''Hare Ribbin is a 1944

animated Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...

short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

in the ''

Merrie Melodies ''Merrie Melodies'' is an American animated comedy short film series distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was part of the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise and featured many of the same characters. Originally running from August 2, 1931, to Septem ...

'' series, directed by

Robert Clampett Robert Emerson Clampett Sr. (May 8, 1913 – May 2, 1984) was an American animator, film director, director, film producer, producer and puppeteer best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' animated series from Warner Bros. as well as the te ...

and featuring

Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character created in the late 1930s at Warner Bros. Cartoons (originally Leon Schlesinger, Leon Schlesinger Productions) and Voice acting, voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his featured roles in the ' ...

. The plot features Bugs' conflict with a red-haired hound dog, whom the rabbit sets out to evade and make a fool of using one-liners, reverse psychology, disguises and other tricks. It was released in theaters by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

on June 24, 1944. The title is a pun on "hair ribbon". It is also the first Warner Bros. cartoon to include Bugs' head in the opening title sequence.

Plot

A dog with a Russian accent (reminiscent of comedian Bert Gordon's "Mad Russian" persona), sets out to hunt a rabbit. However, his plans are foiled when he encounters Bugs Bunny, who proceeds to tease and outwit him. During their chase, Bugs uses a humorous tactic involving a radio commercial for Lifebuoy soap to escape the dog's clutches. The chase leads them to a lake, where the action continues underwater. Bugs continues to outsmart the dog with various antics, including disguising himself as a mermaid and Elmer Fudd. Eventually, Bugs tricks the dog into believing he has died after the dog demands a rabbit sandwich. The dog, overcome with grief, wishes that he was dead too, prompting Bugs to "grant" his wish in a comical twist. As Bugs dances away, seemingly victorious, the dog unexpectedly sits up, revealing he is still alive, and humorously comments on his misfortune.Cohen (2004), p. 36-37

Analysis

Michael S. Shull and David E. Wilt consider it ambiguous if this cartoon contain a World War II-related reference. While underwater, Bugs disguises himself as a

mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are ...

. The dog transforms into a

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

to pursue "her".Shull, Wilt (2004), p. 216 The two alternate versions of the ending were based on the perception of someone that Bugs could not be seen killing another animal. This someone was perhaps a studio administrator.Cohen (2004), p. 36-37

Censorship and alternative endings

''Hare Ribbin, known for its two controversial endings, presents the Russian Dog character grappling with guilt over Bugs Bunny's apparent demise. In the original theatrical ending, Bugs hands the dog a gun to end his own life so he can shoot himself in the head, a scene that has been removed from television broadcasts but aired uncensored on select occasions. The "director's cut" ending depicts Bugs pulling out a gun and shooting the dog through the mouth,Cohen (2004), p. 36-37 a version never shown theatrically or on television until its release on the '' Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5'' DVD set. Additional scenes in the director's cut include an extended search for Bugs by the dog, and an enhanced sequence of them playing tag. Notably, a scene where Bugs avoids being eaten by the dog is absent from the director's cut, suggesting it may have been a later addition before the theatrical release.Cohen (2004), p. 36-37

Home media

The Golden Age of Looney Tunes ''The Golden Age of Looney Tunes'' is a collection of LaserDiscs released by MGM/UA Home Video in the 1990s. There were five sets made, featuring a number of discs, and each disc side represented a different theme, being made up of seven cartoon ...

Volume 5'' laserdisc set has the "director's cut" version of this cartoon, unrestored. The fifth volume of the ''

Looney Tunes Golden Collection The ''Looney Tunes Golden Collection'' is a series of six four-disc DVD sets from Warner Home Video, each containing about 60 ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' animated shorts originally released from the 1930s to 1960s. The initial run of ...

'' DVD set and the '' Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection'' Blu-ray set have the original cut of ''Hare Ribbin, restored and remastered, and the director's cut as a special feature, unrestored and unremastered (the difference between both cuts can be determined by the tinting of the color).

Sources

* ''Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons'', by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald (1989), Henry Holt, * ''Looney Tunes Golden Collection'', DVD set. * *

References

External links

The CENSORED Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Guide

* {{Bugs Bunny in animation, state=collapsed 1944 films Merrie Melodies short films Warner Bros. Cartoons animated short films Films directed by Bob Clampett Films about hunting Films produced by Leon Schlesinger Films scored by Carl Stalling Animated films about dogs Bugs Bunny films 1940s Warner Bros. animated short films 1944 comedy films Censored films Self-censorship 1944 animated short films