Watch Prest-O Change-O For Free

Sadly Over-hyped

One of my all time favorites.

Great Film overall

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.Chuck Jones is one of the greatest geniuses in animation history, or at least to me and many others, but 'Prest-O Change-O' while still a watchable effort is not one of the best representations of him by any stretch. Once his style was properly found, when his cartoons became much funnier, wittier, more inventively animated and iconic characters introduced and made household names, Jones did go on to much better things. 'Prest-O Change-O' having said that is an interesting look at him in his early days.'Prest-O Change-O' is amusing and fun, but there is not much that is inventive or hilarious, the cartoon lacks the razor-sharp pacing and wit of Jones' best work and the story as well as being thin contains few surprises.However, the animation is very good. It's beautifully drawn, very detailed and the colours are vibrant, complete with some great expressions for particularly the rabbit.Carl Stalling's music score is typically lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms, it's also beautifully synchronised with the action and gestures/expressions and even enhances the impact. All of those things Stalling was an unparalleled master at in animation, or at least in my view.The rabbit is no Bugs, not as interesting in personality, but the character drives the action to fun effect. The dogs are great fun with personalities that are endearing and engaging. The gags and magic tricks are nicely timed and amusing, if not exactly original. Timing is lively enough. Mel Blanc's versatility as ever shines impeccably.Overall, pretty good but Jones went on to better things. 7/10 Bethany Cox

. . . that a much maligned BROWN dog would deliver a knock-out punch to a tricky WHITE rabbit fraudster to climax PREST-O CHANGE-O, an eerily prophetic Looney Tunes prognostication about Today's America from the 1930s? Recently TV pundits on Fox "News" have been saying that "America Voted--Black Lives really DON'T Matter--get over it!" and "Every time Colin Kaepernick disrespected Our Flag, Anthem, Cops, and Soldiers, it was another 100,000 votes for Trump." In Warner Bros.' PREST-O CHANGE-O warning, the Canine of Color standing in for Colin decks his elusive White nemesis Happy Rabbit, representing White House Resident-Elect Rump. Like Rump, Happy Rabbit tries to rule his domain through the use of smoke, mirrors, and "magic." Warner Bros. suggests that there might be hope for America yet, by showing an Animal Control Exterminator truck passing Happy Rabbit's Den of Iniquity as PREST-O CHANGE-O begins. Perhaps the Beastie SWAT squad missed its turn, Warner seems to be implying, and will soon be back to perform an "Osama" upon Our Illegitimate Rump. As someone said, HOPE FLOATS!

Prest-O Change-O (1939) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Two dogs are trying to get away from a dog catcher during a stormy night. The two duck into a haunted house where a magician's rabbit decides to drive them crazy. There's a lot more style than actual substance in this short, which manages to look beautiful but it's a little too hollow to fully enjoy. What I enjoyed most was the animated work, which is extremely well done by Jones. There are many wonderful visuals including an early one where a door begins to shrink just as one of the dogs walks through but the other can't make it. The reaction to the second dog is priceless and funny as well. The rabbit here is certainly an early model for Bugs Bunny but you will clearly see that the two aren't even close. This is by no means a bad film but there's must better out there.

When the Termite Terrace crowd formally created Bugs Bunny, they made sure to instill in him the most acerbic irreverence possible. But even before they consecrated this, Bugs's prototype (informally called Happy Rabbit) was sure one wacky dude! "Prest-O Change-O" is a case in point. Here, two dogs escape the dogcatcher and enter a magician's house where a trickster rabbit makes their lives a living hell. Some of those tricks I couldn't have imagined! So, on one level it's a sort of before-they-were-famous situation for that carrot-chomping rascal. But mostly, it's a way to have fun. You just gotta love some of the things that that hooligan hare pulls.I guess that had they waited a few years to make this, then Bugs would have made the dogs think that he was selling them something, and then given them lit dynamite.