DbcultAccessing Vault...
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. My Green Fedora remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you have a soft spot for the kind of animation that feels like it was drawn during a sugar crash, then sure, fire it up. It's short, it's weird, and it moves at a pace that suggests the animators were late for dinner. If you hate old-school cartoons where the logic is mostly just ‘things happen because they have to,’ you’ll probably find this a total headache. 🐇
The whole thing kicks off with Peter Rabbit being a straight-up bad older brother. Elmer is wailing his head off, and Peter just… leaves. Like, actually leaves the house and shuts the door on the noise. It’s honestly kind of refreshing to see a main character act that selfish right out of the gate.
Of course, the universe punishes him immediately. Enter the weasel, who pops up to snatch the crying baby while Peter is out doing whatever rabbits do when they're avoiding responsibility. The transition from 'annoyed brother' to 'action hero' is abrupt, to say the least.
There is this one bit where the weasel is just hanging around looking ominous, and it feels like it lasts for an eternity. It’s the kind of pacing you only get in these older shorts. It’s not smooth, but it has character. It’s not trying to be The Haunted Ship or anything deep; it’s just a rabbit trying to get his brother back before dinner.
I found myself wondering why Peter didn't just give the kid a carrot or something. Maybe he’s just a bad listener. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Trader Hound, where things just spiral out of control for no apparent reason.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it a weird little time capsule of rabbit-based trauma? Absolutely. Watch it if you want to see a protagonist make the worst decision possible and then spend the rest of the runtime fixing it. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. 🥕