Favorite Looney Tunes Shorts

[Avaitor]

Nah, it's a B&W copy. So was "The Daffy Doc".

[Avaitor]

Hmm, I think it's time to bump this again.

Any character requests?

[Avaitor]

Like T&J, a new set will be released later this year. Not much is known about it, but there's going to be a Comic Con panel for it, and Jerry's doing a radio show soon, so hopefully we'll learn more by then.

So yeah, the Looneys. Any other favorites?

[Eddy]

I can't say much about Looney Tunes that hasn't already been said a thousand times over. Some of the best cartoons ever made, hands down.

My favorite character, ever since I was a kid, has always been Daffy Duck. The guy just never fails the make me crack up: both the hysterical daffy version and the cynical angry version. I love him either way. Duck Amuck is one of my favorite cartoons of all time and for good reason.

Another character I've always loved was Marvin the Martian.

[Avaitor]

Well here's the set.

Tons of double-dipping, but I think it's worth it. And I'll be buying the big set.

[Kiddington]

Of course... just as I finally finish off the Golden Collection sets (bought Volume 6 about two weeks ago), they go out and release an even better successor. On Blu-ray to boot. Grr... 

If I have the money for such a purchase when the time comes, I'll probably get it. The double-dipping aspect was bound to happen, but from a collectible standpoint for the big set, it's almost an offer too good to refuse.

...and since we're here, I guess I might as well come out and say it; looks as though I was *somewhat* wrong about WHV after all. I thought they were done with DVD/Blu-ray releases that actually appealed to true animation connoisseurs, and were only going after the "moms looking for a digital babysitter" crowd... but this looks like the real deal. Bravo, guys. Faith not completely restored (won't be until they finish Tiny Toons, and all subsequent abandoned Cartoon Network releases), but this is a good start.

[Commode]

I'm still on the fence about it.  Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that I already have, but at the same time this looks to be the most legit release since the Golden Collections ended, and you can't really expect Warner to release a Blu-Ray set with all unreleased cartoons.

Of course, my decision is also hindered by the fact that I don't even have a Blu-ray player, or even my own TV at the moment, but hopefully that's something i'll be able to rectify soon.

[Avaitor]

I actually just got a Blu-Ray player a couple of weeks ago, but we haven't bought anything for it yet. I have all of my Disney movies (although I'm still missing Tangled and a few Pixar flicks), but my family's more interested on using it for Netflix now, even though my Wii can play that, too.

But I'll be begging them to buy the set by then. Even then, I'll probably still have leftover birthday money by then, if I don't have a job, so if worse comes to worse, I'll just buy it myself.

[Mr. Big]

You know, I didn't realize it until today, but Coyote's latin name in this one is one hell of getting stuff past the censors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bxBGCs61QM

[Avaitor]

    * A Greeting From Chuck Jones
    * Chuck Amuck: The Movie
    * Chuck Jones: Extremes & In-Betweens, A Life In Animation
    * Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood
    * The Animated World of Chuck Jones (9 cartoons):
          o Point Rationing of Foods
          o Hell-Bent for Election
          o So Much for So Little
          o Orange Blossoms for Violet
          o A Hitch in Time
          o 90 Day Wondering
          o Drafty, Isn't It?
          o The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics
          o The Bear That Wasn't
    * How The Grinch Stole Christmas! Pencil Test
    * The Door (Ken Mundie, 1967)
    * Bonus Cartoons (9 cartoons):
          o Fright Before Christmas
          o Spaced-Out-Bunny
          o Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century
          o Another Froggy Evening
          o Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension
          o Superior Duck
          o From Hare to Eternity
          o Father of the Bird
          o Museum Scream

If that isn't enough to get you excited for this set, I don't know what is. This has always been a day one purchase for me, and this disc just confirms it.

[Avaitor]

I finished reading Jerry Beck's 100 Greatest Looney Tunes book. It's a very well-put together collection of shorts, despite having some very serious confusions on release dates and being a little biased to certain parts of the studio. There's a lot of great stuff here regardless, and I even went as far as to watch each of the cartoons listed again after reading their entries. Doing so was such an experience since it helped to remind me of how these are the greatest cartoons ever made and the brilliance behind each of the directors.

I'm even going to go as far as to comment on each of the choices in this book based on my own views. I'll start later though, if you care to read.

[Commode]

I haven't read the book, but I am interested in it, just kind of forgot it existed really.  I wonder if any of the book stores around here carry it(I miss Borders).

[Avaitor]

I had to go to the Barnes & Noble in downtown Orlando to pick up a copy. The very last one, too. Ours never had one, nor did anywhere else in the area.

And I'll start now, 25 at a time.

From A to Z-Z-Z-Z- Ah, Ralph Phillips. He didn't appear in too many Warner cartoons, but most if not all of his roles are memorable, above all this, his very first short. Ralph is kind of the precursor to Arnold back in season 1 of HA! when he was more of a daydreamer than a brown-noser like in later seasons. Each of his fantasies are fun and creative and make good use of Noble's skills. Although I do agree that "Boyhood Daze", the follow-up to this cartoon, makes even better use of them and is nearly as entertaining.

Acrobatty Bunny- Eh, it's a good Bugs cartoon, but there are plenty of great ones, and besides being McKimson's first Bugs short, I don't really see what makes it stand out too much. He nails the character better later on, although it's a fine one regardless. It's just that there are better fish in the sea.

Ali Baba Bunny- HASSAN CHOP!

I used to not be a fan of this cartoon for the longest time. I thought this is when the unlikably greedy Daffy phase really started to take form and couldn't stand it for that reason. I've calmed down from that over the years and have really come to appreciate it since. Sure, Daffy isn't very sympathetic here, but the dialogue is pitch-perfect and Daffy's expressions are incredible. Granted, Bugs isn't at his A-game here, but he holds his own for the most part otherwise, although it's still completely Daffy's show.

The Aristo-Cat- I love Hubie and Bertie. I think they're one of the studio;s greatest duos (behind only Daffy's two frienemies, in fact), and this is a wonderful introduction to them. McGrew's layouts are also stunning, but the descriptions in the book do them more justice than I could. Or even better, watch the cartoon yourself to see what I mean.

Baby Bottleneck- Classic Clampett. Pure insanity from beginning to end, along with a little subtle Disney bashing. Daffy and Porky are in top class here, and U believe that the use of "Powerhouse" in this short is the main inspiration for Cartoon Network's Powerhouse phase.

Back Alley Oproar- It's sad that people tend to forget that Sylvester can hold his own without Tweety or Speedy, but here he is giving Elmer hell and just doing so in a delightful way. Sharp use of music throughout, which helps lift the cartoon up from beginning to end. It's also a rare time where Sylvester is completely in the wrong and completely likable at the same time.

Baseball Bugs- One of my very favorite Bugs shorts. Only he could beat an entire baseball team to submission entirely by himself and get the Statue of Liberty to side with him.

A Bear for Punishment- You know, I really love the Three Bears. Sadly there aren't that many cartoons with them, and Paw's temperament does help to date the series a bit. But I consider these the precursors to animated family sitcoms like The Flintstones, Simpsons, and Family Guy, and to be full of likability. Junyer's an imbecile, but a well-meaning one with some very sharp lines, something you can't say about, say, Kel. Ma's repressed depression and lust make for some keen subtle acting. And even Henry is enjoyable with his frustration. I'd probably tie this with "Bear Feat" for their best.

The Big Snooze- This is a pretty meta closer for Clampett's run on the studio, when you think about it. Elmer can be considered Bob to an extent, and Elmer's dream sequence, which is very (read: VERY) loosely based off of The Big Sleep novel and film, combines the insanity and genius of Clampett's surreal craft in one swoop. Jerry says that Clampett left at his peak, and it's hard to argue when most of his shorts from his final year deservedly make this book.

Birds Anonymous- I think that I've stated before that this is my very favorite Sylvester & Tweety cartoon. Because it is. A brilliant spoof on Alcoholics Anonymous, Sylvester's animalistic urges are fought here, as he tries to fight these urges in a touching, hilarious short with some gorgeous layout work and a tragically accurate ending.

Book Revue- Not one of my personal favorites from Clampett's swan song year, but there's some great visual humor here, along with a fun musical number by Daffy. It is definitely the best books come to life cartoon, but the genre as a whole wasn't one of their best.

Buccaneer Bunny- Yeah, this has got to be the best Sam as a pirate short. All the others take a lot from it afterwords. Some great gags here are here, along with sharp character acting for both Bugs and Sam.

Bugs and Thugs- "Shut up shuttin' up." I've watched this short frame-by-frame before, and it's quite an experience to do so with it. There's a lot of greatness throughout beyond just Bugs' interactions with Rocky and Mugsy, which are another ace duo.

Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid- If the Hays Office would only let them, I'm sure Bugs Bunny would have been given the boid by now. *whistles*

This is a pretty good one though. I think Clampett perfected his take on Bugs by this point, and has a lot of fun with him. Beaky Buzzard is a fun, memorable foe for Bugs, even if he isn't at all competent, and there's a lot of sharp gaga here.

Bully for Bugs- I honestly think the story behind this short is better than the actual cartoon itself. But it's still a good one, using the best of Jones' unit to make for a classic. Hopefully I don't have to remind you of the good parts from this one.

Bunny Hugged- Hilarious if somewhat average Bugs vs. foe short. Crusher is a fun adversary for Bugs, and there's some great visual humor here. I don't know if it's one of the 100 greatest Looney Tunes, but it's a great one indeed.

Canned Feud- The mouse is REALLY sadistic in this short. All Sylvester wanted was a can opener and he gave him hell just for it. It's a great cat and mouse short, about as good as your average Tom & Jerry cartoon, but just like those, it's pretty hard to root for the mouse here.

Chow Hound- Speaking of sadistic cartoons... Yet I find this much better at what it does than "Canned Feud". The dog is such an unlikable ass in here that it's fair to say that he gets what he deserves in the end. It's a really interesting short throughout though.

Cinderella Meets Fella- I think this is one of Avery's best shorts from the studio. Kind of an appetizer for his later fairy tale spoofs, there's a lot of great gags, expressions, and vibrancy here that makes for a classic.

Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs- Honestly, most of the censored 11 cartoons aren't that good. This is the most well-known of them all, and for good reason- it's the exception to the rule, and is just great. Unlike some of the other shorts in that field or Song of the South, I don't think it's very racist, but rather a different take on Snow White, like how Ball of Fire with Barbara Stanwyck was. It's a gorgeously done short with some sharp humor to compliment it.

A Corny Concerto- I remember this being one of the cartoons I watched the most as a kid, since it was on a couple of public domain tapes I owned and I'd always stop for it in particular if I saw it on TV. It's a great send-up of Fantasia that also gets to showcase the excellence of Carl Stalling and the animation staff. It's still among my favorite somewhere too.

Deuce, You Say- As a lover of Holmes and mystery in general, I find this absolutely delightful, and an important short for helping to solidify Porky as Daffy's sardonic but well-meaning sidekick, which he does to perfection here. Genius work throughout, especially in coloring.

Dog Gone South- Poor Charlie Dog. There aren't too many of his cartoons, he always gets kicked aside at the end, and he gets forgotten by today's viewers, but I find him to be incredibly likable. This is one of his best, too. I love the layouts here, and how the southern glorification in the back contrasts with the south bashing in the quippy dialogue. Too bad this won't be shown on TV too much anymore though.

Dog Pounded- This is the only Pepe Le Pew cartoon to make the book. And it's a Sylvester and Tweety cartoon where he only has a cameo at the end. It's a funny short though, with lots of laughs.

Dough Ray Me-Ow- This cartoon is pretty dark when you think about it. Heathcliff is obviously mentally handicapped, but that doesn't stop Louie at all. It's still pretty funny, but maybe not one of the best for that reason.

[Avaitor]

The next set:

The Dover Boys- Many a fan have considered this to be the first great Jones comedy short, and it's easy to see why. This is one of the shorts I've seen so many times that I could recite the entire thing, and for good cause. Every thing about it is brilliant.

Draftee Daffy- Damn that man from the draft board! This is somewhat of a Droopy short, considering the little man's persistence and the lengths Daffy goes to avoid him. It's a Clampett short though, and it totally shows in his pacing, making for a classic.

Drip-Along Daffy- I think it'd be fair to say that the ending to this short contains one of the best shit jokes ever. It's also a great Daffy and Porky short, with some truly memorable moments and a great design for their foe.

Duck Amuck- Do I even need to say anything? This might just be the greatest cartoon ever made, period.

Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century- Another short that I probably don't have to say anything about. When people remember Marvin the Martian, they come back to this cartoon. It's easy to see why this short made such a legacy, whether you're into sci-fi or not.

Duck! Rabbit! Duck!- Of the hunting trilogy, I think this might be my favorite. The winter backgrounds, while nice-looking, don't really add much to the story, but the humor isn't as worn out as you'd expect, while still staying true to the previous 2 cartoons, and Daffy's meltdown is one of the studio's funniest moments.

Easter Yeggs- One of my favorite McKimson Bugs shorts. Some really good gags here, and the Easter Bunny is a funny foe for Bugs.

Eatin' in the Cuff- This is such a clever little short, with some sharp music and great silent acting by Leo White. It's not exactly a laugh-riot, but for what it is, it is very well-done.

8 Ball Bunny- I can't help but wonder if I'd like this short as much if I didn't love Bogart so much. It's an otherwise fine short, giving Bugs the chance to be a hero for once, but it's the appearance of Bogie as Fred C. Dobbs throughout that makes it for me.

Falling Hare- Only Clampett would show Bugs so vulnerable like he does here, and that's just fine, since there isn't a dull moment in this one. Always been a favorite, even if it is a tad dated.

Fast and Furry-Ous- I find this a little funny to watch now, considering how far the Road Runner cartoons have come since then. I mean, the Road Runner provokes the Coyote more than once, destroying one of Jones' rules! It's a solid introduction to the series, but I think it gets better as it goes along.

Feed the Kitty- I said earlier that "Duck Amuck" might be the greatest cartoon ever made, but this also might take that award. Out of all the cartoons with heart that tug your emotions throughout, I think this does it more sufficiently than the rest, and still has some genius gags. If you don't find Pussyfoot adorable or Marc Anthony's look after seeing the kitty cookies heartbreaking, you have no soul.

Gorilla My Dreams- Man, I love this Bugs short. The papa gorilla is a great foe for Bugs, while he has plenty of awesome moments himself, and McKimson's timing is at it's best here.

The Great Piggy Bank Robbery- One of Daffy and Calmpett's finest moments, this works as both a Dick Tracy send-up and just a hilarious short if you're not familiar with Tracy at all. One great gag after another just flies at you until you can't handle any more.

A Gruesome Twosome- This pre-Sylvester Tweety short has recently been considered to be as good if not better than Tweety's debut short, and while I'm not so sure about that, it's a great short. Like "A Tale of Two Kitties", the two feline foes are fun characters, while Tweety proves to be a worthy adversary for them, and the jokes just don't stop.

Guided Muscle- Jerry considers this the finest of the Road Runner shorts, and I can see why, although I'd give "Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z" a shot up there too. Not a bad trap here.

Hair-Raising Hare- The last LT short that Turner owns before their contract goes back to Warner, this is one of Bugs' finest, having him re-redispose of the monster.

A Ham in a Role- This is easily the best of the Goofy Gophers shorts. Really good for Shakespeare fans, with some very sharp humor throughout.

Haredevil Hare- Pretty good introduction to Marvin and K-9. I love how the moon looks in the background. even by 1940's logic, it isn't that far off. Plus, it's a laugh riot.

A Hare Grows in Manhattan- Never listen to Bugs when he tries to tell his life story, haha. You'll never know if he's telling the truth or not. I prefer "What's Up, Doc" myself, but I get plenty a laugh from this one as well.

The Hep Cat- Classic Clampett from start to finish. A tad horny, but that's just fine, and it never lets down.

High Diving Hare- This is the definition of a one-joke cartoon, and it does it's one joke wonderfully. Sam never stops, and Bugs doesn't give him a chance to either.

High Note- Blah. Dull as dishwater IMO. I'd replace this with "Now Hear This", which is indefinitely better.

Hillbilly Hare- My god, look at Bugs during the hoedown. He doesn't drop his face throughout, which just makes it all the funnier. By far, this might just be McKimson's greatest Bugs short.

Hollywood Steps Out- I really loved this short as a kid, which is funny, since I didn't understand a lot of the caricatures back then. Now that I've grown into a fan of classic Hollywood, I love it even more. All of the caricatures are so spot-on that I can't help but love it.

[Avaitor]

Sorry I didn't update this. It didn't seem like you guys were too interested in it.

Oh, but in other news, I won a contest from GAC and am getting a free copy of the new Pepe Le Pew DVD. Really excited for it!