"Bugs Bunny", "Elmer Fudd", and caricatures of Leopold Stokowski, Gregory Peck, Ray Milland, Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Carmen Miranda, Lauren Bacall.Copyright 20 December 1946 by the Vitaphone Corp. Merrie Melodies (Bugs Bunny Special) Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. U.S. release: 1 November 1947 (sic). 1 reel. 7 minutes.COMMENT: Prices have climbed a bit since we visited Ciro's for Hollywood Steps Out. Dinner at the Macrumbo is $600, but small down payments are accepted. Although Steve Schneider likes this one, selecting it as both a Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd "best", I would not give it such a high rating. The spot gags (Milland paying for his drink with a typewriter and receiving three miniature typewriters for change; Sinatra drinking himself into a glass tumbler; Bugs imitating Groucho opposite Elmer's Harpo; and what is the point of the gag with Gregory Peck - or is it supposed to be Tyrone Power in The Razor's Edge?) are not all that funny. But Bugs eventually does get to dine with Bogey and Baby and in the meantime dances up a storm in a nice Carmen Miranda take-off. The rabbit is full of his usual vitality, and we like his snappy white tie and tails. Fudd has some "waughable" business too including a quick-witted trick with a mirror.

NO SCHULTZ, IT ain't FANTASIA! It is rather one of those great old Cartoon Short Subjects that we all took for granted in years gone-by.STILL RELEGATED BY many as being strictly kids' stuff, the animated Cartoon short has slowly gained its proper place and commensurate dignity in the art of cinema. An objective viewing of any good, cross sampling of these 10 minute surrealist comedies would probably surprise many of their staunchest critics.TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION today's honored "guest", SLICK HARE (Warner Brothers Pictures, 1947). The madcap "plot" consists of a customer's desire to order Roast Rabbit and all of the complications that spring-up between customer and waiter. Then factor in that the principal characters involved in this mêlée are Customer(Humohrey Bogart), Waiter (Elmer Fudd) and the bone of contention, the Rabbit (Bugs Bunny).ADD IN SOME fine and genuinely funny gags; along with a whole company of Hollywood caricatures; a list of which would do Hirschfeld proud, and whatta ya have? You'd have a top flight comic romp, animated or live action. For all of its gag happenings, the film rolls along at an unbelievably brisk rate; with the ending coming along all too quickly.THE CRITICISMS WE hear about the short involve the inescapable fact that the Hollywood folks spoofed as well as the contemporary nature of the the then recent occurrences, leaves a modern audience in a bit of puzzlement.THIS WE CAN understand; having failed recognition of unknown Cowboy as Gary Cooper in the Bob Hope starring vehicle, ALIAS JESSE JAMES (Hope Enterprises/United Artists, 1959). Being about 12 years old at the time and an avid TV Watcher, quickly identifying Gail Davis (Annie Oakley), James Arness (Matt Dillon), Ward Bond (Major Adams of WAGON TRAIN), Hugh Obrian (Wyatt Earp), Fess Parker (Davy Croket) and Jay Silverheals (Tonto). (Roy Rogers & Trigger were super easy, playin themselves!) But I digress! Now back to SLICK HARE! THE CAST OF CHARACTERS being lampooned here are basically as well known today as they were in 1947. Furthermore, speaking for those among us who they call "Film Buffs", the Films and Stars of that Golden Age; as well as their Film Credits, are more familiar than an awful lot of current Hollywood. While we do enjoy a certain number of today's cinematic output, we do spend a lot of time on the Oldies; as we had viewed them; being on Turner Classic Movies, Fox Movie Channel and American Movie Classics (the old AMC, that is).

Starting out like one of the Hollywood Star caricature cartoons like 'The Coo-Coo Nut Grove' or 'Hollywood Steps Out', 'Slick Hare' quickly distinguishes itself by injecting Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny in amongst the other famous faces. These cartoons are mostly recommended for movie buffs who will still recognise the stars being parodied (here they include the Marx Brothers, Carmen Miranda, Ray Milland, Frank Sinatra and Humphrey Bogart) but 'Slick Hare' offers a chase between Bugs and Elmer for anyone not interested in celebrity spotting. The combination of these two elements doesn't really work that well, the caricature routines slowing down the action whenever it threatens to get going (culminating in a tedious, overlong dance routine from Carmen Miranda and Bugs). A further problem is that the central chase is quite uninspired, with only a scene in which Bugs orders pies and then puts them in Elmer's face really standing out. Bugs also seems excessively brash and obnoxious in this cartoon, from his loud "Am I the first to arrive" routine at the beginning of the cartoon to his frenzied cat-calling at the end. All in all, 'Slick Hare' is a lumpy and jarring experiment gone wrong.

We are at the Hollywood exclusive nightclub, "The Mocrumbo," where dinners are $600 apiece (today that translates to thousands). The entertainment: "Leopold And His Chifafa Five." Leopold is Leopold Stokowski, the conductor who seems to be a favorite of the Looney Tunes crowd.Eating a steak is either Gary Cooper or Gregory Peck; At the bar is Ray Milland in a parody of "The Lost Weekend." Using a straw for a drink is the super-skinny Frank Sinatra; Elmer Fudd is a waiter and Humphrey Bogart asks for some "fried rabbit." Humphrey slaps him around and demands a rabbit dinner. Back in the kitchen, Elmer hears the obnoxious chewing of Bugs Bunny eating a carrot. Bugs gives him the famous line from "To Have And Have Not," telling Elmer to "tell Bogie if he wants me, all he has to do is whistle."I enjoyed seeing Bugs imitating Groucho Marx; hiding in Carmen Miranda's fruit-basket hat, and doing the conga dance. The ending was kind of lame, but it was "cute" to see Bugs serving himself on a platter to Bogie's girl, Lauren Bacall.I enjoyed the rich colors in this cartoon which was included in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two.