Easter Fever (1980 TV Movie) User Reviews

One of the funniest satires of easter EVER

[DNAtsol · 9/10 · 27 May 2004]

With Jack the Easter Rabbit (a drugged out, cool, jive rabbit if ever there was one) about to retire the gang decides to roast him (as in Friar's Club not on a spit). Each character gets up and tells a memorable moment in Jack's life. One of my favorite scenes involved another time Jack thought about retiring and auditions were held to replace him. All the animals came out and failed miserably in one way or another. The best was when a scrawny, nasally, high pitched sounding bat snatched up his little easter basket with his tiny feet and began singing "Here comes Peter Easter Bat.." only to face plant into a tree.

To this day I get strange looks from friends when I try to describe this surreal scene. A MUST see. Nelvana, Re-release the this comic cult classic!! Free Jack, Madame Melegg and Scrawny Chicken!!

I recently contacted Nelvana and they told me there were plans to do a DVD release but not for sometime. Like the comment below, we need to start a petition to move the date forward! Hupshuh, Hupshun people!

Saw it Once, Never Saw it Again

[CBreeze527 · 8/10 · 15 December 2007]

Yes! I could not stop laughing! Loved the audition scene: "Here comes Peter Easter Bat, Flapping ::wham::" (and he goes face first into a tree). Why did this hilarious show not make a reappearance? I was a young kid in grammar school at the time, but I do recall how funny, original, and unexpected the humor was. Why do I also remember something about: "It slices and dices and even chops, tomatoes and mushrooms and even old mops... but it won't work on steel girders..." How funny was that? I'll forever love Rankin/Bass's The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town, but this was a refreshing rebel. It would be nice if the producers released this show for sale on DVD.

This is an unknown animated holiday classic

[Queenbee60 · 9/10 · 23 January 2023]

It's funny, but I have never seen before or since any other (animated) show about Easter; except this one, and I've only seen it 2 or 3 times. Once on YouTube.

The show premiered on the CBC in Canada well over 40 years ago.

It's about a gathering of holiday icons roasting the Easter Bunny, who at the party announces his retirement.

His fans are of course upset. Then all hell breaks loose as there's a kidnapping, a crazy woman that makes Cruella de Vil look harmless and the disappearance of chickens.

There's one or two songs of course, and the show goes by quickly. For some reason it was only shown a few times.

It's an unappreciated classic, that Disney could never create. But it will be enjoyed by both children and adults.

I loved this movie!

[hasselmank · 10/10 · 31 March 2006]

I loved this movie, and miss it so much, especially with Easter right around the corner. I don't know why they don't show it annually! It's a classic. I love the line "Hupshuh, hupshuh, quick like a bunny". My friends and I quoted the movie for months after seeing it. I, for some reason, thought it was a seasonal show, like Charlie Brown, or the Garfield seasonal specials, and every year would look through the TV guide hoping against hope that it would appear. I think it was only aired the one time? It's amazing how these things stick with you. I can, 25 years later (ouch!) still picture Jack and Skinny Chicken perfectly. Anyone know who to contact to "petition" to get this released? Anyone? Or does anyone know WHY it hasn't been released or at least re-aired? Anytime they want to release it, I will happily buy it. My son would love it for sure!

Best Easter Special Ever

[larawood · 10/10 · 1 June 2007]

I've been looking for a way to buy this on DVD for ages (I'd take VHS too).

I remember watching this every year when I was a kid. It's very well done, and probably even more funny for adults. I don't understand how none of my friends have heard of it, but I'd love to get my hands on a copy so people won't think I'm crazy when I walk around the office saying "hupcha hupcha quick like a bunny". Right now, they don't get it.

The premise is that Jack, the Easter Bunny has decided to retire. His fellow animal celebrities (and a few special guests, like Santa) are having a roast to send him off. The special goes through his life to tell the story of how he became the Easter Bunny. Very tongue in cheek, and very funny - I'd love to see it again.

I'm ready to sign a petition!

Finally someone else that knows this show !!

[terri-cormier · 10/10 · 21 October 2007]

I have been searching everywhere trying to find this TV special I could not remember the name. My sister and I both remember it but no one else seems to. All we could remember was the line the bunny said.... and I did one last search and came across this. The line that struck me so funny was the one that someone else wrote "so people don't think I'm crazy" That's how we felt too. We were thinking we'd dreamed it or something. But I am so happy that I now know the name of it. It's funny because we would ask people if they knew it and they'd look at us like we had three heads.I also agree it should be on TV annually. It's a great easter special and should be enjoyed by all !! Cheers

Thanks...

[kward-22 · 26 May 2008]

I didn't think anyone even remembered this show from the original Nelvana studio. I only ever saw it once on TV. It was originally broadcast on the CBC network in Canada. As the animator of the infamous "Easter Bat" way back when, it's nice to know that my work is still appreciated. There were many versions/tests of that little scene believe it or not. After many revisions, I was more than happy to smash him into the tree. The little wings/arms snapping off was an afterthought, but it turned out quite amusing. And a little warped. I have never seen the show available anywhere for sale. Thanks for the comments folks. KW

unseen easter classic

[lmollin1 · 10/10 · 12 December 2007]

i would like to see the DVD on this one too. I wrote, and helped produce and also threw in the voice of Ratso Rat some 27 years ago. There were a lot of talented people involved and I always thought it would be a holiday classic. Not sure what happened. But I've enjoyed the comments I've read. i do have a VHS copy of it from a series called NELVANAMATION. It's pretty messed up though. Nelvana itself was sold i believe to Corus and that may be the problem. Hup (sha) Hup (sha) quick like a bunny was a phrase of my mother's to move the kids along.

garret morris at the time of production as a member of Saturday night Live and had a famous catch phrase = "Baseball's been very, very, good to me. I adapted to "Easter's been very, very good to me" for the Jack Rabbit character.

Good but uneven

[dkatz2001 · 24 May 2010]

I thought the first two stories in the film were quite good - loved the Easter Bat and the Scarlett O'Hare story in particular. The third story was the weakest. Jack's character was not consistent with the rest of the film - instead of being a laid back, jive talking rabbit he was Bugs Bunny with eggs instead of a carrot. The whole third act was highly derivative of a 1940s Bugs Bunny cartoons with the same air of hyperactivity and the old prey turning on the pursuer theme and some of the same gags (right down to the cross dressing and the being tied to a railway track cliché). Also, in at least one part, the sound was out of sync.