This is not the best Bugs Bunny episode I have ever watched, but it was certainly better than I thought it would be! I first thought it would be another one of those old Native-American racist Looney Tunes, but it was not so bad and many of the jokes were pretty good! Clearly this episode is somewhat a spoof/remake of "Little Hiawatha", a Silly Symphonies Disney cartoon, there are many repeated references, such as Hiawatha's falling over as he runs, the way he paddles his boat, the following of his prey and the way he snaps his bow when he is angry.
Some people may think this cartoon slightly racist, but there is no reason for the episode to have been banned - and if you think the portrayal of Native Americans is bad in this Looney Tunes, you should watch "Scalp Trouble"!!
Anyway, in this episode, Hiawatha is hunting for a rabbit to cook in his pot. This rabbit turns out to be Bugs Bunny (a very early version) and he is found bathing in the cooking pot. Excitedly, Hiawatha adds some carrot peelings to the pot and Bugs Bunny seems very calm until Hiawatha tells him he is cooking rabbit stew.
The antics of Bugs Bunny in "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt", may be familiar to people who watch Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd with the rabbit, but basically he manages many times to avoid being caught by Hiawatha. The later character of Bugs Bunny is not featured here so much, he may be clever in avoiding Hiawatha, but he can make mistakes.
I enjoyed this episode for the little unexpected jokes, the animation, the fact that it was better than I expected and the character of the early Bugs Bunny.
I recommend this to people who like Bugs Bunny and to people who like the sort of episodes where he avoids scrapes and pulls gags. Enjoy!! :-)
8 and a half out of ten.
