Cartoon a Day: Rocket-bye Baby

Rocket-bye Baby
1956
Directed by Chuck Jones
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6

I hadn't intended for this look at "one-shot" cartoons to spend so much time in the 1950's, but that seems to be the way things have gone. "Rocket-bye Baby" is another great example of the unique designs used in some 50's cartoons, but with a definite Chuck Jones twist.

The story concerns some sort of strange event in outer space that sends two babies on their way to their respective planets in the wrong directions. An Earth baby ends up on Mars and a Martian baby ends up on Earth. It's an interesting take on the whole flying saucer fad which was going on at the time this film was made.

The expressions of some of the characters certainly point to things we would see out of Jones in the future, especially in works like "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Also on display are some of the longer drawn out expressions like Jones used in "One Froggy Evening" just a year earlier.

This short also has an interesting take on some of the background elements. In some scenes items such as furniture are little more than line drawings. You can see the background right through them, but it works great.

I didn't find this short to be as laugh-out-loud funny as some other Jones' shorts, but you can't help but love that little green baby.