Which is Witch (Looney Tunes)

Which is Witch (episode 574)
Uh oh.. Look like Friz Freleng didn't learn his mistake after producing four Censored Eleven cartoons..
Directed by: Friz Freleng Written by: Tedd Pierce Release date: December 3, 1949 Franchise: Looney Tunes Prequel: "Hippety Hopper" (previous short) Sequel: "Bear Feat" (next short)

"Which is Witch" is a 1949 Looney Tunes short directed by Friz Freleng. In this cartoon, Dr. I.C. Spots is an African witch doctor about to prepare a potion which needs as one of its ingredient a rabbit.

Why It Should Get Stewed

1. To get the elephant out of the room, this short is offensive due to how it portrays an African-American character as an antagonist.
2. Speaking of the antagonist, Dr. I.C. Spots is a racist African-American native stereotype who acts like a stereotypical African native.
3. In one scene, Bugs Bunny disguises himself as an African native to fool Dr I.C. Spots, we are not joking.
4. Some disturbing scenes such as Bugs getting cooked in a pressure cooking pot by Dr I.C. Spots.
5. Very mean-spirited joke with Dr. I.C. Spots getting eaten by a crocodile with Bugs Bunny beating it up and turning it into luggage.
6. Bugs Bunny acts like a hypocrite at the end with him wanting the crocodile to spit out Dr. I.C. Spots after he ate him despite Dr. I.C. Spots chasing Bugs throughout most of the cartoon.
7. Most of the gags come off as a hit or miss at times.
8. This cartoon's content was so offensive that it was one of the few Bugs Bunny cartoons banned from Cartoon Network's June Bugs Marathon in 2001.

Redeeming Qualities

1. Despite it's racial imagery, its not as terrible as "Jungle Jitters", "All This and Rabbit Stew", "Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips" or any of Friz's cartoons that have Native American stereotypes.
2. Bugs Bunny is still a likable character on this short.
3. Some of the jokes are actually funny at times such as the ending where Bugs Bunny makes a disgusted face after seeing I.C. Spots' crocodile shoes.
4. Mel Blanc as usual does a flawless job with the voices.
5. Great music by Carl Stalling as usual.
6. The animation is decent for its time.
7. Friz Freleng eventually learned from his mistakes and never made cartoons like this again.

Gallery

• 

  Lobby Card

Trivia

• The infamous disappointed Bugs scene became a meme.

Comments

Loading comments...