Rabbit Rampage
Encyclopedia
Rabbit Rampage is a 1955
Bugs Bunny
animated cartoon
, directed by Chuck Jones
and produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons
, which originally debuted on June 11, 1955. It is a spiritual successor to Duck Amuck
, in which Daffy Duck
was teased by an off-screen animator, revealed at the end to be Bugs Bunny. In Rabbit Rampage, Bugs is similarly teased by another off-screen animator, revealed at the end to be Elmer Fudd
.
The cartoon inspired a 1993 video game for the Super NES
, Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage
, which allows the player to control Bugs, following a similar plot. A few clips from this short were shown in a trailer for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
DVD set (seen on the Looney Tunes: Back in Action
DVD), but was not included as part of that set. The complete short was released, with its sound-effects track only, on the Volume 6
set of the series as a "bonus" cartoon.
, "What's up, Doc?". When Bugs realizes who is in charge of the picture, he makes his desire to not fall victim to an animator who plans on making him look bad known, all the while preparing to dive back into his hole, giving the animator ample time to erase it, causing Bugs to jump headfirst into the ground. After Bugs stands up, he restates his desire to not work with the animator, who puts yellow paint on Bugs' back, implying that Bugs is a coward. Bugs grabs the brush and breaks it in half.
Bugs emphatically states that he will report the animator to the Warner Brothers and calls the animator a menace to society, while the animator draws a picket sign in Bugs' left hand which says "I WON'T WORK
". When Bugs sees the sign, he throws it on the ground, off screen. Bugs asks if the animator is trying to get him fired, before explaining that he has become a valuable asset to the studio, which gives the animator time to draw another picket sign saying "I REFUSE TO LIVE UP TO MY CONTRACT", which once again has Bugs fearing for his long-term future with the studio. After disposing of the last sign off-screen, Bugs returns, wiping off the yellow paint with a towel. Afterwards, Bugs agrees to work on the picture, but pauses once he sees that the animator drew a hat on his head, prompting Bugs to throw it on the ground, stating that the animator knows he's not supposed to wear a hat. In response, the animator draws an enormous pink women's hat, and Bugs throws it on the ground, too. This cycle continues with increasingly ridiculous hats and wigs until Bugs gives up. The animator draws an upside down forest, and Bugs tries to get in his hole by climbing "down" a nearby tree. The animator draws an anvil on Bugs' tail, causing Bugs to fall on a street, later rolling into an empty area.
Bugs incoherently yells
at the animator, which the animator responds to by erasing Bugs' head. Once Bugs discovers this latest act of vandalism, he taps one foot impatiently, pointing at the spot where his head existed. The animator then draws a pumpkin head on Bugs' body. When Bugs realizes this, he demands it to be corrected, which the animator supplies by simply adding rabbit ears to the existing head, infuriating Bugs even further. The animator erases the pumpkin head and then draws a tiny version of Bugs' head. Bugs does not realize what has happened until he pulls a carrot out of his pocket, stopping short when he sees that something else is wrong. He then takes notice of his now-high-pitched voice. The animator then erases the tiny head and re-draws Bugs' head, normal-sized but minus the ears.
After Bugs asks "Ears?", the animator draws human ears. Bugs asks again, saying "Not human ears my friend. Rabbit ears, long ones." The animator draws very long ears, lying on the floor far into the distance, and Bugs replies "Don't be so danged literal!" The animator then fixes the ears to make them normal length again. As Bugs walks away, the animator erases his tail. Bugs attempts once more to right the wrongs inflicted upon him by making his latest complaint of the animator's vandalism known, but the animator draws a horse
's tail instead. When Bugs states that a horse's tail "belongs on a horse", the animator erases Bugs' body and redraws him as a horse. Bugs, while standing on two hind legs and eating a carrot, points out to the artist that this misinterpretation will not make his employers happy, allowing the animator to pretend to comply with what Bugs is telling him by erasing Bugs' horse body and drawing him as a more abstract, simplified rabbit with big cheeks and feet.
The abstract version of Bugs warns the animator that this latest bit of tomfoolery has dire consequences for both of them, which leads the animator to draw him back to normal. Bugs sarcastically asks the animator if he wants to keep tormenting him, but backs off as the animator brandishes his paintbrush. Bugs attempts to make friends with the animator, promising that they could do something revolutionary, but the animator draws two duplicates of Bugs, prompting Bugs to shove the clones out of the picture. As Bugs states that he will not leave his spot until the animator "gets the big boss", the animator paints Bugs on a railroad track with a train coming through a tunnel behind it. As the train passes, Bugs leans on a rock and states that there is still one way out. He jumps up and pulls down a title card with the words "The End" written on it in large letters.
The camera pulls back to the animator, who is revealed to be Elmer Fudd
, who laughs and states with delight: "Weww, anyway, I finawwy got even with that scwewy wabbit."
1955 in film
The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
, directed by Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
and produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
, which originally debuted on June 11, 1955. It is a spiritual successor to Duck Amuck
Duck Amuck
Duck Amuck is a surreal animated cartoon directed by Chuck Jones and produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons. The short was released in early 1953 by The Vitaphone Corporation, the short subject division of Warner Bros. Pictures, as part of the Merrie Melodies series...
, in which Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
was teased by an off-screen animator, revealed at the end to be Bugs Bunny. In Rabbit Rampage, Bugs is similarly teased by another off-screen animator, revealed at the end to be Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
.
The cartoon inspired a 1993 video game for the Super NES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage
Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage
Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage is a Super NES action video game where the player controls Bugs Bunny as he fights traditional Looney Tunes villains in order to confront the main villain of the story, animator Daffy Duck...
, which allows the player to control Bugs, following a similar plot. A few clips from this short were shown in a trailer for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on October 28, 2003. It contains 56 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements...
DVD set (seen on the Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Looney Tunes: Back in Action is a 2003 American live action/animated adventure comedy film directed by Joe Dante and starring Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Timothy Dalton, and Steve Martin. The film is essentially a feature-length Looney Tunes cartoon, with all the wackiness and surrealism typical...
DVD), but was not included as part of that set. The complete short was released, with its sound-effects track only, on the Volume 6
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 6 is a four-disc DVD box set collection of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. Following the pattern of one release each year of the previous volumes, it was released on October 21, 2008....
set of the series as a "bonus" cartoon.
Plot
As the cartoon begins, an animator paints a woodland background, complete with a rabbit hole. The animator then erases the rabbit hole and moves it to the sky. Bugs pops out, falls to the ground and utters his catch phraseCatch phrase
A catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through a variety of mass media , as well as word of mouth...
, "What's up, Doc?". When Bugs realizes who is in charge of the picture, he makes his desire to not fall victim to an animator who plans on making him look bad known, all the while preparing to dive back into his hole, giving the animator ample time to erase it, causing Bugs to jump headfirst into the ground. After Bugs stands up, he restates his desire to not work with the animator, who puts yellow paint on Bugs' back, implying that Bugs is a coward. Bugs grabs the brush and breaks it in half.
Bugs emphatically states that he will report the animator to the Warner Brothers and calls the animator a menace to society, while the animator draws a picket sign in Bugs' left hand which says "I WON'T WORK
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
". When Bugs sees the sign, he throws it on the ground, off screen. Bugs asks if the animator is trying to get him fired, before explaining that he has become a valuable asset to the studio, which gives the animator time to draw another picket sign saying "I REFUSE TO LIVE UP TO MY CONTRACT", which once again has Bugs fearing for his long-term future with the studio. After disposing of the last sign off-screen, Bugs returns, wiping off the yellow paint with a towel. Afterwards, Bugs agrees to work on the picture, but pauses once he sees that the animator drew a hat on his head, prompting Bugs to throw it on the ground, stating that the animator knows he's not supposed to wear a hat. In response, the animator draws an enormous pink women's hat, and Bugs throws it on the ground, too. This cycle continues with increasingly ridiculous hats and wigs until Bugs gives up. The animator draws an upside down forest, and Bugs tries to get in his hole by climbing "down" a nearby tree. The animator draws an anvil on Bugs' tail, causing Bugs to fall on a street, later rolling into an empty area.
Bugs incoherently yells
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
at the animator, which the animator responds to by erasing Bugs' head. Once Bugs discovers this latest act of vandalism, he taps one foot impatiently, pointing at the spot where his head existed. The animator then draws a pumpkin head on Bugs' body. When Bugs realizes this, he demands it to be corrected, which the animator supplies by simply adding rabbit ears to the existing head, infuriating Bugs even further. The animator erases the pumpkin head and then draws a tiny version of Bugs' head. Bugs does not realize what has happened until he pulls a carrot out of his pocket, stopping short when he sees that something else is wrong. He then takes notice of his now-high-pitched voice. The animator then erases the tiny head and re-draws Bugs' head, normal-sized but minus the ears.
After Bugs asks "Ears?", the animator draws human ears. Bugs asks again, saying "Not human ears my friend. Rabbit ears, long ones." The animator draws very long ears, lying on the floor far into the distance, and Bugs replies "Don't be so danged literal!" The animator then fixes the ears to make them normal length again. As Bugs walks away, the animator erases his tail. Bugs attempts once more to right the wrongs inflicted upon him by making his latest complaint of the animator's vandalism known, but the animator draws a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
's tail instead. When Bugs states that a horse's tail "belongs on a horse", the animator erases Bugs' body and redraws him as a horse. Bugs, while standing on two hind legs and eating a carrot, points out to the artist that this misinterpretation will not make his employers happy, allowing the animator to pretend to comply with what Bugs is telling him by erasing Bugs' horse body and drawing him as a more abstract, simplified rabbit with big cheeks and feet.
The abstract version of Bugs warns the animator that this latest bit of tomfoolery has dire consequences for both of them, which leads the animator to draw him back to normal. Bugs sarcastically asks the animator if he wants to keep tormenting him, but backs off as the animator brandishes his paintbrush. Bugs attempts to make friends with the animator, promising that they could do something revolutionary, but the animator draws two duplicates of Bugs, prompting Bugs to shove the clones out of the picture. As Bugs states that he will not leave his spot until the animator "gets the big boss", the animator paints Bugs on a railroad track with a train coming through a tunnel behind it. As the train passes, Bugs leans on a rock and states that there is still one way out. He jumps up and pulls down a title card with the words "The End" written on it in large letters.
The camera pulls back to the animator, who is revealed to be Elmer Fudd
Elmer Fudd
Elmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
, who laughs and states with delight: "Weww, anyway, I finawwy got even with that scwewy wabbit."