Charles M. Jones, Rabbit Seasoning, USA 1952
Part 2 of the Hunting Trilogy, and Daffy is trying to convince Elmer that it's rabbit season when it's really duck season. A duck is entitled to some fun, after all.
What else can be said? This is considered Jones's best short and I have to agree. Every single thing works. Bugs and Daffy play off each other perfectly and Elmer is the best stooge.
Robert McKimson, Oily Hare, USA 1952
Bugs VS Texas. Devil Rich-TEXAN is driving across his property when he notices a hole that isn't producing any oil. Naturally he won't let this insult to his Texas pride stand, so he sets about to get the oil flowing one way or another, never mind that a rabbit hole won't produce anything other than a rabbit, but Devil Rich isn't going to let a thing like facts get in his way.
Okay? I mean, Devil Rich could very easily have been Yosemite Sam (even looks a bit like to further cement the point) but still a short-fused Texas oilman isn't the worse idea for a foe but I can see why he wasn't used again.
Charles M. Jones, the Hasty Hare, USA 1952
The return of an old favorite, Marvin the Martian, here called Commander of the X2. Marvin has been tasked to retrieve an Earth creature, so guess who gets picked?
Marvin proves to be a worthy foe here. This was only his second ever short and the character's motivation would remain set in stone for the rest of his tenure. He's smarter than Elmer but not as quick tempered as Sam. There aren't any schemes though; no, he's pretty straight dealing with what he wants and what he is going to do.
A good short but one may find Marvin annoying or at least less memorable than Bugs' other stars.
Charles M. Jones, Water, Water Every Hare, USA 1952
Chuck Jones strikes again, and well, it's not horrible but if you've seen or remember 1946's Hair-Raising Hare, then you'll remember this short.
Bugs is napping in his rabbit hole when a flood flushes him out and towards the castle of a mad scientist, this time looking like Boris Karloff. The scientist is pleased. He needs a brain, you know. Bugs isn't having it, as he needs what little he has.
This prompts the scientist to summon Rudolph (better known today as Gossamer) and a chase ensures, including a beautician gag from Hair-Raising Hare.
Overall good, but if you saw the 1946 short then this is a rerun, although the final gag with the monster was rather nice.
Friz Freleng, 14 Carrot Rabbit, USA 1952
The return of Yosemite Sam! Or at least the debut of Chilkoot Sam since this is set in the Gold Rush.
Yeah, the Gold Rush. Sam's the meanest claim jumper this side of the Yukon, but pickings are getting so slim it just ain't worth the effort anymore, at least until he runs into Bugs and his amazing ability to sense gold.
From there, he and Bugs are partners! At least until Sam thinks he's hit gold...
Darn good, and honestly this is why Sam is the perfect foil for Bugs. He's blustering, two timing, and just smart enough to be a danger to someone. Not Bugs, certainly, but someone.
Friz Freleng, Foxy by Proxy, USA 1952
And now we bid farewell to Willoughby. Who? A dopey dog, we last saw him in 1944's Hare Force (even if he was called Sylvester), he was step down from Wily E. Coyote and honestly not even the best dog character the Warner Bros. had at the time.
The short is even more basic. A foxhunt is called, but Bugs is annoyed by this; thus he unleashes his full fury on the dogs, with Willoughby being the ringleader.
The short is fine, even if they reuse the same 'moving the log at the edge of the cliff' gag they did in All This and Rabbit Stew and the Bigs Snooze. This also one of the few shorts with Bugs losing, although he takes it in stride.
Charles M. Jones, Operation: Rabbit, USA 1952
New month and we're bringing this one back.
With this, we have the 2nd ever appearance of Wily E. Coyote and his first time speaking.
We've seen the coyote being smart enough to work a catalog and build traps, but here he's sophisticated. He formerly introduces himself to Bugs and makes it clear he's going to eat him. Bugs disagrees and from there proceeds to wreck Wily's day.
Jones and Michael Maltese really hit every cylinder here. In Wily we have an urbane and drool antagonist going up against the streetwise Bunny.
The formula is now pat at this point, but who Bugs faces is the key.
