Rabbit Transit (film)

Rabbit Transit is an 8-minute Looney Tunes cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng, released in 1947, and starring Bugs Bunny and Cecil Turtle. The title is a play on "Rapid Transit".

Cecil and Bugs had previously raced each other in 1941's Tortoise Beats Hare and 1943's Tortoise Wins By a Hare. This cartoon was their final encounter. Unlike Tortoise Wins by a Hare, this cartoon presumes that Bugs and Cecil have never met before now.

Plot

While relaxing in a steam bath, Bugs reads about the original fable and, as he did reading the credits of Tortoise Beats Hare, becomes incensed at the idea of a turtle outrunning a rabbit. Cecil, also in the steam bath, claims that he could outrun Bugs, prompting Bugs to challenge him to a race (again, as in Tortoise Beats Hare, although at least here Bugs receives some provocation). This time, Bugs and Cecil agree to no cheating. Cecil, however, quickly reveals that his shell is now rocket propelled, allowing him to go a surprising combination between fast and slow. Bugs does his best to steal, dismantle, and destroy the device, but all to little effect. In the end, however, Bugs does manage to top the turtle and crosses the finish line first. Nevertheless, it is Cecil who has the last laugh when he rooks the rabbit into confessing to "doing 100 easy"—in a 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) speed zone. Bugs is taken away by the police to enjoy his victory—behind bars. Cecil closes the cartoon by famously saying, "Ain't I a...um...stinker?".

Availability

• VHS- Bugs!
• VHS- Bugs Bunny's Zaniest Toons
• VHS- Golden Age of Looney Tunes Vol 10: The Art of Bugs
• VHS- Looney Tunes Collectors Edition: A Looney Life
• Laserdisc- Bugs! And Elmer!
• Laserdisc- Golden Age of Looney Tunes Vol 1
• DVD- Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 2
• Blu-ray- Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Vol 2