Rabbit Hood

This clever cartoon has Bugs Bunny playing both Robin Hood and the king, as he plots to steal the carrots from the Royal garden. A one-joke film, perhaps, but it does have as its crowning glory a snippet from the 1938 'Adventures of Robin Hood'.

Is it any good? Most of the early Bugs Bunny films (of which this is one) were sharp - relying on the genius of Mel Blanc and Chuck Jones to deliver the laughs and the situations their audience were looking for. 'Rabbit Hood' is no exception. Bugs is at his usual foolish and arrogant best, with his spluttering catchphrases and his withering looks at the hapless people he cons (the Sheriff of Nottingham, of course, here).

I very much enjoyed this Bugs Bunny cartoon for the following reasons: 1. The way they played on the Robin Hood + Little John + Sheriff of Nottingham stories. 2. Bugs Bunny's character and how he reacts to the cartoon's situations, here he is a very intelligent bunny. 3. The humour, it is often very witty and quite unexpected. When it is slapsticky and predictable, though, it is still pretty well pulled off. 4. The background animation, very lovely colours and animation style. 5. The cameo appearance of a famous actor at the end, obviously taken from a film.

If there was anything that I felt was imperfect about the cartoon, it was the fact that it was slightly slapsticky at points (there is one dragged out slapstick bit near the end which the makers could have cut a little).

In this cartoon, Bugs Bunny has unknowingly arrived at the castle grounds of the King in Robin Hood's time and has picked a carrot from the King's Carrot Patch. Unfortunately, the King has a strict policy for whoever steals his carrots and it seems to be the rack for Bugs Bunny if he does not manage to escape...

I recommend this cartoon to anyone who likes Bugs Bunny and to anyone who likes a good enough mixture of slapstick and witty humour in a Looney Tunes cartoon. Enjoy, "Rabbit Hood"! :-) 8 and a half out of ten.

P.S Did anyone else notice that the tune for the opening credits was the same one they used for "Duck Amuck" in about 4 years time?

This cartoon is a classic, just great fun from start to finish, with a perfect mix of slapstick and humorous wit, particularly when Bugs tricks the Sheriff into thinking he is the King. The animation is lovely and colourful, and the music is rousing like the sort of thing you would hear in a swashbuckler. The dialogue is truly funny, definitely some of the best dialogue in any Looney Tunes cartoon, and there are a great many like the Hunting Trilogy with terrific dialogue. The Sheriff is a great supporting character, and Bugs is still his rascally self with a touch of arrogance here too. Additionally adding to the enjoyment is the ending, the snippet from the 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood was an inspired touch, while Mel Blanc as always is superb. All in all, I love this, for how clever and witty it is. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Bugs Bunny is in the King's Carrot Patch. He tries to steal a carrot which sets off an alarm. He is arrested by the Sheriff of Nottingham. He is saved by Little John, but Robin Hood fails to materialize. It is time and time again as the Sheriff gets tricked. Little John introduces Robin Hood for the last time, but Bugs has had enough. He starts berating Little John until Errol Flynn shows up playing Robin Hood.

This is a terrific Bugs Bunny cartoon. I like everything about Little John. The little difference is the last bit with Errol Flynn. It may be a problem for modern audiences who have never seen the man. Otherwise, this is a supreme Bugs cartoon.

Rabbit Hood (1949)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

The master Chuck Jones directed this hilarious spoof on the Robin Hood tale. The film starts off in the King's carrot garden where we're told that there's to be no trespassing. Flash over to a hairy arm coming out from behind a sign and it's Bugs Bunny trying to get a carrot, which sets off an alarm and soon he's doing battle with one of the King's men. This here is without question one of the best Looney Tunes out there as we get all sorts of great action as well as some funny twists throughout the film. The action includes Bugs constantly trying to outsmart this guy with all sorts of good violence including a very funny bit where he dresses as the King and beats the man over the head. Another great scene takes place in the King's rose garden where Bugs convinces his chaser to buy it from him. There's a nice twist at the end with Errol Flynn doing a cameo and it's pretty priceless and especially Bugs response.