" . . . hit (the canyon floor in my Death Plunge)?" Wile E. Coyote plaintively pleads with his presumed creators as the Warner Bros. animated short GEE WHIZ-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z wraps up. The main purpose of GEE is to illustrate the primary aspects of The Future's Quantum Physics and String Theory for the General Public of the 1950s. For instance, earlier in this cartoon Wile E. Coyote paints a mural of a fallen bridge over an imaginary canyon where neither exists, in an attempt to give the Roadrunner pause. Naturally, the mythical bird races right through this mirage, which doesn't even exist in the Mweep-Mweeper's Dimension. However, when Wile E. attempts to resume the Chase, he plunges into the canyon, since his own mind created it within HIS Dimension. Einstein could not have explicated String Theory any better. Just before Wile E.'s final travails in WHOA, he's chasing the Uncatchable Prey created by his own over-active Imagination while zooming along on an Acme Co. Wind Rider Jet, which Wile inadvertently shuts down to leave himself--and his ride--suspended over a chasm. This inert hunk of metal hangs motionless, defying the Law of Gravity, until the Roadrunner Mirage waves "Bye, bye" to Wile E., whose immediate plunge downward captures Quantum Physics in a nutshell.
17 Reviews
Road Runner and Coyote
rbverhoef6 January 2004
In this cartoon the Road Runner and the Coyote are introduced to us. After this the Coyote starts trying to catch the Road Runner but of course he fails every single time. There are some very clever moments in this cartoon, especially one that involves a painted broken bridge. The ending is also very nice. A funny cartoon from the Looney Tunes.
"Egad!"
Rex_Stephens1 July 2006
Seriously, if I had the ability, I would waste all my days watching Looney Tunes cartoons. Another perfect example as to why I would pursue such an extreme case of slothfulness is this cartoon here, which features more of Wile E. Coyote's attempts to catch his beloved Road Runner. Here we see yet more of Michael Maltese's ingenuity as our coyote continues his fixation on dynamite and many Acme products to get his bird.
Wile E. Coyote (Eatius Birdius), goes for Road Runner (Delicius Delicius) yet again.
Honestly, for the Jones/Maltese combo, this had become nearly standard fare. This is heightened with another foursome of excellent animators, who started together on the Pepe short, Wild Over You, a mere few years earlier. Does anyone know what Wile E. was going to accomplish with that bat costume? One of the better parts involve poor Wile E. holding up a steel plate to stop the Road Runner. If you love Looney Tunes, this is yet another mark on your checklist you must cross off!
Wile E. Coyote (Eatius Birdius), goes for Road Runner (Delicius Delicius) yet again.
Honestly, for the Jones/Maltese combo, this had become nearly standard fare. This is heightened with another foursome of excellent animators, who started together on the Pepe short, Wild Over You, a mere few years earlier. Does anyone know what Wile E. was going to accomplish with that bat costume? One of the better parts involve poor Wile E. holding up a steel plate to stop the Road Runner. If you love Looney Tunes, this is yet another mark on your checklist you must cross off!
The Poor Coyote Can't Make It Past The Opening Credits!
ccthemovieman-122 April 2007
The writer in this one wasted no time depicting Wile E. Coyote (Eatius Birdius) taking physical abuse, being run over by a truck and having a crate fall on his head in the opening credits!
The Road Runner (Delicius Delicius), meanwhile, is in top form, making rectangular smoke with his quick turns and then making the pavement wobble like an earthquake hit it after he roars down the road. Even the coyote is impressed as he pulls out a sign to show us, saying "Egad!!!"
He then starts thinking, which means here we go again: more inventive ways to catch the elusive bird. The ones that stood out, at least to me, were: the "confused" bullet, the green "Batman" outfit and flying sequence, Wile's great painting and perhaps best of all: the coyote's final request to the cartoon writer!
Overall, an excellent Road Runner effort.
The Road Runner (Delicius Delicius), meanwhile, is in top form, making rectangular smoke with his quick turns and then making the pavement wobble like an earthquake hit it after he roars down the road. Even the coyote is impressed as he pulls out a sign to show us, saying "Egad!!!"
He then starts thinking, which means here we go again: more inventive ways to catch the elusive bird. The ones that stood out, at least to me, were: the "confused" bullet, the green "Batman" outfit and flying sequence, Wile's great painting and perhaps best of all: the coyote's final request to the cartoon writer!
Overall, an excellent Road Runner effort.
the idea continues
lee_eisenberg26 October 2006
More of Wile E. Coyote - aka Eatius Birdius - trying unsuccessfully to catch Road Runner - aka Delicius Delicius. Among his Acme devices are a Batman suit, a rocket, and a fake destroyed bridge. Sure enough, they all backfire on him. I guess that "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" doesn't really add anything new; although, they occasionally have Road Runner quickly turn around while Wile E. keeps zooming straight ahead...most likely off of a cliff.
So, even if there's nothing new here, it's always great to see what happens to Wile E. Among other things, it shows that you don't need words to be funny. And it shows that the classic cartoons are the gold standard (the more recent Looney Tunes cartoons just can't reach the quality set by their forbears). So check it out. You're sure to like it.
So, even if there's nothing new here, it's always great to see what happens to Wile E. Among other things, it shows that you don't need words to be funny. And it shows that the classic cartoons are the gold standard (the more recent Looney Tunes cartoons just can't reach the quality set by their forbears). So check it out. You're sure to like it.
Newly stylised backgrounds do nothing to detract from the barrage of gags
phantom_tollbooth1 October 2008
Chuck Jones's 'Gee Whiz-z-z', the eighth Road Runner cartoon, introduced a significant new development into the series by replacing the sumptuous desert backgrounds with a more stylised, minimalist look. While this new look may not have been nearly as gorgeous to watch as the earlier shorts, it certainly didn't do anything to slow down the gag ratio. In fact, 'Gee Whiz-z-z' is so packed with great jokes that it forsakes the longer set-up sequences of the previous few Road Runner cartoons and pushes the action right into the credits in order to maximise the amount of time Jones has to make us laugh. 'Gee Whiz-z-z' features a few of the very best gags of the series (amongst a small handful of more forgettable moments). Chief among these is the legendary sequence with the green bat costume. On paper, this gag sounds like a weak offering but with hysterically funny facial expressions and one perfectly timed glimpse towards the camera, Jones turns it into gold and one of the most fondly remembered spot-gags in animation history. There's also a new take on the painted-scenery gag with a neat new twist. My favourite thing about 'Gee Whiz-z-z', however, is the ending in which Jones himself shares in the audiences sympathies for the Coyote so strongly that he cuts him a break with an early iris-out.
Plenty o' gags!
slymusic6 August 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Another great cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" really hits the mark. Amazing that the gags are plentiful even in such short pictures as these Road Runner/Coyote cartoons.
One of the funniest gags ever seen in a Road Runner/Coyote cartoon involves the Coyote's green Bat-Man outfit, manufactured by Acme, of course. After diving off a cliff, the Coyote saves himself in the nick of time from crushing his fragile body onto very rocky terrain by swooping back up in the air (with a terrific sound effect) and finally flying in a straight path. But, being the darn fool that he is, he doesn't look where he is flying and crashes into a cliff. His wings remain attached to the rock and he falls below in a hilarious overhead shot while he still tries to flap the strings to which the wings were attached. So for all of you Road Runner/Coyote fans who are wondering in which cartoon this classic gag occurs, "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" is the answer.
In a reversal of a frequently utilized gag, the Coyote paints a ravine with no bridge on a huge canvas to make it appear as if the road discontinues. The Road Runner crashes through the painting and continues down the road, whereas the Coyote runs into the painting and falls down the imaginary ravine. (Usually what happens is the opposite; the Road Runner runs into the painting and down an imaginary road while the Coyote crashes into the painting, so this treatment of the gag is a clever switch.)
Finally, at the conclusion of this short, when the Coyote's jet motor conks out and he falls after narrowly missing a safe landing on a cliff, he holds up a sign that reads "HOW ABOUT ENDING THIS CARTOON BEFORE I HIT?" Fortunately, the animators comply, and fate is, for once, kind to the Coyote.
One of the funniest gags ever seen in a Road Runner/Coyote cartoon involves the Coyote's green Bat-Man outfit, manufactured by Acme, of course. After diving off a cliff, the Coyote saves himself in the nick of time from crushing his fragile body onto very rocky terrain by swooping back up in the air (with a terrific sound effect) and finally flying in a straight path. But, being the darn fool that he is, he doesn't look where he is flying and crashes into a cliff. His wings remain attached to the rock and he falls below in a hilarious overhead shot while he still tries to flap the strings to which the wings were attached. So for all of you Road Runner/Coyote fans who are wondering in which cartoon this classic gag occurs, "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" is the answer.
In a reversal of a frequently utilized gag, the Coyote paints a ravine with no bridge on a huge canvas to make it appear as if the road discontinues. The Road Runner crashes through the painting and continues down the road, whereas the Coyote runs into the painting and falls down the imaginary ravine. (Usually what happens is the opposite; the Road Runner runs into the painting and down an imaginary road while the Coyote crashes into the painting, so this treatment of the gag is a clever switch.)
Finally, at the conclusion of this short, when the Coyote's jet motor conks out and he falls after narrowly missing a safe landing on a cliff, he holds up a sign that reads "HOW ABOUT ENDING THIS CARTOON BEFORE I HIT?" Fortunately, the animators comply, and fate is, for once, kind to the Coyote.
Finally! An Acme product that works!!!
DaniGirl196927 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Another very funny and highly creative entry in the Road Runner series, in which even the opening credits are a hazard to Coyote. They're carried on the side of a truck which mows him down in the opening scene! And Wile E's day doesn't get any better, as he's blown up by an exhausted bullet, flattened by a flying boulder and falls into a chasm that was part of a picture he himself painted! Of course, there are the usual malfunctioning gadgets that the poor canine arms himself with, such as a telescoping arm that's supposed to deliver dynamite to Road Runner but instead slams the coyote into a rock wall, and delivers the explosive to him instead.. and the detonator plunger that refuses to go down while Road Runner is crossing the booby-trapped bridge -- but naturally it slides down all by itself once you-know-who tries to cross in pursuit. But "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z" is best known for the Acme product that finally DOES work exactly as advertised: the Acme Bat-man Outfit!! After a few frantic moments, Coyote actually manages to soar majestically through the air! But Acme can't be held responsible for operator error! Likewise the Acme Jet Motor also works perfectly, until the silly coyote turns it off after he soars off the edge of another cliff. Of course, the Laws of Cartoon Physics say he won't fall as long as no one draws his attention to the fact that he's now floating high above a deep deep canyon (now who do you suppose would do that? hehehe) A wonderful cartoon -- with the cartoonist finally cutting him a break at the very end!
A classic.
planktonrules4 November 2012
I don't have any idea why, but this cartoon can be found on archive.org for free download and is listed as a 'banned cartoon'. However, after viewing it, I saw absolutely nothing potentially offensive about it and think this is a mistake. It's yet another brilliant Roadrunner cartoon from Chuck Jones--and the quality is as good you can get. While it would be pointless to comment on the plot at any length (you just need to see it), the Coyote once again tries many different Acme products in order to catch that darned bird--and, as usual, to no effect other than beating the tar out of poor Wiley Coyote! You'll see him don a bat-man outfit, ride a jet engine as well as paint a scene with the bridge being out (with predictable but very enjoyable results). The bottom line is that this film shows the characters once they've hit their stride--clever and funny all the way. I especially enjoyed the cute ending. Well worth seeing and you have to be dead no to enjoy this one.
Yet Another Gem ... So What Else Is New?
rapt0r_claw-113 July 2004
GEE WHIZ-Z-Z-Z! is yet another of the classic cartoons starring Road Runner and the Coyote of the 1950's. The Coyote constantly tries to capture the speedy Road Runner, who inevitably escapes leaving the predator humiliated, hurt and simply furious, though he never shows it. In GEE WHIZ-Z-Z-Z! he generally misses the Road Runner when the bird turns suddenly, while the Coyote keeps running dead ahead, usually off a cliff.
Some of the funniest moments in the series appeared in this cartoon, such as the bat-costume and the handheld dynamite launcher. The animation is smooth, detailed and makes watching new cartoons in the series, like WHIZZARD OF OW, seem all the more disappointing. Yet for all the great things about GEE WHIZ-Z-Z-Z!, it isn't any better than the usual Chuck Jones run-of-the-mill cartoon in the series. That's how good they all are. The only thing that really makes this a bit different is the layouts, by Ernie Nordli. Maurice Noble had been art director for a couple of years before this cartoon, so why Nordli was working on it, and making the backgrounds look like Peter Alvarado is beyond me. It's not a fault, it just puzzles me. All in all, you can miss this or watch this, any classic in the series will do.
Some of the funniest moments in the series appeared in this cartoon, such as the bat-costume and the handheld dynamite launcher. The animation is smooth, detailed and makes watching new cartoons in the series, like WHIZZARD OF OW, seem all the more disappointing. Yet for all the great things about GEE WHIZ-Z-Z-Z!, it isn't any better than the usual Chuck Jones run-of-the-mill cartoon in the series. That's how good they all are. The only thing that really makes this a bit different is the layouts, by Ernie Nordli. Maurice Noble had been art director for a couple of years before this cartoon, so why Nordli was working on it, and making the backgrounds look like Peter Alvarado is beyond me. It's not a fault, it just puzzles me. All in all, you can miss this or watch this, any classic in the series will do.
THE classic Roadrunner cartoon!
vmacek@mindspring.com21 May 2006
"The Music Box" is the famous Laurel and Hardy film where the two struggle repeatedly to carry a piano up an endless flight of stairs up a hill. One really sympathizes with the two, until they reach the top, discover there's a road that leads up there, so they laboriously haul the piano back down the stairs to bring it up properly.
In the same spirit, "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" has us sympathizing with the Coyote, but realizing he's going to fail even if his contraptions do work - it isn't just physics he's fighting, it's his limited thinking.
First, the Bat-Man costume - as he plummets to certain doom, he pulls up at the last moment and starts soaring beautifully (and the roadrunner sure can't fly!) but he gets cocky, and never sees the bluff looming in front of him.
Then there's the jet engine with handlebars - it should defy working at all, but work it does (I've always wanted one of those!). He's got the roadrunner matched at last (the chase, with Raymond Scott's 'Powerhouse' playing, is such a euphoric depiction of speed), but falls for the exact same situation from the beginning of the cartoon when the roadrunner pulls a U-turn. Small wonder the coyote looks so sheepish when plummeting yet again, at least given the dignity of ending the cartoon before impact.
In the same spirit, "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" has us sympathizing with the Coyote, but realizing he's going to fail even if his contraptions do work - it isn't just physics he's fighting, it's his limited thinking.
First, the Bat-Man costume - as he plummets to certain doom, he pulls up at the last moment and starts soaring beautifully (and the roadrunner sure can't fly!) but he gets cocky, and never sees the bluff looming in front of him.
Then there's the jet engine with handlebars - it should defy working at all, but work it does (I've always wanted one of those!). He's got the roadrunner matched at last (the chase, with Raymond Scott's 'Powerhouse' playing, is such a euphoric depiction of speed), but falls for the exact same situation from the beginning of the cartoon when the roadrunner pulls a U-turn. Small wonder the coyote looks so sheepish when plummeting yet again, at least given the dignity of ending the cartoon before impact.
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z is one of the best Coyote and Road Runner cartoons
tavm5 October 2022
This was another great Coyote and Road Runner cartoon I remember first seeing on Saturday mornings as a kid of the '70s. In this one, Wile E. Dons a Bat-Man outfit, uses a rocket launcher, and, of course, paints a canvas meant to trick the speedy bird among other things. Chuck Jones really outdoes himself this time in timing the gags with hilarious results each time! Though the shorts in this series often followed a formula, when Jones was in charge, he often made sure that the gags were often funny enough to keep one entertained, that's for sure! I mean, by this point, one usually knows how one of these shorts ended but this time, the Coyote puts a request that gets granted! So that's a high recommendation for Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z.
The emergence of the Batman type suit gag
movieman_kev30 October 2005
In this, the eighth pairing of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, the highly memorable gag of the batman type suit was first shown. And in a delightful change of the expected the crafty coyote paints a bridge, but this time it's a torn down bridge and the Road Runner goes through the painting, Wile E. is the one to go into it this time around. And as always ANY short with Wile E. in it is so VERY much worth watching, as he's one of my absolute favorite cartoon personalities of all time. This animated short can be seen on Disc 2 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2. This cartoon also has an optional music only track.
My Grade: A-
My Grade: A-
Eatius Birdius vs Delicius-Delicius
utgard1426 December 2014
One of the best Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons. Lots of memorable gags, including ACME jet bike, "STOP! BRIDGE OUT!," and the famous bat-man suit. That last one is among the series' most iconic gags. Chuck Jones is firing on all cylinders, including an amusing bit that starts during the opening credits. The animation is crisp, the music lively, and the colors are beautiful. The Coyote & Road Runner cartoons were always simple and a bit repetitive but so much fun. Some of the best slapstick comedy ever put on screen, animated or otherwise. This is near the top of the series. Definitely a good one for new viewers to get their first taste of Coyote & Road Runner shorts. Sheer fun from start to finish.
Acme of Acmes!
Hitchcoc2 January 2019
One can't just tell all the sight gags. Even in the credits, poor Wile E. Coyote gets blitzed. Most of the cartoon takes place on a desert highway. Trucks run over our boy. He paints a picture of the landscape and ends up falling off a cliff. Every time he gets a new gimmick it backfires. But he is certainly one of the most durable of saps and he never gives in.
Coyote Bat-man
Michael_Elliott2 May 2009
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z (1956)
*** (out of 4)
The eighth pairing of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner is yet another winner, although the beatings poor Wile takes keep getting worse. This time out we don't even get past the opening credits when Mr. Wile is run down by a truck but we then get other attacks including large rocks, falling from cliffs and various bombs. One of the best sequences in the film is when the coyote dressing up as "bat-man" and tries to fly after his dinner. This plan works for a while but what makes the joke so funny is that you're expecting one gag but instead we get something else. Another great gag is the painted version of a broken bridge, which of course comes back to hurt Wile.
*** (out of 4)
The eighth pairing of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner is yet another winner, although the beatings poor Wile takes keep getting worse. This time out we don't even get past the opening credits when Mr. Wile is run down by a truck but we then get other attacks including large rocks, falling from cliffs and various bombs. One of the best sequences in the film is when the coyote dressing up as "bat-man" and tries to fly after his dinner. This plan works for a while but what makes the joke so funny is that you're expecting one gag but instead we get something else. Another great gag is the painted version of a broken bridge, which of course comes back to hurt Wile.
Even with the stylised backgrounds, this is still one of the best in the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote series
TheLittleSongbird23 August 2015
While there were a few duds in the later years, when the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote series was at its best it was brilliant, even with the more-of-the-same stories they're mostly well-made, are very funny (the best gags uproariously so) and Coyote is one of Chuck Jones' best ever creations. Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z is one of my personal favourites in the series.
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z is not the best-looking Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon, the stylised minimalist backgrounds are not going to be everybody's cup of tea. They were not an issue with me because they still looked a long way from ugly and still had some nice detail, the series had much cheaper production values in the 60s. The colours are beautiful and rich, the gags and the reaction shots look great still and both characters look good, especially Coyote. The cartoon is wonderfully scored by Milt Franklyn as always. Orchestration is sumptuously lush, rhythmically it's lively but never too busy, use of instruments is clever and appropriate and it's not just a good fit but adds a good deal to what's going on too.
There are some brilliant visual gags too, some of the best and funniest in the series in fact. The painted broken bridge and green bat suit gags are uproariously funny and are so different to what the viewer expects, but the highlight is the ending, one of the best endings of any Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon and a contender for the most iconic, not just because it's a hilarious and imaginatively executed gag but also because it is so refreshingly different. Roadrunner is one-dimensional but very amusing, but Coyote has always been the funnier and more interesting of the two and he's on top form here, one of those characters where even just a facial expression is enough to split the sides laughing and he is easy to empathise for even for one as cunning as he is.
All in all, brilliant and one of the best of the series. Those fond of Roadrunner and Coyote will love it. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z is not the best-looking Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon, the stylised minimalist backgrounds are not going to be everybody's cup of tea. They were not an issue with me because they still looked a long way from ugly and still had some nice detail, the series had much cheaper production values in the 60s. The colours are beautiful and rich, the gags and the reaction shots look great still and both characters look good, especially Coyote. The cartoon is wonderfully scored by Milt Franklyn as always. Orchestration is sumptuously lush, rhythmically it's lively but never too busy, use of instruments is clever and appropriate and it's not just a good fit but adds a good deal to what's going on too.
There are some brilliant visual gags too, some of the best and funniest in the series in fact. The painted broken bridge and green bat suit gags are uproariously funny and are so different to what the viewer expects, but the highlight is the ending, one of the best endings of any Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon and a contender for the most iconic, not just because it's a hilarious and imaginatively executed gag but also because it is so refreshingly different. Roadrunner is one-dimensional but very amusing, but Coyote has always been the funnier and more interesting of the two and he's on top form here, one of those characters where even just a facial expression is enough to split the sides laughing and he is easy to empathise for even for one as cunning as he is.
All in all, brilliant and one of the best of the series. Those fond of Roadrunner and Coyote will love it. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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