Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Stage Door Cartoon (1944)

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.

Stage Door Cartoon (1944)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Michael Maltese
Music by Lou Lilly
Animation by Jack Bradbury

I love “Stage Door Cartoon” as this is one of the prime shorts featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd with their antics spilling over in to a pubic setting. Every single moment of “Stage Door Cartoon” is pure comedy gold, right down to the writers transforming Bugs’ signature catchphrase “What’s Up, Doc?” in to a bonafide show tune. I didn’t get to see this short until I was able to watch to Cartoon Network back in the nineties, but it’s remained one of my absolute favorites. It’s not only proof that Bugs and Elmer have possibly the best dynamic of the whole Looney Tunes gallery (Yeah, I said it), but when they’re at their best, they can produce some really laugh out loud material.

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DC Showcase: Blue Beetle (2021)

Director Milo Neuman’s approach to “Blue Beetle” for this DC Showcase is pretty fin as it watches like an incarnation of the old Hanna Barbera cartoons. Think “Blue Falcon” meets “Johnny Quest” and you’re there. “Blue Beetle” takes the often under used costumed hero known as Ted Kord and runs with his concept, turning him in to something of a quipping avenger who works off of the overly serious The Question, and it’s a fun preview in to what DC isn’t but should be doing with these overlooked characters.

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Miguel Wants To Fight (2023)

Director Osmany Rodriguez’s “Miguel Wants to Fight” is a lot like a Gen Z version of “Max Keeble’s Big Move” mixed with “Three O’Clock High.” It’s a coming of age movie about a teen who makes a self realization in the midst of a big move to another town. Except the premise for the movie is what you see in the title. Our main character is teenage Miguel who is looking for a fight before he leaves; except it’s a tad more complicated than that.

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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: The Old Grey Hare (1944)

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.

The Old Grey Hare (1944)
Directed by Bob Clampett
Written by Michael Sasanoff
Music by Lou Lilly
Animation by Bob McKimson

I’m surprisingly not a fan of “The Old Grey Hare” as it always came off as so random and bizarre. I’m so used to the Looney Tunes shorts setting up everything so expertly with three act structures in spite of the short run time. So it’s disappointing to see “The Old Grey Hare” which garners a lackluster first act, and a pretty abrupt third act. Plus the whole idea behind the return of skinny Elmer Fudd is kind of depressing, all things considered. The whole back and forth between Elmer and Bugs was always so much fun and hilarious, that for the writers to paint this dynamic as something of a inescapable circle of insanity kind of defeats the purpose of being labeled a comedy.

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The Tomb of Dracula (Yami no Teiō: Kyūketsuki Dorakyura) (1985)

DRACULA WEEK

Also known as “Dracula Sovereign of the Damned,” and “The Emperor of Darkness: The Vampire Dracula,” Toei’s “Tomb of Dracula” is loosely adapted from the “The Tomb of Dracula” Marvel Book comic series published from 1972 to 1979. I like to think the Marvel comics are so much better than what Toei has offered fans, as they squeeze in all of those stories in to such a hastily made ninety minute movie. And you can tell there’s so much here added in a rush as the movie is so badly made.

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Dear Dracula (2012)

DRACULA WEEK

I think I recall “Dear Dracula” airing on cable television back in 2012, but I never paid it much attention. It’s too bad because considering its obviously small budget, “Dear Dracula” is a fun and funny animated film. Maybe it’s because I can relate to young hero Sam and his love for characters like Dracula and the Wolfman over characters like Santa or the Tooth Fairy.

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Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Buckaroo Bugs (1944)

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.

Buckaroo Bugs (1944)
Directed by Bob Clampett
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Lou Lilly
Animation by Manny Gould

It would be a while before we would ever see Yosemite Sam on the big screen battling Bugs Bunny. We already saw the proto-granny in “Hare Force,” so “Buckaroo Bugs” has the proto-Yosemite Sam otherwise known as the Red Hot Ryder. This character would appear first and obviously be the character that would morph in to the aforementioned gun slinging bandit. This is also one of the very few times that we’ve seen Bugs Bunny playing the super villain in his own short. While yes there was the Tortoise and Hare but shorts, with “Buckaroo Bugs,” Bugs comes right out and says it to the audience that he is a bandit known s the notorious Masked Marauder.

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