Taz und Bugs

Just as Coyote was introduced opposing Bugs, we get to meet Taz opposing Bugs. Just like in the Coyote meeting, Taz talks too. I am not personally aware of any other Looney Tunes where either Coyote nor Taz talks. Sure, here and elsewhere we get a lot of "OOH EH AH UH UH!" But if you listen, Taz actually says some words. The one where the savage beast is soothed by music and Bugs has to use this to get the Taz back to the zoo...watch that one and listen for any lines by Taz. But here, he has the classic line, "And rabbits." Bottom line, they rarely get as good as this. A Looney Tune keeper all the way.

Devil May Hare (1954)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

All of the animals in the forest are running away when a Tasmanian Devil is on the loose. All except for Bugs Bunny who decides to stay and mess with the creature. This is a wonderful Looney Tunes short that contains great action, wonderful characters and an even better amount of laughs. The movie contains one great scene after another and we also get some rather cute ones including one scene with a baby deer. The best moment has to be the sequence where Bugs gives the Devil a lot of bubble gum and you know madness is going to follow. Another plus is that the Devil actually has some rather funny lines instead of just being a fast mess.

When Bugs is disturbed by a stampede of forest animals, Bugs comes out of the hole to find out what's going on. Stopping a speeding turtle, Bugs finds out that a Tasmanian Devil has escaped and is heading his way. With no time to run Bugs is forced to try and outsmart the forever-hungry beast.

Many of the Taz and Bugs cartoons are about as bad as I've seen Bugs Bunny in, but this appears to be an exception. The jokes here are actually pretty funny and I found myself laughing most of the way through the cartoon.

A big, big reason for this is that Taz is given a voice and a character whereas usually he is just a fairly meaningless spinning creature that Bugs easily tricks. Here he is still that but the voice really helps him deliver the laughs instead of just being the brunt of each joke. Bugs rises to this well; together they make a good team here and the cartoon is very funny and imaginative. Even the addition of another devil near the end doesn't spoil it!

Overall, as someone who has pretty much hated every Bugs & Taz cartoon that I have seen, this was a very pleasant surprise. Taz is actually a very good character here and the end result is a very funny cartoon where Bugs is able to actually use Taz as a good partner for once.

The Tasmanian Devil makes his first appearance in this funny Bugs Bunny short directed by Robert McKimson. In the cartoon, Bugs is cleaning his rabbit hole when he's overrun by a stampede of animals of all kinds running for their lives from the Tasmanian Devil. Bugs has to look Taz up in an encyclopedia because he has no clue what it is. He finds out, though, when Taz shows up and tries to eat him.

Taz is pretty low on my list of favorite Looney Tunes characters but I do enjoy his earliest appearances with Bugs. This is a very funny short that works because its 'brains vs. brawn' premise is right in Bugs' wheelhouse. There are several great gags and lines in this. Mel Blanc does wonderful work as Bugs and Taz. The animation is fluid with some lovely colors and backgrounds. The music is energetic and fun. It's probably the best use of Taz in any of the shorts he appeared in during the classic era, which wasn't many.

In the Tasmanian Devil's first appearance, he goes after Bugs Bunny, but Bugs is ahead of him, armed with various things (how many people can actually explain what sodium bicarbonate is?). In the pantheon of Bugs's foils, Taz seems like more of a cowboy than Yosemite Sam (he's louder, angrier, less comprehensible, and apparently is the world's biggest glutton). I've always thought that Taz was funny mainly because of what Bugs does to him; if it was just him, his slobbering and growling might get old pretty quickly.

So, this isn't the best cartoon, but still worth seeing. I wonder how many people in real life have seen a Tasmanian Devil.