Lumber Jack-Rabbit

Interesting Bugs Bunny short, directed by Chuck Jones, that's notable for being the first Warner Bros. cartoon produced in 3-D. The story for this one has Bugs finding Paul Bunyan's garden. Weird, I know, but bear with me. The vegetables in the garden are, like Bunyan, gigantic. So when Bugs finds giant carrots he thinks he's hit it rich. But then Bugs must contend with Bunyan's dog Smidgen (also a giant), who is in charge of watching over the garden. What follows are some funny lines and gags as Smidgen tries to chase Bugs away and save his master's carrots. The animation is really good and the 3-D trick shots are minimal so, even though the impact of those effects is diminished with normal viewing, it doesn't take you out of the cartoon enough to affect your enjoyment. It's a fun cartoon despite a somewhat abrupt ending. I'll give it points for being a little odd in a good way.

Chuck Jones truly put the characters into the shape and form they are today... I will say that it was a group effort with the animators at WB but the things he did and the characterisation he gave was flawless.

If only there was another Chuck Jones in todays animation studios, to revitalise the wb characters past the shells we see today.

As an avid fan of Looney Tunes, I looked forward to seeing Lumber Jack-Rabbit. It was nice and entertaining, but some aspects disappointed too. So what disappointed? Well the pacing isn't as secure as it normally is, while the cartoon is I feel too short at 6 minutes. But the let down were some of the 3d effects. Some of them work nicely such as the dog and the horizon but others are distracting and as a consequence fall flat.

However, the animation itself, the characters and backgrounds are crisp, colourful and lively, and the music is energetic and fun. There is also the typical Looney Tunes wit and irreverence that make these cartoons so enjoyable, evident in the witty dialogue and smart sight gags. Bugs has been better but he is good, while the dog Smidgen is a good foil. And as always Mel Blanc is stellar with the vocals. Overall, not the best of the lot by a mile, but definitely worth watching. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Just watched this Bugs Bunny cartoon on YouTube. This is the one Warner Bros. made in 3-D as evidenced by the beginning which has the familiar WB shield going further in front when it moves forward. I hope to one day see it in the format it was meant to be seen originally but I enjoyed it just the same. I mean, look at the many gags that emphasized the small size of Bugs and the big size of the giant dog Smidgen who happens to be Paul Bunyan's pet here. Oh, and he also looks like Porky Pig's usual dog Charlie. Since this animated short is helmed by Charlie's creator Chuck Jones, that seems to be more than a coincidence. Anyway, this was a very funny short though I didn't get the ending. Still, Lumber Jack-Rabbit comes highly recommended. P.S. It's always nice whenever Mel Blanc sings something in character like here with "Blue Tail Fly".

The 3d effects are an afterthought in this cartoon, and so I think it's harsh to judge it based on that. The studio had shut down and everyone but friz had left, including Jones. This cartoon was left to be released, but as the 3d craze started, they had friz rework it in the format, so none of the effects were planned to be made thus suffering a lack of flexibility for creative use.

My favorite effects are the dog showing up on the horizon being a much more pronounced effect how large the dog is in 3d. Seeing bugs behind the dog's eyes in 3d space is another good use of the technique.

I can't fault them for the lack of profound effects, but having a closed studio it's amazing that such a gem of a bygone era on the big screen is so much more captivating than in the flat of television. These cartoons are for a theater audience and nothing shows that better than a whole room full of cartoon fans with their dorky 3d glasses on laughing as the moose comes to meet the call and a 50' dog, then turning tail and running.

If you ever get the chance to see this is the stereo projection it was designed for, don't miss!