Super-Rabbit

People would find it hard to believe that "Superman" was around in the early '40s, early enough to be parodied in this 1943 cartoon. George Reeves made the character famous on television but that wasn't for about another eight or nine years. Before that, there were two serials. I was shocked myself that they were imitating Superman this early on in a cartoon.

Superman began on the radio in 1941 and Bud Collyer, who became famous years after as host on TV's "To Tell The Truth" voiced the title role!

Anyway, in this cartoon we get the tale of "Bugs Bunny: Super-Rabbit" and what "caused this extraordinary metamorphose of a timid woodland creature into the super-dynamic rabbit of tomorrow!"

It seems a wild-looking scientist (aren't they all in classic movie era?) has an experimental rabbit which has a scientific name: rabbitus idiotus americanus. I wonder if the Road Runner cartoon writers got their inspiration for that watching this? Anyway, Richard Haydn's unmistakable voice plays "Professor Canafrazz," so that's an unexpected bonus. Haydn was always fun to hear in regular movies. Eating a special carrot gives Bugs his new super powers. Looking a newspaper headline about a guy who wants to wipe out all the rabbits gives Bugs his first assignment as the new superhero.

For an early BB cartoon, this was great stuff and not far off his wise guy character of the next decade which brought him super fame. True, it has that early '40s cornball humor that is more stupid than the better material of the '50s, but it's still Bugs and it's still pretty clever and unpredictable most of the time. Bugs' disguise with the Clark Kent-glasses and the phone booth out in the middle of Texas was hilarious!

Professor Canafrazz cooks up a carrot to turn Bugs Bunny into Super-Rabbit. He just needs to keep eating those special carrots to maintain his superpowers. He reads that rabbit-hating Cottontail Smith has been wiping out rabbits in Texas. Now he has a mission.

This is a reference to Superman. I wish that they go full out with doing a Superman rabbit. Why not have an advanced alien planet of rabbits? That would be loads of fun. Nevertheless, this is Bugs Bunny and it's good as most Bugs episodes are. I would still make Bugs an alien. He could be battling a wolf from a wolf planet. That would be better.

I found this an enjoyable Bugs Bunny cartoon with story written by Tedd Pierce. Normally I don't really like parody; in fact I hate it! Also I'm not too crazy about Superman either because I'm rooting for Batman. But I do love it when Bugs becomes "SUPER RABBIT!" defending the rabbits of "Deepinharta," Texas from Cottontail Smith the rabbit hater. I mean, dude! What have you got against rabbits huh?

One more thing to point out is that I really against animal testing - in real life that is. Like Bugs was a test subject in the laboratory of a scientist who has invented a "super carrot," which when eaten by Bugs gives him Superman-like powers. Overall I give this short an 6/10 stars for a mediocre story-line.

This of one of the best Bugs Bunny films ever. Aside from the comedy it is also memorable due to both the coming of WWII. I loved the bit with Bug's hoping along with the cowboy as all the characters switch positions. Also...when Bug's "assumes the role of a woodland creature" he's a perfect Clark Kent. The best has to be the Bugs Bunny Cheer.

"Bricka bracka firecracker sis boom bah! Bugs Bunny!Bugs Bunny! Bugs Bunny! RAH RAH RAH!"

Finally Bugs' admitting that, "This looks like a job for a REAL super hero," and emerges as a Marine. :)

This was a fun parody on the superhero genre, and Bugs couldn't have been a more perfect choice as the one and only "Super-Rabbit". The story is a nice one, not the best structured one there is, but it is never dull and moves quickly. The animation is beautifully done, and the music is top-notch. The supporting characters are careful not to overshadow Bugs while being effective on their own terms too. I loved the visual gags and the witty and razor sharp dialogue. And I too loved Mel Blanc's vocal characterisations, with Kent Rogers also great as Professor Canafrazz. Overall, a fun Bugs Bunny cartoon. 9/10 Bethany Cox