the Merry Melodies series. It is probably the most iconic of all the shorts in this series.

This movie entered history for being the first animated short to be recognized by the many different groups of critics as a masterpiece. And it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved by the critics as it’s such an effortless sendoff of opera as an art form. Although the movie sacrificed some of the humor due to its emphasis on visuals and sung dialogue, we still got a couple of iconic humorous moments here, the final line definitely being the best of the bunch.

As Bugs turns to the audience and says that line about all operas ending badly, it’s a fantastic, ironic wink to the audience, and one of the most perfect endings in the history of this series. The pairing of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd has rarely produced efforts better or as good as the product that we received here as their dynamic is incredible. The cross-dressing scene is another highlight as the horse imagery was hilarious. The highlight of the picture is the animation. Wow, is it breathtaking. The heavily stylized backgrounds and an impressive use of shading made the short really stand out while the action on the screen perfectly accompanied the famous Richard Wagner pieces.

What’s Up, Doc? is the most iconic Warner Bros. cartoon for many good reasons. It’s a genuine work of art due to its impressively stylized animation. The characters have also rarely been better paired than they were here.

My Rating – 4.6