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About this blog

I'll post short reviews of all 1000 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons year by year. Yes, all of them.

Entries in this blog

Looney Tunes

1968: Cool Cat, cars and copters

The second year of the new Warner Bros.-Seven Arts animation studio brings us ten Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies with old and new faces, as well as various additional projects. Hocus Pocus Powwow Directed by Alex Lovy Merlin and Second Banana get kicked out of the train while traveling to perform in Powwow City. Lo, the poor Indian sees them and tries to steal Merlin's magic hat, leading to a wild chase. Apart from the dated stereotypes (which have largely kept this short out of ci
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1967: The grand (?) reopening

With the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies now focusing on nothing but Daffy and Speedy, the year might seem like an uneventful one for the series (even if the quality has improved lately). But no, a lot will happen! Daffy's Diner Directed by Robert McKimson Daffy runs a diner in the desert, trying to sell mouseburgers to cats for 19 cents. He finally gets a customer, but it's the bandit El Supremo. The cat isn't impressed with Daffy using a rubber mouse for the burger and makes him g
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

5
Looney Tunes

1966: Beeping in a new medium

Another year consisting of Daffy and Speedy and Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, produced by DePatie-Freleng (and sometimes Format Films). Nothing more, nothing less. The Astroduck Directed by Robert McKimson For the summer, Daffy rents a house that's a little run down but most importantly cheap. But it proves to be worse than he expected – it's the House of Gonzales where Speedy's family has lived for generations. Daffy tries various ways (mostly related to explosives) to ge
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1965: Duck and mouse chase

The first year with DePatie-Freleng fully at the helm. This was the last year to have more than 20 entries in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, though it wasn't entirely thanks to new cartoons... Zip Zip Hooray! Directed by Chuck Jones (uncredited) Ralph Phillips and his friend (Arnold) watch Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner on TV. Ralph tells Arnold how he wants to be the Road Runner, and the coyote explains to the boys why he always tries to catch the Road Runner.
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

6
Looney Tunes

1964: Friz, the producer

A year of big changes for the WB cartoons... in more ways than one! Dumb Patrol Directed by Gerry Chiniquy Running out of titles? Bosko had already appeared in a cartoon with the same name back in 1931 (not that many would have remembered it anyway). Bugs knocks out a French soldier intending to take on Baron Sam von Schpamm since he has a wife and kids to look after. The rabbit therefore fights the baron in the air, constantly outwitting him. Fairly ordinary Bugs and Sam effort, exc
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

4
Looney Tunes

1963: Abracapocus!

Another year with many WB cartoon shorts... and another failed TV pilot getting a new life in theaters. I Was a Teenage Thumb Directed by Chuck Jones, Esq. Co-director: Maurice Noble A new take on the story of Tom Thumb. George Ebenezer and Prunhilda Thumb haven't had a baby despite Prunhilda's wishes. Just when she says she'd like to have one, even one the size of her thumb, magician Ralph K. Merlin Jr. happens to walk past and grants her wish. But one night a cat snatches the bab
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

4
Looney Tunes

1962: Rabbits, road runners and moonlighters

This year, WB breaks new ground in animation. In addition to the usual short films, a few Looney Tunes characters appear in an extended featurette, and thanks to an acquisition from another studio, Warner Bros. releases its first full-length animated feature! On the downside, we have to say goodbye to a few WB cartoon stars... Wet Hare Directed by Robert McKimson Bugs is showering under a waterfall, but the water stops running all of a sudden. Blacque Jacque Shellacque has built a da
Looney Tunes

1961: Three times "nearly"

This year brings us more Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, along with the second season of the unfortunately rare Bugs Bunny Show. Cannery Woe Directed by Robert McKimson Mayor Raton's cheese committee fails to get any cheese, as the shop they always got it from is now guarded by Sylvester. But two mice, José and Manuel, can help – José knows Speedy Gonzales who does the job. Very much in the style of the previous Speedy cartoons, it's certainly fun but besides the mayor character, t
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1960: Overture, curtain, lights

The first year of the new decade brings not only more theatrical releases of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, but the WB cartoons will also find a home in a new medium! Fastest with the Mostest Directed by Chuck Jones Wile E. Coyote (Carnivorous slobbius) is after the Road Runner (Velocitus incalcublii). He tries to use a hot air balloon and a missile, a fake detour and other methods. In addition to the usual expressive animation for the coyote, we get a great portrayal of the R
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1959: Old decade, new tricks

The last year of the Looney Tunes' and Merrie Melodies' third decade. Surprisingly, we even get some new directorial talent, including in the very first entry of the year! Baton Bunny Directed by Chuck Jones & Abe Levitow Bugs Bunny conducts a performance of "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna" by Franz von Suppè. Along the way, he has many distractions, especially a fly. The first cartoon (partially) by a new director since 1946 – due to Jones being busy with other projects, othe
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

4
Looney Tunes

1958: Lucky rabbit's feet?

This year of WB cartoons includes one more award-winning entry, and in addition to the usual cartoon shorts, the start of a new project for the cartoon studio... Don't Axe Me Directed by Robert McKimson After Daffy snatches Rover's (the Fudds' pet dog) food, the dog decides to take revenge by convincing Mrs. Fudd to serve roast duck for their guest Reverend Brown. Daffy finds out about the plans and tries his best to prevent Elmer from using his axe on him. Elmer's wife, making her o
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1957: Just one... no one will know the difference...

And we reach 1957 – not just another year out of many, but one of the studio's most successful! Three Little Bops Directed by Friz Freleng A modern jazzy take on the story of the Three Little Pigs. The wolf wants to play with the Three Little Bops who are performing in the House of Straw. His corny trumpet playing doesn't impress the pigs and he gets thrown out, blowing the house down in anger. Fairytale parodies (including ones of the Three Little Pigs) were something the stud
Tacodidra

Tacodidra in Looney Tunes

2
Looney Tunes

1956: One of these days...

This year won't bring us significant new stars (though a couple of recurring characters debut), but fun cartoons for sure! And we can see the crew experimenting with new character combinations, supporting characters and even a few one-shots! Bugs' Bonnets Directed by Chuck Jones The narrator explains how clothes, even just a hat, affect a person's behavior. This is then demonstrated with Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny, as theatrical hats fly out of a truck and keep landing on their heads.
Looney Tunes

1955: Hello my baby

And here's another year of WB cartoons – one of the studio's most acclaimed seasons! The release schedule, however, keeps shrinking, as this is the last year to have more than 30 cartoons in the two main series. Pizzicato Pussycat Directed by I. Freleng A bespectacled mouse is a very talented pianist, having stolen the Jones family's toy piano and sheet music. When the family cat catches the mouse, they make a deal – the mouse will be spared as long as he'll play the piano for the ca
Looney Tunes

1954: The Tasmanian Devil's on the loose

This year will bring us several debuts of memorable secondary characters, one of whom would eventually become one of the best-known Looney Tunes characters in the later decades. There's also a technological advance of sorts: as many theaters had started showing films in widescreen, the WB cartoon studio also started taking this into account. While the cartoons continued to be produced in full-screen for the rest of the run, they were now designed with both aspect ratios in mind, at least to some
Looney Tunes

1953: Arriba, arriba!

This year, Chuck Jones introduces yet another new pair of characters. There are also several all-time classics in the mix! On a more negative note, the WB cartoon studio was temporarily shut down this year, but thankfully that didn't affect the release schedule due to the existing backlog of cartoons.   Don't Give Up the Sheep Directed by Charles M. Jones A hungry wolf tries to steal a bunch of sheep, but a sheepdog watches over the herd and foils all his attempts, for which
Looney Tunes

1952: Super genius

This year gives us the return of a few characters we had only seen once before, along with an adorable new pair of recurring characters! Who's Kitten Who? Directed by Robert McKimson Hippety Hopper hops away while in his crate, ending up in a basement. In the same house, Sylvester is trying to show his son how to catch mice. Then the kangaroo shows up and Sylvester stands no chance against him, to the embarrassment of Sylvester Jr. Another nice entry with Hippety Hopper. The basic id
Looney Tunes

1951: Wabbit season! Duck season!

1951 might not be the most influential year for the WB cartoons with regard to debuting characters (in fact, there are more recurring characters we see for the last time this year). But there is one new combination of familiar characters that will appear several times later on... and obviously many great cartoons! Hare We Go Directed by Robert McKimson In 1492, Christopher Columbus sets out to prove the world is round after Queen Isabella promises him her jewels if he succeeds. Bugs
Looney Tunes

1950: Bye bye buzzard

The Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies' third decade begins! This year, we have some recurring characters making their first appearances and say goodbye to a few others. Home, Tweet Home Directed by I. Freleng Sylvester is chasing Tweety in a park. His attempts to catch the bird keep getting foiled by a woman, a bulldog and Tweety himself. In this relatively early Sylvester and Tweety entry, Tweety's character is still quite close to his 40s version. While he starts relying more on oth
Looney Tunes

1949: Wonderful, simply scrumptious!

And we've reached the last year of the Warner Bros. cartoons' second decade. This year is especially notable for the introduction of two of WB's longest-lasting and most beloved characters. Wise Quackers Directed by I. Freleng A tired Daffy is unable to fly south and gets caught by hunter Elmer Fudd. The duck promises to do anything Elmer wants if he spares him, including being his slave. Elmer agrees to this, but Daffy's attempts to help Elmer prove to be more of a nuisance. Daffy i
Looney Tunes

1948: A king-sized mouse, a musclebound mastodon!

This year will bring us the debut of a character who would become more popular in the later decades, and another notable recurring character. There will also be a significant increase in familiarity (you'll soon find out why)! We're also back to having more than 30 cartoons per year. Gorilla My Dreams Directed by Robert McKimson In the jungle, a female gorilla is sad that the stork hasn't brought her a baby. Bugs sails there in a barrel, and the gorilla decides to raise him as her ch
Looney Tunes

1947: Cat and bird win big

This year, the studio will finally start to receive accolades for their great cartoons, with the first pairing of two very familiar characters... One Meat Brawl Directed by Robert McKimson It's Groundhog Day – this should be a happy occasion for Grover Groundhog, but due to the meat shortage, everyone is hunting him! Porky and his dog Mandrake (the same dog as the Barnyard Dawg who had debuted in "Walky Talky Hawky" the year before) are also after him, trying to get a new addition to
Looney Tunes

1946: One of these things has got to be a chicken!

With the war over, the studio's full focus is on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. And indeed, we get more shorts in the main series again. Book Revue Directed by Robert Clampett Also known by its reissue title of "Book Review", completely ruining the pun! Books come to life in a store at night and the characters in them perform a jazzy tune. Things get really wild when Daffy pops out of a comic book, starting his own performance (impersonating Danny Kaye) and eventually getting
Looney Tunes

1945: Something new has been added!

The production schedule is shrinking... For the first time since 1931 (and also the last time for a while), the number of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts falls below the 20-mark. But there will be some milestones in the series, and the additional commissioned shorts will again form a notable part of the studio's output...   Odor-able Kitty Directed by Charles M. Jones A cat is unsatisfied with the way he gets treated. He comes up with a solution – with the help of pa
Looney Tunes

1944: Goodbye, Mr. Schlesinger

We've reached the first year when all the WB cartoons in the main series are in full color. Also a year of changes for the Schlesinger cartoon studio... Little Red Riding Rabbit Directed by I. Freleng A teenage Little Red Riding Hood is bringing her grandma a bunny rabbit (Bugs)... to have! The wolf goes to grandma's house as usual, and takes her place easily, as grandma is working swing shift at Lockheed. Once Red shows up, the wolf shoos her away, as he's only interested in eating
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