| Rabbit Seasoning | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Charles M. Jones |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Produced by | Edward Selzer |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Animation by | |
| Layouts by | Maurice Noble |
| Backgrounds by | Philip de Guard |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
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Running time | 6:50 |
| Language | English |
Rabbit Seasoning is a 1952Warner Bros.Merrie Melodies cartoon directed byChuck Jones.[1] Released on September 20, 1952, the short starsBugs Bunny,Daffy Duck andElmer Fudd.[2]
It is the sequel to the previous year'sRabbit Fire, and the second in the "hunting trilogy" directed by Jones and written byMichael Maltese (the only major difference in format between them is thatRabbit Fire takes place during thespring, whileRabbit Seasoning takes place in theautumn. The third cartoon,Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, takes place in thewinter). The short was produced byEddie Selzer forWarner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., and is the first WB cartoon on which layout artistMaurice Noble received credit.
It is considered to be among Jones' best and most important films. InJerry Beck's 1994 bookThe 50 Greatest Cartoons,Rabbit Seasoning is listed at number 30.[3]
In the forest, Daffy Duck places numerous signs proclaiming rabbit season catch the attention of passersby, and leaves false rabbit tracks to ensnare Elmer Fudd into a misinformed hunting spree. When Elmer confronts Bugs Bunny's burrow, Daffy intervenes, insisting that Bugs is the legitimate target, inciting a contentious debate between the two animals over their respective identities and the legitimacy of the hunting season.
Amidst the verbal sparring, Daffy repeatedly falls victim to his own arguments, enduring multiple shots from Elmer's gun. His beak displaced and reinstated with each occurrence, Daffy's frustration grows as Bugs orchestrates further trickery, exploiting Daffy's linguistic missteps to his advantage. Despite Daffy's attempts to redirect Elmer's attention, he remains ensnared in the antics of Bugs and Daffy.
As tensions escalate, Bugs adopts a feminine disguise resemblingLana Turner, briefly fooling Elmer before Daffy's impatience reveals the ruse. The ongoing interplay between the characters culminates in a series of mistaken identities and deceptions, culminating in Daffy repeatedly being shot by Elmer. Despite Daffy's protests and attempts to outmaneuver Bugs, he ultimately falls prey to Bugs' schemes, concluding with a resigned acknowledgment of his own gullibility.
AnimatorJ. J. Sedelmaier writes, "Of director Chuck Jones' three "Shoot 'im now!" cartoons,Rabbit Seasoning has always been my favorite. Bugs, Daffy, and Elmer are so tightly defined as the characters we all know and love that they're almost parodies of themselves. Even though this short is the second of the series, it's still fresh and tight. What's also amazing is how it doesn't feel like a cartoon that's almost sixty years old. The timing of the cuts — Daffy's expression when Elmer says to Bugs that he "hasn't even seen a wabbit yet" — and the miscellaneous, eccentricW. C. Fields-like sound effects that seem to ooze out of Daffy are still cool today."[4]
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| Preceded by | Bugs Bunny cartoons 1952 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Cracked Quack | Daffy Duck cartoons 1952 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Elmer Fudd cartoons 1952 | Succeeded by |