I’ve always had an unhealthy love for this cartoon, in spite of its bloated timing and animation (though Elmer’s “taken by suh-pwise” is done about as perfect as one could hope for). This is around when Jones was beginning to get a vague idea of how to make a funny cartoon, and most of what would become the norm in his best cartoons are in place here. Already his characterization of Bugs Bunny is world-weary, and his performance over his “dinner” (most likely animated by Ken Harris) has to rank high on my list of favorite Bugs scenes.
I’ve been told Jones just had Mel Blanc do this Jimmy Stewart-ish voice in spite of Avery having already established a voice for Bugs in A Wild Hare that became permanent; just to be different. So that’s the only reason he sounds like that here.
According to the (admittedly vague) copyright synopsis, this cartoon’s original ending is another Hare-Um Scare-Um, claiming: “Disgusted, Elmer leaves the house to the rabbit.” It sounds like they were making it a running gag of Bugs causing his adversary to have a nervous breakdown by the end of the short, just to piss the audience off for sheer fun. Luckily it didn’t catch on.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwkF0_nRjJc&hl=en&fs=1&]
I agree, this is a good cartoon. There are about four of Jones’ “early” cartoons that I think are at least entertaining even if they don’t measure up to his later masterpieces; this, “Snow Man’s Land”, “Saddle Silly”, and “The Draft Horse” (the cartoon before “The Dover Boys” where Jones finally “clicked”, IMHO).
Does Bobe Cannon animate much of the second half of the cartoon (Bugs and Elmer in the bathroom with Fudd throwing Bugs out of the shower, Bugs asking Fudd to kick him, Fudd hurrying to turn the light off after Bugs shouts at him to, and Fudd finally chasing Bugs out of the house and slamming the door on him)? It looks like the typical “taffy-smear” style stuff that Cannon is known for.
This has some funny parts, but even without the extra ending, Bugs comes off as an overbearing jerk.
So it’s only fitting that he would sound like one.
So this cartoon did have an extra ending? Always figured that was fake.
Really nobody could figure out what to do with Bugs for about 18 months after “A Wild Hare” — here, Jones seemed to think the only way the audience could handle the rabbit abusing Elmer was to make him a miserable grouch in about a third of the scenes. Bugs either had to do that, or had to get his comeuppance at the end of the short — he just couldn’t have fun all the way through the cartoon. Freleng and even Avery would run into the same problem.
But the radio dance scene feels like “classic Bugs” (Mel’s Kate Hepburn line easily could have come from the ‘real’ Bugs’ mouth 2-3 years later), and of course the end scene animation of the battle inside the bedroom would be re-used by Friz for the powder room battle in “The Wabbit that Came to Supper”.
I honestly was never too fond of this cartoon-must have been Bugs’ voice. I do love this one part where Bugs suddenly goes into the bathroom with a magazine. “Excuse me,sir. Please wait your turn!”
It’s interesting to see how Bugs’ personality was still being tinkered with even after A WILD HARE. Even Tex tried to see if Bugs would work as a quail.
As for this particular cartoon, I hate Bugs’ personality but the gags can be quite hilarous. I love the bit in the bath tub.
My favorite line: “That was an awfuwwy good weg of wamb”!! Arthur Q Bryan was funny as Fudd even with throw-away lines like that!!
Other than that, “Elmer’s Pet Rabbit” is an okay short – the animation is excellent as usual
This is a good example of a Bugs design that I DON’T really like. Still it has a vintage charm to it. Like the early “wise little hen” era Donald.
Anyone notice that Elmer has a “comic book long box” at about 7:22? Sure looks like one!
Bugs probably trashed Elmer’s ACTION #1 and DETECTIVE # 27 on the way out!
I always hated this cartoon. It’s not the fact that Bugs is an overbearing jerk, but the fact that it goes so damn slowly. I like Bugs complaining about his food, but the rest of the cartoons is glacial. As a kid, I would actually scream every time this cartoon came on, because it bored me so much.
Unhealthy love!! No snippety conditions, now, for surely that there is one of the greats!! Maybe the ill-health is rather your critical disposition, Mr. Edmund Wilson. That’s a goddam gem! Bloated what, what’s this and that?! Crappo! You tell the girl of your cladestine affections she got a snaggle-tooth, otherwise you’d make a respectable girl out of her? Cripes! This is an outrage!
I just read what the other idiots had to say about this one. These are the esteemed opinions of the ‘animation community’– what drek, what tools and pussies! No wonder cartoons are dead! Lookit what the tosser pro’s have to say about things. Jesus, I’m disgusted.
By the way, hilarous animation the first time Bugs says “TURN OFF THAT LIGHT !”.
Knacht, what the fuck is wrong with you? Either lay off the kraut hash or go away.
Hashish? Terrific!
How is it no one is expressing any interest in the supposed ending that the copyright synopses had given?
lolz @ naming the upload “Pet Rabbi”.
Anyway, just wanted to point out that, obvious differences (e.g., timing) aside, since it’s rather similar to “Hare Tonic”, which I’d like to think was built on success, the latter should give a comprehensive picture of what was wrong with this one.
I’ve always found this cartoon rather slow-moving, like other Jones efforts around this period, but it’s not a bad cartoon in itself. I always wondered why Jones stopped with the story/character buildup, eg. rabbit is cute and affectionate at opening then turns into a jerk shortly thereafter and continues to end of film. We know Jones liked to develop character in his shorts and this process seems to stop short near the beginning and then just trudge on until the close. That proposed ending would have sort of tied all this together, but without it, we just get 5+ minutes of Bugs abusing Elmer.
Personally I don’t like this design of Bugs without the buck teeth.. it makes him appear as if he has a hairlip or something.
Does Bobe Cannon animate much of the second half of the cartoon? It looks like the typical “taffy-smear” style stuff that Cannon is known for.
Matt, I’m pretty sure that’s Phil Monroe who did a lot of what you mentioned.