Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Bully for Bugs (1953)

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Phil Hall

Bully for Bugs (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ben Washam, Lloyd Vaughan, Ken Harris
Music by Carl Stalling

According to Chuck Jones, “Bully for Bugs” came about because of an unexpected declaration made by producer Edward Selzer didn’t want any films related to bullfighting because he felt that bullfights aren’t funny. If Selzer was commenting on comedy films with a bullfighting theme, he was most correct – those films relied heavily on stock footage, trick editing, the obvious use of stunt doubles and connect-the-dots comedy with the funnymen supposedly being chased around a bullring.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hare Trimmed (1953)

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Phil Hall

Hare Trimmed (1953)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Manuel Perez, Ken Champin, Virgil Ross, Arthur Davis
Music by Carl Stalling

“Hare Trimmed” is notable as being the only Bugs Bunny cartoon where Granny plays a prominent role in the story. It is a shame that she wasn’t a more frequent presence, since she was an endearing and lively character – Granny turned up briefly two years later in “This is a Life?”, but that was more of a gag appearance.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Upswept Hare (1953)

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Phil Hall

Upswept Hare (1953)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Charles McKimson, Herman Cohen, Rod Scribner, Phil DeLara
Music by Carl Stalling

Wealthy amateur botanist Elmer Fudd discovers a rare flower during a drive through the desert and decides to add it to his floral collection at his penthouse apartment. Elmer digs around the flower to ensure it remains in its native soil, but he inadvertently digs up Bugs Bunny who is sleeping in his hole just under the flower’s roots and transplants him with the flower in a large planter. Bugs awakens the next morning and is initially baffled at being in a swanky penthouse, but he quickly makes himself at home – much to Elmer’s consternation. Elmer’s effort to evict his unwanted guest results in him being tricked by Bugs to jump off the penthouse, where he plummets into a sidewalk popcorn vending machine.
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The Bootleg Files: A Special Valentine with the Family Circus

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 897: “A Special Valentine with the Family Circus” (1978 animated television special).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On VHS video.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Oh, God, I hope not.

If you ever want to encounter the most passionate vitriol to stain the Internet, type in the words “Family Circus Hate” into your search engine and then set aside several hours to read the blog posts and forum messages from people who have an aggressive loathing to that long-running newspaper comic strip “The Family Circus” about a wholesome family and their treacly-thick approach to life’s minor inanities. But if you really love to hate “The Family Circus” – or if you really hate yourself and you feel that you need to be punished for genuine or perceived character flaws – then please set aside about a half-hour to endure the 1978 animated TV special “A Special Valentine with the Family Circus.”
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Forward March Hare (1953)

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Phil Hall

Forward March Hare (1953)
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Story by Michael Maltese
Animation by Ken Harris, Lloyd Vaughan, Ben Washam
Music by Carl Stalling

A draft notice meant for Bertram Bonny – the envelope is addressed to “B. Bonny” – accidentally winds up down Bugs Bunny’s hole. Bugs opens the envelope and mistakenly believes he’s being drafted into the Army. He arrives at the induction processing center, creating confusion by his presence – but no one has the temerity to question why a rabbit is being inducted. But Bugs creates endless trouble for his drill sergeant, who is repeatedly demoted by the army base’s colonel after Bugs’ incompetence results in embarrassing assaults on the commanding officer’s authority.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hare Lift (1952)

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Phil Hall

Hare Lift (1952)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Story by Warren Foster
Animation by Ken Champin, Arthur Davis, Manuel Perez, Virgil Ross
Music by Carl W. Stalling

Bank robber Yosemite Sam makes a gun-toting withdrawal from the Last National Bank, warning those inside the bank to “keep a-reachin’ for the ceilin’ till ya’ reach it!” But the sound of approaching police sirens forces him to flee and drives to the airport where the world’s largest airplane has arrived for public exhibition. Bugs Bunny is alone in the airplane, sitting in the cockpit while pretending he’s a pilot. Sam mistakes him for the real pilot and forces Bugs to take off – even though Bugs knows nothing about flying. Nonetheless, Bugs starts the airplane and begins to drive it down a main street before abruptly taking it on a wild ride up to the moon and then back in a dizzying plummet to Earth.
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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Rabbit’s Kin (1952)

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Phil Hall

Rabbit’s Kin (1952)
Directed by Robert McKimson
Story by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Charles McKimson, Herman Cohen, Rod Scribner, Phil DeLara, Keith Darling
Music by Carl Stalling

Of all the predators who pursued Bugs Bunny, Pete Puma was arguably the stupidest of the bunch. But at the same time, he might have been the most endearing – if only because his cheerful imbecility made him oblivious to the fact that he was his own worst enemy rather than Bugs’ greatest foe.
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