Now this is one of the big ones. The cartoon that is a staple on every Looney Tunes compilation, one that is oft imitated and instantly recognisable to every one , fan or not.
yes it's the first part of 'hunting' triliogy ; Rabbit Fire.
What starts out as Bugs Bunny and Daffy trying to convince dimit Elmer Fudd that it is duck or rabbit season descends into a twisted spaghetti-like mess of cross dressing, verbal jokes, visual puns, deceit, a plot twist and loads of laughs.
probably what makes this cartoon stand out is the famous argument, where bugs manages to make Daffy yell out duck season constantly and get shot. Thanks to wikipedia I'll paste the dialogue.
Bugs: "Duck season!"
Daffy: "Rabbit season!"
Bugs: "Duck season!"
Daffy: "Rabbit season!"
Bugs: "Duck season!!"
Daffy: "Rabbit season!!"
Bugs: (reversing the flow) "Rabbit season!"
Daffy: "Duck season!!!"
Bugs: "Rabbit season!!!"
Daffy: "I say it's duck season, and I say, FIRE!"
and it happens again
Daffy: "Let's try that again."
Bugs: "Okay."
Daffy: "I'll start it this time."
Bugs: "Right."
Daffy: (grabs Elmer's rifle and points it to Bugs) "Rabbit season!"
Bugs: (pushing Elmer's rifle towards Daffy) "Duck season."
Daffy: (puts the rifle in front of Bugs again) "Rabbit season!!"
Bugs: (spins the rifle clockwise and aims it at himself, again reversing the flow) "Rabbit season."
Daffy: (grabs the rifle and pulls it toward himself) "Duck season!! FIRE!!!
and a third time
Daffy: "Okay, this time, you start it."
Bugs: "Whatever you say." (aims Elmer's rifle at himself) "Rabbit."
Daffy: (takes the rifle and points it at himself) "DUCK!! FIRE!!!"
Although not a wholly original concept, it works perfectly here mainly because Daffy has got a very distinct character. Yes he is trying to convince Elmer to shoot his friend Bugs but it backfires because of Daffy's character. Daffy is so overexcited that he will actually win against his friend/nemesis Bugs that in the end of the rabbit/duck season argument, he loses.
However during the course of the picture the couple make peace and that's when you see that when their minds are combined they work better. Bugs shrwedness and daffy's forwardness are a good combination. This is seen in the section where Bugs disguises himself as female hunter ( and aptly Daffy is the dog - the follower) in order to seduce elmer.
one interesting bit is when Bugs and Daffy start reading out duck and rabbit recipes so that Elmer will shoot the tastiest one. Fudd then confesses that he is a vegetarian. Again here's another point to think over. Fudd is actually causes a break in a friendship and he has no real purpose for his hunting. It then transpires that the evil is not Daffy, but Elmer and a little bit later he does get his comeuppance because Bugs and Daffy find out that it is Elmer season, Which leads to them collaborating and getting the person who split them up in the firsat place.
All I can say that this is a very strong cartoon that gets better with each viewing and hey if a dialogue cartoon gets on your nerves, there's always the satisfaction of seeing an elephant come out of nowhere and pummel Elmer to the ground!
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