Bully for Bugs (1953)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Chuck Jones

Writer:

Michael Maltese (story)

Release Date:

8 August 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Animation | Comedy | Short

Plot:

Bugs Bunny takes a wrong turn at Albuquerque and winds up in a Mexican bullring fighting one heck of a big bullying bull.

Plot Keywords:

Bull | Bullring | Bugs Bunny | Slingshot | This Means War

Cast

Mel Blanc

...

Bugs Bunny / Bull Gulping (voice)

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #15579) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) | UK:U

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

According to Chuck Jones, the idea for this cartoon came about one day while he and the writers were trying to come up with a new story for a Bugs cartoon. Their boss, the producer Edward Selzer, abruptly announced, "I don't want no gags about bullfights. Bullfights aren't funny". The thought of putting Bugs in a bullfight hadn't even occurred to Jones, who immediately hit upon it as a great idea. The resulting cartoon proved to be one of the most successful in the Bugs Bunny series.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bugs Bunny: Well, here I am. Hey, just a cotton-picking minute. This don't look like the Coachella Valley to me.
[picks up map]
Bugs Bunny: Hmm, I knew I should've taken that left turn at Albuquerque. Oh well, I'll just ask this gent in the fancy knickerbockers. Eh, I beg your par...
[the matador runs right past Bugs; Bugs chases him]
Bugs Bunny: Eh, pardon me, sir, but could you direct me to the shortest route to the Coachella Valley and the big carrot festival therein?
[the matador climbs the fence]
Bugs Bunny: Eh, what's up, Doc?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tiny Toon Adventures: Starting from Scratch (#1.11)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

In Caliente

Bully for Bugs is another classic Chuck Jones Bugs Bunny cartoon

This is another cartoon in which Bugs should have taken a "left turn at Albuquerque" and ends up at a place not of his choosing, in this case a bullfighting ring. After Bugs insults the bull, the bull butts the rabbit sky high as Bugs declares, "Of course you realize, this means war!" Boy, does it ever! Watch Bugs one-up the stubborn animal at every turn. Love the slaps the rabbit gives him to the beats of some Mexican music. Like Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam, this animal will not give up no matter how much Bugs manages to defeat him at every turn. Once again, kudos to Chuck Jones and Micheal Maltese for making another hilarious classic cartoon. And special thanks to their boss Eddie Selzer for telling them "bullfights aren't funny"!