Hare Conditioned

Working as part of a `camping life' display in a shop window, Bugs is having a good time until his boss informs him he'll be changing the display. He plans to keep Bugs but put him in another display within the shop – the taxidermy display. Once he realises what this means, Bugs flees and uses his skills to evade the shop manager.

Opening with Bugs from the very first scene mean that this is a stronger example of his films and humour. In terms of action it's all business as usual although here it is a department store manager who Bugs has to outwit and evade to avoid the stuffing process. The gags come fast and will be liked by anyone who likes his other cartoons.

The character of the store manager is larger than life and works well as a foil for bugs to bounce off. He even has enough presence that Bugs takes a bit of punishment too! The two work well together on screen and there isn't really a moment that sags or is a disappointment in the whole thing.

Overall this is a good example of a strong Bugs cartoon. It shows that all he really ever needed was a strong foil or straight man to work with and his usual material and tricks are enough to keep you laughing.

This, along with "Hare Tonic," ranks as one of the best Bugs cartoons, indeed one of the best Bugs, ever. There are some comments about how Bugs in these cartoons is "basic," meaning, I guess, that he is as yet not fully developed. I actually prefer this "basic" version from the mid-40s (Chuck Jones' was the best version) who is actually more rabbit-sized and far more amusing than the eventual long-legged version who towered over Yosemite Sam and Daffy Duck. The latter-day Bugs came to be too suave and sophisticated for my liking. Also check out "Hair Raising Hare" (1946) and "Rabbit Punch" (1948) for great examples of classic Bugs and classic Chuck Jones.

Chuck Jones's 'Hare Conditioned' is a fast paced, often hilarious cartoon. Pitting Bugs Bunny against a strange, yellow-skinned apartment store manager who wants to have him stuffed, 'Hare Conditioned' takes full advantage of its multi-purpose setting. The chase takes Bugs and his pursuer through a variety of departments, leading to an inspired gag in which they quickly emerge from various departments wearing whatever clothes are associated with that part of the store. This great gag is trumped, however, by a truly inspired sequence involving elevators in which Bugs, disguised as an elevator boy, tricks the store manager into relentlessly getting on or off elevators at the wrong time. It's a brilliant climactic set piece which unfortunately gives way to a not very funny final gag. By that time, however, 'Hare Conditioned' has made its mark as one of the great chase films, bursting with wild energy. As Bugs was becoming more refined in some of the other cartoons from this period, 'Hare Conditioned' showed that he could still be just as appealing as a more anarchic character.

Bugs Bunny is demonstrating in a department store window. He is a working rabbit for the carrot. The store manager transfers him to the Taxidermy department to get stuffed. He slowly realizes the problem. He has to escape from the manager and avoid his predicament.

This is a perfectly good Bugs Bunny cartoon. The only problem is the store manager. I don't know this character. He seems like a stock character type. I would exchange him for Elmer Fudd or Daffy Duck or others. That would work better in this role. That would make this perfect. As it stands, this is pretty good for Bugs against a nobody.

This is an above-average pre-1948 Bugs Bunny cartoon, one of my earlier favorites.

The story is better than the majority, plus it's completely new. Bugs is the innocent victim here. Often, he antagonizes the predator as well. But here he chooses evasive action.

The animation is great, I like the way they drew the manager. Bugs Bunny is basic, he still has to evolve quite a bit. The store is done in great detail. Kudos to the team.

The ending is great, and the jokes are good throughout: Bugs dresses not only as a woman, but both hunter and quarry run through different departments, wearing appropriate clothing when they reappear. That sequence was great.

Bugs manages to outwit his foe, but there's a nice twist in the tail at the end, with great penultimate and closing jokes.

The manager's character is huge, about fifteen times the size of Bugs, and the perfect foil. But he's not nearly as dim-witted as he seems. Bugs has reason to be genuinely insecure about his safety.

Hare Conditioned (1945) is a great cartoon, and I certainly recommend it.