Rebel Rabbit (1949)

I really enjoyed this original, hilarious, clever, America-spoofing episode! I enjoyed it for the reasons above (this episode does not spoof America in an insulting way, just really pokes at the things America loves and is proud of) and I also enjoyed it for Bugs Bunny's over-dramatic character, the animation, the plot idea and the way it is carried out. If there was one thing that I slightly did not enjoy about the episode, it is the fact that Bugs Bunny does very horrible things in this cartoon, which surely he would dislike if someone else did them, but I guess he had just gone psychotic in this episode.Anyway, in "Rebel Rabbit", we see Bugs Bunny in the woods reading fox and bear hunting posters, which say that $50 will be awarded for a dead fox and $75 will be given for a dead bear. When Bugs Bunny comes to a rabbit poster, saying that 2 cents will be given for a dead rabbit, the bunny is FURIOUS, saying that he is "worth more" and goes all the way to Washington to complain. Will Bugs Bunny earn his revenge..? I highly recommend this episode to any Looney Tunes watcher, anyone who likes Bugs Bunny and to anyone who loves crazy, screwball ideas in a Looney Tunes cartoon. Enjoy "Rebel Rabbit"! :-)P.S Included in this cartoon are some full-blown (and crazily over the top for the cartoon) military scenes, including tanks, men on horses and aeroplanes. It does not need to be taken seriously (unlike some of the war references in Looney Tunes episodes such as "Scrap Happy Daffy" and "Daffy Duck Commando") and is a pretty good addition to the cartoon.

Robert McKimson's 'Rebel Rabbit' is an extremely original cartoon that casts Bugs Bunny as an egotistical anarchist to terrifying effect. Outraged that the bounty for hunted rabbits is only two cents each, Bugs visits Washington and demands it be raised. When his request is refused, he sets about proving that rabbit's are more dangerous than people think by causing chaos up and down the country until the bounty on his head reaches a million dollars. 'Rebel Rabbit' is one of McKimson's finest cartoons. Beginning with a novel premise, McKimson takes his time by having Bugs deal with all the administrative side of things first. When this approach fails, the cartoon goes crazy as Bugs lets himself off the leash. From hereon in, all bets are off as Bugs commits senseless acts of assault, vandalism and general indecency. McKimson heightens the anything-can-happen atmosphere by interspersing the animated antics with live action footage. Bugs's nationwide rampage is a thrill to behold and the unexpected result makes for a very satisfying climax. All in all, 'Rebel Rabbit' is a fascinating and fun character experiment that comes highly recommended.

The US. Game Commission has set a $50 bounty for each fox that is caught. Bugs, and we viewers, know that because it's on a poster nailed to a tree where Bugs Bunny lives. On the next tree is a similar sign offering $75 for a bear. A third and final sign has a rabbit's bounty at two cents! Bugs is furious. "That is an insult! They can't get away with it. Rabbits is worth more than mangy old foxes and bears and stuff," he says. "It's discrimination. I'm a taxpayer. I've got my rights."He goes to the post office and mails himself to Washington. He is told rabbits are furry, harmless creatures, unlike the others, and that's why their bounty is so low. Bugs winds up having to prove how rabbits can be "as obnoxious as anybody." For Bugs, that is not a hard assignment.Bugs goes on vandalizing spree in Washington and New York City. Normally, I might agree this is a horrible message - that vandalism pays - but it gets so ludicrous that you can't take the slightest thing seriously in here. I mean, Bugs Bunny shutting off Niagara Falls and filling in the Grand Canyon? Yes, it gets a little wild...all so Bugs can get a little respect. And, justice does prevail in the end in a very funny final minute that includes real-life footage.Bugs sums it all up with a humorous line: "Could it be that I carried this thing too far?"Yeah. This outrageous cartoon can be seen on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume three DVD.

Bugs Bunny peeved over rabbit pelts being only worth 2 cents each(on account of the sheer volume of the rabbit population), while Bear and foxes go for considerably much more, goes to Washington where a flamboyantly gay Games commissioner feeds him some bull about rabbits being all cuddly and friendly (this was the pre-Quest for the Holy Grail days mine you). So Bugs goes around America vandalizing and terrorizing, including (in what is every Liberal's fantasy) giving New York back to the Indians and cutting off Florida from the USA. This is McKimson's best short ever, that side it still isn't that good and is quite a bit overrated. This animated short can be found on Disk 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3.My Grade: B-