This is kinda an unpopular opinion, but Chuck Jones's 30s to 40s work on the Looney Tunes cartoons were more gag heavy and pleasant than what he evolved to in the 60s.
If you didn't know, Chuck Jones is one of the directors from the classic Looney Tunes Era. He worked on a bunch of shorts from 1938-1964.
Chuck Jones isn't one of my favorite animated directors but he's one that I don't dislike at all. He kinda feels too unstructured at times, and in my taste I don't like all of his aesthetics. My favorite animated directors are Tex Avery, Jack Kinney, Bob Clampett, and Art Davis.
Ok now I'm not criticizing these cartoons at all. I'm definitely not judging on them. But what I'm going to do is compare a early cartoon to a later cartoon and feeling for my opinion on certain shorts, so don't get mad at me if you say "that is better than that" or "your wrong." I will not except it.
I'm starting off with Chuck Jones's first cartoon he ever directed by himself called The Night Watchman (1938), and it's a very solid cartoon, what's best is that the backgrounds are masterful in this. It's an amazing first second on what Chuck Jones has for his talent.
I really like the designs here especially the main tough guy rodent, he's got a good personality. The ending also shows Tommy The Cat fighting back the rats and the main leader, and at that his pants get loose. It's hilarious and got good expressions.
And now a 60s era cartoon. Now Hear This (1963). This cartoon is passable enough but I never found it my style of what I watch. It's great for an experience though. Most of it is filled with abstract art and a guy who finds a ear trumpet that somehow is one of the devil's horns. I like it so far and I'll give it this, it has some good gags, but everything else to me was mid, the ending punchline was just a standard joke I didn't get. Not as funny or convincing as The Night Watchman (1938)'s ending.
Also, I don't know why The Depatie-Freleng era and Seven Arts Era for Looney Tunes decided to use the abstract kinda lame intro and outro from this cartoon. Probably cuz they liked the look of it, but to me it doesn't work.
Early 40s Chuck Jones brought us the most underrated character in Looney Tunes, Sniffles. Seriously I love him and his adventure-like personality. Toy Trouble (1941) is a fun, well made and expressive cartoon. It makes you feel so nostalgic with the toys, the colors, and the cute but not too cutesy designs. It's just a underrated classic and considered to be a 10/10 for me.
The camera angles and moments are all pretty top-notch. Also very funny ending punchline. Highly recommend you watching it. It's easy to follow.
And now we have... This.
Mad As A Mars Hare (1963)
Yeah this was where I believed Chuck Jones started to not get what he was doing when making these cartoons. Not to be aggressive but seriously what was this? It starts off with Marvin looking into space until he sees a rocket and it destroys his telescope. It's a average start and Marvin The Martian never fails to make me at least enjoy a little bit of the cartoon. But as is, I didn't really much like the rest, Bugs Bunny is shouting at the futuristic speakerphone and I'll admit it's kinda funny.
This cartoon though doesn't get much better and if Bob Clampett or Art Davis would make something like this, the animation would have been more expressive, here it feels stiff, again not judging but I've seen greater Marvin The Martian shorts like Haredevil Hare (1948) where the animation has more joy and movement isn't too cutesy fluff.
Then we have a boring Bugs vs Marvin fight that just goes on and nothing really funny is happening on screen. The ending was at least passable and the design of Bugs transforming into a beast is cool.
Why I seem to like Chuck Jones's cartoons more in the 30s to 40s is that the characters felt more funny and had more of a care-free vibe. The Curious Puppies are utterly underrated characters that need more cartoons. I loved every single one of their shorts and pretty much admire their exploring while someone like the martian from Martian Through Georgia (1963) isn't really interesting and pretty much a character that feels depressed and boring.
I also have to mention that Chuck Jones made two Tom Thumb cartoons and both of them were surprisingly good. What I liked about Tom Thumb In Trouble (1940), is that it had a calming atmosphere and really fun story. While on the other hand, I Was A Teenage Thumb (1963) has funny characters, clever dialogue, and decent jokes. If I had to pick which one is better, I would say Tom Thumb In Trouble is better because the backgrounds were way more pleasent but as terms of humor, I Was A Teenage Thumb had funnier moments.
Admit it there are cartoons in the late 30s-early 40s Chuck Jones Era i don't necessarily like.
The Good Egg (1939) was really slow for no reason, had annoying characters and featured a suicide joke that just isn't funny.
Ghost Wanted (1940) started off a little interesting but lacked way too quickly.
Bedtime For Sniffles (1940) was one of Sniffles's least interesting and kinda uncomfortable cartoons. I mean who would want to see a character suffer to stay awake and wait for Santa? Not me!
Robin Hood Makes Good (1939) was pretty much safe but not too great. The fox was funny but the squirrels are not interesting characters.
As for the 60s Era for Chuck Jones, there are a few that I consider classics, some are up there being one of my favorite classic cartoons.
The Abominable Snow Rabbit (1961) is hilarious from start to finish and features one of Daffy's best meltdowns.
Rabbit's Feat (1960) was such a relaxing cartoon. Bugs Bunny and Coyote make a great team even though their enemies.
Compressed Hare (1961) also was just enjoyable with Bugs and Coyote's interactions. And man the ending is absolutely brutal.
Most of Sam And Ralph's shorts in the 60s were all astounding. Sam And Ralph Cartoons to me are way better than Coyote catching the Road Runner, it's probably because it feels way more structured and laid back.
Sam and Ralph's cartoons backgrounds are the best.
At the end of the day, Chuck Jones is an animation legend that will be loved by audiences for his cynical, yet very well animated cartoons. He made some cartoons that animation professionals admired like What's Opera Doc? (1957), Rabbit Of Seville (1950) and Duck Amuck (1953) and also made some of the best characters like Nasty Canasta, Sam Sheepdog, Ralph Wolf, The Curious Puppies and freaking Charlie Dog! 😄
He may have flaws, but he'll never be forgotten.
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