Release Date:

July 6, 1957

Main Character(s):

Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd

Summary:

A parody of Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelung” with Elmer Fudd as Siegfried attempting to catch Bugs Bunny, who fools Elmer by disguising as Brunhilde.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1397 and was released as a Merrie Melodie.

The cartoon was ranked number 1 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons and is also in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book. While this isn’t my absolute favorite Warner cartoon (“Long Haired Hare”) nor is it even my favorite of 1957 (the later “Show Biz Bugs”. This is my second favorite of 1957, though), I’d be lying if I said this isn’t top 10 material, because it most certainly is.

This cartoon had the longest production time out of any other Warner cartoon (the production number is the biggest tell), clearly showing that Jones was aiming to make this something truly special. It’s often rumored that Jones’ next cartoon (“Zoom and Bored”) had its production skimped on while this cartoon was still in the works.

Music used in this cartoon (all Wagner) includes “The Flying Dutchman Overture”, “Ride of the Valkyries”, “Tannhauser Overture”, “Siegfried: Horn Call”, and “Pilgrim’s Chorus”.

With Bugs’ debut cartoon, “A Wild Hare”, having been released on this day in 1940, it is a very nice coincidence that this iconic cartoon is what we’re talking about today.

The title is a pun for Bugs’ catchphrase.

The cartoon was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1992.

This is actually the second time Bugs dresses in drag as Brunhilde. The first was in “Herr Meets Hare” from twelve years prior (and was also written by Michael Maltese).

Other than being credited for story per usual, Michael Maltese is also credited for the lyrics of “Return My Love”, which is sung by Elmer and Bugs in tune to “Pilgrim’s Chorus” (this scene in my opinion is Arthur Q. Bryan’s greatest performance as Elmer).

This cartoon was released on the exact same day that John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the very first time (I will always be absolutely blown away at this fact as when this cartoon- Jones and Maltese’s ultimate masterpiece- was released, no one then had any idea that two people who met for the first time on that day would form one of the most successful partnerships in a few years. Coincidentally, the Beatles would make their famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, the same year the original Warner cartoon studio shut down).

The cartoon was considered for an Academy Award, but was inexplicably not even nominated (inarguably one of the biggest sins of the Academy right there).

According to Maurice Noble (whose most memorable work is easily this cartoon), the ink and paint department thought he was bats for wanting Elmer to be magenta red when he becomes furious upon realizing “Brunhilde” was actually Bugs in disguise.

When the cartoon was restored for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 2 DVD set in 2004, it also got a lot of attention as it not only got a Behind the Tunes featurette solely devoted to it called “Wagnerian Wabbit: The Making of ‘What’s Opera Doc’”, but also Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan’s original voice recordings for the cartoon, and a commentary consisting of interviews with Jones, Maltese, and Noble about this cartoon.

The opening scenes with Elmer’s large shadow are a reference to the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence in “Fantasia” (1940).

The cartoon was used in the 1979 compilation movie “The Bugs Bunny-Roadrunner Movie”.

This is Jones’ last Elmer cartoon, and he definitely went out on a high note.

The cartoon is shown in the 2025 film “One Battle After Another”.

Elmer shouting, “SMOG!” is done by Blanc rather than Bryan.

This is one of the few cartoons to not end with the usual “That’s all, Folks!” closing theme. Instead, the final part of the cartoon’s score is heard over the end card with everything already having been written out.

Favorite Scene:

The “spear and magic helmet” bit.

The “Return My Love” duet is also very beautiful with both Blanc and Bryan in top form.

What Happens in This One:

Thunder flashes as a large shadow is cast against a mountain. The camera pans down to reveal the shadow to be that of Elmer as Siegfried, whose helmet allows him to control the weather. He sings, “Be vewy quiet. I’m hunting wabbits” and then sneaks off with his spear in tune to “Ride of the Valkyries”. Spotting “wabbit twacks!”, he follows them (animated by Abe Levitow) to Bugs’ hole and starts jabbing his spear in there while singing, “Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit! Kill the wabbit!” From another hole, Bugs acts shocked at this as, “‘Kill the wabbit’?” (animated by Ken Harris)

As Elmer is still jabbing his spear while singing, “Yo-ho-ho-ho!” numerous times, he stops upon seeing Bugs walk up to him. Both sing in time to the music. Bugs: “Oh, mighty warrior of great fighting stock! Might I inquire to ask, eh, (munches carrot), what’s up, doc?” Elmer: “I’m going to kill the wabbit!” Bugs: “Oh, mighty hunt, that will be quite a task. How will you do it, might I inquire to ask?” Elmer: “I will do it with my spear and magic helmet!” Bugs: “Your spear and magic helmet?” Elmer: “Spear and magic helmet!” Bugs: “Magic helmet?” Elmer: “Magic helmet!” This ends with Bugs pointing towards Elmer and remarking sarcastically, “Magic helmet” (animated by Harris)

Elmer walks up to the top of a nearby mountain to demonstrate as he sings, “Yes! Magic helmet! And I’ll give you a sample!” He makes it storm and has a lightning bolt strike a tree, killing it and causing a few drops of water from the dead tree to drop on Bugs, who gives a sheepish “Bye-yee” before running off. Elmer realizes, “That was the wabbit!” and gives chase, armed with his spear (animated by Richard Thompson).

Elmer skids to a stop upon seeing something. With “Pilgrim’s Chorus” playing in the background, it turns out to be Bugs in drag as Brunhilde, riding down on an obese white horse. Elmer is immediately love-struck as he sings, “Oh, Bwunhilde, you’re so wovewy!” Bugs in a feminine voice responds back in song, “Yes, I know it. I can’t help it”. Elmer: “Oh, Bwunhilde, be my wove!” The horse sits down as Bugs slides off its tail and into Elmer’s arms. Elmer does a ballet dance with Bugs, who proceeds to play “hard to get” and have Elmer follow him around happily (animated by Harris).

Eventually, Bugs runs all the way up the stairs with a gazebo at the top and leans against a chair inside said gazebo. Still smitten, Elmer dances up to the stairs and while ascending begins singing “Return My Love” with Bugs soon joining him. Elmer: “Weturn, my wove. A wonging burns deep inside me!” Bugs: “Return, my love. I want you always beside me”. Elmer: “Wove wike ours must be!” Bugs: “Made for you and for me!” Elmer then runs up the stairs and holds Bugs in his arms as they both sing, “Return! Won’t you return, my love? For my love is yours!” (animated by Harris)

Suddenly, Bugs’ headdress and blonde wig fall off and roll down the stairs (animated by Harris). Seeing this, Elmer looks at Bugs angrily, with Bugs giving him a sheepish grin and pulling his helmet down before running off and ditching his entire disguise. With a very intense rendition of “The Flying Dutchman” playing, an enraged Elmer pulls his helmet off his head and exclaims, “I’LL KILL THE WABBIT!” (animated by Levitow) He summons all kinds of weather, “Awise, storm! North winds bwow! South winds bwow! Typhoons, huwwicanes, earthquakes! SMOG!” As the shadows cast down on a fleeing Bugs, Elmer then summons, “Stwike wightning! Stwike the wabbit!” The lightning strikes a mountain which splits into several parts (animated by Thompson).

Elmer then runs down several stairs and looks down gleefully at the result (animated by Thompson). Bugs is seemingly killed with a wilted flower dripping water over his presumably dead body. Elmer goes towards him as he sings in a lamenting tone, “What have I done? I’ve killed the wabbit”. Approaching Bugs, “Poor wittle bunny!”, he picks him up, “Poor wittle wabbit!”, and carries his body off to the altar, weeping all the way. In the middle of being carried, Bugs reveals he’s not really dead as he asks, “Well, what did you expect in an opera, a HAPPY ending?”, before resuming his faux-dead pose (animated by Harris).

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕