A Wild Hare

. . . to describe The Academy's wrong-headed illogical contrarian decision to overlook A WILD HARE when it came time to recognize the best cartoon of 1940. Anyone can see at a glance that Bugs Bunny is hopping convoluted circles here around the thin plots favored by the wildly overrated Oswald. When it comes to bunniers, Bugs obvioiusly represents the Cat's Meow. Furthermore, we're not talking Jerry here. Though the latter gave rise to the phrase "jerry-rigged" for describing a supposedly honest ballot for which all concerned are well aware that "the fix is in," A WILD HARE stands so far above any of the crude animations of the Twenties and Thirties that it should have won any awards up for grabs totally uncontested, by unaminous consent..

Compared to the first (two) appearances of the developing Bugs, this is very funny, has characters with incredibly developed plots and indeed is better quality. I find because the humour of "Porky's Hare Hunt" and "Prest-O Change-O" are very old-fashioned and not very understandable for today's humour (although I still found "Porky's Hare Hunt" quite funny). This episode feels much more like it was made recently, even though it was made only two or three years after the developing Bug's first appearances. In this, apart from his deeper voice, he feels much more like the Bugs Bunny we know today.

I also like this episode for the very sweet first Elmer featured, Bugs Bunny is very entertaining and there is nice animation included. I have to say in this, Bugs Bunny reminded me a lot of Br'er Rabbit, which was comforting (HE didn't make his first appearance for nearly ten years after!!).

The plot is very much like the average episode with Elmer and Bugs. Elmer is hunting for "wabbits" and he finds Bugs. Many of the gags have been repeated many times in more recent episodes, but are still funny none the less. There are some other gags added which are funny.

I recommend this episode to enthusiasts of early Looney Tunes (but still like gags which are repeated in modern Looney Tunes episodes) and who like Bugs Bunny. Enjoy "A Wild Hare"!

A Wild Hare (1940)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

This is where it all started as the dimwitted Elmer Fudd travels to the woods hunting rabbit and comes across Bugs Bunny who is just too smart. A WILD HARE was actually the third film that Bugs appeared in but this here is the official first as the rabbit we all love. It's funny watching this first short because what's here is what we'd see for the next several decades as Bugs was just so appealing and he was often put up against rather dumb characters. There are several very funny moments here but the highlight has to be poor Elmer not realizing that while his digging for the rabbit that he's actually sitting there talking to him. Another highlight is the scene where Bugs pretends to die just so he can pull one more prank.

Elmer and Bugs finally collide for real this time for the first time ever, in an excellent short by the late, great Tex Avery that hints of things to come. Elmer of course is hunting rabbits, Bugs(unnamed when this came out, although we all know it's him now) is of course defending himself, foiling Elmer's plans and driving him crazy. This is one of the two's best(why wasn't this on the Looney Tunes DVD? Oh well, guess I can wait for a Silver collection). I recommend seeing it to any fan of the "wabbit," or the hunter. After seeing how little has actually changed between the two, it's easy to realize that some things really do never change.

BOTTOM LINE: The first, and one of the best, Bugs vs. Elmer shorts.

While Tex didn't do the first Bugs cartoon, he did the first one with many of the characteristics of Bugs that make him Bugs, including the catch-phrase, "What's up, Doc". So it's fitting and proper that, while Chuck Jones did more with the wabbit, Tex Avery did the first Bugs to get a date at the Academy Awards, losing to the wrong feline cartoon. *sigh* Bugs wouldn't win an Oscar for another 18 years, but that's for another comment at another time. Highly recommended.