Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers

Last updated
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers title card.png
Title card
Directed by
Story by
  • Greg Ford
  • Terry Lennon
  • Ronnie Scheib (additional story dialogue)
Produced byGreg Ford
Starring
Music by
Animation by
  • Nancy Beiman
  • Doug Compton
  • Tom Decker
  • Russell Calabrese
  • Frank Gabriel
  • Nelson Rhodes
  • Larry Ruppel
Layouts by
  • Owen Fitzgerald
  • Alan Bodner
  • Kevin Brownie
Backgrounds by
  • Alan Bodner
  • Kevin Brownie
  • Larry Grossman
  • Patricia Keppler
  • Cotty Kilbanks
  • Kimball Miskoe
  • Bill Railley
  • Don Watson
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • August 25, 1992 (1992-08-25)(USA)
Running time
11:30
LanguageEnglish

Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers is a Bugs Bunny cartoon written and directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon and produced by Ford, released in 1992. The cartoon was intended for theatrical release, but eventually aired as part of the television special Bugs Bunny's Creature Features on CBS. Its premise is modeled after the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers , and it is considered subversive and a lampoon of cheaply drawn animation. [1]

Contents

Plot

Bugs Bunny finds himself facing a bizarre threat when peculiar carrots from outer space wreak havoc on Earth. As Bugs navigates his usual antics with Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and Daffy Duck, he encounters strange occurrences at each filming set. Initially ignoring the odd carrots, Bugs soon realizes they are linked to a sinister plot when his friends are replaced by poorly animated doppelgängers. These imposters pressure Bugs into consuming the glowing carrots, leading to a nightmarish encounter when a limited-animation clone of himself attempts to harm him. Refusing to let the story end there, Bugs embarks on a mission to defeat the clones and restore his friends.

Discovering the clones' origin on planet Nudnik, Bugs devises a plan to send them back into space using a rocket. After a thrilling showdown, the original characters return, and Bugs reflects on their unique friendship, tinged with the daily threat of harm.

Voice cast

Production

Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers was produced at a time when newer Looney Tunes shorts were being released to introduce Warner Bros.' cartoon characters to a modern generation — a process that was, thanks to the tepid reception of 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action , eventually discontinued for some time from 2004 to 2009. [4] [5] [6] Greg Ford and Terry Lennon developed the short's story and recorded a scratch track with Jeff Bergman providing the voices, [2] but the studio changed priorities and the team worked on three compilation specials: Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports in 1989, Happy Birthday Bugs: 50 Looney Years in 1990, and Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster in 1991. The doppelgängers' friendly personalities (except the Bugs Bunny clone) were done as an even more critical jab toward the executives at Warner Bros. for their handling of the characters at the time (marketing them in the vein of Disney) than Ford and Lennon's previous Bugs Bunny cartoon, (Blooper) Bunny . [4] [5] [7] [8] [1] [9] According to animator Russell Calabrese, the clones' limited animation (influenced by Mel-O-Toons, Jay Ward, UPA, Gene Deitch's Terrytoons, Terry Gilliam, and using Synchro-Vox for the Daffy clone at one point) was a jab at the "inconsistent" animation quality control of Tiny Toon Adventures (the series' animation was handled by different studios). [10] The animators had a contest on who could do the worst animation for the clones, with animator Nancy Beiman's Daffy winning. [11] After production wrapped, Warner Bros. shut down its New York animation division to consolidate its operations in Burbank in December 1991. [5] The cartoon was intended for a theatrical release, but aired as part of the television special Bugs Bunny's Creature Features. [1]

Home media

The cartoon was released as a part of the Bugs Bunny Halloween Hijinks VHS special. It was later released, albeit in edited form, on the Space Jam Two-Disc Special Edition DVD as a special feature. In the Space Jam version, Yosemite Sam's scenes are removed. They were taken out by Warner Bros. due to "time allotment". Sam can still be heard in the edited version when all the Looney Tune "pods" are about to be launched into space. [12] The uncut version was later released as part of The Essential Bugs Bunny DVD set. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bugs Bunny</span> Looney Tunes character; mascot of Warner Bros.

Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character created in the late 1930s at Warner Bros. Cartoons and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his featured roles in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of animated short films, produced by Warner Bros. Earlier iterations of the character first appeared in Ben Hardaway's Porky's Hare Hunt (1938) and subsequent shorts before Bugs's definitive characterization debuted in Tex Avery's A Wild Hare (1940). Bob Givens, Chuck Jones, and Robert McKimson are credited for defining Bugs's design.

<i>Looney Tunes</i> Warner Bros. animated short film series and media franchise

Looney Tunes is an American animated franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. It began as a series of short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside the related series Merrie Melodies, during the golden age of American animation. Following a revival in the late 1970s, new shorts were released as recently as 2014. The two series introduced a large cast of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. The term Looney Tunes has since been expanded to also refer to the characters themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daffy Duck</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Daffy Duck is a cartoon character created by animators Tex Avery and Bob Clampett for Leon Schlesinger Productions. Styled as an anthropomorphic black duck, he has appeared in cartoon series such as Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, in which he is usually depicted as a foil for either Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig or Speedy Gonzales. He was one of the first of the new "screwball" characters that emerged in the late 1930s to replace traditional everyman characters who were more popular earlier in the decade, such as Mickey Mouse, Porky Pig, and Popeye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porky Pig</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Porky Pig is a cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts featuring the character. Even after he was supplanted by later characters, Porky continued to be popular with moviegoers and, more importantly, the Warners directors, who recast him in numerous everyman and sidekick roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylvester the Cat</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Sylvester J. Pussycat Sr. is a fictional character, an anthropomorphic cat in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Most of his appearances have him often chasing Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper. He appeared in 103 cartoons in the golden age of American animation, lagging only behind superstars Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Daffy Duck. Three of his cartoons won Academy Awards, the most for any starring a Looney Tunes character: they are Tweetie Pie, Speedy Gonzales, and Birds Anonymous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yosemite Sam</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Yosemite Sam is a cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of short films produced by Warner Bros. His name is taken from Yosemite National Park in California. He is an adversary of Bugs Bunny and his archenemy alongside Elmer Fudd. He is commonly depicted as a mean-spirited and extremely aggressive, gunslinging outlaw or cowboy with a hair-trigger temper and an intense hatred of rabbits, Bugs in particular. In cartoons with non-Western themes, he uses various aliases, including "Chilkoot Sam" and "Square-deal Sam" in 14 Carrot Rabbit, "Riff Raff Sam" in Sahara Hare, "Sam Schultz" in Big House Bunny, "Seagoin' Sam" in Buccaneer Bunny, "Shanghai Sam" in Mutiny on the Bunny, "Von Schamm the Hessian" in Bunker Hill Bunny, "Baron Sam von Schpamm" in Dumb Patrol, and many others. During the golden age of American animation, Yosemite Sam appeared as antagonist in 33 animated shorts made between 1945 and 1964.

Tasmanian Devil (<i>Looney Tunes</i>) Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

The Tasmanian Devil, commonly referred to as Taz, is an animated cartoon character featured in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Though the character appeared in only five shorts before Warner Bros. Cartoons shut down in 1964, marketing and television appearances later propelled Taz to new popularity in the 1990s.

<i>The Bugs Bunny Show</i> Animated television anthology series

The Bugs Bunny Show is a long-running American animated anthology television series hosted by Bugs Bunny that was mainly composed of theatrical Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons released by Warner Bros. between 1948 and 1969. The show originally debuted as a primetime half-hour program on ABC in 1960, featuring three theatrical Looney Tunes cartoons with new linking sequences produced by the Warner Bros. Cartoons staff.

<i>Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1</i> 2003 American DVD box set

Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on October 28, 2003. The first release of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD series, it contains 56 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements. The set won the Classic Award at the Parents' Choice Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Bergman</span> American voice actor (b. 1960)

Jeffrey Bergman is an American voice actor who has provided the modern-day voices of various classic cartoon characters, most notably with Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera.

<i>(Blooper) Bunny</i> 1991 cartoon directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon

(Blooper) Bunny is a Merrie Melodies animated short film directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon, with music by George Daugherty, produced in 1991 by Warner Bros. Animation. Featuring the voice talents of Jeff Bergman, Gordon Hunt, and Russell Calabrese, the short is a parody of some of the specials produced for Bugs Bunny's 50th anniversary the previous year. The short never received its intended theatrical release and was shelved for six years. It was finally given a television premiere on June 13, 1997, after Cartoon Network discovered the film sitting unseen in the vaults. It is featured on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 as of 2003.

<i>A Star Is Bored</i> 1956 American film

A Star Is Bored is a 1956 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on September 15, 1956, and stars Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. The cartoon expands upon the rivalry depicted between Bugs and Daffy, in such films as Chuck Jones' 1951 short Rabbit Fire, this time placing the action in a show-biz setting. In this 7-minute short, Daffy must double for Bugs in any slapstick that Warners deems too dangerous for its top star. After each disaster, Daffy shouts "MAKEUP!". The director directing the scenes has an Erich Von Stroheim accent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elmer Fudd</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Elmer J. Fudd is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies series and the archenemy of Bugs Bunny. His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring himself and other antagonizing characters. He speaks in an unusual way, replacing his Rs and Ls with Ws, so he often refers to Bugs Bunny as a "scwewy" (screwy) or "wascawwy (rascally) wabbit". Elmer's signature catchphrase is, "Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits", as well as his trademark laughter.

<i>The Looney Tunes Show</i> 2011 American animated series and sitcom

The Looney Tunes Show is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and aired on Cartoon Network for two seasons from May 3, 2011, to November 2, 2013. The series featured characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoon shorts in a sitcom format with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, who live a suburban life together within a neighborhood of fellow cartoon neighbors, dealing with various issues in their own way. Many episodes also include a musical short under the Merrie Melodies name, and the first season also includes computer-animated shorts involving new antics between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

<i>Looney Tunes Cartoons</i> American animated television series

Looney Tunes Cartoons is an American animated television series developed by Pete Browngardt and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the characters from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. The series made its worldwide debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 10, 2019, and premiered on HBO Max on May 27, 2020.

Bugs Bunny in King Arthur's Court is a 1978 animated television special directed by Chuck Jones. The special is based on Mark Twain's novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and features the Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam. It marks the first use of Sam in a Jones-directed short or special, before From Hare to Eternity 19 years later in 1997.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jonathan Rosenbaum (January 25, 2001). "Consider the Source". Chicago Reader . Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Jeff Bergman on Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc, and Looney Legends". CBR. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  3. ↑ "ANIMATOR". Russell Calabrese Artwerks. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Comics Scene Yearbook #1: The New Looney Tunes Pages 1-4 (1992)". Twitter. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "Comics Scene Yearbook #1: The New Looney Tunes Pages 5-8 (1992)". Twitter. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ Looney Tunes: Back in Action trivia at the Internet Movie Database.
  7. ↑ Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation p15
  8. ↑ Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation p16
  9. ↑ "Pat Caldora on Twitter: "Basically, Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers AND Blooper Bunny were Greg Ford and Terry Ward snubbing at how WB were treating the Looney Tunes characters at the time (marketing them in the vein of Disney). I guess they pressed WB's buttons enough for the higher-ups to outright ban the release of Blooper for a near decade."". Twitter. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Pat Caldora on Twitter: "My professor, Russell Calabrese, worked on Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers, and I faintly recall him admitting that it was more of a slap-in-the-face at the lackadaisical quality of Tiny Toon Adventures."". Twitter. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  11. ↑ "An Interview with Nancy Beiman: Animator, Author and Educator". Skwigly. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Edited Looney Tunes Discovered on Space Jam DVD". Toonzone. Archived from the original on May 24, 2005. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  13. ↑ "The Essential Bugs Bunny". Animated Views. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.