Haredevil Hare

Haredevil Hare
Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny/Marvin the Martian) series
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Produced by Eddie Selzer
Story by Michael Maltese
Voices by Mel Blanc
Music by Carl Stalling
Animation by Ben Washam
Lloyd Vaughan
Ken Harris
Phil Monroe
Abe Levitow (uncredited)
Pete Burness (uncredited)
A.C. Gamer (effects animation)
Studio Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date(s) July 24, 1948 (USA)
Color process Technicolor
Running time 7 minutes
Language English

Haredevil Hare is a 1948 Looney Tunes[1] cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. It stars Bugs Bunny and it is the debut for Marvin the Martian — although he is unnamed in this film — along with his Martian dog, K-9. All the voices are done by Mel Blanc. Marvin's nasal voice for this first film is different from the later one he is most known for, which was similar to one that Blanc used for the emcee in What's Cookin' Doc?, for just one line, where the emcee says, "Shall we give it to him, folks?"

The title is a play on "daredevil", although it has only a vague metaphorical connection to the plotline, as Bugs is a reluctant participant in the cartoon's acrobatics.

Plot

Bugs Bunny, disguised as a Martian, hands Marvin the Uranium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator. Animation by Ken Harris.

Opening with the newspaper headlines "Scientists to Launch First Rocket to Moon" and "Heroic Rabbit Volunteers as First Passenger" the scene changes to Bugs literally being dragged on to the launching pad as he frantically protests, but becomes cooperative when he sees the rocket being loaded with carrots. The rocket then launches into space. Shocked by the sudden acceleration of the rocket, Bugs attempts to exit it, but when he opens the hatch, he sees that the rocket has already left Earth. When he lands on the moon he goes to pieces, but regains his composure. He contemplates the fact that he is the first living creature to set foot on the moon, as he passes behind a large rock on which the words "Kilroy was here" are written. Another rocket soon lands, called the Mars to Moon Expeditionary Force from the planet Mars, and from it emerges an unnamed Martian (later known as Marvin the Martian) set to blow up planet Earth using a Uranium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator, a small device which resembles a mere stick of dynamite. Bugs is curious, but initially not concerned, until he realizes the severity of the situation and steals the Uranium PU-36. He shortly has to deal with Marvin's Martian dog, named K-9, who retrieves it while Bugs is distracted attempting to send an SOS to Earth. In one of Bugs Bunny's classic word switcharoos, he successfully gets the Uranium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator back.

This prompts an angry Marvin to berate and scold his dog. Bugs quickly arrives disguised as a Martian with a "special delivery from Mars" and hands Marvin the Uranium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator, now wired to a detonator. While Marvin is celebrating the return of the Uranium PU-36, Bugs activates the detonator. The explosion reduces the moon to a crescent. Bugs hangs precariously from the edge of it, with Marvin and the dog clinging to him and dangling below. A silhouette on earth resembling Friz Freleng contacts Bugs Bunny, asking for a statement to the press. Bugs yells out (in his typical Brooklyn accent), "GET ME OUTTA HERE!"

Crew

Production

The cartoon was directed by Chuck Jones and written by long-time accomplice Michael Maltese. It was animated by Ben Washam, Lloyd Vaughan, Ken Harris and Phil Monroe, with effects animation by A.C. Gamer. The music was scored by Carl Stalling and the backgrounds painted by Peter Alvarado, with layouts by Robert Gribbroek. In retrospect, Chuck Jones considered this one of his animated shorts which managed to "turn the corner" towards strange, new, and enchanting directions. In this case, because it was the first in the series to be set in outer space, the first appearance of Marvin the Martian, and the first appearance of his Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.[2]

Availability

This cartoon is included on disc 3 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 DVD set and also included on disc 2 of the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray box set with the cartoon restored and in high definition. This short is also available on disc 1 of The Essential Bugs Bunny.

See also

Sources

  • Jones, Chuck (1989). Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-12348-9.

References

  1. ↑ 1957 MOVIES FROM AAP Warner Bros Features & Cartoons SALES BOOK DIRECTED AT TV
  2. ↑ Jones (1989), unnumbered page, list of "corner" pictures.
Preceded by
Bugs Bunny Rides Again		 Bugs Bunny Cartoons
1948		 Succeeded by
Hot Cross Bunny
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