O Coelho Selvagem

A Wild Hare (1940)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

This is where it all started as the dimwitted Elmer Fudd travels to the woods hunting rabbit and comes across Bugs Bunny who is just too smart. A WILD HARE was actually the third film that Bugs appeared in but this here is the official first as the rabbit we all love. It's funny watching this first short because what's here is what we'd see for the next several decades as Bugs was just so appealing and he was often put up against rather dumb characters. There are several very funny moments here but the highlight has to be poor Elmer not realizing that while his digging for the rabbit that he's actually sitting there talking to him. Another highlight is the scene where Bugs pretends to die just so he can pull one more prank.

Here is Tex Avery's magnificent film in which we are first introduced to a brownish-gray colored hare named Bugs, although we really don't hear his name spoken in this film. Yet that immortal phrase, "What's Up Doc???" is here, and Bugs is a sly, bold, incredibly smart woodland creature outfoxing that "wovable" hunter, Elmer Fudd. No more wacky prototypes. Bugs is at last fleshed out the way he should be. I appreciate his "Dad" and "Grandpa" very much. Someone's dream wouldn't have come true without them and our star might never have been born without them. Nevertheless, the star is Bugs Bunny!!! And after this film, he was well on his way to becoming what he is today.

Thank you Tex Avery!!!

. . . to describe The Academy's wrong-headed illogical contrarian decision to overlook A WILD HARE when it came time to recognize the best cartoon of 1940. Anyone can see at a glance that Bugs Bunny is hopping convoluted circles here around the thin plots favored by the wildly overrated Oswald. When it comes to bunniers, Bugs obvioiusly represents the Cat's Meow. Furthermore, we're not talking Jerry here. Though the latter gave rise to the phrase "jerry-rigged" for describing a supposedly honest ballot for which all concerned are well aware that "the fix is in," A WILD HARE stands so far above any of the crude animations of the Twenties and Thirties that it should have won any awards up for grabs totally uncontested, by unaminous consent..

This is my third favorite cartoon, only beat by Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers and Duck Amuck. It manages to feel newer than the shorts where Elmer is fat, due to having Elmer's final design. It also has value that makes this based, introducing Bugs.

Elmer and Bugs finally collide for real this time for the first time ever, in an excellent short by the late, great Tex Avery that hints of things to come. Elmer of course is hunting rabbits, Bugs(unnamed when this came out, although we all know it's him now) is of course defending himself, foiling Elmer's plans and driving him crazy. This is one of the two's best(why wasn't this on the Looney Tunes DVD? Oh well, guess I can wait for a Silver collection). I recommend seeing it to any fan of the "wabbit," or the hunter. After seeing how little has actually changed between the two, it's easy to realize that some things really do never change.

BOTTOM LINE: The first, and one of the best, Bugs vs. Elmer shorts.