Rabbit Punch (1948)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Written by Ted Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Phil Monroe
The bad new is that Chuck Jones re-uses a lot of the material from “Baseball Bugs” for “Rabbit Punch.” The good news is that “Rabbit Punch” ends up being very funny and memorable just the same. If you watch this and “Baseball Bugs” back to back you’ll see the obvious cut and paste, but this short is helped by the hysterical animation which really helps punctuate the hilarious physical gags and sight gags. There are some subtle bits of comedy that I still chuckle over. The frame as Bugs is hit by The Champ’s brick fist is absolutely priceless, and the POV of The Champ getting hit with a boulder by Bugs’ slingshot is just genius.
While “Rabbit Punch” is barebones in plot, the whole short throws a barrage of hilarious gags complimented by the animation, that it doesn’t really affect the whole short film. During the big match involving The Champ (voiced by Billy Bletcher) and a comically smaller and weaker opponent. After Bugs is heard vocally booing The Champ in the background by the The Champ, he’s put in the ring to box The Champ, who aims to shut him up. But Bugs doesn’t really plan to go down without a fight. Here is where the gags from “Baseball Bugs” come in to play, because with the set up of Bugs booing and then being pushed into the scenario, there’s also the gag that the boxing match goes on for almost 100 rounds.
As well, there’s the clasc bit where Bugs encourages him to “give him the old pepper,” only for him to be knocked in to the corner. It’s a classic bit and one of Bugs’ more underrated. I fondly remember mimicking that gag as a kid because it’s so hilarious, even today. The animation really does a service to the short, helping to sell a ton of really funny sight gags. There’s Bugs trying to lift the very heavy The Champ, there’s The Champ trying to make Bugs slip in a puddle of oil only for Bugs to come sliding out like an ice skater. I also loved the way Bugs convinces The Champ he’s broken his leg, allowing him to wrap him up in bandages and get in one good hit.
The final twist of the screw involves the finale as, surprisingly, Bugs does lose this match. But not if he has anything to do with it. One of the better gags of the short and in the Bugs library is The Champ getting the upper hand on Bugs but just as he meets his gruesome fate, the film is chopped up and ultimately the screen goes blank. Bugs then feigns ignorance on what happened with him revealing a pair of scissors. It’s a sly and fun bit of meta humor for Bugs who always seems to be able to beat most villains if not by wit but by literally bending his universe.
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