Bedevilled Rabbit (1957)
Bedevilled Rabbit Review
Bedevilled Rabbit is a 1957 animated short film from the Merry Melodies series. It is a strong, very unique short.
This is one of the first shorts that paired Bugs Bunny with the Tasmanian Devil, and the results are quite delightful. The beginning is very funny in just how mysterious it is. We never get an explanation why Bugs ended up in Tasmania, and that was hilarious in its own right. The second act with the first meet-up needed some more interesting gags given the great Taz build-up, but thankfully the final section delivers.
Bedevilled Rabbit excels in that final stretch. The way Bugs got out of being eaten was smart, but how his dynamite backfired was unexpected and very memorable. This new dynamic was, thus, quite interesting as Taz is so indestructible that a crossdresser disguise remains the only viable option for the rabbit to use to get rid of him. That turned out very well in the end with the cameo of the female Taz being excellent.
