2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.
Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.
Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt (1941)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Michael Maltese
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Gil Turner
Again, there’s a golden rule behind the dynamic of Bugs Bunny in that he works so much better when he’s the defender and not the bully. Earlier Bugs shorts pegged him as being something of an antagonist who pushes Elmer Fudd (and a few others) around. Here, Bugs Bunny is relying on his classic trope that would become a trademark of his. In “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt,” he’s merely hanging out, minding his business, and goes on the defensive when troubles comes banging at his door. “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt” delves in to the troublesome territory that would become somewhat recurring in future Bugs Bunny episodes.
This short features a hunter villain (sans Fudd Rhotacism), but one of Indigenous descent. Except this one called Hiawatha in all the painful Indigenous stereotypes to make him about as menacing as possible. As an added insult to injury, he’s also about as dumb as a post. This is Warner punching down in their comedy, and it’s no less uncomfortable now than it was back then. I don’t know how much is true but I read “Hiawatha and the Rabbit Hunt” was also meant as a blatant parody to Disney’s “Little Hiawatha” from their Silly Symphonies. The similarities are hard to ignore, as much of the aforementioned features a similar looking hunter named Hiawatha (an apparent jab at a Disney animator) who ventures in to the wilderness on a hunt by way of canoe.
The short begins and ends on him rowing a canoe down a river, and he even has a confrontation with a rabbit. Except with the case of “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt,” our titular character comes face to face with Bugs. While Disney’s short has its merits, “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt” is so much funnier. What it does well is it satirizes the then popular “The Song of Hiawatha,” an epic poem by Henry Longfellow often recited in grade school that becomes the basis for the entirety of the short. The first short directed by Friz Freleng, “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt” centers on the pint sized hunter Hiawatha, an indigenous scout who is paddling his canoe down a river. He is hell bent on hunting a rabbit and making rabbit stew.
Bugs is lounging around and reading “The Song of Hiawatha” and becomes aware that he might be a target for a hunter after the poem makes a passing reference to a rabbit. From there Hiawatha begins tracking Bugs and Bugs now has to defend himself, while outwitting the pugnacious predator. I fondly remember watching this on the Cartoon Network here in America back in 1999, and 2000, but apparently according to research this was one of the twelve Bugs Bunny shorts pulled Cartoon Network’s annual “June Bugs” Marathon (1993-2002) in 2001 by the order of AOL Time Warner. I don’t really remember the short missing from the line up, as I was a religious viewer of the June Bugs marathon, but it’s a considerably interesting omission.
Damn, Cartoon Network hosted some classic cartoon marathons back in their heyday.
There are some great Bugs gags featured such as him ending up in Hiawatha’s boiling pot unaware he’s what’s cooking for dinner. There’s also the classic “Sucker” gag where Hiawatha becomes a literal sucker after Bugs tricks him in to jumping off a cliff. The latter gag would become a staple of the future shorts. I wouldn’t say that “Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt” is essential viewing if you fancy yourself a Bugs Bunny fan. Despite being Oscar nominated yet again, It doesn’t have anything particularly special about it, save for the Indigenous stereotypes.
It’s not a bad short for Bugs. If you can acknowledge the context, it’s a pretty entertaining short from his oeuvre.
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