Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid

Looney Tunes were part of my childhood and still hold a special place in my heart. Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid may not be quite classic status but it is a truly great cartoon indeed. The pacing is not as crisp and somewhat manic as it is in many other Looney Tunes cartoons, but again this is a matter of preference and there is so much to love about Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid anyway. The animation is colourful and fluid, with both characters well-drawn, while the music- especially in the big-band dance sequence- is cleverly orchestrated and enhances the humour so well. The humour here is more verbal than it is physical, but that is not a hindrance in any way, as the dialogue is fresh and witty and the gags are equally inspired. In terms of standout scenes, I did love the animal bone and "take a shower" gags but the highlight was definitely the big-band dance sequence, magnificently choreographed and perhaps among Bugs' best overall scenes out of all his cartoons. Bugs is on fine form, doing what he does best, while Beaky Buzzard while stupid is cute and funny rather than overly-dumb and annoying. These two work really well together. I have nothing to criticise in regard to Mel Blanc's vocals either. All in all, a great cartoon but not quite a classic. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Classic Merrie Melodies short, directed by Bob Clampett, that introduced Beaky Buzzard to the world. Beaky is a shy, somewhat slow-witted buzzard who is not very good at catching prey, unlike his brothers. When his mother sends him out to catch a rabbit, Beaky meets Bugs. I won't spoil what follows but it's hilarious and even adorable in spots. Beaky is a wonderful character, one of the best Clampett created and certainly one of the more underrated. He's impossible to dislike. It's a well-animated cartoon with rich colors and some great action. Lots of funny gags and lines. Solid voice work, sound effects, and music. One of the earliest Bugs classics. The "Gruesome, isn't it?" scene alone makes this a must-see for Bugs fans.

Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid (1942)

**** (out of 4)

A mama buzzard sends her four children out to get food but the dimwitted one, named Beaky Buzzard, is unlucky as he has to bring home a rabbit and he just happens to run into Bugs Bunny. This here has always been one of my favorite animated shorts because Bugs and Beaky just make the ultimate duo because both are just so damn cute here. The animation is perfectly done and the story contains enough great moments for two films. The best sequence is when Bugs goes to "take a shower" before going with Beaky who finally starts to realize a joke is being played on him. What happens next is just priceless. The final joke with Bugs also gets a big laugh just for the wonderful voice. To me what works best is actually Beaky because he's just so adorable and stupid at the same time. The voice work is downright brilliant and in itself brings a lot of laughs.

This is a Bob Clameptt Bugs Bunny cartoon that gives us the Bugs look as we now know him as done by animator Robert McKimson. Pretty cute, huh? Anyway, a buzzard with a voice that sounds like Mortimer Snerd is trying to capture him for his mama. As always, Bugs outsmarts him at every turn but there is one gag in which Bugs thinks he's dying (though even here he cracks, "Grusome, isn't it?"). There's also a wonderfully choreographed big-band dance that is one of the most entertaining animation I've ever seen in these Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons. Plenty of hilarious Clampett touches abound like the trombone sound Bugs makes when he fingers the buzzard's Adam's apple or the "bee-op" sound you hear in many of these cartoons. That was made by Bob himself. Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid is highly recommended.

"Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid" may be partly famous for giving that wascawwy wabbit the form that we know and love today, but even if you don't know that, it's still great to watch. Featuring loopy Beaky Buzzard trying to capture Bugs Bunny as food, they come up with everything here. Probably the coolest part is when Beaky drops Bugs onto a skeleton and Bugs thinks that he personally has gone the way of the dodo! Overall, it's a really neat cartoon. A true classic.

I just try to imagine if Beaky Buzzard had appeared in "The Birds". Then again, that doofus didn't stand a chance at scaring the people in Bodega Bay. But he was good for getting knocked silly by Bugs Bunny.