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Injun Trouble(1969 film)

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Injun Trouble
One of Cool Cat's many encounters with the inhabitants of the reservation.
Directed byBob McKimson
Story byCal Howard
Produced byBill L. Hendricks
StarringLarry Storch
Edited by
Music byWilliam Lava
Animation by
Layouts by
Backgrounds byBob McIntosh
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed by
Release date
  • September 20, 1969(1969-09-20)
Running time
6:18
LanguageEnglish

Injun Troubleis a 1969Merrie Melodiescartoon, directed byRobert McKimson.[1]The cartoon was released on September 20, 1969, and featuresCool Cat.[2]It is noted for being the last cartoon in the originalMerrie Melodiesseries, ending a run that had continued since 1931, as well as the whole originalLooney Tunes/Merrie Melodiesseries from 1930-1969. Additionally, this was the 1,000th cartoon short released byWarner Bros.

This cartoon was the lastMerrie Melodiescartoon untilThe Fright Before Christmasten years later in 1979. This cartoon was also the last Warner Bros. cartoon to be produced beforeWarner Bros.-Seven Arts Animationwas shut down on October 10, 1969, and the second of the only two Cool Cat shorts directed by Robert McKimson, as well as the last Warner Bros. cartoon to be directed by him. The cartoon shares its name with anearlier shortdirected byBob Clampett,which features Porky Pig.

Synopsis

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Cool Cat is driving to the town of Hotfoot, when his route happens to take him through anIndian reservation.Two scouts spot him and one of them gives chase, only to fall into a chasm when the weight of him and his horse causes the makeshift bridge to collapse. As Cool Cat drives along, he encounters more Native Americans in the following scenarios:

  • Cool Cat is first stopped by a Native American man who gives his obese daughter away, much to Cool Cat's frustration.
  • Cool Cat is not seen in the next gag, in which a Native American attempts to paint a stripe on his teepee, but quits in frustration after he finds that he failed to paint it in a complete circle. Then he paints a face on an aluminum pail and puts it over his head, calling himself a "pail-face".
  • Cool Cat finds a bow and arrow on the ground, and he uses the bow to fire the arrow into the sky. An agitated Native American man with an arrow in his scalp approaches Cool Cat, and punches him in the nose.
  • A Native American uses astenograph-like device to create smoke signals that read "Cool Cat go home."
  • Cool Cat is then stopped by a more attractive woman that invites him for an "Indian Wrestle" - which turns out to be a fight with a man who is far larger than Cool Cat.
  • Cool Cat is stopped by aGroucho Marximitator who asks him, "Why?". Cool Cat remarks that he thought Native Americans asked "how". The Native American pulls out a cigar, remarks "Me know how, now I wanna know why.", and walks away.
  • Cool Cat is stopped by one last Native American who asks him to hold his shirt. When Cool Cat asks why, the Native American states he is literally riding "bareback".

Finally arriving in Hotfoot, Cool Cat spots two horses playing with human shoes, a "Horse Doctor" who really is anequine,and a showdown between two gunslingers that ends with one's belt being shot, causing his pants to drop. After that, Cool Cat spots a "Topless Saloon" and heads in, but finds out that the only topless person in there is the bartender, a rather burly man. An outlaw named Gower Gulch then arrives and seemingly challenges Cool Cat to a duel, but then settles for a game of poker. Cool Cat gets a good hand with four Aces, only for Gulch to say, "I've got a pair of deuces, and asix shooter."Announcing that he is" cutting out, "Cool Cat produces a pair of scissors and cuts a hole out of the background, which he then disappears into. He then reappears for a moment and ends the cartoon (and the original series' run) with the words" So cool it now, ya hear? "

Controversy

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Owing to controversy over its stereotyping of Native Americans (and some racy puns such as "Indian wrestling" with a curvy Native American woman and the "topless saloon", along with the use of the ethnic slur "Injun" and being used as the reel's title), the cartoon has never been shown by U.S. television broadcasters such asCartoon Network,or released on video. While bootleg versions are available (most commonly with a timecode on the image), it is one of the rarest of all Warner Bros. cartoons,[3]owing to the relative unpopularity of cartoons from this era of the studio (unlike the "Censored Eleven,"which were produced during the studio's heyday).

References

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  1. ^Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989).Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons.Henry Holt and Co. p. 368.ISBN0-8050-0894-2.
  2. ^Lenburg, Jeff (1999).The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons.Checkmark Books. p. 69.ISBN0-8160-3831-7.Retrieved6 June2020.
  3. ^The Most Obscure Warner Bros. Cartoons of All TimeArchived2012-07-19 at theWayback Machine,accessed January 7, 2008
[edit]
Preceded by Cool Cat shorts
1969
Succeeded by
None (Final Episode)