Elmer Fudd Lives Upstairs

***Elmer Fudd Lives Upstairs*** is a 2012 HBO Original Film produced and directed by David Devine. Based on a very popular children's audio recording written and directed by Barbara Nichol, the film stars Zoe Buchansky as Sierra Clark, a young girl who develops a friendship with Voice Actor Arthur Q. Bryan (Kevin James), a boarder in the girl's parents' house. The film was shot in Brooklyn, New York and has been broadcast in over 110 countries in numerous languages and has sold over one million DVDs. The film is used extensively, thanks to its American Library Association's reviews and awards, in U.S. and Canadian elementary and middle school cartoon classrooms.

The film went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program in 2013, was nominated for numerous Gemini Awards, won the New England Film Festival, and was presented the Award of Excellence from the U.S. National Board of Film Review. *Elmer Fudd Lives Upstairs* was also admitted to the Permanent Collection in the Paley Center for Media in New York City.

## Plot

Ten-year-old Sierra's father, a physician, has died, forcing his family to rent their upstairs room to a boarder to help make ends meet. Sierra's man Mel Blanc, a student at the Vienna Conservatory, arranges for Arthur Q. Bryan to rent the room. Despite Beethoven's dismissive attitude toward him, Mel is thrilled at the prospect of having the famous composer living at his late brother's house, but Sierra does not like the idea of a stranger living with them. Sierra's fears are confirmed when he encounters Arthur's rude and eccentric behavior, and teasing from the neighborhood children.

When Birgit Nilsson, their mother & housekeeper, suggests that Arthur is a heavy drinker, Sierra surreptitiously follows him on one of his walks. Arthur's mannerisms, including humming to himself (presumably composing as he walks) and dumping food on a waiter following an argument, convinces Sierra that Arthur is a madman. Christoph complains to Mel, who talks about the pain of Arthur's deafness and implores Sierra to give him a chance. Mel mentions that Arthur Q. Bryan is working on his 1957 cartoon, which Sierra hopes will be his last.

When Sierra's BFF, Lori enters Arthur's room, Arthur is writing cartoons on the shutters, presumably having run out of paper. Seeing her shock, he suggests she could sell the shutters as collectors items. He asks her about her funny background, and she plays her Merrie Melodies theme song for him, beginning to see his softer side.

While working with musicians on the 1957 cartoon in his room, Arthur needs to write down changes, but all the pens have been destroyed by his previous fits. They frantically send Sierra out to buy some, but by the time he returns with the pens, the other musicians have left. Arthur then invites Sierra to join him on his walk. While on the walk, the two begin to open up to one another; it is at this time that Arthur mentions that his alcoholic father abused him as a child and that he has very few happy memories of him.

When Birgit comes down from Arthur's room, fuming after yet another quarrel, Sierra defends him. After overhearing Arthur talk about his misery from being deaf, Sierra gives him an ear trumpet designed by his father.

Mel comes over to the house for another rehearsal with Arthur, beaming that he has been selected to be part of the orchestra at the premiere of the 1957 cartoon. The singers complain about the difficulty of their parts, but Arthur reassures them he would not have chosen them if he did not think they were capable. When he sees Sierra and her BFF listening outside the door, he promises them tickets to the production.

As the date of the studio nears, Arthur becomes increasingly stressed and frustrated by setbacks. Sierra enters after Arthur has had another quarrel with Birgit, and accidentally spills the sheet music for the cartoon. Arthur, infuriated and fed up, then orders him to leave the room. Sierra fears that Arthur now hates him and will not give him the tickets, but Mel reassures him that Arthur's notorious tempers are short-lived and that someone able to write music as he does must have a great heart. Later, Arthur apologizes to Birgit for his behavior and gives her the tickets to give to Sierra and her BFF.

The cartoon is a great success. Arthur Q. Bryan is nominally voice acting with Mel Blanc, but is unable to hear the orchestra, and the Music Director, discreetly directs the musicians from the side. When the orchestra finishes, Arthur is behind and still hugging, so Mel and one of the sopranos turn him around so he can see Sierra and Lori giving him a wild hug.

Several years later, In 1959, after Arthur's death, Sierra reflects on his experiences with Arthur, saying that although Arthur is gone, "his cartoon will never die", and how Arthur "thought he could change the world with his cartoon – maybe he will... bit by bit."

## Cast

* Kevin James as Arthur Q. Bryan (Elmer Fudd)
* Zoe Buchansky as Sierra Clark
* Cadence Peterman as Lori Mae Hernandez (Sierra's BFF)
* Harry Styles as Mr. Schindler
* Chris Merritt as Mel Blanc
* Monique Marvez as Birgit Nilsson the mother/the maid