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Cartoon Conductor: Difference between revisions
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In [[Real Life]], conducting an orchestra is a highly stylized endeavor. A conductor has to make sure the orchestra plays in the correct tempo, and that important soloists come in on time. He or she is also generally responsible for setting the entire tone, speed and style of the piece being played. This he or she does through the swinging of a baton and through the use of meaningful and highly nuanced gestures. It is up to the members of the orchestra to interpret the movements and follow along with the tempo set by the conductor.
Of course, in cartoons, things run a little differently. Conductors, instead of merely guiding an orchestra, have the godlike ability to create sound through the merest flick of their hands—as if
Perhaps the most ridiculous example of Cartoon Conductor Omnipotence occur in instances where [[Script Swap|the conductor's sheet music gets switched on him (without his notice) in mid-performance]]. Within seconds, the orchestra will stop playing "The 1812 Overture" and start playing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," leaving the hapless conductor to wonder what's going on, and why all the notes on his sheet music suddenly look different. Of course, it would make perfect sense for an orchestra to switch songs if ''all'' of the sheet music for ''all'' of its members had been instantaneously changed, but in most cases, it's only the ''conductor'' who gets the old switcheroo pulled on him. How each individual member of the orchestra could possibly know what notes to play just by watching ''him'' is never adequately explained.
{{examples}}
== [[Film]] ==
* In the 1960 [[Jerry Lewis]] movie ''Bellboy'' he does this ''without'' an orchestra present and still creates music.
* The above mentioned sheet music switch to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" takes place in ''[[A Night at the Opera]]'', only the original score was for ''Il Trovatore''("The Troubadour") by Verdi (later the [[Marx Brothers]] mess about with "The Anvil Chorus"). Once the boys pull a [[Script Swap|switch with the sheet music]], Chico and Harpo start playing baseball in the orchestra pit while Groucho roams the audience shouting, "Popcorn! Peanuts!"
* Something similar happens in the comedy ''[[Brain Donors]]'' (
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[The Phantom Tollbooth]]'' consciously takes this one [[Up to Eleven]] with the idea of a conductor who controls '''colors.''' All Hell breaks loose when Milo tries to wing conducting a sunrise.
** And is used as an explanation for the so-called "Missing Week".
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== [[Western Animation]] ==
* Hundreds of [[Looney Tunes]] cartoons. Bugs Bunny himself was fond of the Omnipotent Cartoon Conductor act. ''Baton Bunny'' is a classic example of this and a rare example of a dialogueless Bugs Bunny cartoon.
** The ''[[Animaniacs]]'' short "Three Tenors and You're Out" subverts this by having Slappy and Skippy switch ''all'' the sheet music, and Slappy taking over the role of the conductor.
** The ''[[Merrie Melodies]]'' short "Rhapsody in Rivets" has a building foreman acting as a conductor, with all the workers laboring to the tune of Listz's ''Hungarian Rhapsody''.
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