http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMSpI66EhLk
This is a classic Looney Tunes episode from July, 1948 and is special for a few reasons. First of all, the episode shows a bit of American pop culture, American fears, and a look at the space program which was extremely important at this time in history. Also, this was the first episode in which Marvin the Martian appears!
This episode opens with Bugs “volunteering” to go into space. However, it is quite clear the he is being forced to go into space. This is important because in 1948, space programs around the world (including U.S) began sending monkey’s into space in order to see the effects space travel would have on humans. I’m sure this bothered some people that monkey’s were being used as test subjects, and this portion of the episode plays into that.
Upon arriving to the moon, Bugs proclaims, “I am the only person ever to be here!” But what he doesn’t see, is a carving that reads, “Kilroy was here.” This was an extremely popular phrase which was used by soldiers in WW2 in order to tell other U.S troops where they had been and also used just for fun and as a joke. The phrase carried over into mainstream American pop culture. The phrase is storied to have begun at the docks in the states, where a man named Kilroy inspected the boxes being shipped out, and wrote “Kilroy was here” where he finished inspecting every day. The expression was so popular, that it is actually engraved into the WW2 memorial in DC.
This episode also shows some concerns Americans were having at the time. In Marvin’s first episode he has landed on the moon in order to blow up the world. In 1948, Americans were VERY concerned with Russia’s space program because they thought the Soviets wanted to get into space in order to bomb the United States. Fortunately for us, Bugs Bunny was there to stop the attack!
I commented on Brittany Alberry and Megan P’s blogs.
March 22, 2010 at 6:42 pm |
I think that your post is really interesting and I did learn some new things like “kilroy was here.” I really didnt know that it was so popular that it is on the WW2 memorial. I think that you really took your time and planned your post out and I appreciate that. I love how cartoons take current events and kinda poke fun at them, kinda like this one and the space program and how concerned we were to get into space.
March 22, 2010 at 6:46 pm |
[...] I commented on Michael Griffith’s post and Smickert’s Rockin Bloggin Post [...]
March 30, 2010 at 7:41 pm |
Oh wow, I remember watching this very cartoon many times as a kid. I never knew about the Kilroy was Here thing, really interesting. Again, I think the older cartoons were so much better for their more adult humor and content!
The way Bugs feels crazy and with motion sickness during the flight, the poor monkeys used in real life must have had a awful time. I assume PETA did not exsist then!