Rabbit Ears: Brer Rabbit and Boss Lion

Brer Rabbit and his escapades were very popular back in the day when the Uncle Remus stories were quite influential. The character is still well known and considered an American folklore legend, although the stories have polarised over-time and not all are easy to find. Of all his adventures, his encounters with Boss Lion is one of the best stories. Due to its playfulness, Brer Rabbit's quick wit and also because of Boss Lion himself.

Rabbit Ears Productions adapted not one but two of the Brer Rabbit stories. The other being 'Brer Rabbit and the Wonderful Tar Baby' from two years earlier. Of the two, there is a preference for 'Boss Lion'. Due primarily to its vastly more appealing visual style, 'Tar Baby's' was one of the few instances for the company where visually it wasn't to my taste, and also because it's held up better. It is another adaptation of Rabbit Ears Productions though where it is best introducing younger viewers to the company through another work of theirs, such as anything from "Storybook Classics".

It is not perfect. Like 'Wonderful Tar Baby', although the prose is entertaining on the whole, there are some parts where the vocabulary is a little too complicated for younger audiences unfamiliar with the heavy use of of the time slang to completely comprehend. That is not meant to sound patronising in any way and this is not applicable to all younger viewers, but if anybody found it not always easy to follow they shouldn't be judged.

Just like one shouldn't be judged if they are surprised at how dark it is in places, especially the quite scary and vicious antics of Boss Lion.

However, Danny Glover returns as narrator and is still an absolute delight. Actually personally marginally prefer his narration for the Brer Rabbit adaptations than for the Just So Stories ones. His narration is full of enthusiastic energy and he was clearly loving telling the story and loved the contrast of the high pitched voice for Brer Rabbit and the sinister one used for Boss Lion.

Dr John's music is a perfect fit as well. It's wonderfully wild in the more playful spots but it also features the most chilling use of saxophone for anything heard in a long time that really enhances the intense scenes with Boss Lion. The visuals are infinitely superior here to 'Wonderful Tar Baby', smoother (while still with a rough around the edges look that actually appeals here and not taken to extremes here like before), more colourful and with a nice mix of witty and intensely chaotic. The character design of Boss Lion stands out.

While it does give the creeps, it is also suitably wild in pace and is very playfully written. The interaction between the two titular characters is a delight and both characters are nailed in personality. While how Brer Rabbit is portrayed here is pure vintage Brer Rabbit, it's Boss Lion that makes an even bigger impression.

Concluding, very good and the superior adaptation of the character's stories. 8/10.