Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Overlooked Films: Red Hot Riding Hood (1943)

Here's one of my favorite cartoons by my favorite director, Mr. Tex Avery. Red Hot Riding Hood, released in 1943, was sort of a spin-off of the Droopy cartoon Dumb-Hounded, where the Wolf from this film first appeared. But this one introduces "Red," who goes on to appear in several more cartoons.

Two of Red's follow-up appearances, Swing Shift Cinderella and Little Rural Riding Hood, are presented for your enjoyment in my two previous posts. If you don't see them immediately below this post, click HERE and they will magically appear. (Both will load with pictures of Dr. Who, but don't let that discourage you. And they may have 30 second commercials before the cartoons start, but they're wort the wait. Really!)

Red Hot Riding Hood was originally released with a different ending, in which Wolfie marries Grandma in a shotgun wedding. That ending, hinting at beastiality, was considered offensive, and replaced with the tamer finish shown here. Supposedly, some of Wolfie's racier reactions were also edited out. Whether that original version still exists is unknown, but we can hope. For now, I'm sure glad we have this one.

RED HOT RIDING HOOD


Overlooked Films is brought to you each Tuesday by Todd Mason, and links are posted at Sweet Freedom.
at

7 comments:

  1. C. Margery KempeFebruary 15, 2011 at 7:48 AM

    LOL -- because suicide is so much more wholesome than bestiality! I haven't watched the whole thing in so long. What a delight. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Charles GramlichFebruary 15, 2011 at 8:15 AM

    I just saw an ad last night for a new red riding hood. Looks horror.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Todd MasonFebruary 15, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    RED RIDING is indeed either horror or suspense...haven't looked at it closely.

    And I haven't seen this one in nearly forty years, but remember it...Tex Avery...goodness, he was able to do good work wherever he went.

    Kate...why, of course it is. Particularly when practiced by wolves.

    Someday, Evan, I will convince you that you are, indeed, a British saxophonist rather than an American cf writer and guitarist (or do I misremember your band pictures?). But, you go on and insist on this actual identity for as long as you want...

    ReplyDelete
  4. C. Margery KempeFebruary 15, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    The trilogy? It's getting an official release here?

    ReplyDelete
  5. R L KelstromFebruary 15, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    Red is so the inspiration for Jessica Rabbit. I saw these as a kid. They'd probably be rated R now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AFebruary 16, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    One of my all time favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kenneth Mark HooverFebruary 20, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    Haha, I love Tex Avery.

    ReplyDelete