Rock & Roll Riding Hood

Well, Hallelujah! If my calculations are correct (there's a sporting chance of they aren't) it's the 70th anniversary of Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs! Clampetts All-black swing-jazz masterpiece!

This cartoon is astonishing in it's fun and innovation. Despite the bad-press it gets for racial caricature (which I have some strong opinions about) it remains one of the most unique short subjects ever made.

A couple of years ago, good old Eddie Fitzgerald wrote a great blogpost imagining what could have been if Bob Clampett had've stayed on at Warner Brothers through the 1950s and given the Coal Black treatment to nascent Rock and Roll music.

It's a great idea! One I would dearly liked to have seen realized but forces conspired against it. Bob left to pursue his fine 'Beany and Cecil' program and the whole shorts program closed when the courts ruled studios couldn't own theaters.

But for the sake of fun and wistful what-if-ing, here's my concept for a Clampett directed, Rock 'n Roll themed, Coal Black followup cartoon lobby-card:

I referenced lots of actual lobby cards from Warner Brothers and the period. I purposely added all the little credits around the image to make it look more authentic. And a bad pun down the bottom, I just can't help myself!

Speak of the devil! Here's the actual lobby card for Coal Black!

Here's how the two characters in my poster assumed the proper, painted look of a Warner Brothers cartoon poster:

I'm not exactly sure what the cartoon would be about though.

I thought perhaps the Wolf is part of a Rock band and plays the guitar. He sees round, firm, young Miss Riding Hood coming his way and he plays her a few hot licks on his steely guitar to show off. She brushes him off, 'I'm going to listen to some clean ,wholesome Jazz records with my Grandmother, if you must know'. The Wolf recoils. Jazz! How old hat! Passé! Squaresville!

Or maybe it's the other way round. The Wolf tires to ensnare the maiden with some snazzy tunes on his old Trumpet. She laughs at him, Jazz is so pre-war! She's going into the woods to meet her boyfriend who plays Rock and Roll. Furious at being nixed, the Wolf throws away his horn. He runs into the woods and puts on a big fake Elvis wig, horn-rimmed glasses, a big shouldered jacket and puckers his lips (like how Daffy does in 'Book Revue') and pretends to be her Rock & Roll beau. Red is doubtful if it's really her man and becomes sure when the Wolf picks up the guitar plays like a Jellyfish.

I really feel like doing some energy sketches now! But after all, it's not like we're really making the cartoon. Which is good because there's already a superb sexed-up Red Riding Hood cartoon out there:

Here's to 'Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs' and it's imminent DVD release (kof-kof)

Man, whens this cartoon comin' out on DVD anyways?

DAT is a military secret!

Enjoy the best looking copy I could find, of one the best looking  cartoons ever made!



Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs by totenkopf999