Bewitched Bunny

The very first cartoon featuring Witch Hazel, a hilarious character who appeared in several Bugs Bunny shorts. This one begins with Bugs reading the story of Hansel and Gretel when he happens upon the real thing as Witch Hazel is luring two little fat kids inside her house to eat them. Bugs decides to save the kids, which puts him in the crosshairs of kooky old Hazel. A funny short with great characters, directed by the always-amazing Chuck Jones. Superior voice work from Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet. Fun music from Carl Stalling. The animation is colorful and crisp, although the backgrounds are that sketchy style Jones seemed to prefer sometimes. Creatively I suppose there's nothing wrong with it but it just seems a little lazy to me. Anyway it's a terrific cartoon with many funny gags and lines. Love the bit where Prince Charming wanders into the wrong cartoon. Gotta appreciate the non-PC ending.

In Witch Hazel's first appearance, she tempts Hansel (Hansel?) and Gretel into her house, only to have Bugs Bunny intervene; of course, he might be just as tasty. If absolutely nothing else, it's always great to see the various and sundry tricks that Bugs comes up with on the spot - always helped, natch, by the fact that any useful substance is immediately at hand. If "Bewitched Bunny" has any problem, it's that the cartoon sort of stereotypes Germans (the children have accents like the characters in "Fargo"). But no matter, this cartoon is purely a joke, and it's impossible not to like. I'd say that Witch Hazel, with her lovable cackling, did as much to advance the cause of witchcraft as Harry Potter or Samantha on "Bewitched". A real classic.

This cartoon alone may be enough for me to buy the newest DVD collection. The Looney Tunes, especially with Bugs, have done some great twists on fairy tales and this is one of their best - I love Chuck Jones' take on Hansel and Gretel as walking ham hocks with blank doll eyes!

This one takes the flattened-out, stylized UPA-style graphics of the time to a unique level in Witch Hazel's house interiors, that loudly defy gravity and physics. Hazel herself scuttles crablike across the screen as a hilarious and literally two-dimensional presence. I'm impressed at how seamlessly the classic Looney characters fit into this new design scheme in this and other cartoons of the time.

Anyhow, what I liked about this Bugs Bunny cartoon were the following things: the witch (who also appears in "Broomstick Bunny"), Bugs Bunny, the fairytale theme and quite a few of the jokes. The animation is also worth noting, it is done in a quite "comfortable" style and it fits the fairytale theme in the episode.

In this Looney Tunes short, Bugs Bunny is walking in a forest, reading aloud the tale of Hansel and Gretel (who have very noticeable German accents). By pure coincidence, he spots a little cottage and a witch outside it welcoming a little boy and girl, who she invites in. Bugs Bunny realizes that the fairytale he is reading is beginning to come true and he is ready to rescue...

I do not understand why the makers of this cartoon added an anti-feminist joke at the end. It was very annoying. The rest of the cartoon was good - a little too farcey - but good.

I recommend this amusing episode to people who like fairy tales, to people who like Witch Hazel (if the people have watched "Broomstick Bunny") and to people who just love Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes in general. Enjoy "Bewitched Bunny"! :-)

This is one of the all-time classic Bugs Bunny Cartons. It is so funny, I find myself rolling on the floor with laughter every time that it is on. Witch Hazel is a scream. Look for it the next time Lonney Tunes are on.