Wackiki Wabbit (1943)*** 1/2 (out of 4)Delightful short has two men lost at sea when their prayers are answered. They finally spot some land and once on the island they see Bugs Bunny and plan on a rabbit dinner.If you're a fan of Bugs Bunny then you'll find plenty to enjoy here as there are some nice supporting characters, some good laughs and plenty of nice action. I thought both supporting characters were very fun and especially the early scenes at sea where they're looking at each other as food. Bugs is in fine form as he creates some chaos between the two including a very good scene where he replaces himself in their stew.

While not my favourite Bugs Bunny or Chuck Jones cartoon, Wackiki Rabbit is still a great cartoon with lots of colour, great humour and a wonderfully odd atmosphere. One does wish that Bugs had more to do here, despite being the star he does agreed play more of a secondary character to the castaways, albeit a very memorable and funny one at that.The cartoon does on the other hand some really colourful visuals with beautifully bold colours, impeccably detailed backgrounds, some inventive 'surreal' physical comedy and well-drawn characters (Bugs' design is in early stages but while different he's drawn well and moves easily). The music by Carl Stalling is typically outstanding, giving the cartoon so much energy while also being richly and cleverly orchestrated throughout, it's also a perfect match with the visuals, humour and action and even elevates them to a greater level. The writing is fresh, razor sharp and brilliantly funny, some of it is bizarre but in a hugely entertaining way, while the gags are oddly surreal but inventive and quite hilarious, especially when the castaways are first introduced to Bugs, with the cooked chicken and the ending.Story-wise, it's crisply paced, has a constantly colourful atmosphere and it's not too routine or predictable because the humour is so well done. Bugs is as always great fun though as said he should have had more to do, while the castaways (caricatures of Michael Maltese and Tedd Pierce, who also voice the characters) are a hilarious and an oddly-but- well-matched double act. Mel Blanc, Maltese and Pierce all give fine vocal characterisations.Overall, colourful, hilarious and wonderfully odd. Definitely worth seeing at least once. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Two guys - one tall and lean, the other short and fat - become shipwrecked on a desert island. Who should be an inhabitant of this island but Bugs Bunny, the "Wackiki Wabbit"! And the two castaways believe they can easily capture Bugs for their supper. Sure they can. Yeah.Here are my favorite scenes from this wonderful cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. When the two guys first meet Bugs, he does a hilarious dance and says "What's up, Doc?" in his native tongue. The tall guy then expresses his gratitude to Bugs, with the appropriate foreign subtitle appearing below, and the two guys actually READ the subtitle! Then more dancing ensues, ending with a slap on the face. I also love composer/orchestrator Carl Stalling's accompaniment of "Trade Winds" (when the short guy blows on the sail toward the island, and when Bugs bathes in the cooking pot) and his use of a frolicsome Raymond Scott tune (when the two castaways set up a table & cooking pot and chase Bugs swinging on a vine, and when Bugs later struggles with his "roast rabbit" marionette).If you're a Bugs Bunny fan, then you can't miss "Wackiki Wabbit"! Catch it on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 Disc 1.

Two castaways (based on Warner Brother's writers Micheal Maltese and Tedd Pierces, who also voice themselves) find themselves on a tropical island inhabited by one Bugs Bunny. Seeing as not too long ago these two guys were eyeing each other like they were both food, they naturally start salivating when they see Bugs and proceed to chase him down in order to make some much needed stew. This is another classic from the early years of Bugs and still remains as fresh and funny as it undoubtedly was when it was first released. This one is totally timeless. This animated short can be found on Disk 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 and includes an optional commentary by John Kricfalusi and Eddie Fitzgerald.My Grade: A+