{"id":41830,"date":"2023-11-21T16:52:35","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T21:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=41830"},"modified":"2023-11-22T00:04:45","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T05:04:45","slug":"every-bugs-bunny-ever-hair-raising-hare-1946","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/21\/every-bugs-bunny-ever-hair-raising-hare-1946\/","title":{"rendered":"Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Hair-Raising Hare (1946)"},"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>Hair-Raising Hare (1946)
\n<\/strong>Directed by Chuck Jones
\nWritten by Ted Pierce
\nMusic by Carl W. Stalling
\nAnimation by Ben Washam<\/p>\n

\u201cHair-Raising Hare\u201d is one of my all time favorite Bugs Bunny Toons. It not only features one of the more simplistic but clever premises of his library, but also introduces one of his most underrated nemeses, the monster known as Gossamer. The entire set up or \u201cHair-Raising Hare\u201d doesn\u2019t really demand a lot of thinking which works to the benefit of the short as the best element of \u201cHair-Raising Hare\u201d is the interplay between Bugs, Gossamer, and the audience.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As with most Chuck Jones shorts, the fourth wall is broken quite often as Bugs is prone to goof around with the audience as much as he does the monster. In one hilarious moment Bugs beckons \u201cIs there a doctor in the house?!\u201d prompting a shadow to pop up proclaiming \u201cI\u2019m a doctor!\u201d Bugs then pulls out his carrot quipping \u201cEh What\u2019s up Doc?\u201d It\u2019s gags like that that work mainly because you have to consider how these shorts played.<\/p>\n

Originally they were shown in theaters, so I\u2019d almost bet that the audience gags were gags that landed well. In this short we meet an evil scientist who is anxious to feed his monster who he has locked up in a room. The scientist is a clear cut caricature of character actor Peter Lorre, and although he only has a small amount of screen time, he makes a considerable impression. He uses the lady rabbit robot decoy to lure Bugs Bunny out of his hole and in to the castle, and Bugs is quite interested in the female rabbit.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s so funny about this gag is that we\u2019re not quite sure if he\u2019s aware that he\u2019s being trapped as the scientist locked up the castle behind him prompting Bugs to turn to him and explain \u201cYou don\u2019t have to lock up, Mac. I don\u2019t want to leave!\u201d Once Bugs realizes that he\u2019s been scammed, the scientist unleashes Gossamer to stalk and hunt down Bugs. Gossamer is a fun creature, and that\u2019s because he\u2019s so weird and inexplicable. He\u2019s covered in red hair, dons large yellow nails, and wears sneakers, for some reason.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t know what Gossamer is, we just know that he wants to eat Bugs, and he\u2019s relentless. Despite being a monster, Gossamer is just as dimwitted as the normal villains and grabs some fun bits. There\u2019s a hilarious gag involving a picture, Bugs nearly falling in to a pit prompting him to back up while praying for his dear life, his mental break down at the sight of Gossamer, and Gossamer pretending to be a knight statue. It\u2019s another hilarious instance as Gossamer is so stuffed in to the Knight armor with his bushy red fur making him as plain a day.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the famous nail manicure monologue from Bugs Bunny who manages subdue Gossamer gabbing like a manicurist. It\u2019s a hilarious and famous bit from Bugs Bunny that I have been mimicking ever since I was a kid, and it never really gets old. I always end the impression with Bugs\u2019 \u201cNow let\u2019s put the paddies in the wa-ter!\u201d As I mentioned Jones is a big fan of breaking the fourth wall, it\u2019s a comic element he borrowed from Tex Avery, and it never ceases to amuse, especially as a way of ending the big back and forth with Bugs and Gossamer.<\/p>\n

As per usual, Bugs subdues the monster verbally by convincing him to acknowledge the viewing audience in the theater, all of whom are watching him prompting Gossamer to screech \u201cPeople! Aaaah!\u201d It\u2019s just the icing on the cake. Thankfully Gossamer would appear again often in future Warner productions. His debut here is just Looney Tunes and Chuck Jones at the top of their game. It\u2019s still top tier animation, and top tier comedy,<\/p>\n

If you love what we do, please consider <\/em><\/strong>Donating to Cinema Crazed<\/a>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n