Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over Reviews

Another year (1980 in this case), another Looney Tunes special centered on a unifying theme, this time it’s springtime. Once more, this special features three new cartoons with a wraparound segment hosted by Bugs Bunny.

All of these specials feature animation that’s a step down from the glory days, but never is this more apparent than in the first segment. A bit of kitsch that finds Bugs and Elmer feuding as child versions, and feels more like a trial run for Tiny Toon Adventures than anything else. A cameo from Wile E. Coyote asking Elmer to move out of the way for a proper demonstration in falling from great heights elicited a guffaw from me, but the rest is a bit limp.

Next up, Bugs gets kidnapped by Marvin the Martian as a playmate for his pet, Hugo the Abominable Snowman. I wonder how many people get that Hugo’s vocal mannerisms and gullibility is based on Lon Chaney Jr.’s performance in 1939’s Of Mice and Men. It’s an obscure reference, and much of this segment is spent with Bugs conning Hugo into doing his dirty work and not enough of it with Bugs harassing Marvin. Too much wasted potential here.

The ending of the first sequence hints at the final one, as Bugs wonders if he and Elmer started their lifelong chase at an early age, only to find a coyote pup chasing a roadrunner egg. Wile E. Coyote falling off a cliff or smacking into a large rock never fails to amuse me. It’s stupid to be sure, but I never claimed my funny bone was entirely sophisticated or too demanding. This is easily the best segment, and a strong way to close out the show.

Bugs Bunny’s Bustin’ Out All Over is undoubtedly the weakest of the four TV specials I could get my hands on. A weak affair that’s more miss than hit. Temper your expectations with this one, as even the weakest of Looney Tunes properties from the old masters can still provide some easy laughs.