Rabbit Seasoning

Rabbit Seasoning
Rabbit Seasoning
Directed by	Charles M. Jones
Story by	Michael Maltese
Produced by	Eddie Selzer
Starring	Mel Blanc; Arthur Q. Bryan
Music by	Carl W. Stalling
Animation by	Ken Harris ; Lloyd Vaughan ; Ben Washam; Richard Thompson; Abe Levitow; Harry Love
Layouts by	Maurice Noble
Backgrounds by	Philip de Guard
Color process	Technicolor
Production; company	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures; The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	September 20, 1952 (U.S.);
Running time	6:50
Language	English

Rabbit Seasoning is a 1952 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.^[1] Released on September 20, 1952, the short stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd.^[2]

It is the sequel to the previous year's Rabbit Fire, and the second in the "hunting trilogy" directed by Jones and written by Michael Maltese (the only major difference in format between them is that Rabbit Fire takes place during the spring, while Rabbit Seasoning takes place in the autumn. The third cartoon, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, takes place in the winter). The short was produced by Edward Selzer for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., and is the first WB cartoon on which layout artist Maurice Noble received credit.

It is considered to be among Jones' best and most important films. In Jerry Beck's 1994 book The 50 Greatest Cartoons, Rabbit Seasoning is listed at number 30.^[3]

Plot[edit]

In the forest, numerous signs proclaiming rabbit season catch the attention of passersby. Daffy Duck is revealed as the culprit behind this deception, leaving false rabbit tracks to ensnare Elmer Fudd into a misinformed hunting spree. When Elmer confronts Bugs Bunny's burrow, Daffy intervenes, insisting that Bugs is the legitimate target, inciting a contentious debate between the two animals over their respective identities and the legitimacy of the hunting season.

Amidst the verbal sparring, Daffy repeatedly falls victim to his own arguments, enduring multiple shots from Elmer's gun. His beak displaced and reinstated with each occurrence, Daffy's frustration grows as Bugs orchestrates further trickery, exploiting Daffy's linguistic missteps to his advantage. Despite Daffy's attempts to redirect Elmer's attention, he remains ensnared in the antics of Bugs and Daffy.

As tensions escalate, Bugs adopts a feminine disguise resembling Lana Turner, briefly fooling Elmer before Daffy's impatience reveals the ruse. The ongoing interplay between the characters culminates in a series of mistaken identities and deceptions, culminating in Daffy's repeated demise at Elmer's hands. Despite Daffy's protests and attempts to outmaneuver Bugs, he ultimately falls prey to Bugs' schemes, concluding with a resigned acknowledgment of his own gullibility.^[4]

Reception[edit]

Animator J. J. Sedelmaier writes, "Of director Chuck Jones' three "Shoot 'im now!" cartoons, Rabbit Seasoning has always been my favorite. Bugs, Daffy, and Elmer are so tightly defined as the characters we all know and love that they're almost parodies of themselves. Even though this short is the second of the series, it's still fresh and tight. What's also amazing is how it doesn't feel like a cartoon that's almost sixty years old. The timing of the cuts — Daffy's expression when Elmer says to Bugs that he "hasn't even seen a wabbit yet" — and the miscellaneous, eccentric W.C. Fields-like sound effects that seem to ooze out of Daffy are still cool today."^[5]

Cast[edit]

• Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck

• Arthur Q. Bryan as Elmer Fudd (uncredited)

Home media[edit]

Rabbit Seasoning is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 and Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2. It is also available on the Salute To Chuck Jones VHS, the Warner Bros. Cartoons Golden Jubilee 24-Karat Collection: Elmer Fudd's Comedy Capers VHS, the Looney Tunes Collectors Edition: All-Stars VHS, and the Bugs Bunny: Winner By A Hare laserdisc.

References[edit]

^ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 204. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
^ Beck, Jerry (1994). The 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals. Turner Publishing. ISBN 978-1878685490.
^ "Rabbit Seasoning (1952) Quotes". IMDb. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
^ Beck, Jerry, ed. (2020). The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons. Insight Editions. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-64722-137-9.

External links[edit]

Rabbit Seasoning at IMDb

Preceded by Oily Hare	Bugs Bunny cartoons 1952	Succeeded by Rabbit's Kin
Preceded by Cracked Quack	Daffy Duck cartoons 1952	Succeeded by The Super Snooper
Preceded by Rabbit Fire	Elmer Fudd cartoons 1952	Succeeded by Upswept Hare

[Beck-1] Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 204. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.

[2] Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.

[3] Beck, Jerry (1994). The 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals. Turner Publishing. ISBN 978-1878685490.

[Rabbit_Seasoning_(1952)_Quotes-4] "Rabbit Seasoning (1952) Quotes". IMDb. Retrieved April 6, 2014.

[5] Beck, Jerry, ed. (2020). The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons. Insight Editions. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-64722-137-9.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]