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There are some formulas so specific that any deviation is unheard of.
Detective fiction for example has hardly changed since Poe's 1841 story "Murder in the Rue Morgue"
However on a rare occasions something totally breaks the ethos of its genre
.
Coyote and Roadrunner
There are some formulas so specific that any deviation is unheard of.
Detective fiction for example has hardly changed since Poe's 1841 story "Murder in the Rue Morgue"
However on a rare occasions something totally breaks the ethos of its genre
.
Coyote and Roadrunner
2/
The Slapstick animated rivalry is remarkably formulaic.
Two comedic animated personalities, match wits to the death, and the "weaker" comes out on top, thus both survive
Tom and Jerry
Bugs and Yosemite
Daffy and Elmer
Sylvester and Tweety
Spy and... Spy
You know the type
The Slapstick animated rivalry is remarkably formulaic.
Two comedic animated personalities, match wits to the death, and the "weaker" comes out on top, thus both survive
Tom and Jerry
Bugs and Yosemite
Daffy and Elmer
Sylvester and Tweety
Spy and... Spy
You know the type
3/
Coyote and Roadrunner is NOT an animated rivalry.
Wile E. Coyote's quarry does not even have a name.
"The Roadrunner" is only known by its species.
Likewise Roadrunner isn't even a character. Wile E. Coyote faces off against a 2 second audio clip and an animation cycle
Coyote and Roadrunner is NOT an animated rivalry.
Wile E. Coyote's quarry does not even have a name.
"The Roadrunner" is only known by its species.
Likewise Roadrunner isn't even a character. Wile E. Coyote faces off against a 2 second audio clip and an animation cycle
4/
In addition to roadrunner being functionally mute, Coyote is completely mute.
You may remember Wile E. Coyote (Genius) speaking a drole posh accent... but that's an artifact of his cross-overs with Bugs Bunny, in the Roadrunner cartoons Coyote says not a word.
In addition to roadrunner being functionally mute, Coyote is completely mute.
You may remember Wile E. Coyote (Genius) speaking a drole posh accent... but that's an artifact of his cross-overs with Bugs Bunny, in the Roadrunner cartoons Coyote says not a word.
5/
This is an obscene inversion of how the action is supposed to work.
A "Character" who does nothing? Indeed who may not even possess basic anthropomorphic intelligence?
What can Coyote do alone and unspeaking?
This is an obscene inversion of how the action is supposed to work.
A "Character" who does nothing? Indeed who may not even possess basic anthropomorphic intelligence?
What can Coyote do alone and unspeaking?
6/
Well quite a lot Actually
This is of course the iconic part of the cartoon: Coyote's incredible inventions and ludicrous schemes
The eternally frustrated Coyote is always escalating, innovating, plotting, planning
In many respects he's an embodiment of the American spirit
Well quite a lot Actually
This is of course the iconic part of the cartoon: Coyote's incredible inventions and ludicrous schemes
The eternally frustrated Coyote is always escalating, innovating, plotting, planning
In many respects he's an embodiment of the American spirit
7/
He is a Promethean character, a pure inventor.
Stuck out in the midst of the desert he builds wonders out of not but his own mind, in the barest of settings he creates and enacts entirely new scenarios and possibilities out of his own will
He is a Promethean character, a pure inventor.
Stuck out in the midst of the desert he builds wonders out of not but his own mind, in the barest of settings he creates and enacts entirely new scenarios and possibilities out of his own will
8/
And he fails. He only fails.
Again and again and again he fails and in the most miserable ways.
And he fails. He only fails.
Again and again and again he fails and in the most miserable ways.
9/
Coyote not only fails. But all the effort he puts into his plots inevitably redouble back and hurt him.
Very few characters in animated history have suffered like Coyote.
He is burned, run over, exploded, dropped...All at once some times.
Coyote not only fails. But all the effort he puts into his plots inevitably redouble back and hurt him.
Very few characters in animated history have suffered like Coyote.
He is burned, run over, exploded, dropped...All at once some times.
10/
And unlike Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam, who between them still suffer less, none of this is is the result of some other character's cleverness or shinanigans.
All of Coyote's suffering is purely a result of his own failed efforts.
And unlike Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam, who between them still suffer less, none of this is is the result of some other character's cleverness or shinanigans.
All of Coyote's suffering is purely a result of his own failed efforts.
11/
He is a Sisyphean character. Doomed to roll a bolder up a hill, day after day, only to see it roll down.
Doomed to watch all his efforts come to naught.
He is a Sisyphean character. Doomed to roll a bolder up a hill, day after day, only to see it roll down.
Doomed to watch all his efforts come to naught.
12/
Where coyote is distinct however is that innovative American spirit, unlike Sisyphus he does not repeat the same thing over and over expecting different results
NO! He innovates, he iterates, he wracks his minds. Every attempt is new. Every attempt could finally succeed
Where coyote is distinct however is that innovative American spirit, unlike Sisyphus he does not repeat the same thing over and over expecting different results
NO! He innovates, he iterates, he wracks his minds. Every attempt is new. Every attempt could finally succeed
13/
And that is of course the great tragedy of it.
Sisyphus was cursed by the gods to roll the bolder. He knew every day it would roll back down.
And that is of course the great tragedy of it.
Sisyphus was cursed by the gods to roll the bolder. He knew every day it would roll back down.
14/
But Coyote? He chooses to keep suffering.
He could walk away at any moment. But he believes all it take is the right combo one lucky break and all his suffering will have been worth it. All the doubts and humiliations will be Overcome.
Coyote believes in the green light.
But Coyote? He chooses to keep suffering.
He could walk away at any moment. But he believes all it take is the right combo one lucky break and all his suffering will have been worth it. All the doubts and humiliations will be Overcome.
Coyote believes in the green light.
15/
And this I think is why Coyote and Roadrunner became such a classic.
Why it went from a one off to an iconic American cartoons,
Americans identify with that lone inventor who has a genius others simply don't see yet. Whose plans are just yet to come together.
And this I think is why Coyote and Roadrunner became such a classic.
Why it went from a one off to an iconic American cartoons,
Americans identify with that lone inventor who has a genius others simply don't see yet. Whose plans are just yet to come together.
16/
Coyote is our own tragic myth.
A mortal who tries to take that which the Gods will not let him, and who must endlessly suffer the consequences.
A mortal who would grasp the lightning... if only for a moment.
Coyote is our own tragic myth.
A mortal who tries to take that which the Gods will not let him, and who must endlessly suffer the consequences.
A mortal who would grasp the lightning... if only for a moment.
P.S. Checkout my long form writing
What does it mean for a film to be authentic? What does it mean to be historically accurate? Why can't the world be as smart as reddit?
I explore all of this in my piece:
anarchonomicon.substack.com
What does it mean for a film to be authentic? What does it mean to be historically accurate? Why can't the world be as smart as reddit?
I explore all of this in my piece:
anarchonomicon.substack.com
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