Backwoods Bunny Explained

Backwoods Bunny
Director:Robert McKimson
Animator:Warren Batchelder
Tom Ray
George Grandpré
Ted Bonnicksen
Story:Tedd Pierce
Background Artist:William Butler
Layout Artist:Robert Gribbroek
Starring:Mel Blanc
Daws Butler
(uncredited)
Music:Milt Franklyn
Editing:Treg Brown
Producer:John W. Burton
Studio:Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributor:Warner Bros. Pictures
Color Process:Technicolor
Runtime:7 min
Language:English

Backwoods Bunny is a 1959 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Robert McKimson and written by Tedd Pierce.[1] The short was released on June 13, 1959, and stars Bugs Bunny.[2] [3]

Plot

Bugs Bunny embarks on a vacation in the rustic setting of the Ozarks, encountering a simple abode perched atop a tall tree inhabited by a rural buzzard named Elvis and his Pa. Upon spotting Bugs, Elvis attempts to entice him with a carrot, but Bugs cleverly outwits him by utilizing a water hose disguised as his hand. This leads to a comical exchange where Bugs manipulates the water flow, causing Elvis to inadvertently launch himself between trees until he falls to the ground.

Subsequently, Elvis, now armed with a rifle, mistakenly believes Bugs to be a threat and attempts to shoot him, only to miss. Further antics ensue as Bugs deceives Elvis by masquerading as a female hillbilly, leading to a brief moment of confusion before Elvis realizes the ruse and resumes his pursuit of Bugs.

A confrontation unfolds as Elvis tries to coerce Bugs out of his rabbit hole with threats of gunfire. Bugs ingeniously redirects Elvis's attention to his father, who is lounging nearby. In a misguided attempt to comply with Elvis's demand, the father buzzard becomes the unintended target of Elvis's gunfire, as Bugs orchestrates a series of comedic mishaps.

The scene culminates in a surreal sequence where Bugs, clad in golf attire, serenades the chaos to the tune of "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" punctuated by gunfire-induced interruptions.

Music

Notes and References

  1. Book: Beck . Jerry . Friedwald . Will . Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons . 1989 . Henry Holt and Co . 0-8050-0894-2 . 316.
  2. Book: Lenburg . Jeff . The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons . 1999 . Checkmark Books . 0-8160-3831-7 . 6 June 2020 . 60–62.
  3. Book: McCall, Douglas L. . Film Cartoons: A Guide to 20th Century American Animated Features and Shorts . 93 . 2015 . McFarland . 9781476609669.