''8 Ball Bunny'' is a

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series ''Merrie Melodies'', during t ...

'' cartoon directed by

Chuck Jones Charles Martin Jones (September 21, 1912 – February 22, 2002) was an American animator, painter, voice actor and filmmaker, best known for his work with Warner Bros. Cartoons on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of shorts. He ...

. The short was released on July 8, 1950, and stars

Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character created in the late 1930s at Warner Bros. Cartoons (originally Leon Schlesinger, Leon Schlesinger Productions) and Voice acting, voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his featured roles in the ' ...

and Playboy Penguin. In this film, Playboy is lost and Bugs vows to take him home. Bugs organizes a journey to the

South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish ...

, failing to realize that Playboy's home is in Hoboken.

Plot

The Brooklyn Ice Palace closes, and the Ice Frolics crew accidentally leaves behind Playboy Penguin, one of their star performers. A chance encounter between Playboy and Bugs Bunny results in the latter undertaking the responsibility of returning Playboy to his home at the South Pole. However, Bugs' initial enthusiasm wanes upon realizing the considerable distance involved in reaching the South Pole. Embarking on a journey southward, Bugs and Playboy encounter various challenges, including hitching a ride on a freight train to New Orleans, where they navigate encounters with a hobo and the deceptive allure of a ship bound for Brooklyn. Despite Bugs' valiant attempts to steer the voyage toward the South Pole, unforeseen circumstances lead them astray to the tropical island of Martinique. Amidst their odyssey, Bugs' resourcefulness and ingenuity are juxtaposed with Playboy's plight, as the latter is tasked with constructing a dugout boat while Bugs entertains himself with musical pursuits. The appearance of

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

as a panhandler (in a whimsical nod to '' The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'') injects a surreal element into their journey. As Bugs and Playboy navigate through perilous terrains and near the South Pole, their journey culminates in a bittersweet revelation. Despite Bugs' efforts to fulfill his promise, the realization that Playboy's true destination actually lies in

Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; ) is a City (New Jersey), city in Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Hoboken is part of the New York metropolitan area and is the site of Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub. As of the ...

, elicits sheer despair.

Production notes

''8 Ball Bunny'' is the second appearance of Playboy Penguin; his first appearance was in 1949's '' Frigid Hare''.

Reception

Cartoonist Jeff Smith writes, "''8 Ball Bunny'' feels more like one of Chuck Jones' one-shot cartoons, such as '' Feed the Kitty'' (1952) or '' One Froggy Evening'' (1955) than the standard Bugs vs. Elmer outing. ''8 Ball Bunny'' involves long time spans, days of travel, very few blackout gags, and a story with an actual beginning, middle, and end. Also, the little performing penguin is a bit of a cross between Michigan J. Frog and Marc Antony's adorable kitten: He's a performer with a top hat, and he's so cute, he's unbearable. In a perfect Chuck Jones kind of way, of course."

Home media

The short is included in the VHS release ''Looney Tunes Video Show Volume 3'', can be seen as a bonus feature on the DVD releases of the movie '' The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'' (the Humphrey Bogart caricature in this cartoon short is based on Bogart's character in the film) and the documentary film ''

March of the Penguins ''March of the Penguins'' ( French ''La Marche de l'empereur''; ) is a 2005 French feature-length nature documentary directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet, and co-produced by Bonne Pioche and the National Geographic Society. The documentary d ...

''. It is also featured uncensored and uncut and digitally remastered on the fourth volume of the '' Looney Tunes Golden Collection'' DVD set, as well as disc one of '' The Essential Bugs Bunny'', '' Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1'', and '' Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection''.

References

External links

* {{Chuck Jones 1950s English-language films 1950s Warner Bros. animated short films American animated short films American comedy short films Animated films about penguins Animated films about rabbits and hares Animation based on real people Bugs Bunny films Cultural depictions of Humphrey Bogart Films scored by Carl Stalling Animated films set in Antarctica Animated films set in Brooklyn Films set in New Orleans Films with screenplays by Michael Maltese Looney Tunes shorts Short films directed by Chuck Jones Warner Bros. Cartoons animated short films English-language short films 1950 animated short films Films produced by Edward Selzer