{"id":39214,"date":"2023-04-03T00:01:53","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T04:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=39214"},"modified":"2023-04-02T17:06:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T21:06:01","slug":"every-bugs-bunny-ever-the-wacky-wabbit-1942","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2023\/04\/03\/every-bugs-bunny-ever-the-wacky-wabbit-1942\/","title":{"rendered":"Every Bugs Bunny Ever: The Wacky Wabbit (1942)"},"content":{"rendered":"

2023 marks the 85th<\/sup> Anniversary of Bug Bunny\u2019s first animated appearance in 1938’s \u201cPorky\u2019s Hare Hunt.\u201d 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\u2019re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We\u2019re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too. <\/em><\/p>\n

Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>The Wacky Wabbit (1942)
\n<\/strong>Directed by Bob Clampett
\nWritten by Warren Foster
\nMusic by Carl W. Stalling
\nAnimation by Sid Sutherland<\/p>\n

I have a great sentimental attachment to \u201cThe Wacky Wabbit\u201d as it\u2019s one of the many shorts I used to watch with my neighbor when I was nine. I remember the first time ever watching it on VHS, I was in hysterics, and watching it again today it\u2019s still one of the funniest openers to a Bugs Bunny short I\u2019ve ever seen. Let me tell you, it\u2019s tough to impress a girl you like while you\u2019re cackling over Bugs Bunny singing along with Elmer Fudd. This short really pops from the starting line with Bugs Bunny acting as both a foil to \u201cFat Elmer\u201d Fudd, and a bit of a tormentor as well. Normally I\u2019m not a fan of that set up, but here the comedy is just so good I can\u2019t help but love it.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s just something about the way Bob Clampett animates Bugs Bunny wearing a bison skull over his head that just makes me howl with laughter. Bugs just looks ridiculous and he is well aware of it. But it also allows him to disarm Elmer Fudd and get close to him with their rendition of \u201cOh! Susanna\u201d One of the best things about Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes is that the voice actors have always had wonderful singing voices. While Arthur Q. Bryan and Mel Blanc are genius voice actors, their singing voices are just dynamite, and I never get tired of hearing them belt out some folk songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wacky Wabbit\u201d is one of the many Public Domain Merrie Melodies shorts (since United Artists failed to renew the copyright at the time) featuring Bugs Bunny that find \u201cFat Elmer\u201d Fudd pretty much just going about his business. There was a clear distinction between \u201cFat Elmer\u201d Fudd and Skinny Elmer Fudd in that \u201cFat Elmer\u201d was most of the time just minding his business until Bugs would sidle up. With Skinny Elmer, he was almost always a hunter or some kind of threat to Bugs who would just be begging for Bugs Bunny to torment him.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not too sure why that dynamic shifts between both variations of the character. Perhaps it\u2019s because \u201cFat Elmer\u201d Fudd looks so much less imposing and more naive in stature and temperament. In either case, \u201cThe Wacky Wabbit\u201d finds \u201cFat Elmer\u201d Fudd venturing out in to the desert to find gold as a means of helping the War effort. The short even makes a point of explaining that with a sign in the background advertising finding gold for the \u201cWar Effort\u201d during World War II. Fudd proudly sings \u201cOh! Susanna\u201d (with altered lyrics) promoting his attempts to find gold to help his country.<\/p>\n

Enter Bugs Bunny who takes delight in Elmer\u2019s sudden appearance, and begins giving him a hard time. Along the way there are some fun gags including Elmer carving out an X in the ground only to begin picking on the other side of the ground (while singing \u201cI\u2019ve Been Working on the Wailwoad\u201d). There\u2019s also Bugs clipping off his suspenders revealing a blue girdle holding in what I can imagine is a large gut. One of the many, many fourth wall breakers sees Elmer addressing the men in the audience: “Don’t waugh. I’ll bet pwenty of you men wear one of these.” Merrie Melodies has always made a case of breaking the fourth wall, and it\u2019s shockingly a gag that never gets old.<\/p>\n

In fact, it only gets funnier as it allows the theatrical audience to feel more involved. I\u2019m sure in 1942 this kind of re-occurring meta-joke really grabbed a good laugh from the attending movie going audience. There\u2019s is also some gag involving dynamite that lands pretty well, and a weird plot element involving gold teeth. I have to admit even in my original viewing I found the gag with the gold teeth to be a bit bizarre. It\u2019s explicitly made clear that Elmer and Bugs both have a gold tooth, and this becomes instrumental in the short\u2019s pay off where the pair wrestle only for Elmer to brag about yanking Bugs\u2019 gold tooth out.<\/p>\n

A second later we find out Elmer actually pulled out his own gold tooth and Bugs celebrates with him while flashing his gold chompers to the audience. It\u2019s a weird note to leave on, and it sadly doesn\u2019t land. It\u2019s a groaner in a short that\u2019s filled to the brim with pretty good jokes and sight gags all around. I still very much enjoy \u201cThe Wacky Wabbit\u201d for the surefire sentimental value, and for the way it amps up the zaniness and laughs–even if it doesn\u2019t really end on a high note for both characters. Seriously people, don\u2019t watch Looney Tunes if you\u2019re trying to impress someone you\u2019re in to.<\/p>\n

Find out what we think are the BEST<\/a> and WORST<\/a> Bugs Bunny shorts of all time!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n