Saturday Morning Cartoons: Tom and Jerry Conduct Carmen
Friday, September 30, 2011
-
'Carmen Get It!'
- Join the Discussion [10]
This Saturday’s cartoon once again features the cat-and-mouse slapstick duo of Tom and Jerry, this time at a Metropolitan Opera performance of Carmen.
The 1962 cartoon -- titled "Carmen Get It!" -- is set at The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. The opening scene shows Tom chasing Jerry into the opera house, with its distinctive arched windows and flanked by the David H. Koch Theater (then the New York State Theater) and Avery Fisher Hall (originally Philharmonic Hall).
Now, not to question the historical accuracy of Tom and Jerry, while Philharmonic Hall opened a couple months before “Carmen Get It!” was released, the New York State Theatre didn’t open until 1964, and the Met Opera House wasn’t finished until 1966. The Lincoln Center Fountain, missing from the cartoon, also wasn’t in place until 1964.
What do you think? Were the illustrators working off proposed sketches of a complete Lincoln Center? Did it have something to do with the fact that writer-director Gene Deitch was working out of Prague at the time? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments [10]
The music, Bizet's masterpiece, ably conducted by none other than Arturo Toscanini, makes this cartoon acceptable. (The music alone would be excellent.) The efforts by the cartoonists/illustrators/artists to capture and display the ultimate architecture & interior designs are commendable. But Tom and Jerry cartoons are just so much slapstick, one of the lowest forms of humor, not deserving of public display in conjunction with the fine music and expert cartoon drawing.
Chuck
I always hated T&J and this is a pretty low-quality cartoon. What's interesting though is that they were actually working from Philip Johnson's design of the State Theater from 1962, which was much altered but eventually applied to the Sheldon Gallery in Nebraska: http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/sheldon/sheldon.html
I'm embarrassed to admit that I've just today become aware of WQXR's Sat Morning Cartoon feature - my priorities are obviously not aligned as they should be. But as a huge Tom & Jerry fan, I'd like to point out another brilliant performance by Tom, captured in 'The Cat Concerto,' which won the Oscar for best animation in 1946. I'll not post the Youtube link so as not to commit a spoiler foul, but I highly recommend it for a future SMC episode.
Tom and Jerry are still at the MET. They now go by Margaret Juntwait and Will Berger and alas unfortunately are now "talking".
Buzz me when it's time to discuss "What's Opera, Doc?"
I was delighted and entertained, but struck by the fact that the director was working from Prague at a time when Czechoslovakia was part of the Soviet bloc.
Elliot,
The plans for the new "Met" were known long before the Tom and Jerry Cartoon.
see for example
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F10C16F73C5913748DDDAC0A94DD405B8889F1D3
A very funny and enjoyable cartoon. I believe that at the time the cartoon was created the exterior of the buildings was generally known. But the interior of the Met may not have been general knowledge outside the architects' studios.
As an aside, to me the conductor looks remarkably like Arturo Toscanini.
Very funny Justine!
I think the architects got their inspiration from the cartoon. To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, "all my knowledge of culture came from Saturday morning cartoons".
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.