Release Date:

March 2, 1940

Main Character(s):

Elmer Fudd

Summary:

Elmer Fudd goes out to the woods to photograph wildlife but is constantly bothered by a heckler rabbit who eventually drives Elmer to insanity.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first appearance of Elmer Fudd, with his voice and personality being fully established.

This is the last time a Bugs Bunny prototype was used before the wascally wabbit would debut four months later in “A Wild Hare”.

This cartoon might be the reason why Elmer hates rabbits as much as he does as he doesn’t do anything to provoke the rabbit into harassing him as the rabbit just torments him for the heck of it.

Elmer wears his predecessor, Egghead’s outfit and derby in this one.

While Jones did not have fond memories of most of his early cartoons, he was particularly dismissive of this cartoon. In his autobiography, “Chuck Amuck”, Jones writes, “Perhaps the kindest thing to say about ‘Elmer’s Candid Camera’ is that it taught everyone what NOT to do and how not to do it”. However, I on the other hand, think it’s one of his best cartoons from his early days.

This is the earliest cartoon to be included on the first volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection.

What I Like About This One:

Although he wouldn’t take up rabbit hunting yet, Elmer says “Wabbit twacks!” for the first time when he sees the rabbit’s footprints.

Elmer shushing a chirping bird when he’s trying to photograph the rabbit who’s seemingly asleep. The rabbit also shushes the bird and proves he was faking being asleep when he puts his rear end up to the camera.

The rabbit asking Elmer what he’s taking pictures of to which Elmer replies, “That wabbit.” The rabbit asks, “What rabbit?” Elmer, not knowing who’s he’s speaking to, answers, “That wittle gway wabbit over… over… over there” and then does a double take upon realizing he’s speaking to a rabbit. The rabbit pushes Elmer away from his face saying, “Please sir!” He then tells the audience, “Gosh! I don’t even know the guy!”

When Elmer attempts to photograph a squirrel, the rabbit pops up from a hollow log and pulls back Elmer’s lens, which propel him backward into a tree and cause all of the apples from the tree to fall on top of him. After the rabbit eats one, he throws the core at Elmer, who ducks. But another apple falls and hits Elmer on the head.

The rabbit telling Elmer he knows “a rabbit who wouldn’t mind posing for ya, that is if you are at all interested.” At this point, Elmer is too angry to speak and goes after the rabbit with a net. The rabbit then performs an over dramatic fake death scene, acting like the net is suffocating him (animated by Robert McKimson). Elmer then says in tears he didn’t mean to hurt him and slowly lifts the net off the rabbit, who then puts the net over Elmer.

Elmer completely losing his mind and repeatedly shouting “WABBITS!” during his rant where he breaks out of the net and stampedes across his camera, damaging it. Upon seeing his guidebook, “How to Photograph Wildlife”, he screams “WILDWIFE! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”. He then runs off laughing in complete insanity (“WABBITS! WABBITS! WILDWIFE! A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”), before jumping into the lake and nearly drowning, where he gargles “Wabbits” with lake water inside his mouth (this whole scene is entirely animated by McKimson).

Hearing Elmer gargle “Wabbits” a second time, the rabbit dons an old-fashioned swim suit, dives into the lake, and saves Elmer, who immediately regains consciousness. The rabbit keeps asking him if he feels alright. When Elmer says he feels swell, the rabbit kicks him back into the lake, does the laugh that sounds like Woody Woodpecker, and throws the “How to Photograph Wildlife” book at Elmer.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕