Falling Hare

“Hey, I bet that was… say, do you think that… hey, could thata been a… gremlin?”

Directed by Robert Clampett

Originally, this short was to be called “Bugs Bunny and the gremlin” but Disney told them to stop, as they were making a film called “The Gremlins” based on a book by the amazing Roald Dahl and they alone had the naming rights. That never happened. At least the gremlins would appear in Epic Mickey. What am I doing? As I was saying…

At a U.S. army air field, Bugs is reading atop a bomb. He laughs at the thought of gremlins and their “die-a-bull-icall sab-o-tay-gee.” The bomb he is on starts shaking and Bugs looks at the source. It’s a tiny creature trying to set off the bomb Bugs is on. Bugs suggests he give it a try and only stops at the last moment. Bugs realizes that was a gremlin and gives chase. The gremlin hits him over the head with a mallet and leads him onto one of the planes. While Bugs is searching for him, he starts the plane up. He taunts Bug’s from behind a door (with an unbelievably funny laugh) and Bugs charges time and time again to get at him.

The gremlin opens the door eventually and Bugs runs out of the plane. (Briefly becoming a jack@$$.) He hurries back to the plane and slips out the other door thanks to the banana peels the gremlin left for him. Bug’s manages to stay in the plane, but the gremlin is now trying to crash into some skyscrapers. Bugs narrowly avoids a collision but the plane is now in a nosedive. Bugs completely loses it while the gremlin couldn’t care less. (I guess he doesn’t mind dying. Or he’s invincible?) The plane gets up to “incredible ain’t it?” miles per hour and the wings burn off. Then, a few feet off the ground, the plane stops in midair. The two characters apologize for running out of gas. Dang A cards.

Personal Rating: 4

Draftee Daffy

“♪Oh the little man from the dra-aft board is coming to see me!♪”

Directed by Robert Clampett

Daffy is reading the paper and is happy to learn that the U.S. is doing great. (WWII) He dances around and sings patriotic songs. His number is interrupted by a call from the president. The duck’s being drafted. Daffy loses all of his vigor and cries. He tries to keep a look out for the little man who will deliver his letter, but he’s already there. (The little guy is strangely cute. I want a plush toy of him.) Daffy barricades the door and peeks out the upstairs window. He’s there. Daffy puts on a disguise and peeks again. He’s there wearing the same disguise.

Daffy packs up, calls for a flight to the North Pole, and runs to other door of his. The little man is there. Daffy hides in the closet. He’s in there. (Daffy reacts twice to this.) Daffy bolts, leaving the little man with a bomb. The man returns it. After the explosion, Daffy takes drastic measures. He locks the man in a safe, builds a house’s wall around him, and hops on a rocket that is to only be used in case of induction. His ride is a short one and he dies and goes to hell. (For avoiding the draft, I guess.)

Daffy is happy though, as he is rid of the little man. But remember: this is hell. It’s designed to be your worst nightmare. And Daffy’s is having the man around. He chases Daffy (while still holding the letter) into the fiery distance.

Personal Rating: 4

The Return of Mr. Hook

“Now I’ll show you the back.”

Since I am talking about war time cartoons, I figure I better talk about this as well.

We see our hero, Hook, telling his shipmates about his post war plans. They laugh and ask about them. He goes to say he plans to woo and marry a girl. (In my opinion she is ugly. And her name is Choo-choo? Does she have a brother named Chugga?) Coming to the end of his plans, he sees all of them buying bonds. “Any bonds today” plays as it ends.

Personal Rating: 1

Spies

“Full speed ahead!”

A thing I forgot to mention last time, is that some of these shorts were written by the great Dr. Seuss, such as this one.

We see Snafu bragging about a secret he knows and how he will never reveal it. Although unbeknowenst to him, he is being followed by his enemies. He walks through town and little by little, he leaks more and more. Eventually, he comes to a bar, and to the tune of powerhouse, he gets drunk. Now he could care less and he goes to a woman to tell her all about it. She is a Nazi and she lets all the others know what is going on. Then, when Snafu is sailing later, he is torpedoed and killed. In hell, he wonders who let his secret out. His answer comes to him in a mirror. Before the short ends, his reflection turns into a horses butt.

Personal Rating: 4

Any bonds today?

Now what we have here is a short that is entirely music. We see a figure approaching and it is our patriotic cartoon character, Bugs Bunny. He starts to sing and tell us we must buy war bonds if we are going to win World War 2. Soon Porky and Elmer (in his fat phase) join him. So as you are probably guessing it is not really worth your time to watch it, right? Wrong! It is a great song! One that I find myself singing whenever I take a walk. If you do not watch this, then you are definitely missing out. (Just be mindful of the blackface. That is humorless.)

Personal Rating: 3