Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales
posted on 17 April 2008
If you are assuming, from the title, that the 1982 Warner Brothers release Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie-1001 Rabbit Tales is a take-off on the classic 1001 Arabian Nights stories, you're at least partially correct. It is also a compilation of a series of Looney Tunes shorts from the 1950's and '60's featuring the themes of a variety of fairy tales such as Jack In The Beanstalk, an encounter with the witch in Hasel And Gretel and a visit with Goldilocks And The Three Bears, substituting cats for bears. The stories are all tied together within the framework of a book selling contest between Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, both of whom have just accepted jobs with Rambling House Publishing Company.
On the way to his new territory, Bugs takes a wrong turn in Albuquerque and somehow winds up in the Arabian castle of Sultan (Yosemite) Sam and his bratty son Prince Abalaba. In order to avoid being boiled in hot oil, the unfortunate Rabbit is forced to read story after story to the tyrannical young Prince. Interestingly, most of the stories are fairy tales starring Looney Tunes characters.
This film is made up, basically, of recycled Looney Tunes, most of which are pretty much snoozers. The highlights include The Apes Of Wrath, in which a drunk stork loses a baby gorilla he is sent to deliver, and kidnaps a befuddled Bugs Bunny as his replacement. While Bugs is accepted by the mother gorilla, he has to fight (literally) for acceptance by his apish father. Another winner, Cracked Quack features Daffy crashing into Porky Pig's home, and pretending to be a stuffed Duck to avoid flying South for the Winter. Feathers begin to fly, when he tangles with Porky's dog. Finally, Ali Baba Bunny is probably considered a Looney Tunes classic, as Bugs and Daffy fight for the treasure in Ali Baba's cave, with comedic consequences.
While I would not rate Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie-1001 Rabbit Tales as one of Fritz Freleng's best works, it is a fairly entertaining 76 minutes, showcasing Looney Tune characters, repeatedly finding themselves in their usual compromising positions. What is lacking in this film, is the more sophisticated forms of humor such as parody and satire that was so evident in the film released the same year, The Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie, that I previously reviewed. Bug's Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales relies mostly on slapstick with predictable puns, and the charm of the characters, skillfully brought to life by the versatile voice of Mel Blanc.
By the end of the film, no one really cares much that Bugs has tricked Daffy into taking his place as the court storyteller at Sultan Sam's castle. Although it could be considered a feature length animated film, it's really just a slew of Looney Tunes shorts, strung together in a somewhat lame attempt to tie them together on a similar theme. I am not surprised that this film has not yet made it to DVD. It is mildly entertaining Saturday morning fare for very young children, who are familiar with the traditional fairy tales used as vehicles in this film, but who do not have a particularly well developed sense of humor.