Release Date:

July 25, 1953

Main Character(s):

Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian

Summary:

Duck Dodgers (Daffy Duck) and his Eager Young Space Cadet (Porky Pig) are assigned to find Planet X for the only remaining supply of “Illudium Phosdex- the shaving cream atom” and claim it in the name of Earth. Marvin the Martian comes along and claims it for Mars, and battles over Daffy for the claiming of Planet X.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1264 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The cartoon was (and still is) a great success, and it became George Lucas’ favorite cartoon. He, in fact, booked it with several showings of “Star Wars” (1977). The cartoon itself would also inspire a 1980 made-for-TV sequel, “Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24 1/2th Century” and even a “Duck Dodgers” TV series (2003-2005).

Duck Dodgers is a pun for Buck Rogers, only Daffy is a far more incompetent space hero.

The title is a pun for “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”, which this cartoon parodies.

The cartoon is ranked Number 4 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons and is also in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

This is the only time from the Golden Age where Marvin does not go up against Bugs.

This is also the last time in the Golden Age where Marvin wears a red outfit with a green helmet and green tutu. In his next and final two Golden Age appearances (1958’s “Hare Way to the Stars” and 1963’s “Mad As a Mars Hare”), he wears a green outfit with a beige helmet and beige tutu.

The far more competent Porky gives Marvin a birthday present of a lit dynamite stick at one point. While not intentional, the cartoon happened a day after the 5th anniversary of Marvin’s first cartoon, “Haredevil Hare”.

The cartoon was used in the 1979 compilation movie, “The Bugs Bunny-Roadrunner Movie”.

“Powerhouse” plays during the scene where Daffy and Porky begin their journey to Planet X up until they arrive there.

“Egyptian Barn Dance” also plays during the opening credits.

In the 1994 TV series, “Babylon 5”, the character of Michael Garibaldi is shown to be a fan of Daffy, and says that Duck Dodgers is his second favorite thing in the universe.

Some of Maurice Noble’s most memorable layout work is present in this cartoon.

Favorite Scene:

The aforementioned scene of Porky giving Marvin a lit dynamite stick for a birthday present.

What Happens in This One:

Daffy comes out of a space taxi on the “17,000th Floor Landing” of “Dr. I.Q.Hi Secretary of the Stratosphere” and enters (where a mechanical giant eyeball peers down at him) to speak with Dr. I.Q.Hi himself. As they stand atop a rising platform, Dr. I.Q.Hi informs Daffy, “I have sent for you, Dodgers, because we are facing a crisis. The world’s supply of Illudium Phosdex, the shaving cream atom, is alarmingly low. Now we have reason to believe that the only remaining source is on Planet X. Somewhere in this area”, referring to a white area on the map labeled “Unknown”. Daffy: “And you want me to find Planet X. Is that it?” Dr. I.Q.Hi: “Can you do it, Dodgers?” Daffy: “Oh, indub-b-b-b-bitably, sir. Because there’s no one knows his way around outer space like DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH CENTURY!”, jumping up when he shouts his title only to fall on the ground and land headfirst (animated by Ken Harris).

Going out (animated by Harris), he heads into one of several evaporators, glass cases that transport one to another location by means of zapping them. Daffy steps into the one going to the airport, and comes out of the airport’s zapper, which is labeled “From Tower”. As Daffy prepares to start the rocket, he leans back and asks Porky, “Are you ready, Eager Young Space Cadet?” Porky replies, “I’m, eh, r-r-r-all set, your Heroship, sir”. Daffy declares, “Then make way for DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH CENTURY!” He mistakenly pulls the lever in reverse, causing the rocket to go underground backwards. Daffy awkwardly chuckles, “Whoops. Heh. Had the silly thing in reverse”, before he blasts off properly (animated by Lloyd Vaughan).

On their way, Daffy explains a very complicated route to Planet X, “And now then, Eager Young Space Cadet, here is the course we shall pursue to find Planet X. Starting from where we are, we go 33,600 turbo miles due up. Then west in an astro-arc deviation to here, then following the great circle seven radio lubes south by down east. By astro-astroable to here, here, and here, then by space navigo-compass to here, here, and then to here and here. By thirteen-point strato-cumulus bearing four million lightyears and thus, to our destination. NOW do you know how to reach Planet X?” Porky salutes and replies, “Eh, y-y-y-y-oh, sure!” Flabbergasted at how Porky memorized the route so quickly, Daffy tells him, “Well, I wish you’d explain it to me sometime, buster!”, but Porky reveals a far easier route: following the planets by alphabet, Planet A, Planet B, Planet C, etc. “W-w-w-why, it’s very simple, sir. If we follow th-th-those planets, we can’t very well miss Planet X”. Daffy initially laughs off the idea, “Oh, that’s ridiculous! Of all the stupid suggestions!”, but then realizes this is indeed a better alternative, “Hey! Wait a minute! I think I’ve got it. I’ll just bet that if WE follow those planets, we’ll find Planet X! Gad! How do I do it!?” Unfazed and unimpressed at Daffy seemingly thinking up the idea instead of him, Porky sarcastically plays along, “I, eh, d-d-don’t know” (animated by Ben Washam).

After following the alphabet planets up to Planet X, the spaceship lands there as Daffy heads out and sets up his flag, “I claim this planet in the name of the Earth!” Suddenly, another ship passes above him and lands elsewhere. It’s a “Martian Maggot”, and Marvin comes out of it with his own flag, “I claim this planet in the name of Mars. Er, isn’t that lovely? Hmm?” Daffy begins to set him straight, “Look, bud. I’ve got news for you. I have already claimed this bit of dirt for the Earth and there just ain’t enough room on this planet for the two of us!” Marvin points his “A-1 Disintegrating Pistol” at Daffy and agrees, “I do believe you are right”. Daffy chuckles at Marvin’s weapon and asides, “Little does he realize that I have on my disintegration-proof vest” before boldly giving Marvin the green light, “You may fire when ready, Grizzly”. Marvin ends up disintegrating Daffy completely, except for the disintegration-proof vest (animated by Harris).

Porky then comes out wielding an “ACME Integrating Pistol” and uses it to revive Daffy. Upon coming to his senses, Daffy assumes Porky sent Marvin away, “Oh, you, huh!? Just when I had him goin’, you had to butt in! Now get back in that spaceship!” After Porky does, Daffy zooms up to Marvin with a disintegrating pistol of his own, only it’s from ACME, “Ah ha! Got the drop on ya with MY disintegrating pistol! And brother, when it disintegrates, it disintegrates!” When Daffy pulls the trigger, however, the pistol itself literally disintegrates! “Huh. Well, what do ya know? It… disintegrated”. Daffy jumps high into the air to avoid Marvin blasting his disintegrating pistol at him and retreats back into his ship. Porky disposes of Marvin by giving him a lit stick of dynamite with a bow tied around it, “Happy b-b-b-birthday, you eh, th-th-thing from another world, you”. Marvin is initially happy with his gift, “Oh, thank you!”, before it explodes on him, compressing his whole body down, and leaving only his helmet initially visible. Marvin, with angry bloodshot eyes from the explosion and with his body scrunched down where now only his head and helmet and then his sneakers are visible, goes back to the Martian Maggot (animated by Harris).

“Well, I guess HE’S had enough. I’ll send him an ultimatum”, Daffy decides and shoots out a bullet towards the Martian Maggot with his “ACME Ultimatum Dispatcher”. Once in the Martian Maggot, the bullet skids to a stop and opens up, revealing a threatening message inside, “Surrender or Be Blown into 17,670,002 Micro-Cells”. Visibly angry at this threat, Marvin silently responds by using his “A-1 Ultimatum Answerer” and shoots it at Daffy, where this bullet opens up and outright shoots him like an actual gun. Daffy’s arm sticks up and fires another ultimatum bullet. This bullet opens up and stops where a banner reading “Ouch!” comes out (animated by Vaughan).

Daffy attempts to spy on Marvin by using a television-like device, “I’ll see what the little stinker is up to on my super video-detecto set”. The set gets a picture of an angry Marvin with his gun, who shoots Daffy directly through the screen! Furious, Daffy gets up off the ground and raves, “That’s the last straw! Now I use my secret weapon!” He fires up a device called “ACME Destructo Co.”, which fires out a device that surrounds the Martian Maggot with several explosive rockets. Marvin, standing atop a pile of books to reach the controls on HIS secret weapon, uses a “Martian Matomic Masher”, which fires out a similar device that also surrounds Daffy’s ship with explosive rockets. Oblivious that they’re planning the same attack, Daffy and Marvin both chuckle fiendishly and pull the levers on their respective weapons at the same time (animated by Washam). The explosion reduces Planet X to a very small chunk, leaving only Daffy and Marvin standing atop it. Daffy tells him, “As I was saying, buster, this planet ain’t big enough for the two of us, so, off you go!”, and shoves Marvin off. “And now, this planet is hereby claimed for the Earth in the name of DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH CENTURY!” The camera pans down to reveal Porky and Marvin hanging onto some suspenders underneath the small chunk. Unimpressed, Porky comments, “Eh, b-b-big deal” (animated by Harris).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕