Very well executed

Best movie ever!

A Disappointing Continuation

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

BEING AN OBVIOUS stop on the schedule of every cartoon series and live action comedy shorts department, Robert Louis Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE provided rich and obvious fodder for spoofing. In addition to all of the straight, dramatic adaptations that had appeared over the years, there were many comic send-ups.WHEREAS WE HAD seen dramas with the title role's being portrayed by such luminaries as John Barrymore, Frederick March and Spencer Tracy; the funsters would not be denied. Funnymen who essayed the story's well known plot from the view of parody included Stan Laurel (solo in a silent short)*, Abbott & Costello, the Bowery Boys and the 3 Stooges. (Although the last 2 weren't strictly JEKYLL & HYDE, the elements were definitely there.) IN REGARDS TO this little mini-film, it is a study in economy of both story telling as swell as in filming. Its "cast" is held to a bare minimum. Other than Bugs Bunny and the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde combine, the only other characters that are portrayed are the group of elderly folks who are feeding the pigeons in the park.PRRHAPS INTENDED AS a sort of "hallmark" the LOONEY TOONS/MERRIE MELODIES of the Warner Brothers Animation, director, I."Fritz" Freleng, and voice actor, Mel Blanc, added one additional characteristic to their Dr. Jekyll. They made him a very timid "Casper Milquetoast" type. This probably gave an outstandingly sharp contrast to the Mr. Hyde's over the top growling, knuckle dragging and otherwise murderous gyrations.OTHER THSN THAT, everything went just as about as we expected with all of the action that took place between and because of the constant changes between the two personalities and their manifesting of the comic/horror aspects of the story.

"It's shameful; but it's a living," shrugs Bugs before he goes into his "timid little rabbit routine" so he can get his daily carrot from his "benefactor" at the park. Bugs plays it to the hilt, jumping into the man's arms and suggesting he adopt him as his pet and could feed him in bed every time. The quiet, unassuming little man is thrilled and carries Bugs to his home. The shock is that the man is "Dr. Jekyll!" It turns out both Bugs and "the doc" are not what they seem! This, then, was a two-joke cartoon the first part on the nice old man, the second on Bugs.I enjoyed the funny bits with Bugs imitating Liberace and then Dr. Jekyll's quick transformations back and forth to Mr. Hyde. That was not overdone, only went for a couple of minutes and was entertaining. The ending was the only weak part, too predictable and not funny. I still liked this cartoon, which was included in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 2 DVD.

Bugs Bunny loves his daily feeding of carrots by Dr. Jekyll so much that he wants to live with him. The good Doctor is happy to oblige. But little to Bugs knowledge Jekyll has a small addiction of drinking a potion to change into the homicidal Mr. Hyde who wants to kill the rabbit. This cartoon is alright but really is a one joke premise that wears thin before long (Jekyll turns into Hyde, scares Bugs who runs away, Hyde changes back into Jekyll, bugs is happy to see him, he changes again, Bugs runs away...etcetera over and over again). This animated short can be seen on Disc 1 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2. It also features an optional music only track.My Grade: B-

Hyde and Hare is a Bugs cartoon from 1955, a very significant year for Bugs, as he was "deconstructed" by Friz and fellow director Chuck Jones. Bugs always showed great weaknesses in '55, but for a detailed and in-depth look at this unique year, read Kevin McCory's two articles on the subject, entitled "Hyde and Hare: An Overlooked Masterpiece" and its sequel, which takes a look at all '55 rabbit cartoons. Both can be found in the Articles section at looney.toonzone.net. Hyde and Hare in particular is interesting because Dr. Jekyll's formula returns him to a prehistoric barbarian, and Bugs tries to sell himself as an ordinary rabbit, one that has not evolved into the sophisticated, anthropomorphic bunny we know and love, because of his "carrot addiction". If you analyze this cartoon, you'll have a lot to think about.