Baton Bunny (1959) User Reviews

Not quite as good as I remembered, but definitely worth watching

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 27 October 2010]

As a big fan of classical music, I was eager to re watch Baton Bunny. You see this was one of my first Bugs Bunny cartoons and I was interested to see how well it held up. I loved it when I first saw it and the several other times I saw it after, but after a long time while still very good it isn't quite as good as I remembered. I do agree it is more unique and clever more than it is funny. Don't get me wrong, there are some nice visual gags especially the ones involving Bugs' collar and ears but there are some that don't quite work as well as they should such as the one with the fly which I'm afraid came across as rather predictable and tiresome. The gags are not the best thing about Baton Bunny- that's the music which is outstanding, no surprise really as it was composed by Suppe, who always makes me smile regardless what piece of his is playing, it is so charming and rousing that it is hard not to get engrossed in it. The animation is very good too, with a lot of colour and vibrancy. In fact the only disappointment animation-wise is the character design of Bugs which is a little too scratchy for my liking. Baton Bunny is also well paced, has a unique concept, and while it isn't as clever or as funny as cartoons such as What's Opera Doc, Rabbit of Seville and Long-Haired Hare, it is worth watching for the music. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A malfunctioning wardrobe is the least . . .

[oscaralbert · 7/10 · 17 February 2016]

. . . of Bugs Bunny's problems as he conducts a symphony orchestra playing Franz Von Suppe's "Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna." Bugs' venue is an outdoor amphitheater. Bugs chooses his conducting baton with greater care (and from a bigger selection) than a wand-shopping Harry Potter. Remembering to chalk its tip, Bugs waves his baton. The concert seems to get off on the right note (though two minutes of BATON BUNNY have passed by this point). However, between having his dress shirt self-destruct and being buzzed multiple times by a pesky fly, Bugs' conducting is so erratic that ALL of the concert goers have exited by the final chord. Only the fly is left to applaud. I once attended a Major League Baseball Game that suffered such a plague of flying insects that the stands were nearly as empty as Bugs' concert bowl by the end of the Seventh Inning Stretch. But baseball is best enjoyed outdoors (unless you're talking about the Tampa Bay Rays, in which case it cannot be enjoyed at all). On the other hand, concerts should be an indoor activity, as BATON BUNNY more than proves.

not all classical music comes out the same in cartoons

[lee_eisenberg · 6/10 · 23 December 2006]

After the Termite Terrace crowd had used classical music to great effect in "A Corny Concerto", "Rhapsody Rabbit", "Back Alley Oproar", "Long-Haired Hare", "Rabbit of Seville" and "What's Opera, Doc?", it came out a little flat in "Baton Bunny". This short has Bugs Bunny conducting an orchestra while his suit keeps going awry and a fly keeps getting in his way. The cartoon's not terrible, but it seems like they should have had accomplished more; then again, maybe they'd done everything that they could with classical music by this point. OK in a pinch. Available on Disc 3 of the Golden Collection, where it's placed among far better cartoons.

So who exactly is this Suppe guy?

Underrated

[Mightyzebra · 9/10 · 29 June 2009]

I vaguely read the IMDb reviews for this cartoon before I watched it and there seemed to be quite a few negative comments, so I was not sure what I would think of it. However, I love it and it is one of my new favourites. The humour is nice and slow, very well done and you can still see quite a lot of Bugs Bunny's personality even though he does not say a single word, neither does anyone else. Usually I do not like the fact that certain Looney Tunes cartoons do not have enough speaking jokes, but in this episode it would have not been so good if there had been some. It is just funny the whole way through and the music is good. :-) The only negative thing I have to say about this gem is that the animation of Bugs was a bit scratchy, I prefer his smoother, more rounded style. Saying that - his collar was hilarious! :-)

I recommend this episode to people who like classical music, Bugs Bunny and for people who do not mind flies too much. Enjoy "Baton Bunny"! :-)

The unique premise is what makes this short hilarious.

[rapt0r_claw-1 · 17 December 2003]

This is an interesting and unique Bugs Bunny short, with nothing but visual gags throughout. However, despite my Looney Tunes bias, I shall admit that Cat Concerto, a Tom and Jerry cartoon, used a similar premise about thirteen years prior. You could be wondering whether Bugs could be funny without words, but this proves all the sceptics wrong! The hilarious methods that Bugs uses to convey the notes to his musicians (who obviously and miraculously know how to interpret the antics of this mad rabbit, since the musical score is very good) never get old. The cartoon illustrates a surreal Western story when Bugs conducts in a flurry, and the fly that annoys him is fantastic! Bugs finally cracks in the end, and you see he can be just as hot-headed as Daffy Duck. This sets the standard for how a conductor/musician cartoon should be. Good to see on VHS and DVD. Highly Recommended.

My first Bugs Bunny cartoon

[ultramatt2000-1 · 10/10 · 3 May 2009]

Before I start this review, I'd like to say that I saw this when I was 2 on WKBHK TV-44 San Francisco. It came after SESAME STREET (read my SPRINKLE ME PINK comment).

I found it funny not only to see Bugs Bunny as a conductor but also seeing him clown around. Usually Bugs gets chased around, or runs into trouble, but here trouble comes to him in a for a a small fly. The ending is a funny gag, I cannot spoil any information for you. You have to see it (perhaps on YouTube) to believe it.

I highly recommend it! That and the DUCK RABBIT DUCK cartoons where it is Bugs vs. Daffy vs. Elmer Fudd.

Baton Bunny is another wonderful mix of classical music and animation

[tavm · 10/10 · 8 January 2008]

Like Mickey Mouse, Andy Panda, and Tom and Jerry before him, Bugs Bunny plays a symphony conductor in Baton Bunny. Even without his voice, Bugs is hilarious whether inadvertently putting his glasses upside down making the pages look that way, having cuff links move around him, or being annoyed by a fly while he's conducting. Oh, and watch him play lots of instruments! Once again, Chuck Jones with Abe Levitow as co-director, mixed classical music with quality animated comedy in a heavenly inspiration of styles. Highly essential for fans of both genres I just mentioned. This is on disc 3 of The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 1.

What's Opera, Doc is boring...

[yanmar_world · 10/10 · 8 December 2004]

Man, some might disagree with me, but in my opinion, compare this CJ's masterpiece with the so protected by fans "What's opera, Doc" is as possible as compare the sun with the moon. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I don't care all other Bugs fans who love and lay on the floor venerating that overproduced, overmusical and underviolent cartoon, to me that ARToon is very, very, very annoying. In other hand, this one set my mind on fire every single time I watch it. Maestro Bugs Bunny tries to conduct an orchestra, but he's disturbed all the time by a persistent,annoying fly who tries at any cost give to Bugs his last waltz. The best parts of the toon is when Bugs puts his glasses( does he need one?) upside down and reads the overtures in upside down too, and that hilarious act of cavalry-and-Indian he does while he conducts the band(when he blows the trombone as a cannon and kills himself is priceless!). All of this without forget the manic ending, when he destroys all the instruments od the orchestra trying to squash the fly. This one can make a headbanger love classic music! WATCH IT!!!

Unique, But Not That Funny

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 4 February 2007]

Bugs is the guest conductor of the Warner Brothers Symphony Orchestra, playing "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna by Franz Von Suppe."

The whole cartoon is a spoof of overly-dramatic conductors. Bugs exaggerates most of his moves with the orchestra delivering what he's doing. Some of it is funny, some too far- fetched, but that was the idea. Also, the music cleverly also was in sync with little things happening to Bugs' apparel as it fell off here and there, giving him problems.

In all, this short is more clever than it is funny. It's definitely a unique one for Bugs Money and I give them an "A" for originality but a "D" for laughs. Since most of us watch these animations for laughs, clever-or-not this was not up to par.

"Guest Conductor: Mr. Bugs Bunny"

[slymusic · 24 October 2008]

"Baton Bunny" is an elegant musical Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow. How inconceivable it is to imagine Bugs standing on the podium in front of the Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra! But that's exactly what he does as he takes the helm of this noble musical ensemble. And what an unorthodox conductor he turns out to be!

My favorite moments from "Baton Bunny" include the following. Before the piece begins, Bugs has to hold up a sign that reads "Throw the bum out!" when a man in the audience coughs loudly; the succeeding sound effects confirm the man's ejection. Bugs merely lifts a finger or toe from underneath the podium in order to cue a few "pianissimo" two-note motifs. When the piece finishes, Bugs hears the ever-present cricket sounds to indicate an empty house, when suddenly a minuscule little fly is polite enough to give him a round of applause, to which he takes his bows.

"Baton Bunny" is genuine proof that Bugs Bunny always feels the need to throw humor into something very serious & elegant: in this case, orchestral conducting. Even something as subtle as a wry facial expression on Bugs can be quite funny, and subtlety is one of the essential elements that make director Chuck Jones one of the most outstanding in the animated cartoon industry.

WHAT'S UP DOC

[trebordjackson · 10/10 · 20 October 2018]

I Don't have to say anything it "speaks" for it's self.

A good one

[aefrench · 8/10 · 24 September 2010]

I just recently saw this Bugs Bunny cartoon, and it was one I actually had not seen before. This was part of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD, and it is one of my favorite cartoons in the collection so far.

Bugs is the conductor for a concert, and while trying to lead the orchestra, he deals with a plethora of distractions. There are some excellent sight gags throughout the cartoon's duration. For example, Bugs's ears are used to conduct the orchestra, among other things. What's more, there are no voice characterizations in this cartoon. Bugs is completely silent, so there are no one-liners from him. However, the sight gags provide a lot of laughs. This is a good cartoon. Catch it.

I know many folks who love this sort of stuff....I don't.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 1 June 2014]

During the 1940s and 50s, Warner and MGM made quite a few cartoons that featured their characters conducting or performing in a concert hall. It was all very highbrow and often the critical response was very good-- however, I am pretty sure a lot of kids and even adults thought these cartoons were duds!!

In the case of "Baton Bunny", a later Bugs Bunny cartoon, the usually fun and mischievous rabbit is conducting an orchestra. There are lots of funny expressions but Bugs does little other than lead an orchestra. If you think seeing him make faces, chase away bugs crawling on his face, losing his cuffs and the like is great stuff, you'll like the film. As for me, I just felt it wasn't appealing to the core who loved the character--folks who wanted to see more action, violence and silliness.

A new plot for Bugs

[griffin84 · 23 November 2003]

The main reason I like this cartoon so much is that this is one of the most unique Bugs Bunny cartoons I've seen in quite some time. It finally takes a step away from the classic "Bugs gets chased" or also popular "Bugs in Hollywood" frames for this new idea, in which Bugs conducts a symphony at the Hollywood Bowl. Bugs gives a hilarious performance in the first place (the cuffs falling off his jacket has got to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen), but add to it a fly that keeps bugging him, and you get comedy in its finest.

Also, and this may not make much sense, but one of my favorite parts is when we see Bugs conducting and his coat-tails and ears start doing the work for him. I don't know why, but I just love seeing his ears do that, it makes me smile and giggle all the time. The music is great, and the animation truly follows it, proving once again that a cartoon is only as good as the music that supports it.

One of my least-favorite Bugs shorts

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 10 September 2015]

Bugs is a symphony conductor who is bothered by one nuisance after another. Not one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons. It's pretty tired and feels like they were trying to repeat what worked before in Rhapsody Rabbit. It just doesn't work as well this time. It's just a bunch of sight gags set to classical music. The music is fine and the animation is okay for the period, although this is that somewhat scratchy style that I don't care for. It only got worse as they entered the 1960s, sadly. I suppose if you're a big classical music buff you might enjoy this more. While I don't mind those types of shorts (some are among the best of the medium), I prefer my Looney Tunes to be funny. This just isn't.

Lesser Bugs

[Michael_Elliott · 19 April 2009]

Baton Bunny (1959)

** (out of 4)

This here has always been one of my least favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons but you can't expect anyone to bat a thousand. This time out Bugs is the guest conductor of the Warner Brothers Symphony Orchestra where he will be doing "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna by Franz Von Suppe". There's not a single line of dialogue spoken in the film, which really wouldn't have been a problem had the action been better than it is. In all reality this is just a short for the ears as most of the visual gags are rather tiresome and none of them get any laughs. The bit with the fly doesn't work and this here seems to be the biggest attempt at humor. The music itself isn't too bad but in the end this is an interesting idea that just doesn't work.

Unattractive and largely lifeless one-bunny show

[phantom_tollbooth · 4/10 · 18 August 2008]

'Baton Bunny' is an unusual cartoon co-directed by Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow. It open with the caption "The Warner Bros. Symphony Orchestra Playing "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna" by Franz Von Suppe". The conductor, it turns out, is Bugs Bunny. 'Baton Bunny' is a bold attempt at a largely one character cartoon but it's largely unsuccessful. While there are some inventive jokes including Bugs' staging of a Cowboy and Indian battle in which he plays both sides, there are also moments when 'Baton Bunny' becomes repetitive and dull. Matters are not helped by the unattractive look of the cartoon. It's clear to see that this is an effort from the later years of Warner Bros. The animation is not as smooth as you'd expect from classic Warner material and the drawings look less realistic and slightly more stylised than usual, a problem that would only get worse as the studio headed into the 60s. It's also telling that 'Baton Bunny' is a full minute shorter than most Warner cartoons, betraying the dearth of material writer Michael Maltese managed to come up with for this tricky premise. The introduction of a troublesome fly is a promising plot line but not much is made of it. All in all, it's not hard to see why 'Baton Bunny' is rarely cited alongside the classic music-based Warner cartoons. It's an unattractive and frequently lifeless six minutes.

Lacking

[movieman_kev · 24 November 2004]

Bugs Bunny is conducting an orchastra while contending with a pesky fly. That's the whole plot right there. And compared to other music-based Looney Tunes cartoons, this one can't help to come up quite a bit short.Pardon the pun, of course. But as I said in ealier review even mediocre Looney Tunes is still great compared to the slop we get in the present days. And as such I did still enjoy it, just not as much as usual. Hey, I just call them like I see them. Would you really want me any other way? I think not.This cartoon is on Disk 3 of the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1" It also has a music-only track

My Grade: C-

Mediocre Bugs

[rlendog · 5/10 · 24 January 2002]

Not every Bugs Bunny cartoon can be a classic, and this one isn't. Not bad, but a mediocre effort. The video (probably out of print as I write this) called "Overtures to Disaster" uses "Baton Bugs" as a framing device for 2 Bugs classics, "Rabbit of Seville" and "What's Opera, Doc", plus a few other good sequences, which highlights the difference in quality levels better than I could possibly describe in words.