Rabbit Seasoning
| Rabbit Seasoning | |
|---|---|
| Merrie Melodies (Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck) series | |
Title card
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| Directed by | Charles M. Jones |
| Produced by | Eddie Selzer |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Voices by |
Mel Blanc Arthur Q. Bryan (uncredited) |
| Music by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Animation by |
Ken Harris Lloyd Vaughan Ben Washam Abe Levitow(uncredited) |
| Layouts by | Maurice Noble |
| Backgrounds by | Philip DeGuard |
| Studio | Warner Bros. Cartoons |
| Distributed by |
Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
| Release date(s) | September 20, 1952 (USA) |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 7:00 |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Oily Hare (Bugs) / Cracked Quack (Daffy) |
| Followed by | Rabbit's Kin (Bugs) / The Super Snooper (Daffy) |
Rabbit Seasoning is a 1952 Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. It is the sequel to Rabbit Fire, and the second entry in the "Hunting trilogy" directed by Jones and written by Michael Maltese. (The only major difference in format between them is that Rabbit Seasoning takes place during the spring, while Rabbit Fire takes place in autumn. The third cartoon, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, takes place in the winter.) Produced by Edward Selzer for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., the short was released to theaters on September 20, 1952 by Warner Bros. Pictures and is widely considered among Jones' best and most important films. In Jerry Beck's 1994 book The 50 Greatest Cartoons, Rabbit Seasoning is listed at number thirty.
The cartoon finds a row of signs saying it's rabbit season. It is revealed that Daffy Duck is the one putting up the signs, stating that while he knows it's unsporting, he has to have some fun "and besides, it's really duck season."
Elmer Fudd then appears and notices rabbit tracks that Daffy left, leading to Bugs' hole. He pokes his gun into the hole, threatens to blast him out if he doesn't come out, and then follows through on his threat. Bugs Bunny, however, appears out the other side and begins a conversation with Elmer about rabbit season. When Elmer fails to realize that Bugs is a rabbit, Daffy emerges from his hiding spot, disgusted by this, and points out that Bugs is a rabbit, which the latter confirms, asking if Elmer would prefer to shoot him now or wait until he gets home. Daffy eagerly shouts for the first option and Bugs rebukes him, "You keep out of this! He doesn't have to shoot you now!" Daffy angrily asserts, "He does so have to shoot me now!" and outright demands that Elmer do so. Elmer looks confused for a few seconds, but complies as Daffy sticks his tongue out at Bugs. The shot dislocates his beak to the back of his head, and Daffy replaces his beak before requesting to run through what they just said again. Bugs complies, and upon reaching Bugs' word swap, Daffy calls him out on "pronoun trouble", saying "It's not 'he doesn't have to shoot you now.' It's 'he doesn't have to shoot me now.' WELL, I SAY HE DOES HAVE TO SHOOT ME NOW!" Subsequently, Daffy commands Elmer to shoot him again, which he does. Daffy fixes his beak again and is about to rant at Bugs before realizing that he may fall into the trap again. He decides to speak to Elmer instead, confirming that he is a hunter and that it is rabbit season. Bugs interjects, asking what Elmer would do if Daffy was a rabbit. Daffy repeats the question angrily, and has enough time to realize what he said (looking towards the camera and piteously saying "Not again") before Elmer shoots him. Daffy fixes his bill once more and laughs sarcastically at Bugs for his trick.
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