The Big Snooze

The Big Snooze
File:Thebigsnooze.jpg
Directed by	Bob Clampett (uncredited)
Produced by	Eddie Selzer
Animation by	Rod Scribner I. Ellis Manny Gould J.C. Melendez
Layouts by	Thomas McKimson
Backgrounds by	Philip DeGuard
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Running time	7' 22"

The Big Snooze is a 1946 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by an uncredited Bob Clampett, his final cartoon for Warner. Its title was inspired by the 1939 book The Big Sleep, and its 1946 film adaptation, also a Warner release. The Big Snooze features Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, voiced as usual by Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan.

Plot

In this cartoon-within-a-cartoon, Bugs and Elmer are in the midst of their usual hunting-chasing scenario. After Bugs tricks Elmer into running through a hollow log and off a cliff three times (a comic triple of sorts originally used in Avery's All this and Rabbit Stew), Elmer becomes enraged and frustrated that the writers never let him catch the rabbit "in every one of these cartoons". He tears up his Warner contract and walks off the set to devote his life to fishing, "AND NO MOWE WABBITS!", stunning Bugs, who piteously protests, saying "Think what we've been for each other. We've been like Rabbit and Costello, Damon and Runyon, Stan and Laurel! You can't do this! You don't want to break up the act, do ya? Bette Davis is going to hate me for this. Think of your career. And for that matter, think of my career!" He then breaks down sobbing. Elmer pays him no mind, however, and walks off the set with fishing pole in hand for the nearest pond. Once there, thinking he's alone, Elmer quickly falls asleep.

Bugs observes Elmer's nap and takes sleeping pills ("Take Dese and Doze") in order to rock Elmer's "dreamboat" by "invading" his dream and continuing to drive Elmer crazy. Symbolic of his dreamland plight, Elmer appears nearly nude, wearing only his derby hat and a strategically placed "loincloth" consisting of a laurel wreath. The two resume their chase through a surreal landscape.

Elmer talks to the audience in "The Big Snooze"

Elmer's anger at a failed pursuit through the surreal landscape, down connected rabbit holes, is promptly used against him by Bugs who intones "what's the matter doc, ya cold? Here, I'll fix dat”, before Elmer can protest, Bugs forces Elmer into a slinky, form fitting bustier gown created from a length of green material Bugs pulls on screen from stage right. As the fabric wraps around Elmer's body, it reshapes Elmer as a "woman" with a complete feminine hourglass figure. While Elmer’s body is molding to the forced wardrobe, his eyelashes grow thick and long. Bugs adds finishing touches, a ringlet-styled wig and a poke to the abdomen, which forces Elmer to lean forward, purse his lips so Bugs can apply red lipstick, making Elmer look like Rita Hayworth.

Bugs inspects his handiwork, then introduces Elmer to a trio of literal wolves, lounging by the sign at Hollywood and Vine. Once the trio notice Elmer, one wolf hollers "hooooow old is she?", right before another wolf begins flirting with Elmer. Bugs enjoys watching the male wolves hit on Elmer, making the hunter now the hunted in a new way. The attention of Elmer's male suitors causes him to act as a damsel in distress and exclaim "Gwacious!". Elmer grabs the hem of his gown pulling it up, revealing that his feet are now clad in open toed high heels, then begins fleeing from the wolves, which causes the chase to start. During the chase Elmer pauses long enough to ask the women in the audience, "Have any of you giwls evew had an expewience wike this?".

In an attempt to "help", Bugs persuades Elmer to follow a mad dash towards stage right, as Bugs plays the old gag "run 'this way'!", putting Elmer through a bizarre series of steps which include running on his feet, flipping upside down to run on his hair (causing Elmer’s panties to be plainly visible and truly reveal how complete the makeover really was), hopping like a frog, as well as Russian folk dancing (Hey!).

As Bugs and Elmer dive off a cliff, Bugs drinks some "Hare Tonic (Stops Falling Hare)" and screeches to a halt in mid-air (and says "Gosh, ain't I a stinker?"), while the dream Elmer continues to careen toward earth, finally crash-landing into the real Elmer's snoozing body as he wakes up with a start: "Oh, what a howwibwe nightmare

Elmer dashes back to the cartoon's original set, pieces his Warner contract back together, and tells the audience, "Oh, Mr. Warner... I'm ba-ack!" and the chase through the log begins anew. The happy Bugs faces the audience in a closeup, closing with the catchphrase from the "Beulah" character on the radio show Fibber McGee and Molly, "Ah love dat man!"

Censorship

• Network syndication versions (and some versions of the cartoon that aired on the Ted Turner-owned superstations TBS and TNT) edit the scene of Bugs Bunny using sleeping pills (from a bottle labeled, "Sleeping Pills: Take Deze and Doze") to get into Elmer's dream, making it seem as if Bugs fell asleep on his own.
• Cartoon Network had this cartoon edited the same way as syndication, TBS, and TNT used to air it, until the cartoon short aired on The Bob Clampett Show (which became known for airing cartoons by Bob Clampett that either would be shown edited or not shown at all), where the sleeping pill scene was left intact. As of 2011, this short is being shown uncut on Cartoon Network.

Availability

The Big Snooze is available in a restored, uncensored version on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2 DVD set, and as part of the compilation What's Up, Doc? A Salute to Bugs Bunny on Volume 3.

See also

• Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies filmography
• List of Bugs Bunny cartoons

External links

• The Big Snooze at IMDb
• The Big Snooze at the Big Cartoon Database