desert_dilbert Just as Coyote was introduced opposing Bugs, we get to meet Taz opposing Bugs. Just like in the Coyote meeting, Taz talks too. I am not personally aware of any other Looney Tunes where either Coyote nor Taz talks. Sure, here and elsewhere we get a lot of "OOH EH AH UH UH!" But if you listen, Taz actually says some words. The one where the savage beast is soothed by music and Bugs has to use this to get the Taz back to the zoo...watch that one and listen for any lines by Taz. But here, he has the classic line, "And rabbits." Bottom line, they rarely get as good as this. A Looney Tune keeper all the way.

phantom_tollbooth Robert McKimson's 'Devil May Hare' introduced one of the most popular Warner Bros. characters of all time, the Tasmanian Devil. Although he only starred in five original Warner shorts, Taz (as he would eventually be known) became a prominent part of the 90s Warner Bros. Merchandising and went on to star in his own brilliant cartoon series, 'Taz-mania'. An appealingly vicious creature, the Tasmanian Devil would be a genuine threat to Bugs Bunny (who co-stars in the cartoon) were he not so dumb. Bugs repeatedly fools him with a series of fake animals for him to eat, each of which causes him severe grief. Unfortunately, aside from giving birth to a fantastic character, 'Devil May Hare' doesn't have a great deal going for it. It's unattractively drawn (just look at Bugs raising his eyebrows in the climactic telephone scene for proof) and the gags are mostly not that inspiring. The appeal all rests on the shoulders of the Devil who steals the cartoon with his deranged squeals and grunts. The main reason to see 'Devil May Hare', then, is to witness the first steps of a cartoon legend. Other than that, it's a decent but unhilarious film.

bob the moo When Bugs is disturbed by a stampede of forest animals, Bugs comes out of the hole to find out what's going on. Stopping a speeding turtle, Bugs finds out that a Tasmanian Devil has escaped and is heading his way. With no time to run Bugs is forced to try and outsmart the forever-hungry beast.Many of the Taz and Bugs cartoons are about as bad as I've seen Bugs Bunny in, but this appears to be an exception. The jokes here are actually pretty funny and I found myself laughing most of the way through the cartoon.A big, big reason for this is that Taz is given a voice and a character whereas usually he is just a fairly meaningless spinning creature that Bugs easily tricks. Here he is still that but the voice really helps him deliver the laughs instead of just being the brunt of each joke. Bugs rises to this well; together they make a good team here and the cartoon is very funny and imaginative. Even the addition of another devil near the end doesn't spoil it!Overall, as someone who has pretty much hated every Bugs & Taz cartoon that I have seen, this was a very pleasant surprise. Taz is actually a very good character here and the end result is a very funny cartoon where Bugs is able to actually use Taz as a good partner for once.

Robert Reynolds This is the first of four (or five, if you include a cartoon done in 1979 as part of a special half-hour Christmas cartoon) battles between Bugs and the Tasmanian Devil and in many ways it's the best of them. While Taz is really a one-note character in these and was only in five cartoons between 1954 and 1964, the cartoons are all very good. The ones with Bugs pretty much all revolve around Taz's efforts to have rabbit added to his diet. Mostly sight gags, mainly revolving around food, but Taz has some good lines, particularly in the effort. The ending on this one is very funny. Recommended.