Ahhh the Easter Bunny, err…Rabbit only comes once a year and it is the time when kids get gifts and candy from someone not dressed in a red suit. It doesn’t even really matter if they’re good or not because the Easter baskets are going to be there hidden somewhere when they wake up that Sunday morning. But many wonder about the origin and history of the Easter Bun…Rabbit without truly knowing much about the floppy-eared fella except of what he leaves behind. Just how did he come about and what is behind leaving gifts and candy for all the children everywhere? What made this particular bunn… DANGIT, rabbit the chosen one to be anticipated each spring by millions? Rankin and Bass decided to use their fame and tell the story of how they believe it all came to be.
Glinda is a little girl that really should get everything she wants because she is very good, very well-behaved, and doesn’t have long for this world as she has come down with scarlet fever. One Christmas long ago, Glinda receives a stuffed rabbit from her mother that pretty much becomes her prized possession and keeps her content as she suffers through the terrible disease. All of her belongings must soon be destroyed (burned) though so that the scarlet fever does not spread. This includes the aptly named Stuffy which is her rabbit. With much trepidation, Glinda lets go of Stuffy because she knows she must and he is off to the burn pile to suffer the same fate as all her other possessions.
While waiting to be burned, a fairy named Calliope appears to Stuffy and turns him real with her magic so that he may be saved a fiery future. Calliope also appoints Stuffy the first-ever Easter Rabbit whose job is to remind everyone about the great time that Easter is and all the traditions that come along with the holiday. With only two weeks until the next Easter, Stuffy has little time to settle into his new role and must get ready but there are evil forces at work which he is unaware of. Many try to stand in his path and stop him from spreading the joy and happiness of Easter, but there are also those willing to step in and help Stuffy deliver the good news. It’s a battle of good versus evil with the fun and excitement of Easter at stake.
Don’t go expecting a whole lot here by way of storyline or character build-up because the cartoon is over in less than half an hour and a lot happens in that short period of time. It all moves rather quickly but Rankin and Bass have a way of making their creations work and it does again with The First Easter Rabbit. Still confused as to why it is “rabbit” instead of “bunny,” but this came out before I was born so who am I to argue? It’s a cute story and will give the younger kids something to watch for a while and the adults around mid-twenties or older a little bit to reminisce about. Characters are cute, the story is believable, and overall it’s a cute little tale that is nice to watch at this time of year so it’s worth shelling out a few bucks for it.
The film is shown in 1.33:1 Full Screen format and it looks surprisingly good for being close to thirty-five years old. Colors are sharp and bright while the picture is crisp with hardly any notice of compression or image issues.
The film is heard in Dolby Digital Mono Sound and it isn’t much more than you’d get by watching this special on television, but it does the job just fine.
Puzzles For Kids – Children can play with menu puzzles by putting the proper pieces in place and watching them come to life. I’m kind of confused here because the back of the DVD case states there are six puzzles, but the special features’ menu only has three. I got gypped.
Trailers – Scooby-Doo: Abracadabra-Doo, Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, and It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
If you can find this for rather cheap (less than $12), then I’d pick up a copy for Easter and any kids you may have around. It’s an old story that really made me have flashbacks to my childhood because I distinctly remember watching it many years. Just kind of hard to justify spending too much on this release since the special features are next to nothing and the main feature is less than half an hour long. Grab it as a rental when Mr. Floppy Ears is set to pay a visit or look for it once the price drops. My mom already got a great gift from the Easter Bunny almost thirty-one years ago when I was born on Easter Sunday. Hmmm…maybe it was God’s way of making a joke by delivering me on such a beautiful and festive day.
Warner Home Video presents The First Easter Rabbit. Directed by: Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass. Starring: Burl Ives, Robert Morse, Stan Freberg, Paul Frees. Written by: Julian P. Gardner. Running time: 25 minutes. Rating: . Released on DVD: February 16, 2010. Available at Amazon.com
