"DC Showcase: Jonah Hex" Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

From the creative forces behind the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line, DC Showcase puts the spotlight on favorite characters from throughout the annals of DC Comics in fascinating, short-form tales sure to entertain longtime and new fans alike. DC Showcase Presents...Jonah Hex!

​

DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
Release Date: July 27th, 2010
(Available on the Batman: Under the Red Hood home video release)

Producer: Bruce Timm
Written by: Joe Lansdale
Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos

Synopsis: In the short, the tough-as-nails bounty hunter always gets his man - until someone else gets to him first. In this case it’s a murderous madam who wants to steal more than just bounty from Jonah Hex.

Comments?

Please post all discussions and comments about the Jonah Hex animated short in this thread! Please discuss the other aspects of the home video release of Batman: Under the Red Hood in the proper talkback, as linked below.

Related Threads:
-DC Showcase: Jonah Hex Animated Short Review (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: The Spectre Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: Under the Red Hood Feature Review (Spoilers)
-Batman: Under the Red Hood Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: Under the Red Hood Blu-ray/DVD Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: Under the Red Hood Soundtrack Talkback (Spoilers)
-Jonah Hex Theatrical Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
-Jonah Hex Comic Series Talkback (Spoilers)

Note: Remember, this talkback thread is for discussion of the animated short only. If you wish to talk about the home video release or feature film, please click on the appropriate link above. We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Yojimbo]

I liked how this short was an homage to a Sergio Leone western; lone wolves in Red Doc and Jonah Hex as well as the different types of self-serving masses like Madame Lorraine and the Bar Girl or the part when everyone raids the liquor after the Bartender kicks it. It was fun looking for the differences between this and what it's loosely based on, Jonah Hex #19 "Texas Money."

 

[suss2it]

I liked this one better than the Spectre short. If these are gonna get extended I don't really see how since the pacing was really good. I'm also happy that Thomas Jane finally got to play Jonah Hex, and I think Linda Hamilton was really good in her role.

Hex also comes off as a cool character, it's a shame the live-action movie was apparently off-character and bad.

 

[Road to Gotham]

Love the music.
Thomas Jane did a nice job as Hex.
A Winner all the way around.

 

[Garada]

This short freakin ruled!!

Ahem. Well, that was how I felt after I watched it. Great stuff. The animation is so beautiful, Thomas Jane is fantastic. I WANT MORE!

I hope the rumor is true about the shorts on the Showcase collection being extended a bit.

Still, 5/5 for me. I'm a sucker for spaghetti westerns, so this hit the spot. Loved the font in the credits even.

 

[Rick Jones]

I'm more partial to the horror flavor of The Spectre short but I love this one as well. We get a few minutes of cutthroat western life before we see Jonah dishing out some justice but once he does, we're served to another great Dos Santos directed fight scene. The art style, scoring and everything felt just right but it does leave me wanting for a longer Jonah Hex story. I wish the folks involved with the live-action film had gone in a similar direction.

I hope Joaquim Dos Santos eventually does a full length DC movie because that would definitely be a fun trip. I'd be just as satisfied with a lot more great shorts though and I hope that the Showcase project proves to be a success.

 

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

I thought this was really cool. I liked The Spectre short a lot more -- I loved it actually -- but that's probably because the character is more interesting to me and the mix of supernatural horror, noir detective, and 70's grind house style really made it my cup of tea. But that doesn't mean I wasn't impressed with this Jonah Hex short. I never really cared for any of the previous incarnations of the character in animation, but this short changed that. Tom Jane finally gave the character a voice I can agree with. The animation and music were great; It had a great spaghetti western style to it that was perfect.

 

[James Harvey]

Available exclusively on the DC Showcase Animated Shorts Collection - Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam home video release (Feature Talkback, Blu-ray/DVD Talkback), discuss the extended version of this animated short!

​

DC Showcase: Jonah Hex

Producer: Bruce Timm
Written by: Joe Lansdale
Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos

Synopsis: In the short, the tough-as-nails bounty hunter always gets his man - until someone else gets to him first. In this case it’s a murderous madam who wants to steal more than just bounty from Jonah Hex.

Comments?

Please post all discussions and comments about the Jonah Hex animated short in this thread! Please discuss the other aspects of the home video release of DC Showcase Animated Original Shorts in the proper talkback, as linked below.

Related Threads:
-DC Showcase: Jonah Hex Animated Short Review (Spoilers)
-Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam Blu-ray/DVD Talkback (Spoilers)
-Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam Animated Short Review (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: Green Arrow Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-DC Showcase: The Spectre Animated Short Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: Under the Red Hood Blu-ray/DVD Talkback (Spoilers)
-Jonah Hex Comic Series Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The Animated Series "Showdown" Talkback (Spoilers)

Note: Remember, this talkback thread is for discussion of the animated short only. If you wish to talk about the home video release or feature film, please click on the appropriate link above. We appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[theRedDeath]

I was extremely impressed with this short. I don't particularly like the Jonah Hex character, nor do I like westerns either. So I wasn't expecting to like this short, but I ended up enjoying this even more than GA and the Superman/Shazam shorts.

I hadn't seen most of these until the recent collection DVD came out, and The Specter short is still my favorite. The GA and Superman/Shazam shorts were both very good in their own rights, but this one really took me by surprise and I loved it. It was sexy and gritty, and the plot and style really impressed me.

The dialogue was very sharply written, and I loved how Jonah dealt with the villainous prostitute, both in his willingness to hit her and to leave her to her fate in the end.

---

 

[Dreyfus]

I wasn't surprised that director Joaquim Dos Santos chose Jonah Hex as his favorite of the four. It's just so well done and really different from anything you normally see.

 

[Simpler Simon]

I bought the standard-def Under the Red Hood DVD the first time around, so I treated myself to the Blu-Ray for this re-release.

Still probably my favourite of the 4 shorts - my complaint with some of the other shorts has been that they simplify the characters a bit too much for the beginner audience that you lose the shades of gray (particularly with The Spectre), but Jonah Hex is so steeped in the western tradition that you define the character best by playing up the genre to its fullest.

Can anyone point out the extended bits? A few quick shots I think were new:
- A bit more partying after Jonah Hex is led upstairs to the bedroom
- An overhead shot as the Madam leads Hex to the mine
- The Madam protests that she doesn't want to go to jail before realizing Hex intends to leave her in the shaft.

 

[supergirl's pal]

Can anyone point out the extended bits? A few quick shots I think were new:
- A bit more partying after Jonah Hex is led upstairs to the bedroom
- An overhead shot as the Madam leads Hex to the mine
- The Madam protests that she doesn't want to go to jail before realizing Hex intends to leave her in the shaft.

Hex's entrance into town had a brief extra scene and his wagon trip with the Madam to the mine was extended too.

I thought the extended scenes were nice, but I'm still partial to the original that came with Red Hood because it was sharp and to the point.

Its still my favorite Showcase short, and it did a better job of grasping the character of Jonah Hex than the live action movie.

 

[Temple Fugate]

I was very happy with this short when I first saw it. I watched it with a friend who has seen his other appearances in "Weird Western Tales," "Showdown," and "Duel of the Double-Crossers," and still didn't care one bit about Jonah Hex. Even he admitted he was starting to dig the character after watching this.

The story is more true to the feel of a western than a comic book, which is something I wish the Jonah Hex movie went for. Jonah is characterized as a human being, and the story had virtually no sci-fi/fantasy elements. It's a simple story told well.

 

[Aaron]

Good stuff

I love Sergio Leone; I love Spaghetti Westerns, I love Clint Eastwood, so I was totally anticipating this being my favorite of the shorts.
But it wasn't.
Something about it. Felt lacking.
I like it as much as the GA short, to be sure.
But none of them have topped The Spectre short, for me, as of yet.
Which is odd. And it's certainly not bias, that leads me to the decision.
If bias were involved, JH should be sitting above the rest, tied with Captain Marvel/Superman.
I wasn't a Spectre fan when I saw that short but I am now.
But they've all been top-notch, so I hope that trend continues

 

[-batmat-]

I specially liked this one because it showed a more mature look at the character. Watching BTAS "Showdown" and this short, makes me want to see a DC Showcase featuring Lobo, since he's that kind of character that can be used in a more mature context to make a great story.

 

[Yojimbo]

Pretty neat find, Jerome Moore, posted 4 of the background characters (based on a few Wild West actors!). Saloon Gang

 

[Gravitea]

I was never a big fan of Jonah Hex, yet I was quite surprised that I had enjoyed this short.

I found the ending to be quite chilling as well.

A 5/5

 

[Gold Guy]

Add me to the list of people who never cared for Jonah Hex, yet enjoyed this short. I didn't go into it with high hopes, but it was actually really good. Hex can be really cool when he wants to be.

Also, I felt that the female hooker totally got what she deserved.

 

[Afalstein]

Have always loved the character of Jonah Hex since he showed up in BtAS. His behavior in Justice League was doubly hilarious. This, though, is the first time I really saw him on his own terms, in his own world. (didn't see the movie).

Loved it. Excellent fight scenes, beautifully synced music. AND, of course, Hex's personality is made of awesome. Continually stoic, continually unimpressed, ugly as hell and uncaring about it, yet with his own subtle sense of justice. Great stuff.

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

A Twitter friend asked me if I had seen the 2010 short film Jonah Hex. Apparently it was supposed to be pretty cool! As such, I thought I would give the thing a gander. A few things stuck out to me as being head-scratching, so I thought I would try writing those elements out.

The shot beginning at 0:50 looks awkward. The premise is to make the outlaw's arm, fingers and pistol enter the foreground to emphasize his tangibility. The problem in the execution is that camera’s placement doesn’t quite do that. There’s too much dead space on the left side of the shot, completely throwing off the emphasis on the outlaw’s imposing figure. A closer, tighter shot would have added intimacy to the shot and helped make tangible the drawing. The way it is framed in the finished short film is incredibly flat. If the key animator had killed off that dead space and placed the camera to capture a little more of the inside of the barrel of the revolver the shot would have had much more effect. Another problem with the shot is how quick it is. Quick cutting works for shock value, but only when the image being cut is poignant. Here the layout does nobody any favors and the shock value is non-existent.

Another issue is the facial expression on the outlaw. The expression isn’t imposing. The filter meant to act as a shading effect might as well not be there because the view can still very easily see the outlaw’s expression. Why not try completely obscuring the character’s eyes? A more abstract is more effective in communicating a storyteller’s eye-dea when the key animators they are working with lack skill or ambition. Then again, it takes skill and ambition to make a good abstract shot, too.

The shot beginning at 1:34 would have been more effective if shot lower. Red Doc is lumbering from being wasted. It’s easier to instill a sense of unease in the viewer if the character is show from a lower angle. A towering, lumbering figure allows the audience to pick up right away that trouble is a’brewin’. If the shot had been a little tighter it would have also made it easier for the alcohol that escapes Red’s bottle and mouth to fly off-screen, rather than non-effectively dissipate mid-air. Had the liquid at least been draw with more interesting lines this could have been written off, but here the alcohol sticks out for the wrong reason: it’s bland.

The shot at 2:07 breaks the flow up to this point. Mind you, the flow has been overly erratic up to this point, but here the level, removed shot of Red against the backdrop of the bar looks sticks out like a sore thumb.

The brief exchange between Red and Lorrraine lasts from 2:11 to 2:38. There are too many shots in those twenty-seven seconds. This isn’t an action scene, this is a conversation—if one could call it such. Reliance on quick cutting here gives the scene too much of a roller-coaster ride. Just because the short is twelve minutes it doesn’t mean it needs to run at a hectic pace. Save that for the action scenes, not scenes that need to establish our characters. When Red is walking up the stairs after the Madame at 2:42 the shot is so quick to cut to the next that it holds no effect. It was only after I paused to take a screen capture that I noticed that Red is looking at the Madame’s ass, although I’m not sure why given she sure as hell doesn’t look sexy in the least. The key animators who worked on this project don’t quite seem like they injected any sense of perversion into their work. If you’re going to be lewd take some pride in it!

I like the shot at 2:49. Red’s hat on the ground in the foreground makes for a nice effect, but the cut to the next shot comes way, way too soon. This shot should have been held for part of the conversation. We know who these characters are that are speaking, they don’t have to be on camera simply because they are speaking. Here’s an idea, blur the hat in the foreground while the Madame is speaking then switch the focus of the lens when Red begins speaking so that his hat is ‘speaking’ for him. It’s a simple thing that the brains of the audience will pick up on very quickly and really make the conversation come alive.

Once again, dead space strikes at 2:58. The framing here is a little dissociative. The audience is peering straight down on Red in this shot, so there’s less room to add layers to the layout. The camera shows too much of the pillow that Red is lying on, which cancels out the fact that the frame is focused on Red’s upper body. If we’re cutting out everything below his chest to accentuate everything above why show so much of the pillow? It competes for the viewer’s attention in a bad way. Instead of adding to the mood it is simply there.

The angles for the rest of the bedroom scene are good but the quick cutting between the higher then necessary number of shots make the entire scene feel like an afterthought.

The music cue at 4:37 is too strong. Perhaps one should say the animation is too weak for the music cue? Jonah’s reaction to being called out is too delayed. This is a case where quicker timing actually is necessary. The effect of the brat’s “I can take you!” is loss when the follow-up reaction lacks so much weight.

The shot at 5:22 is too bland. That part of Jonah’s exchange should have been replaced with the still shot of the beer mug. I do like the shot of Jonah putting the money on the table at 5:32, though. A shot I wish had been used more is definitely 5:41, though. Peering downward through the bars provides a nice reminder of the characters’ environment. The framing provides five layers to the shot but does become generic once we reach the southeastern corner of the shot. If we could have captured just a little bit of the space behind the bar I think it would have given the shot a little more weight. With the floor of the second floor obscuring the rest of the bar like so the shot becomes a little too clean and perfect looking. It’s definitely an oddity.

Jonah Hex isn’t allowed to punch a woman in the face. In a film that allows the word ‘ass’ and prostitution. That’s just lame. The storyboarding isn’t even interesting to make up for the lack of on-screen violence. It says something pretty nasty about our society when it says that it is okay for the audience to enjoy resolving conflict through violence…except not against women, because...because.

The character that Jonah shoots at 7:13 does not bleed. In fact, the only indication that those bullets hit their mark is that the character flies backward…for some reason. Wow, what idiot forced this down the pipeline? Was someone afraid Warner Bros. Animation would have to spend extra money to edit this short for mass consumption on television?

Lorraine’s sneak attack on Jonah is so telegraphed it feels like an afterthought. In a short film storytelling is especially necessary. At the very least the key animator should try to do something interesting. It’s a shame on so many levels the entire project feels like a nine-to-five job.

Filmmaking is something that needs every little detail in every shot to have a defined reason for being. At the very least most shots need to be well defined. With Jonah Hex is feels like a child with no training tried to karate chop through several planks of wood with one strike. It reminds me a lot of Akira in that respect, a lack of refinement or careful defining of visual actions.