This was the 26th short directed by Robert McKimson. Here's another classic that include some jaw-dropping moments of comedy; the light switch/steps gag, the speed reading of "Little Red Riding Hood," and a VERY effective use of Johann Strauss' "Künstlerleben Waltz" when the wolf gets clotheslined (the waltz was supposed to evoke the feeling of a carnival, but Looney Tune composer Carl Stalling always used that snippet for when a character gets stuck in the head so hard that he's disorientated). A lot of Looney Tunes from this period take swipes at Disney cartoons, and this is 1 of 3 that is built on the Silly Symphony THREE LITTLE PIGS, which won the 1934 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. However this was not out of spite, as the great Chuck Jones openly marveled at THREE LITTLE PIGS, stating "They were three characters who looked alike and acted differently". The scene where Bugs pokes the wolf in the eyes is sometimes cut when the cartoon is broadcast.
11 Reviews
"What a maroon!"
utgard141 October 2015
The Three Little Pigs take advantage of Bugs Bunny and sell him their straw and wood houses, knowing full well the Big Bad Wolf is coming to blow them down. Sarcastic Looney Tunes take on the classic story, with Little Red Riding Hood thrown in for good measure. It's a very funny cartoon but, surprisingly, not because of Bugs. He's outshone here by the pigs and the wolf, who are very funny animal characters who are also very 'human.' Lovely animation with rich, vivid colors. Terrific voice work from the incomparable Mel Blanc. Typically energetic music score from Carl Stalling. It's a very enjoyable cartoon although I will admit it's not among Bugs' best.
Clever and satisfying, if not hilarious
phantom_tollbooth4 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Robert McKimson's 'The Windblown Hare' is a clever little cartoon that runs two fairy tales together. Conned into buying two unstable houses by a trio of wise-guy pigs, Bugs Bunny sets about manipulating the Big Bad Wolf into wreaking revenge. Opening as a parody of The Three Little Pigs, 'The Windblown Hare' quickly gets diverted into a parody of Little Red Riding Hood instead. After an extended battle in Grandma's house, the wolf and Bugs realise they both owe the three pigs some payback, leading to an amusing climactic twist on the fairy tale ending. 'The Windblown Hare' isn't crammed with laughs but it is expertly directed through a couple of transitions and McKimson keeps the pace lively. The ending is unpredictable and extremely satisfying too. All in all, 'The Windblown Hare' isn't a classic but it is a satisfyingly amusing and skilfully executed short that I would definitely recommend and which stands up to multiple viewings.
Lots Of Hot Air Make This One Of The Best Looney Tunes Ever
ccthemovieman-18 June 2007
This cartoon first is a fantastic parody of The Three Little Pigs Story and then later Little Red Riding Hood. All of it is really cleverly-written material. Congrats to Warren Foster for the story and to director Robert McKimson for making the most of it. The dialog in here is some of the best I've ever heard in a Looney Tunes cartoons. The pigs and the wolf were incredible
It begins showing us that the three little pigs have just read the famous children's story about the big bad wolves blowing their houses down, so rather than having that inevitable disaster happen, they get together and say, "Let's find a sucker to buy these houses." That sucker turns out to be our hero, Bugs Bunny. These little pigs, by the way, are hilarious. Their street-smart wise guys.
A wolf walks by, and he's reading the same book! According to the story, he has to blow the house down. He's not sure he's saying the lines with enough authority. .
The cartoon changes direction when Bugs decides to play Little Red and get back at the wolf for blowing down two of the houses he just bought. When he says, "You know this means war!," then look out - it's time Bugs to do his thing.....but the wolf is a good match for him.
This can be seen on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Three. It's one of the best cartoons in the collection. It makes me wish that Bugs and this wolf had teamed up in other cartoons because they make a great pair.
It begins showing us that the three little pigs have just read the famous children's story about the big bad wolves blowing their houses down, so rather than having that inevitable disaster happen, they get together and say, "Let's find a sucker to buy these houses." That sucker turns out to be our hero, Bugs Bunny. These little pigs, by the way, are hilarious. Their street-smart wise guys.
A wolf walks by, and he's reading the same book! According to the story, he has to blow the house down. He's not sure he's saying the lines with enough authority. .
The cartoon changes direction when Bugs decides to play Little Red and get back at the wolf for blowing down two of the houses he just bought. When he says, "You know this means war!," then look out - it's time Bugs to do his thing.....but the wolf is a good match for him.
This can be seen on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Three. It's one of the best cartoons in the collection. It makes me wish that Bugs and this wolf had teamed up in other cartoons because they make a great pair.
fantastic retelling of the Three Little Pigs!
planktonrules14 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is among my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons because I especially love the way the original story of the Three Little Pigs is completely convoluted. In this case, the Three Pigs are real jerks who want to take advantage of poor old Bugs! The story begins with the pigs all building their homes out of straw, sticks and bricks. Then, they get a hold of a copy of the story and realize they will soon be visited by the Big Bad Wolf and that two of the homes will be destroyed! So, being total jerks, they decide to sell the first two houses to an unsuspecting stooge--in this case, Bugs. Before Bugs realizes what's happening, he's out two homes and a lot of cash! So, wanting revenge, he decides to help the wolf to blow down the brick house. Well, the wolf also read the story and knows it can't be done--or can it? He finally agrees to blow and blow--at which point the house is blown to bits, thanks to the wolf AND Bugs' use of TNT! A cute and wonderful film.
"Book shnook! Blow the house down!"
slymusic24 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"The Windblown Hare" is a good Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Bob McKimson. Supplying a fair number of funny gags, this cartoon is a bungled adaptation of two well-known fairy tales: "The Three Little Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood." The basic idea is this: the Three Little Pigs, knowing that the Big Bad Wolf is going to blow down their respective houses of straw and sticks, search for a sucker to purchase these two houses. The sucker they find is none other than that famous carrot-chomping wabbit: Bugs Bunny!
My favorite highlights from "The Windblown Hare" include the following (watch the cartoon first before you read on). The overly self-conscious Wolf wants to make certain he adheres to the two stories, so he constantly carries the book with him and humorously rehearses his famous line "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" With Bugs disguised as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf disguised as Grandma, they both hilariously accentuate the other's unique features. (Listen to the Wolf's yell when Bugs gives him a poke in the eyes!) Bugs and the Wolf continuously chase each other up & down a staircase wielding baseball bats and playing with the light switches; as usual, Carl Stalling's musical accompaniment makes this scene a lot funnier. And speaking of music, "Trade Winds" can be heard during the opening credits, and Bugs sings "Lady (Rabbit) in Red" as he skips down the road in his Red Riding Hood outfit.
I don't think any Bugs Bunny fans will have much difficulty enjoying "The Windblown Hare." It is, however, difficult to believe that Bugs would allow himself to be deceived by the Three Pigs. But, as we've all come to expect, Bugs eventually gives it back to the Pigs, and how!
My favorite highlights from "The Windblown Hare" include the following (watch the cartoon first before you read on). The overly self-conscious Wolf wants to make certain he adheres to the two stories, so he constantly carries the book with him and humorously rehearses his famous line "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" With Bugs disguised as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf disguised as Grandma, they both hilariously accentuate the other's unique features. (Listen to the Wolf's yell when Bugs gives him a poke in the eyes!) Bugs and the Wolf continuously chase each other up & down a staircase wielding baseball bats and playing with the light switches; as usual, Carl Stalling's musical accompaniment makes this scene a lot funnier. And speaking of music, "Trade Winds" can be heard during the opening credits, and Bugs sings "Lady (Rabbit) in Red" as he skips down the road in his Red Riding Hood outfit.
I don't think any Bugs Bunny fans will have much difficulty enjoying "The Windblown Hare." It is, however, difficult to believe that Bugs would allow himself to be deceived by the Three Pigs. But, as we've all come to expect, Bugs eventually gives it back to the Pigs, and how!
it looks as though there's always a reason to suspect people selling houses
lee_eisenberg3 October 2007
OK, so children's stories are among the easiest to spoof, and "Three Little Pigs" is clearly in that number. The Termite Terrace crowd did it not only with "The Windblown Hare", but also "Pigs in a Polka" (in which the story is set to Johannes Brahms's "Hungarian Dance"*), "The Turn-Tale Wolf" (in which the wolf exposes that the pigs were bullies) and "Three Little Bops" (in which the story is told as a jazz song). And those are just the adaptations of this one story! Anyway, this cartoon has the three little pigs knowing that the big bad wolf is coming to blow their houses down, so they decide to sell their houses to some unsuspecting sucker. Who should come along but a certain scwewy wabbit? To be certain, once Bugs Bunny and the wolf realize that the pigs have set them both up, they both decide that it's time to take charge.
Probably the coolest scene is the whole "Little Red Riding Hood" sequence, as it goes to show the guys making these cartoons weren't afraid to create stories as outlandish as they wanted. This one looks mostly like a placeholder in between the really great cartoons, but it's still worth seeing.
*You may recognize that song from "The Great Dictator", in the scene where Charlie Chaplin shaves the man.
Probably the coolest scene is the whole "Little Red Riding Hood" sequence, as it goes to show the guys making these cartoons weren't afraid to create stories as outlandish as they wanted. This one looks mostly like a placeholder in between the really great cartoons, but it's still worth seeing.
*You may recognize that song from "The Great Dictator", in the scene where Charlie Chaplin shaves the man.
The Three Little Pigs from the viewpoint of Bugs Bunny
TheLittleSongbird29 July 2015
The Windblown Hare is a classic twist on the Three Little Pigs story, and has become one of my favourite Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny cartoons (coming from a huge fan of both). It's a great cartoon to begin with, but is made even stronger by the interplay between Bugs and the Wolf.
Visually, The Windblown Hare looks wonderful, with beautifully vibrant colours, charmingly detailed and carefully drawn backgrounds, slickly drawn physical comedy and smoothly drawn characters that move and interact and easily and are unmistakable Robert McKimson. No surprises seeing as the Looney Tunes cartoons were mostly (apart from their 60s output) incredibly well-made. Carl Stalling could always be counted upon to write a good music score, and he does so and more. The lush orchestration, clever use of instruments, energetic rhythms, lively pacing, great sense of mood, the brilliant matching of visuals and action and how the material is made better by the music sometimes are all present, and in a way that few other cartoon composers excelled as well in (and this is coming from a fan of the work of Milt Franklyn, Winston Sharples and Oliver Wallace).
In terms of humour, The Windblown Hare is among the cleverest and funniest of McKimson's work, with deliciously witty and often hilarious dialogue (and this is not just with Bugs, the three little pigs are no slouches in the humour department either) and the perfectly executed light switch and staircase gag standing out of the clever sight gags. The story starts strong and gets even better once Bugs and the Wolf are together, with the pacing moving buoyantly and without a jagged edge in sight. The three little pigs are quite cute and very amusing, but it's the sparkling interplay between smart and likable Bugs and the rapacious and zany Wolf that makes the cartoon particularly enjoyable. The voice work from Mel Blanc is characteristically superb.
Overall, a Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny and McKimson classic, and a great twist on the Three Little Pigs story. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Visually, The Windblown Hare looks wonderful, with beautifully vibrant colours, charmingly detailed and carefully drawn backgrounds, slickly drawn physical comedy and smoothly drawn characters that move and interact and easily and are unmistakable Robert McKimson. No surprises seeing as the Looney Tunes cartoons were mostly (apart from their 60s output) incredibly well-made. Carl Stalling could always be counted upon to write a good music score, and he does so and more. The lush orchestration, clever use of instruments, energetic rhythms, lively pacing, great sense of mood, the brilliant matching of visuals and action and how the material is made better by the music sometimes are all present, and in a way that few other cartoon composers excelled as well in (and this is coming from a fan of the work of Milt Franklyn, Winston Sharples and Oliver Wallace).
In terms of humour, The Windblown Hare is among the cleverest and funniest of McKimson's work, with deliciously witty and often hilarious dialogue (and this is not just with Bugs, the three little pigs are no slouches in the humour department either) and the perfectly executed light switch and staircase gag standing out of the clever sight gags. The story starts strong and gets even better once Bugs and the Wolf are together, with the pacing moving buoyantly and without a jagged edge in sight. The three little pigs are quite cute and very amusing, but it's the sparkling interplay between smart and likable Bugs and the rapacious and zany Wolf that makes the cartoon particularly enjoyable. The voice work from Mel Blanc is characteristically superb.
Overall, a Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny and McKimson classic, and a great twist on the Three Little Pigs story. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Given what the Loonies with the Tunes . . .
oscaralbert19 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
. . . foist upon the story of "The Three Little Pigs," let alone "Little Red Riding Hood," THE WINDBLOWN HARE leaves itself wide open to Re-Reinterpretation. Clearly, the 3 Pigs represent the Clinton's here (that is, My-Boy-Bill, Hillary, and Webster's daughter, Chelsea). The Big Bad Wolf, of course, stands in for Real Life America's Biggest Blowhard ever, The Trumpster. The Pigs are mostly seen at the beginning and ending of this tale, supremely overconfident in their ability to pull off a Whitewater-style Real Estate Scam (and double squat-in at the White House) against Bugs Bunny as the American Public. The 3 Pigs are initially successful in misdirecting Bugs' wrath upon Mr. Wolf, just as nearly everyone turned against Trumplestiltskin in August, 2016. Bugs even warns Mr. Wolf, "Of course, you know, this means war!" However, eventually Bugs and Mr. Wolf compare notes, and arrive together at Hillary's Brick-This-House (which sounds even more apt when you rearrange the letters of "this"). When Mr. Wolf huffs and puffs for the charmed third time, Hillary's Brickwork of Hubris tumbles down quicker than the Walls of Jericho.
Too Funny!
carchero27 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Bugs Bunny is looking for a house to replace the hole in the ground he lives in. He comes across a straw house, but doesn't know the Three Pigs are looking for a chump to buy it because they know the wolf is coming. Soon after Bugs buys the house, the wolf comes by and blows it down. Growing up watching this in the 60s, one of the funniest things to me was how the wolf said, "Blow-w-w-!" Another hilarious moment was Grandma! The wolf comes to Grandma's house and literally kicks her out of it! She knows the Red Riding Hood story and tries to talk him into eating her, but he tells her he hasn't time! He's throwing her stuff into a suitcase and she takes off screaming and running out the door! I can't watch that scene without laughing still!! Bugs takes revenge on the wolf until he finds out that the wolf is not the bad guy, but the pigs are! Great ending to a one of a kind take on the story! It's a gem!!!
Since when is Bugs interested in buying a house?
Chip_douglas20 March 2004
The three little pigs have finished reading the story of the big bad wolf and are now looking for a sucker to sell their straw and wood houses too, when along comes Bugs Bunny. After the straw house is blown down by the wolf (who also gets all his lines from the collected work of the brothers Grimm), Bugs is stupid enough to buy the wooden one as well. Even though this by-the-book wolf is not interested in any bunny, Bugs declares war on him all the same and points the wolf towards another chapter: Little red riding hood.
At this point in his career Bugs Bunny must have been so blasé with being chased in each of his outings, that he fails to realize the wolf means him no actual harm (this might be the first 'villain' Bugs ever encountered that he had to goat into chasing him). Wolfie also has all the best lines: when re-enacting Little Red Riding Hood with Bugs, he rightfully points out which one of them has the biggest ears. It takes some time for the both of them to realize that the real bad guys of this fairy tale are those filthy little pigs. When they do, Bugs helps the wolf blow the brick house down. Or up.
8 out of 10
At this point in his career Bugs Bunny must have been so blasé with being chased in each of his outings, that he fails to realize the wolf means him no actual harm (this might be the first 'villain' Bugs ever encountered that he had to goat into chasing him). Wolfie also has all the best lines: when re-enacting Little Red Riding Hood with Bugs, he rightfully points out which one of them has the biggest ears. It takes some time for the both of them to realize that the real bad guys of this fairy tale are those filthy little pigs. When they do, Bugs helps the wolf blow the brick house down. Or up.
8 out of 10
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