| Birds Anonymous | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Friz Freleng |
| Story by | Warren Foster[1] |
| Produced by | Edward Selzer |
| Starring | Mel Blanc |
| Edited by | Treg Brown |
| Music by | Milt Franklyn |
| Animation by | |
| Layouts by | Hawley Pratt |
| Backgrounds by | Boris Gorelick |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 6:56 |
| Language | English |
Birds Anonymous is aWarner Bros.Merrie Melodies animated short directed byFriz Freleng and written byWarren Foster.[3] The short was released on August 10, 1957, and starsTweety andSylvester.[4] The title is a reference to renownedmutual aid organizationsAlcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) andNarcotics Anonymous (N.A.).
Sylvester attempts to catch and eat Tweety and very nearly succeeds, only to be stopped by an erudite, mild-mannered cat (retroactively named Clarence in 1981'sThe Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie and modern Looney Tunes comics), who explains that Sylvester's constant cravings for birds can only lead to self-destruction, and invites Sylvester to a meeting of "Birds Anonymous" ("B.A."), a support group of cats, who have resolved to help one another overcome their bird addictions. Empowered by their stories of their own struggles, Sylvester adopts a new motto for himself: "Birds is strictly for the birds!"
Back at home, it does not take long for Sylvester's new-found will power to falter, due in large part to ubiquitous temptation as he and Tweety live together. Sylvester's temptations are only exacerbated after watching a TV chef preparing a turkey, and then hearing a disc jockey on the radio mention bird-themed songs (he tried to play music to get his mind off of birds). Sylvester then tries handcuffing himself to an iron radiator out of the reach of Tweety, but when Tweety purposely tempts him by asking something which risked his safety, "Don't you like me anymore?" Sylvester finally caves in and makes another grab for the bird. Sylvester is stopped by Clarence, who reluctantly shoots a plunger at Sylvester's mouth. When he has expressed the fear that Sylvester might be weakening, he gratefully confirms Clarence's suspicion.
That night, Sylvester tries to sleep, but is tormented by insomnia and withdrawal symptoms before he completely succumbs to his basic instincts, but is stopped yet again when Clarence arrives and poursalum in his mouth causing it to shrink, after which Sylvester attempts to literally suck Tweety into his mouth through a straw to no avail. Sylvester collapses into sobs on the floor tearfully admitting weakness, but is calmed by Clarence, who tells him there is no need for this demonstration, and consoles him saying that birds and cats can coexist peacefully. To prove his point, Clarence kisses Tweety's head. However, yielding to his own long-suppressed temptation, he relapses into bird addiction and attempts to devour Tweety, who flies away from him. An astonished Sylvester restrains Clarence and tells him to stop it and control himself. Tweety then tells the audience, "Like I said before, once a bad ol' puddy tat, always a bad ol'puddy tat."
Birds Anonymous is a reference to the self-help movementAlcoholics Anonymous andNarcotics Anonymous.[5]The voice of Clarence the cat is similar to that ofMarvin the Martian, the creation ofChuck Jones. The voice of the B.A. Cat was used by Blanc for the love-bird inLife With Feathers, among other places.
The premise was later adapted intoThe Last Hungry Cat, again with Sylvester struggling against his conscience over Tweety.
Shannon K. Garrity writes, "Mel Blanc's amazing vocal performances — it was reputedly the Warner Bros. short of which he was proudest — rank high among the many joys of this lovingly crafted, hilariously self-aware cartoon. Freleng and his team went all out to giveBirds Anonymous a film noir look, with dramatic camera angles drawn by layout artistHawley Pratt and moody backgrounds by Boris Gorelick... Above all,Birds Anoymous satirizes Warner Bros. cartoons themselves. The structure of the standard Sylvester and Tweety cartoon — and all chase cartoons — is threatened by Sylvester's resolution to walk away from the conflict and be a better cat. In the Looney Tunes world, of course, this can't be allowed."[6]
Birds Anonymous won theAcademy Award for Best Animated Short Film[7][8] in1958, beatingTabasco Road starringSpeedy Gonzales;[9] both shorts were eventually given Blue Ribbon reissues in 1964. WhenEddie Selzer died, the statuette was passed on to Mel Blanc, who said that this was his favorite cartoon to do voices for, especially his role as Sylvester.[10]
This film appeared inThe Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie's third act "The Oswalds" where Sylvester and Clarence fight over Tweety again with Granny intervening.
As of 2005[update],Birds Anonymous can also be found, uncut and restored, on theLooney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3,Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection, and theLooney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3. It can also be found on the former UK rental VHS tape ofThe Bodyguard from 1993. A music/effects only track is also available.
