MovieChat Forums > Affliction (1999) Discussion > 'Loony Tunes, Jack, Loony Tunes!'

'Loony Tunes, Jack, Loony Tunes!'

posted 15 years ago by Edward_de_Vere
8 replies | jump to latest

In the scene where Wade taunts Jack for (in his mind) getting away with murder for pay, he tells him to take the money and move to California. Wade says, "Surf's up Jack! Loony Tunes, Jack, Loony Tunes!"

What was the "Loony Tunes" interjection supposed to mean?

[–] Rupert_Pupkin1 14 years ago

Probably the speed at which he should have left. Bugs bunny was fast, wasn't he?

What did you think of the film?

"The royal penis is clean."

[–] Edward_de_Vere 13 years ago

What did you think of the film?

It's one of my favorites. You wouldn't watch it for the plot (there isn't much to the story), but as a character study of a man whose life is coming apart at the seams, Affliction is right up there with Taxi Driver (also written by Schrader).

I also think that it's probably the best performance in Nick Nolte's acting career.

[–] MrsAlSwearengen 13 years ago

I agree it's probably Nick Nolte's best performance. I had never seen the film until recently and cannot get his performance out of my head. Great stuff.

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled by the last priest

[–] lousvr 13 years ago

The way I've heard it and hits me is, like 'Crazy, jack, crazy' or 'Unreal'

For many decades.. 'looney' meant.. crazy... so the cartoon people who incorporated this in their 'Looney Tones'.. meant just that.. Hey! our characters are funny and 'crazy'..
Therefore a reference to an old saying...

[–] DevelopmentHell92 12 years ago

Wade wasn't always known for making rational statements either.

[–] balthazar_bee 10 years ago

It was almost certainly symptomatic of his muddled and agitated state of mind at the time.

Here too, the film deserves credit for capturing an element that I've often found in the behaviour of people like Wade -- namely, that they make connections in their own mind, then verbalize them, and expect everyone around them to appreciate the meaning or wit behind it.

Thus, they sometimes end up sounding like they're a bit "touched" or about to fly off the deep end. They're saying things aloud that they don't necessarily intend to.

But the meaning that Wade intended to convey with the "Loony Tunes" remark is probably what others have said -- Wade is shocked by the perceived craziness of the entire situation, with his best friend implicated in a murder-for-hire plot. Wade is so transfixed by his own delusions that he fails to appreciate exactly what makes it so crazy, that he's known Jack for years, and Jack probably would never be mixed up in something like that.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 10 years ago

Here too, the film deserves credit for capturing an element that I've often found in the behaviour of people like Wade -- namely, that they make connections in their own mind, then verbalize them, and expect everyone around them to appreciate the meaning or wit behind it.

Kind of like a drunk will often tell you a joke or anecdote based on personal references that only he (or perhaps his closest friends or family members, of which you aren't one) would know.

[–] Druff 9 years ago

I interpreted it as a sort of sarcastic "Don't mind me Jack, I don't actually know the truth that you got paid a lot of money to murder that guy. I'm just talking crazy, no worries!"