Buckaroo Bugs

Bugs is particularly cruel in this one. The Red Hot Ryder is a dolt and is one a mission which is valid. When our rabbit gets his hands on him, the lights go out quickly. Bugs is the master of every situation but he uses his superiority for basic cruelty. Interesting use of his talents as he torments this poor guy.

This cartoon -- directed by the great Bob Clampett -- is one of the best Bugs Bunny cartoons ever (IMO). In the "Western" storyline, our favorite hare is the Masked Marauder, stealing carrots from Victory Gardens (they had those in the Wild Wild West?!??) and being pursued by the not-so-bright Red Hot Rider (his horse is smarter than he is!). Bugs, as he does with Elmer, then proceeds to have fun tripping up this adversary. This classic cartoon dates from Clampett's -- and Warner's -- golden age of the 1940's, a time in which the wildly hilarious "Warner Style" reached it's peak. This one is a must for any Bugs Bunny fan.

In this one, "The Masked Marauder" (Bugs Bunny) robs the "hero" Red Hot Ryder with a big magnet, taking his money, his bullets, and even the fillings in his teeth!!! He also takes his belt buckle and Red Hot is left standing there naked with but a leaf to cover his...ahem!!!

Clampett is one for pushing the envelope, but man, it's funny!!! If you need a great belly laugh, look to Clampett and Avery!!!

Looney Tunes has made a big hit featuring Bugs Bunny in groundbreaking Buckaroo Bugs. After Bosko and Buddy(the classics from 1930s') Looney Tunes gains acceleration with Bugs; within more vivacious, more musical, more compositional series.

Bugs has innovations for himself: For the first time, he plays a cowboy, a thief,i.e. a villain character; though he plays more Bugs Bunnily than before, eats more carrots and makes more jokes than usual. He's well known as a carrot thief in an old west town. Hence a cowboy named Red Hot Ryder goes after him. Bugs feigns ignorance to different characters such as a newsboy and a postman, but never reveals his true identity till Red's horse realizes him. It's both funny and dully that the horse is more brainy than the cowboy who rides it.

Impersonating a horse is surely a good idea, but mainly there is more bleakness than the appealing facts. In the first place, Lou Lilly's story and script is very plain and tasteless. William Tell overture has used nicely to introduce the larger-than-life cowboy character at the beginning; yet in a matter of minutes this mood becomes very placid. Some more action sequences could have been used to boost it, like in the episodes with Yosemite Sam.

Bugs Bunny's first Western fails to find(or create) the right cartoon character to accompany him. Our eyes were looking for Yosemite Sam; for Bugs needs better challenges. This episode is more addressed to preschool children.

The big question in this story: "How long will this fair-weather fiend, the Masked Marauder, be allowed to roam at will, dragging in the mud the name of justice and decency?"

The answer: "Brooklyn's famous fighting cowboy, riding to right this wrong, rides 'Red Hot Ryder'!!"

Wow, those corny and ultra-dramatic lines are uttered to set up this Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes effort from 1944. Unfortunately, it might have been the high point of the cartoon.

Bugs was his normal cocky and humorous self but "Red Ryder" was so stupid-sounding he was annoying and not decidedly not funny. He sounded more like the "Lenny" (of Mice and Men") dopey characters that were in a few other Looney Tunes. I would prefer to see Bugs up against someone of equal intelligence, but that is rarely shown. Hearing "Which way did he go" Which way did he go?" a half dozen times in this retarded-sounding voice is more irritating than it is funny.

The beginning of this nine-minute cartoon was very good and the whole thing looked promising until "Red Hot Ryder" showed up. After that, there wasn't much to laugh about.