A Witch's Tangled Hare

Abe Levitow, A Witch's Tangled Hare USA 1959

And so we end another feature. This year we end with the last Witch Hazel short and the first Hazel short released on Halloween.

Bugs is captive of Witch Hazel, not that he minds at first. All the while, a writer who looks a heck of lot like William Shakespeare wanders around and takes inspiration from the events unfolding around him.

Darn good way to end this year. Witch Hazel is underrated as a foe and here she really shines. The Shakespeare references are a nice addition.  

Bonanza Bunny

 Robert McKimson, Bonanza Bunny USA 1959

It's 1896 and Bugs is in Dawson City at the heart of the Gold Rush. He's not having a great time of it though. He came out to the hills to look for all the 'carrots' people keep talking about and all he keeps finding is yellow rocks. He trades a good size nugget for a glass of carrot juice. 

This earns him the attention of Blacque Jacque Shellacque, the most ruthless claim jumper that ever jumped a claim. 

Decent, but Jacque could easily be Yosemite Sam. He's short and prone to violence. Bugs gets a few over him and the final gag is delightful. 

Wild and Wooly Hare

 Friz Freleng, Wild and Woolly Hare USA 1959

Bugs VS Yosemite Sam

That's pretty much it. Sam walks into town and declares himself the toughest gunfighter this side of the Pecos. Bugs takes exception to this and soon a duel is in order. 

If you like trains this is for you. 

Stripped down; no setup or any kind of backstory. We open with Sam being the bad guy and Bugs deciding to stop him. No reason, not even a 'this means war' kind of justification. Sometimes that works though.

Backwoods Bunny

 Robert McKimson, Backwoods Bunny USA 1959

Bugs ends up in the Ozarks where he runs afoul of the backwoods buzzards Elvis and his Pappy. Pappy spends most of the short reclining on his front porch. Sniffing out a rabbit, Pappy sends out his halfwit son Elvis to take care of the intruder. 

Bugs, being Bugs easily outwits his foes.

Not bad but then that's the problem. Elvis is too dumb to really be a threat and Pappy is too lazy. Bugs outwitting them doesn't seem to take a lot of effort, although the final gag does have a nice payoff. 

Apes of Wrath

 Friz Freleng, Apes of Wrath USA 1959

Not a clip show, but pretty much a straight remake of 1948's Gorilla My Dreams. 

A drunken stork, having lost his last charge, decides to improvise. Noticing Bugs roasting a carrot, he whacks him upside the head, slaps him in a diaper, and dumps him off with a family of gorillas. 

Brother, if I had a nickel...

Bugs regains his senses pretty quickly but he also realizes the prank potential. Mama dotes on him but while Elvis snarls at him Bugs can hit with him a bat. Why not? If Elvis tries anything, Bugs cries to Mama, who wields a rolling pin like a masterless samurai. 

But the good times can't last. Can Bugs handle an enraged gorilla? Since this is a straight remake (rehash if one is less kind) you can figure how the ending goes. 

Hare-Abian Nights

 Ken Harris, Hare-Abian Nights USA 1959

A clip show?

Yeah, even back then sometimes deadlines loomed too quickly so one had to make do with what one had. 

Somewhere that is vaguely Middle Eastern, a sultan is interviewing entertainers. When they displease him, the interview is cut short-mostly via a quick trip to the Royal Crocodile Pit. Bugs, on his way to Perth Amboy, ends up in the palace and forced to perform. 

Opting to spin some yarns, Bugs recalls his time as a bullfighter (Bully for Bugs), encountering a monster (Water, Water, Every Hare), and the time he outwitted a particularly dimwitted desert dwelling Yosemite Sam (Sahara Hare), the last one being of particular interest to the Sultan...

A fine short, although clip shows sort of irked me. I imagine a theatrical audience might be more receptive, considering the latest of the clips hadn't aired since 1955. 

Baton Bunny

 Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow, Baton Bunny USA 1959

First short in a while that has two directors, plus a return to an actual orchestra. This short proved popular enough to get a reissue in 1968. 

 As far as the plot goes, it's pretty threadbare but the music makes up for it. Bugs is conducting "A Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna" by Franz Von Suppe. 

Naturally there are complications, namely a bothersome fly and two dress cuffs that refuses to adhere to his wrists. The whole 'a mistake is happening and people interpet it as directions' might be a bit old now but in '59 it might have played better. 

Overall good and the music makes up for any shortcomings.