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.
A Corny Concerto (1943)
Directed by Bob Clampett
Written by Frank Tashlin
Music by Various
Animation by Bob McKimson
Warner has never been subtle about their discontent for Disney Studios. In fact, they made it their quest for a long time to mock and poke fun at a lot of what Disney did with their films, including their handling of music and fairy tales. “A Corny Concerto” isn’t just a spoof of their masterpiece “Fantasia,” but it’s an outright ribbing of their considerably high brow animated melding of classical music and the animation medium. I for one love “Fantasia,” but I don’t think Disney is ever above being poked at for the purposes of comedy. Every studio tends to do it at one point in time, but Warner has always done it the best. And dare I say that the Looney Tunes has always implemented classical music better than Disney ever has or ever will.
I cut my teeth on the Looney Tunes when it came to falling in love with classical music. I gained a general fondness and awareness of folk music, and classic show tunes with Merrie Melodies, but I sincerely love classical music and that’s because of the Looney Tunes. Sure the music was used mostly as a frame work for their gags, but they used the music as a means of complimenting their comedy and their animation. Like Disney, “A Corny Concerto” uses the music to help move its story along. It’s just that “A Corny Concerto” happens to use classical music set to the comedy that they’re so good in using.
It’s an art form that would be amplified in future Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes shorts, and would sadly fall by the wayside in latter years. Music was always a humongous part of the Merrie Melodies legacy and while Bugs Bunny is only being covered, the expanse of classical music is used beautifully in various other shorts from within the studio. While this is mainly defined as a Bugs Bunny short, “Corny Concerto” shares its time with another short entirely. Starring is Bugs, Porky in the role of hunter, Elmer Fudd as the conductor, and apparently a younger version of Daffy Duck in the “Blue Danube” short. “Tales from the Vienna Woods” stars Bugs in a dialogue free role being pursued by Porky Pig and his dog as they attempt to hunt him.
The music of Johann Strauss is intricately used to help unfold the fairly simple narrative of Bugs evading the pair of predators at every turn. The animation from Bob Clampett is fantastic and zany, and helps compliment the music well. There are some fun gags including a moment where the trio is apparently shot by an angry squirrel in a tree. Horrified they reveal their wounds to one another with nary a scratch to be found. When Bugs reveals his, he’s donning a blue brazier, and screeches horrified. He then pirouettes off in a ballerina outfit as Porky and his dog sit completely baffled, and wearing the negligee over their heads. It’s a great bit of over the top comedy which Clampett was very good at.
He was a very good successor to Tex Avery when all was said and done. The animators also take advantage of the lack of dialogue as Porky holds up a sign to the audience reading “I’m hunting that @!!*@ rabbit!!” with his dog holding a sign of his own stating “DITTO” The second segment is set to the “Blue Danube” (also the title of the segment) waltz also from Johann Strauss stars apparently a child version of Daffy Duck who confuses a family of swans for his actual family. This is also a take on the ugly duckling fairytale, but things take dark turn when they’re pursued by a hungry buzzard. I’m assuming this is Beaky Buzzard, even though the buzzard has no dialogue and wears something of a hipster bowl haircut, but that’s just speculation.
In either case, “Blue Danube” is a short but funny follow up that’s mainly based around the ugly duckling finding his position in his mismatched family by saving his siblings from uncertain death. I’ve always liked “Corny Concerto” despite the idea of the staging comedic versions of famous operas and classical music being implemented bettering future shorts. I love how the concert hall is called “Corny-Gie Hall” while Elmer (the only character who has dialogue) is just a great mix of funny and adorable as the conductor. The way he struggles with his dicky is a great added touch to the whole sense of relentless ribbing toward Disney.
“Corny Concerto” is a master class in using music to punctuate, enhance, and advance a story and even add an extra sharp edge to the gags.
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