The Abominable Snow Rabbit
Encyclopedia
The Abominable Snow Rabbit is a six minute 1961 Warner Bros.
Looney Tunes
theatrical cartoon starring Bugs Bunny
and Daffy Duck
. The cartoon was directed by Chuck Jones
and co-directed by Maurice Noble
, with a story by Tedd Pierce
. The cartoon's title is taken from the phrase and horror film
The Abominable Snowman
. It was the last original Chuck Jones theatrical cartoon with Daffy Duck.
. For a change, Bugs has not missed his destination because of not taking "that left turn in Albequerque"; instead, Daffy chides him "I told you we should have turned west at East St. Louis
!" Bugs checks his map and works out they are in the, as he puts it, 'Hime-ay-lay-us'. Daffy irritably corrects him on the pronunciation, then realizes what Bugs has said and reacts angrily: "You four-legged Marco Polo
! That's in Asia!" Sarcastically suggesting Bugs "study to be a snowshoe rabbit," Daffy gets back in the tunnel and heads for Perth Amboy (which, as revealed in Transylvania 6-5000
, is the location of Bugs' travel agent). But he misses a sign, which, in pseudo-Oriental writing, reads 'Beware of the Abominable Snow-man'.
Daffy, whilst underground, crashes into said creature's foot. The Abominable Snowman (whose name is Hugo, but this is not revealed in this short), grabs Daffy, names him George, and gives him crippling hugs, believing Daffy is a rabbit, when actually he just tied his sweater round his head for warmth, with the sleeves on top. Daffy reveals this by angrily yelling his head off, and 'George' is punished for his 'deception' with spankings. However, Daffy imparts to him where he can find a real rabbit i.e. Bugs. As Bugs starts experiencing Hugo's tough love, Daffy sneaks away.
Hugo sits on Bugs like a hen, so he 'doesn't feel rejected'. But Bugs tunnels out next to Daffy. His tunneling pushes Daffy to Hugo. Bugs tells Hugo that he now has a rabbit. Daffy and Hugo agree that a rabbit has long ears. But Bugs cleverly pulls his own ears down, and puts his fingers behind Daffy's head. Hugo begins petting Daffy, but then realizes "Rabbits don't have feathers and bills!" Daffy points out the tunneling Bugs to Hugo, who chases him underground. Eager to see the incident's conclusion, Daffy follows.
Later, in Palm Springs, a profusely sweating Hugo, and a disguised Bugs, discuss Hugo's failure to catch Bugs. When Daffy emerges from the hole, Bugs puts fake rabbit ears on him. Hugo again squeezes Daffy, but Daffy's discomfort is brief as Hugo melts, for he "really was a snowman!" as Bugs puts it. Daffy ends the cartoon by adding "Abominable, that is!"
as well as the VHS collections Looney Tunes After Dark and Bugs Bunny: Big Top Bunny. Most of the footage was also used in the compilation movie, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
for one part when Bugs and Daffy traveled to the Himalayas.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
theatrical cartoon starring Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
and Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
. The cartoon was directed by Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
and co-directed by Maurice Noble
Maurice Noble
Maurice Noble was an American animation background artist and layout designer whose contributions to the industry spanned more than 60 years. He was a long-time associate of animation director Chuck Jones, most notably at Warner Bros. in the 1950s...
, with a story by Tedd Pierce
Tedd Pierce
Tedd Pierce , was an American animated cartoon writer, animator and artist. Pierce spent the majority of his career as a writer for the Warner Bros. "Termite Terrace" animation studio, working alongside fellow luminaries such as Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese. Pierce also worked as a writer at...
. The cartoon's title is taken from the phrase and horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
The Abominable Snowman
The Abominable Snowman (film)
The Abominable Snowman is a 1957 British horror film, directed by Val Guest and starring Forrest Tucker and Peter Cushing...
. It was the last original Chuck Jones theatrical cartoon with Daffy Duck.
Synopsis
Bugs tunnels through the Himalayan mountains, followed by Daffy. After a failed attempt by Daffy to go swimming in a frozen pond, the two realize they are not at their intended destination, Palm SpringsPalm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
. For a change, Bugs has not missed his destination because of not taking "that left turn in Albequerque"; instead, Daffy chides him "I told you we should have turned west at East St. Louis
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
!" Bugs checks his map and works out they are in the, as he puts it, 'Hime-ay-lay-us'. Daffy irritably corrects him on the pronunciation, then realizes what Bugs has said and reacts angrily: "You four-legged Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
! That's in Asia!" Sarcastically suggesting Bugs "study to be a snowshoe rabbit," Daffy gets back in the tunnel and heads for Perth Amboy (which, as revealed in Transylvania 6-5000
Transylvania 6-5000
Transylvania 6-5000 may refer to:*Transylvania 6-5000 , an animated short film starring Bugs Bunny*Transylvania 6-5000 , a comedy/horror movie...
, is the location of Bugs' travel agent). But he misses a sign, which, in pseudo-Oriental writing, reads 'Beware of the Abominable Snow-man'.
Daffy, whilst underground, crashes into said creature's foot. The Abominable Snowman (whose name is Hugo, but this is not revealed in this short), grabs Daffy, names him George, and gives him crippling hugs, believing Daffy is a rabbit, when actually he just tied his sweater round his head for warmth, with the sleeves on top. Daffy reveals this by angrily yelling his head off, and 'George' is punished for his 'deception' with spankings. However, Daffy imparts to him where he can find a real rabbit i.e. Bugs. As Bugs starts experiencing Hugo's tough love, Daffy sneaks away.
Hugo sits on Bugs like a hen, so he 'doesn't feel rejected'. But Bugs tunnels out next to Daffy. His tunneling pushes Daffy to Hugo. Bugs tells Hugo that he now has a rabbit. Daffy and Hugo agree that a rabbit has long ears. But Bugs cleverly pulls his own ears down, and puts his fingers behind Daffy's head. Hugo begins petting Daffy, but then realizes "Rabbits don't have feathers and bills!" Daffy points out the tunneling Bugs to Hugo, who chases him underground. Eager to see the incident's conclusion, Daffy follows.
Later, in Palm Springs, a profusely sweating Hugo, and a disguised Bugs, discuss Hugo's failure to catch Bugs. When Daffy emerges from the hole, Bugs puts fake rabbit ears on him. Hugo again squeezes Daffy, but Daffy's discomfort is brief as Hugo melts, for he "really was a snowman!" as Bugs puts it. Daffy ends the cartoon by adding "Abominable, that is!"
Home video releases
The Abominable Snow Rabbit is included on the DVD collection Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 5 is a Looney Tunes collection on DVD. Following the pattern of one release each year of the previous volumes, it was released on October 30, 2007....
as well as the VHS collections Looney Tunes After Dark and Bugs Bunny: Big Top Bunny. Most of the footage was also used in the compilation movie, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
Daffy Duck's Quackbusters is a 1988 Looney Tunes film with a compilation of classic Warner Bros. Cartoons shorts and animated bridging sequences, starring Daffy Duck. It is the final Looney Tunes project in which Mel Blanc provided the voices of the characters. The film was released to theaters by...
for one part when Bugs and Daffy traveled to the Himalayas.