Elmer's Candid Camera is a 1940 American animated comedy short film directed by Charles Jones. The short was released on March 2, 1940. It is part of the Merrie Melodies series, the ninth cartoon to feature Elmer Fudd and the fourth cartoon to feature a character that would later be named Bugs Bunny. Arthur Q. Bryan's portrayal of Elmer Fudd in the film would cement the character's personality and mannerisms for his future cartoons, pivoting from making only cameo appearances into being a star of his own.
Plot
Elmer is reading a book on how to photograph wildlife and decides to do so with his new camera. He annoys a sleeping rabbit, who is amused by his stupidity in unable to recognize a rabbit and decides to torment him. Elmer tries to photograph a squirrel, only to be tricked by the rabbit into slamming into an apple tree. He then distracts Elmer from properly photographing a bird.
Elmer traps the rabbit with a net. The rabbit exploits Elmer's stupidity to pretend having asphyxiated from the ordeal, then traps Elmer with the net instead. Elmer goes insane, destroys his camera and attempts suicide by drowning. The rabbit saves him before sending him into the water again with his book.
Legacy Chuck Jones directed this cartoon in a time when he was going for a more slow and methodical approach in a vain attempt to imitate Disney's cartoons. He would later go on to disavow this short later in his life. In his autobiography Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist, he stated:
Home media VHS – Cartoon Moviestars: Elmer! VHS – Looney Tunes Collectors Edition: Wabbit Tales Laserdisc – Bugs! and Elmer! Laserdisc – The Golden Age of Looney Tunes Vol 2 DVD – Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 DVD – The Essential Bugs Bunny Blu-ray – Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray – Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection
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