Hyde and Hare

Hyde and Hare
Directed byI. Freleng
Story byWarren Foster
Produced byEdward Selzer
StarringMel Blanc
Music byCarl Stalling
Animation byGerry Chiniquy
Arthur Davis
Virgil Ross
Ted Bonnicksen
Layouts byHawley Pratt
Backgrounds byIrv Wyner
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date
  • August 27, 1955 (1955-08-27)
Running time
7 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hyde and Hare is a 1955 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng.[1] The short was released on August 27, 1955, and stars Bugs Bunny.[2] The short is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The cartoon pits Bugs against Dr. Jekyll, who continues to turn into Mr. Hyde. The title is a play on the expression "neither hide nor hair."

Plot

Bugs Bunny emerges from his rabbit hole in a city park each morning to receive a carrot from a kind gentleman, amusingly remarking on the routine as his "timid little rabbit" act, acknowledging it as part of his livelihood. Gradually, Bugs expresses a desire to become the gentleman's pet, finding it more convenient for both of them. As they head to the gentleman's home, Bugs refers to him as "Doc".

Inside the house, Bugs goes exploring and finds a room labeled "laboratory". The gentleman, Dr. Jekyll, drinks a potion and turns into Mr. Hyde. Mistaking Hyde for a sick person, Bugs attempts to assist but quickly realizes the danger when Hyde wields an axe. Fleeing for safety, Bugs seeks help from Dr. Jekyll.

The cycle of transformation between Jekyll and Hyde leads to chaotic encounters, with Bugs attempting to shelter Jekyll from his alter ego. Jekyll's efforts to contain Hyde's aggression prove futile. Bugs finally decides he's had enough and is about to leave, but Jekyll attempts to convince him that he'll never be bothered by Hyde again if he stays and promises to get rid of the potion, only to discover that it's already gone. When Jekyll asks Bugs if he drank it, Bugs feels insulted and immediately ends his friendship with Jekyll before returning to his park. While arriving back at the park, Bugs transforms into a monstrous rabbit without realizing it, and terrifies the onlookers. Bugs then questions the cause of the commotion around him, chewing on his carrot.

Allusions

  • In the cartoon, Bugs sits down at a piano, places a candelabra upon it, and utters the phrase, "I wish my brother George was here". The reference was to Liberace, who had a brother named George that was also his conductor on TV. It also references Liberace's personal appearances during the 1950s. Liberace's feature film debut Sincerely Yours, also produced by Warner Bros., was released around the same time as this cartoon. You can also hear that quote on Three Little Bops by the piano playing pig.
  • The piano piece that Bugs plays is the Minute Waltz (Bugs pronounces "minute" as if to mean tiny) by Chopin, or as Bugs calls him, "Choppin".
  • When Bugs first sees Mr. Hyde, he says Ralph Kramden's line to him, "You...are a mental case!"

Home media

The cartoon appears on the Looney Tunes: After Dark Laserdisc. In 2004, this cartoon was restored and released on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2 DVD box set. The Warner Archive Blu-Ray of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde includes an upscaled version of the Golden Collection master. You can play Hyde Bugs in the Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal video game.

See also

References

  1. ^ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 177. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
  2. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 60–62. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
Preceded by Bugs Bunny Cartoons
1955 		Succeeded by