Fresh Airedale (1945)

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

This is in the very top tier of Looney Tunes cartoons from director Chuck Jones. It feels more cohesive and less abstract than something like Dover Boys, but completely separate from his later, best known work. It was produced in 1945, right as beautiful, fully drawn backgrounds for cartoons were reaching their peak. The animation of the characters is also impressive, and conveys personality much better than most one-shot characters. And as an added bonus, there's actually a great subtext in its unusual subject matter that could apply to any number of subjects, political or social.When forced to interpret the situation of a steak gone from a plate, which owner wouldn't believe the cat was the selfish ingrate and the dog the stalwart champion? It raises some interesting questions about preconceived notions, though I don't believe it was intended to answer them or send any particular message. The last scene in particular gives the impression that there is indeed some serious motive behind the ludicrous story, related somehow to hero worship and public figures not at all turning out to be who they seemed to be. But this is just icing on the cake - even if you don't think about what it means, it's a wonderful cartoon all around.

That Fresh Airedale is directed by Chuck Jones and has Mel Blanc doing voices is reason enough to see it or any cartoon for that matter. Fresh Airedale does have much to admire about it, at the same time however it is very easy to see why anybody would dislike it. It is very different to what we usually see with Jones, here is a darker and much more scathing approach in alternative to the witty laugh-a-minute one we are used to. There have been times where being different can work and others where it doesn't, Fresh Airedale is an example of the former though it does have a tone and approach that either will take some getting used to or is not going to bode well with people. Like with me this said, you may be one of those who didn't care for it first time, finding the change of pace not easy to swallow or finding it went over your head but on repeat viewings you pick up on what was missed first time round and you appreciate it more. Talking about what is so good about Fresh Airedale, the animation is fine, objects, character designs and frame blend and flow smoothly, effort clearly was made in making it as detailed as possible and the colours are still lush while maintaining the darker tone of the story. Fresh Airedale is also beautifully scored, with great energy and also sensitively to the more dramatic bits. The writing, remarkably ahead of its time, takes a scathingly cynical edge and is satirical in tone without coming across as too overly mean-spirited, it is very sharply observed throughout and manages a couple of funny moments. The story is paced well and even though in terms of plotting you are never quite sure of what it's trying to do the message makes its point, and while it's a depressing one it doesn't come across as too heavy-handed. In terms of characters, the most relateable is definitely the cat and it is him you find yourself rooting for. The dog Shep is portrayed as a sociopath with no redeeming qualities, and a great job is done making the audience hate him, not everybody will like having the main character being the one you dislike most but the approach works wonderfully within the cartoon and what it's trying to say. The voice work is excellent, Mel Blanc has had more to do before but he still puts a lot of vigour into his characterisations, while Frank Graham is also great. The ending in a way does underwhelm in the sense that there is no justice when the cartoon is literally crying out for it, however Fresh Airedale while not appealing to all tastebuds is most interesting and really well done in almost all respects. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This Chuck Jones directed masterpiece is sometimes misunderstood by people who don't get the satirical message. It's about the relationship of a pet owner and his dog and cat. To his master Shep the dog appears loyal and kind, but in reality is completely amoral and conniving. He frames his crimes on the unnamed cat in the cartoon, who is actually the kind and loving pet, so that the poor cat gets the blame from their master. This is one of the darker Jones cartoons from the 40's. Jones made a series of them, when he was teamed with the writer Mike Maltese, and it is likely that Maltese provided the caustic flavor for these. ***SPOILER ARLERT***Like in the cartoon CHOW HOUND (1950), FRESH AIREDALE is about wanting to get revenge on those who are responsible for suffering, but unlike the former film, the latter has a downbeat ending. There is no justice at the end of AIREDALE, unlike the darkly satisfying revenge enacted in CHOW HOUND. This makes the cartoon a rarity in the history of American animation -- a truly ironic ending where evil triumphs. Shep gets away with it because he is able to charm and deceive people, like a consummate politician. In a way, AIREDALE reminds me of the darker films of the 70's, so it's ahead of it's time in a way. It's obvious that the cartoon was meant for adults, rather than the small tykes. It's a little too sophisticated for the wee ones.

Don't get me wrong, I, personally, have admired Chuck Jones and his cartoons have been a major influence on me...BUT I HATED THIS ONE!!! Is it just me or was the whole message of this cartoon very negative and pessimistic. Just the fact that the one character you hate in this cartoon gets his way while the "hero" gets slapped around up until the end of the cartoon. I have to change the channel whenever this one comes on.