Looney Tunes was never more dramatic as when it entered into the macabre. Spoofing scary horror movies or classic tales of monsters involved a level of tension not present in the standard shorts. It gave the artists an opportunity to use the setting, angles, music and other environmental elements in ways we rarely see in cartoons. The result is a series of shorts that rival Abbot and Costello's monster movies in their ability to foil the horror with humor.
Broomstick Bunny 2.1
1956 directed by Chuck Jones
Featuring Bugs Bunny and Witch Hazel
On Halloween night Witch Hazel is busy brewing a magic potion. As she goes about her business, she pauses at her magic mirror and asks of it, who is the ugliest of all. The genie in the mirror replies that she, Witch Hazel, is the ugliest. Bugs Bunny calls on Witch Hazel who, seeing his costume, mistakes him for a real witch. She dashes to her magic mirror and asks it again who is the ugliest, to which the mirror-genie replies he finds Bugs far uglier. The jealous Witch Hazel hatches a plot.
- This is the second appearance of Witch Hazel and the first time June Foray provides the voice of Witch Hazel. Jones had wanted Foray the first time after hearing her provide the voice for a different Witch Hazel in Disney films, however Foray initially refused, fearing that it would bother Disney producers and put her in danger of losing future jobs.
- When Hazel becomes beautiful near the end, she is a caricature of June Foray herself.
Hyde and Hare 2.1
1955 directed by Friz Freleng
Featuring Bugs Bunny
Bugs comes out of his rabbit hole in a city park every morning because a kind gentleman keeps coming to feed him a carrot. At first feigning a usual rabbit stance, Bugs eventually stands up and confides that he'd rather simply go home with the gentleman, since it would be easier on both of them. When the gentleman brings Bugs home, he doesn't see that the name above the apartment is Dr. Jekyll.
Trivia
- The title is a play on the expression neither hide nor hair and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
- When Bugs says, "I wish my brother George was here" as he sits down to play a piano, he is referencing Liberace, who mentioned his brother George often on The Liberace Show.
- When Bugs first sees Mr. Hyde, he says, "You... are a mental case!" which is a reference to Jackie Gleason's character Ralph Kramden.
Scaredy Cat 1.2
1948 directed by Chuck Jones
Featuring Porky Pig and Sylvester
Porky Pig purchases a new home from a real estate agent, which turns out to be a dilapidated old house. His cat Sylvester is horribly frightened of the creepy-looking place, but Porky finds it quaint and peaceful, and looks forward to his first night in the place. Before long, Sylvester learns that the house is overrun with mice; killer mice. Porky is completely unaware that anything is wrong, and is embarrassed that Sylvester is acting like such a coward.
Trivia
- This was the first of three cartoons teaming Porky Pig and Sylvester the cat (continuing his non-speaking role as Porky's cat) in a spooky setting where only Sylvester is aware of the danger they are in.
- Though he had been seen in earlier shorts, this is the first time we hear Sylvester called by name.
- "Pussycats is the cwaziest peoples!" is a reference to Lew Lehr's catchphrase, "Monkeys is the cwaziest people." Lehr was a comic contributer to Fox Movietone News, which was a news/variety program that ran in theaters.
Transylvania 6-5000 5.1
1963 directed by Chuck Jones
Featuring Bugs Bunny
Bugs is heading for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but instead ends up in Pittsburghe, Transylvania. Bugs sees an old castle nearby and mistakes it for a motel. At the castle, Bugs meets Count Blood Count, who invites him in. Bugs demonstrates how to handle a pesky vampire with six simple magic incantations.
Trivia
- The title is a reference to Pennsylvania 6-5000, a song by Glenn Miller, referring to the old telephone number system of an exchange of two letters plus a digit, instead of a three-digit exchange (i.e., PE6-5000).
