"Pre-Hysterical Hare" is a 1958 Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Robert McKimson and starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
Bugs, while fleeing from Elmer, falls into an underground cave, where he discovers a time capsule from the year 10,000 B.C. Inside is a roll of projector film, which Bugs takes back to his home. The film is a documentary about Elmer Fuddstone and his hunt for the saber-tooth rabbit, who bears a striking resemblance to Bugs.
"Pre-Hysterical Hare" provides examples of:
- All Cavemen Were Neanderthals: Downplayed with Elmer Fuddstone. He doesn't walk with a Primal Stance, but he does speak in a mixture of Elmuh Fudd Syndwome and You No Take Candle speech.Elmer Fuddstone: Shhhh! Be vewy, vewy quiet. Me hunt saber-tooth wabbit!
- Anachronism Stew: It's never explained how movie film exists in the year 10,000 B.C.
- Backwards-Firing Gun: The saber-tooth rabbit does this with the first gun right after inventing it (using a hollow bamboo stalk for the barrel, with a piece of taro root, plugged into one end, for the stock.) Just as Elmer is aiming it...Saber-Tooth Rabbit: Wait! Hold it! Hold it! [Grabs the gun.] Ehhh, got this on the wrong end. [He takes the stock out of the barrel and plugs it into the other end, so that the muzzle is facing Elmer.]
Elmer Fuddstone: Oh, thank you!
[The saber-tooth rabbit walks over to a tree and covers his eyes.]
Saber-Tooth Rabbit: You may fire when ready.
[He uncovers his eyes to watch Elmer aiming the gun. It fires at Elmer, leaving him with an Ash Face.] - Explosive Stupidity: Subverted. The saber-tooth rabbit tells Elmer, "One of these days, some smart apple's gonna invent gunpowder. Now, if you was to do that, the gun would follow." Elmer thinks this is a great idea and invents gunpowder in no time. He puts a straight stick into the container of powder and rapidly rotates it between his palms, producing a spark that results in a massive explosion. When the smoke clears, Elmer is nowhere to be seen. The saber-tooth rabbit thinks Elmer's killed himself, but then he sees he's just been blown into a tree.Saber-Tooth Rabbit: Whoosh! He did it. The hard way.
[Elmer's laugh is heard. The rabbit looks up and sees him draped over a tree branch.]
Elmer Fuddstone: Now who has the last laugh? - Found Footage Films: Bugs discovers a reel of movie film from the year 10,000 B.C.
- Framing Device: The documentary tells a story within a story, about life in the year 10,000 B.C.
- Hollywood Prehistory: The documentary shows dinosaurs, a mastodon, and a caveman living at the same time.
- Organic Technology:
- The time capsule is a gigantic horn from an unidentified animal, possibly a mastodon, with a cork in one end.
- To make the first gun, the saber-tooth rabbit uses a hollow bamboo stalk for the barrel, with a piece of taro root in one end for the stock. The gun has a fuse, which he lights with a lighter that's made of wood and has two stones that strike each other, creating a spark that ignites the lighter's fuse.
- The Tape Knew You Would Say That: When Bugs first sees the saber-tooth rabbit on film...Bugs: Oh, brother! Get a load of that snaggle-toothed aboriginally! [Laughs, then stops.] Hey, now! There's something mighty familiar looking about that joker. Could it be that he's one of my ancestors?
Saber-Tooth Rabbit: [turning to look at Bugs] Ehhh, could be. - Time Capsule: Bugs finds one in the underground cave but doesn't realize it's a time capsule, as he is unable to read the prehistoric writing on it. The writing changes briefly to English for the benefit of the viewer: "Time Capsule, Circa 10,000 B.C., to be opened 1960 A.D."
- Whateversaurus: Elmer Fuddstone is hunting the saber-tooth rabbit.
