Hasen im Weltall

Bugs Bunny 'volunteers' somewhat reluctantly (kicking and screaming) to be the first earthling blasted into space. He perks up however when they fill the rocket to the brim with carrots.

After a bone-crushing spell of g-force he lands a little too roughly on the moon and decides to go for a little sight-seeing. On his journey he meets Marvin the Martian (who sounds a little bit different than usual) and his usual plans to blow up the earth for some insane reason.

As usual, hijinks and endless outsmarting follow, all to wonderful effect. It's in this type of anarchy and imagination that Bugs and the rest of the Looney Tunes prove how ingenious they really are.

In "Haredevil Hare" Bugs Bunny is the less than willing first rabbit shot into space. However, he's tricked and soon is sent hurtling towards the moon. There he soon meets Marvin the Martian (he's not called Marvin and looks and sounds a bit different in this, his first appearance). Unfortunately, Marvin is intent on blowing up the Earth and it's up to Bugs to stop him. But Marvin has help in the form of a green space dog. Can Bugs save the day?

Like the rest of the Bugs cartoons of the era, this one has exquisite animation and is quite entertaining. While I have never adored the Marvin character as much as many, it is enjoyable and worth seeing.

Chuck Jones's 'Haredevil Hare' is a brilliant and fascinating cartoon for several reasons. The first thing you'll notice when watching it is its comparatively leisurely pace. Several minutes are taken up with Bugs being sent into space against his will and then succumbing to an alarming breakdown that manifests itself in a series of involuntary, jerky movements. The desolate, lonely atmosphere Jones creates is unforgettable and it is one of the reasons I found this cartoon so eerie when I was a child. The climax, which leaves Bugs in an extremely uncertain situation (and is not unlike the ending of another Jones' masterpiece, 'Duck Dodgers in the 24th ½ Century'), also left me reeling when I was a kid. It remains one of my favourite finales of a Warner cartoon.

Of course, in examining all of these elements we've ignored the most significant feature of 'Haredevil Hare', namely the first appearance of Marvin the Martian. A comparatively underused but extremely popular character, Marvin is a wonderfully strange creation in his Roman helmet, skirt and sneakers. As is often the case with classic cartoon characters, Marvin is a little off in his first appearance. His eyes are a little bigger than normal and his beautifully bizarre voice has not yet been fully developed. Here he sounds more like Droopy with a cold! His intention to blow up the Earth, however, is firmly in place from the get-go. His appearance shatters the eerie sense of isolation that characterises the first half of the cartoon but the pace remains fairly slow as Bugs treats Marvin like nothing more than a naughty schoolboy. Also given his first outing (and also slightly off-model) is Marvin's green dog and his appearance triggers off the worst section of 'Haredevil Hare' in which Bugs lapses into some very standard heckling which sits at odds with the more unusual content. The Martian dog is also given a stereotypical idiot voice which weakens his character considerably. His later appearances as an austere silent creature were much more effective since he had a dignity of which to be robbed, unlike in this short. Thankfully, the battle between Bugs and the dog is short lived and gives way to the brilliant punchline.

'Haredevil Hare' is a superb and highly unusual cartoon which spawned yet another star in Marvin the Martian. Beautifully downbeat and full of unexpected gags (the radio communication that lapses into an advertising jingle makes me laugh out loud every time), 'Haredevil Hare' is a must see oddity and yet another masterpiece in the Chuck Jones canon

In practically any classic Bugs Bunny short, you're guaranteed to laugh yourself silly. "Haredevil Hare" is no exception, as Bugs gets sent to the moon and has to stop Marvin the Martian - who was at this time anonymous - from blowing up the earth ("Everybody I know lives there!"). One thing that I noticed was that Marvin had a dog, whom he sent after Bugs. I wonder why that dog didn't appear in more cartoons; he had a neat conversation with Bugs here.

All in all, Bugs is his usual self here: perfect timing (notice how he walks away from Marvin after initially learning of Marvin's plan), mispronouncing words ("That's a nice-lookin' weepin' (weapon) ya got there."), and not going down without a fight. I definitely recommend it.

There's a nice earth out tonight. Ha!

"Scientists Set To Launch First Rocket To Moon," screams the newspaper headlines. "Heroic Rabbit Volunteers As First Passenger," reads another.

The next scene shows Bugs being literally dragged by a couple of big men, and yelling, "I don't want to go; I'm too young to fly! Stop. I've got a wife and kids. Millions of kids. Help! I don't want to be a hero. You ain't getting me in that flying cigar!" (So much for "heroic.")

When they load the rocket with carrots, Bugs quickly changes his mind....and off he goes! He crash-lands on Mars, is soon joined by Marvin the Martian (who isn't named that yet being this is is first time on screen) who attempts to blow up Earth). The Martian is joined by his "helper" K -9. Bugs, of course, tries to stop Earth from being destroyed.

This is very silly and designed strictly for tiny tots but still is interesting enough for adults to watch.