Bugs Bunny et Robin des Bois

Bugs Bunny is in the King's Carrot Patch. He tries to steal a carrot which sets off an alarm. He is arrested by the Sheriff of Nottingham. He is saved by Little John, but Robin Hood fails to materialize. It is time and time again as the Sheriff gets tricked. Little John introduces Robin Hood for the last time, but Bugs has had enough. He starts berating Little John until Errol Flynn shows up playing Robin Hood.

This is a terrific Bugs Bunny cartoon. I like everything about Little John. The little difference is the last bit with Errol Flynn. It may be a problem for modern audiences who have never seen the man. Otherwise, this is a supreme Bugs cartoon.

Rabbit Hood (1949)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

The master Chuck Jones directed this hilarious spoof on the Robin Hood tale. The film starts off in the King's carrot garden where we're told that there's to be no trespassing. Flash over to a hairy arm coming out from behind a sign and it's Bugs Bunny trying to get a carrot, which sets off an alarm and soon he's doing battle with one of the King's men. This here is without question one of the best Looney Tunes out there as we get all sorts of great action as well as some funny twists throughout the film. The action includes Bugs constantly trying to outsmart this guy with all sorts of good violence including a very funny bit where he dresses as the King and beats the man over the head. Another great scene takes place in the King's rose garden where Bugs convinces his chaser to buy it from him. There's a nice twist at the end with Errol Flynn doing a cameo and it's pretty priceless and especially Bugs response.

I very much enjoyed this Bugs Bunny cartoon for the following reasons: 1. The way they played on the Robin Hood + Little John + Sheriff of Nottingham stories. 2. Bugs Bunny's character and how he reacts to the cartoon's situations, here he is a very intelligent bunny. 3. The humour, it is often very witty and quite unexpected. When it is slapsticky and predictable, though, it is still pretty well pulled off. 4. The background animation, very lovely colours and animation style. 5. The cameo appearance of a famous actor at the end, obviously taken from a film.

If there was anything that I felt was imperfect about the cartoon, it was the fact that it was slightly slapsticky at points (there is one dragged out slapstick bit near the end which the makers could have cut a little).

In this cartoon, Bugs Bunny has unknowingly arrived at the castle grounds of the King in Robin Hood's time and has picked a carrot from the King's Carrot Patch. Unfortunately, the King has a strict policy for whoever steals his carrots and it seems to be the rack for Bugs Bunny if he does not manage to escape...

I recommend this cartoon to anyone who likes Bugs Bunny and to anyone who likes a good enough mixture of slapstick and witty humour in a Looney Tunes cartoon. Enjoy, "Rabbit Hood"! :-) 8 and a half out of ten.

P.S Did anyone else notice that the tune for the opening credits was the same one they used for "Duck Amuck" in about 4 years time?

Of all the many Robin Hood based cartoons that came out in the wake of the wonderful Errol Flynn epic 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', 'Robin Hood Daffy' remains the most famous and best. Chuck Jones's 'Rabbit Hood', however, runs a very close second. A lesser known classic, 'Rabbit Hood' has an absolutely superb script by Michael Maltese. Chock full of literate dialogue and extremely unexpected and elaborate gags (the house building gag is one of my all-time favourites), 'Rabbit Hood' is hysterically funny. The Sheriff of Nottingham is a great foil for Bugs, displaying a natural tendency towards being duped rivalled only by Elmer Fudd but which is offset by his exaggerated olde timey British style lines. Bugs is great in this cartoon too, an example of the character at his most innately likable as was typical of Jones's most common depiction of Bugs. The ending, which I won't spoil here, is a wonderful surprise. All in all, 'Rabbit Hood' is an absolutely terrific piece of work and deserves more praise than it usually gets. I highly recommend the spectacularly beautiful 2 disc special edition DVD of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' which not only features the classic feature film but also offers both 'Rabbit Hood' and 'Robin Hood Daffy' as extras.

You know, the world of movies was different before the late fifties. Once you released a film, it had a run, hopefully a long one. Then it was gone, as if it never existed. Then we had TeeVee that started to show just-out-of-release movies, then Ted Turner showing old movies from collections he purchased, and then tapes and DVDs. Now movies can be seen by anyone at any time.

But not then, and if it was big, the studios could rerelease it, and get a second round of return. Such was the case with "Robin Hood." And to increase the buzz, they commissioned this, essentially an ad and featuring a publicity still of Errol Flynn.

There's something a bit wonderful about how Bugs grew up as a character, and its pretty sophisticated what happens here. Bugs is treated as if he were an actor hired to play a part, a Robin Hood part. Its highly introspective humor this. No joke is funny, but the very idea is miraculous.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.