Cerebro Frito

"Hot Cross Bunny" may not be the best Bugs Bunny cartoon that I've ever seen, but they sure pull some hilarious stuff here! The premise is that an anonymous, French- or German-accented scientist (it wasn't totally clear which he was; he might have been another ethnicity entirely) is showing his colleagues how to switch a chicken's brain with a rabbit's. Bugs is in another room, and life looks too good to be true for him. That's because the scientist has been pampering him in preparation for the experiment. Sure enough, once Bugs figures out what's up (doc), he starts pulling his usual tricks.

So, once again, Bugs assures that the wrongdoers get their just desserts. Personally, I think that he should have suspected that something was up when the scientist gave him the good life. I mean, don't people often warn us that if things are too perfect or too good to be true, that we should smell a rat? But anyway, it's a really funny cartoon.

Yeah, things go a-fowl at the end.

A great experiment is about to be completed at the Eureka Hospital Experimental Laboratory (Paul Revere Foundation). The characteristics of a chicken will be transported into an experimental rabbit. The lead scientist (who shall remain nameless) leaves his peers waiting in the auditorium while he gives Rabbit no 46 (a pampered Bus Bunny) a thorough examination. Bugs immediately shows his character by sabotaging even this.

When Bugs finds out he is part of the attraction, he puts on a good show. He starts off with some impressions followed by a magic act and a tap routine, all leading up to his impressive ‘all out jog'. But the auditorium full of stiff scientists (an effective still frame of grim looking know-it-alls) is not easily amused. When Bugs finally finds out what the experiment is all about, make way for the usual chase scenes and disguises. The chase through the halls routine, Bugs the hot dog salesman, the formula for a chocolate malted, you name it, all of them are here.

After being outsmarted and fooled as many times as possible in a 6 minute cartoon, the lead doctor (the only one that's actually animated) still intends to turn the crafty bunny into a chicken. Why he would not have chosen to reverse the polarities having witnessed the obvious improvisation skills and survival instincts of the rabbit is beyond me (unless he was motivated by revenge). During the procedure he becomes a victim of `fowl play'. In my opinion the doctor was asking for it..

7 out of 10 (an extra point for the all out jog)

Very entertaining Bugs Bunny short directed by Robert McKimson. In this one Bugs is the test subject for a mad scientist who wants to switch Bugs' brain with that of a chicken. The poor scientist has no idea who he's messing with. Beautiful animation with lovely colors and well-drawn characters and backgrounds. The music is whimsical and fun. The immortal Mel Blanc's voice work is, as always, terrific. There are a lot of good gags and lines in this one. The highlights include the oxygen tent gag and, my personal favorite, Bugs doing his impression of Lionel Barrymore's Dr. Gillespie. It's not the best Bugs short but it is a very good one.

As I have said many times already I adore Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny has always been one of the main reasons why. While not among his very best, there is much to love about Hot Cross Bunny. First off, it is hilarious. The gags, revolving around Bugs outsmarting the scientist, are as clever as you'd expect, I especially love the part where Bugs comes out of the skeleton closet, his body language(almost floppy and dehydrated) is priceless. The dialogue is full of wit and quotable punch-lines, "How about getting me a rabbit nurse Doc? I might take a turn for the worse!" and "seems as though doc was a victim of fowl play" particularly made me laugh out loud. Bugs is great fun, just doing what he does best as well as bagging the best lines. The scientist while not on the same level as Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam is a worthy foil regardless. The pacing is crisp and never dull, while the animation is colourful and vibrant and the music is characterful and beautifully orchestrated. Mel Blanc's vocals are right on point. Overall, a vibrant, crisply paced and hilarious short. 10/10 Bethany Cox