A proper revival with new Looney Tunes content wasn't far away either. 1972 saw the release of the first TV special featuring the characters. Many of these specials were made, often outsourced to other studios until WB reopened their animation studio. 30 to 60 minutes long, there were several that consisted of all new content, but most of them consisted of newly made bridging sequences between old cartoons. These specials often featured the work of many earlier WB cartoon artists. For example, Chuck Jones returned after a decade away, his first new work having been the Road Runner segments for the children's series "The Electric Company", followed by various specials.
Later in the same decade, the Looney Tunes characters also started appearing in theatrical features, again with some of the old crew involved. However, like most of the TV specials, these consisted of old cartoons with some new animation between them to form a more or less concise story.
In the 80s, we would finally see the Looney Tunes return to their original format: theatrical short films. While never produced on a full schedule like they were from the 30s to the 60s, many short-lived revivals have been seen in the last few decades.
Of course there's a lot more material featuring the characters, such as various TV series, animated/live-action features and commercials but covering all of it would be practically impossible, so I've decided to focus on what I consider Looney Tunes in its essence: theatrical shorts, as well as works involving the original WB artists.
TV specials
Daffy Duck & Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies (1972)
Directed by Hal Sutherland
The Groovie Goolies, a group of movie monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy and Hagatha), are watching Daffy Duck's TV show about his new movie "King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table", featuring various Looney Tunes characters. This soon gets interrupted by the Phantom of the Flickers who plans to destroy every film Daffy has made. The Goolies go to Daffy's studio to prevent him from doing so, and wackiness ensues. Filmation (for whom this was the only Looney Tunes work) was known for the cheapness of their productions, and it certainly shows in the animation here. The Looney Tunes' scenes are by far the best here despite some of the jokes feeling too drawn out, as the Goolies are annoying more often than funny and the villain isn't very interesting. The whole thing is too long to keep the viewer interested, some of the voices are played in the wrong pitch (Daffy sounds like a chipmunk), an annoying laugh track is heard after almost every line... The only big positive is having a large cast of Looney Tunes here: most of the big stars apart from Bugs show up here, with Petunia Pig's animated return after over three decades of absence being a surprise! There's also a deranged and surreal scene where the Goolies turn into live-action actors, which has to be seen to be believed. All in all, not really the glorious return the Looney Tunes deserved.
5
Carnival of the Animals (1976)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Animated Musical Sequences Directed by Herbert Klynn
Live Action Direction: Gerry Woolery
This special was produced by Chuck Jones Enterprises. Duo pianists Bugs and Daffy perform Camille Saint-Saëns' "Carnival of the Animals", accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Between the movements, they recite humorous poems about the featured animals, with Bugs being much more popular with the audience. More an interesting special than a particularly funny one (though there is the usual Bugs and Daffy rivalry with their arguments about the composer's name and the amusingly corny poems by Ogden Nash), this combines animation with live footage of the orchestra performing, while the segments about the animals are shown in more stylized animation. Showcasing Jones' sophisticated approach, it's definitely a unique experience in the Looney Tunes filmography. The animation shows his style well and is enjoyable despite some occasional flaws (one short scene has Bugs speaking with Daffy's voice).
8
Bugs Bunny's Easter Special (1977)
Supervising Director: Friz Freleng
Directed by Robert McKimson & Gerry Chiniquy
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
Also known as "Bugs Bunny's Easter Funnies". The Easter Bunny is sick, and Granny is looking for a replacement. Bugs is obviously her first choice, but he's busy due to a movie he's filming. Sylvester, Pepé Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam are all in the running (we see some of their best performances), while Daffy keeps misunderstanding the role required... To save on costs, most of the later TV specials would feature old cartoons in addition to some new footage (produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in this case), this being the first such one. The cartoons picked, while not shown in full, are some of the best in the Looney Tunes library. The new animation isn't quite as impressive visually, but the story is an entertaining one. We even hear the memorable song "Mister Easter Rabbit", originally written for a Bugs Bunny Golden Record in the 50s! A nice introduction for these old/new specials!
9
Bugs Bunny in Space (1977)
Directed by Chuck Jones & Friz Freleng
This special features three space-themed cartoons starring Bugs and Marvin ("Mad as a Mars Hare", "The Hasty Hare" and "Hare-way to the Stars") with clips from "Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century" shown in between. Inspired by the success of Star Wars, this special was obviously a rushed one, featuring no new content apart from a credits scroll obviously inspired by said movie. The included cartoons are great, but the lack of new content is disappointing – fortunately this wouldn't be the last space-themed special...
7
Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special (1977)
Directed by David Detiege
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Abe Levitow, Robert McKimson & Maurice Noble
Daffy's nephew and Bugs Bunny both meet Witch Hazel while trick-or-treating. Daffy also goes to meet the witch (with Speedy Gonzales temporarily filling in for her), while Tweety and Bugs both experience the effects of the Hyde formula and Sylvester is scared in a house enchanted by Witch Hazel's spell. A combination of spooky cartoons – all the Witch Hazel cartoons are featured, as are a couple of Jekyll and Hyde-themed shorts and two of the Porky and Sylvester cartoons. While the story and new animation aren't quite as appealing as in "Bugs Bunny's Easter Special", the result works surprisingly well, with the help of occasional redubbed dialogue. The fact that the original cartoons were so great helps a lot, but I feel they did a good job in any case.
8
A Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's Court (1978)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Also known as "Bugs Bunny in King Arthur's Court". In this wacky take on Mark Twain, Bugs tries to dig his way to Georgia for a peanut festival, but ends up in Camelot instead. He's captured by dragon hunter Elmer of Fudde who mistakes him for a dragon and takes him to King Arthur's (Daffy) court. The clever rabbit saves himself from being burned at the stake thanks to a solar eclipse, but his troubles don't end there... Jones always did well with medieval themes, and this one is no exception – fun cartoon antics, amusing dialogue and entertaining gags. Despite the characters' unusual roles, they are all perfectly themselves. There are some unnecessary parts (Porky, or "Porkè of Pigge", stuttering his way through a newspaper), but it's still a very good special on the whole... and it's great to see one with all new footage for a change!
9
How Bugs Bunny Won the West (1978)
Directed by Hal Geer
Animation Director: Jim Davis
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
In live-action, special guest star Denver Pyle tells us about his favorite Western hero, Bugs Bunny. With his narration, we see Bugs and Daffy's Western exploits, with them finding gold and dealing with various outlaws (Nasty Canasta, Yosemite Sam and Blacque Jacque Shellacque). An interesting special in that most of the new footage is live-action rather than animation. Denver Pyle is a fitting narrator/host for the special and the live-action scenes are generally appealing. What little new animation we get is less effective, but the thematic combination of cartoons works rather nicely.
8
Bugs Bunny's Valentine (1979)
Directed by Jim Davis
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Bob McKimson
Also known as "Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers". Cupid, who resembles Elmer Fudd, is going around making lonely hearts find love. Bugs questions the need for Cupid and thinks he's just a meddler, while Cupid tries to prove his worth by helping Pepé Le Pew, Miss Prissy, Granny and even Daffy Duck find love, with Bugs showing he can do it too. A nice special – there's more new animated footage than in some of the earlier ones, and the chosen cartoons, sharing the love theme, are rather imaginative picks. Elmer (or more accurately, a lookalike) as Cupid is a callback to the classic "The Stupid Cupid" (as are the heart-shaped transitions between scenes) and works nicely here too.
8.5
The Bugs Bunny Mother's Day Special (1979)
Directed by Jim Davis
Classic Cartoons Directed by Art Davis, Friz Freleng & Robert McKimson
Bugs meets Granny who's selling violets for Mother's Day. After he says mothers are the most important people in the world, a stork shows up and says they're important too, as they deliver the babies. We see Daffy fighting an alligator for an egg, Foghorn becoming the mother of an ostrich, Bugs being delivered to a mother kangaroo... While entertaining, this isn't my favorite of the specials – while it's nice to see some rare characters like the drunken stork (who plays a part to the point it feels more like "The Bugs Bunny Stork Special"), the cartoon selection is a bit weaker than usual. While there are some classics here like "Stork Naked", we also get slightly lesser entries like "Quackodile Tears" and "Mother Was a Rooster". Good but not essential viewing.
7.5
Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet (1979)
Directed by David Detiege
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
Diet doctor Bugs gives eating advice to Porky, Millicent and Sylvester, all of whom have different kinds of eating problems, for Thanksgiving. He uses Yosemite Sam, Wile E. Coyote (Forlornus miserablus) and Taz as examples of unhealthy eaters. One of the best of these specials! Millicent's return is a surprising one, and the new bridging sequences are fun and linked well with the classic footage (which is also well chosen). There are some nice little jokes thrown in, like the Dow Jones and Dow Freleng indices on Bugs' wall! The ending in particular is a surprisingly daring one!
9
The following three specials consisted entirely of new footage, featuring three separate stories with wrap-around segments between them. As these stories would later also be broadcast as separate segments with distinctive titles, I'm also giving them their own ratings in addition to that of the whole special.
Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)
"Bugs Bunny" Sequences Directed by Friz Freleng
"Road-Runner" Sequence Directed by Chuck Jones
Sequence Directors: Tony Benedict, David Detiege, Bill Perez & Art Vitello
Three all new shorts produced by DePatie-Freleng and Chuck Jones Enterprises, with bridging sequences featuring Bugs leading a looney choir of carolers.
"Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol": Cratchit (Porky Pig) gets fired by Scrooge (Yosemite Sam) on Christmas Day. Scrooge also forecloses the mortgage on the family's house, forcing them to move out. Bugs decides to teach Scrooge a lesson by dressing as a ghost. A charming version of the classic story with a large cast of Looney Tunes characters and some appropriate comedy. 9
"Freeze Frame": After reading that road runners hate snow, Wile E. Coyote (Grotesques Appetitus) tries a snow-cloud seeder. After that fails, he leads the Road Runner (Semper Food-Ellus) to a colder area, leading to a chase on snow and ice. A nice twist on the classic chase formula with the wintery setting and fitting gags. 9
"Fright Before Christmas": The Tasmanian Devil escapes from a plane and ends up in Santa's clothes and riding his sleigh! "Santa" then comes to visit Bugs while his nephew Clyde is over, leading to a lot of chaos. Not as strong as the first two shorts, but still an entertaining one, and it's good to see Taz finally return! 8
A nice special combining the typical Looney Tunes comedy with a Christmas theme. Worth a watch, especially for the return of many characters that hadn't appeared much lately.
9
Daffy Duck's Easter Show (1980)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Sequence Directors: Tony Benedict, Gerry Chiniquy, Art Davis & David Detiege
This special produced by DePatie-Freleng is also known as "Daffy Duck's Easter Egg-citement". Daffy tries to host an Easter special, but between the cartoons, he constantly gets bothered by an animator "Duck Amuck" style.
"The Yolks on You": The hens are to lay eggs in various colors for Easter, with Prissy responsible for the turquoise eggs. After she accidentally lays a golden egg, she throws it away, but Daffy and Sylvester find it and start fighting for it. The typical cartoon chase, a bit reminiscent of "Quackodile Tears". Not a must-see but amusing in any case. 8
"The Chocolate Chase": Daffy guards a chocolate bunny factory, so the poor little mice are unable to get any for Easter. Speedy Gonzales comes to the rescue, outwitting the duck. A return of the infamous character pairing! This is fairly ordinary as far as Speedy cartoons go, just with a little Easter flavor and a more likable portrayal of Daffy. 7.5
"Daffy Flies North": The ducks are flying north and Daffy is struggling to stay in formation. He tries other ways to get there, including hitchhiking and riding a horse, with little success. The early parts where Daffy tries different methods are more entertaining than the various scenes with the laughing horse – a character DePatie-Freleng liked to use a lot in their Pink Panther cartoons, for example. 7.5
Enjoyable, but it doesn't live up to the quality of the Christmas special. The bridging segments with Daffy fighting the paintbrush were actually better than most of the actual shorts here. I guess those were the parts where Freleng had the most involvement, as the standalone versions of the shorts are credited to the "sequence directors" instead!
7.5
Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over (1980)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Co-director: Phil Monroe
Produced by Chuck Jones Enterprises. It's springtime, and Bugs celebrates the wonders of the season.
"Portrait of the Artist as a Young Bunny": A flashback to when Bugs and Elmer were kids. School's out and the young hunter is chasing the little rabbit with his popgun. Clever puns and other adorable wackiness make this a memorable short – a nice companion to "The Old Grey Hare", which had the two as babies. 9.5
"Spaced Out Bunny": Marvin manages to lure Bugs with a carrot, taking him to Mars to be a friend to Hugo. But Bugs convinces Hugo to cuddle a "robot" instead... The return of the Abominable Snowman! Not as good as his first appearance, as the pacing is a bit slow at times, but fun in any case. 8
"Soup or Sonic": Wile E. Coyote (Nemesis ridiculii) tries to catch the Road Runner (Ultra-sonicus ad infinitum) with the help of rockets (a running gag), pole vaulting and a giant fly paper among other things. A very enjoyable Road Runner cartoon! There are a lot of nice little gags (such as the Road Runner's trademark sound getting a Latin name of its own), but the obvious highlight is the unique ending! 10
My favorite of the three specials consisting of all new shorts. Plenty of the typical WB cartoon charm, and while the shorts' (well, two of them) large amount of dialogue might be divisive, I think it's very well-written and fitting for the characters.
9.5
The Bugs Bunny Mystery Special (1980)
Directed by Gerry Chiniquy
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng & Chuck Jones
In this special hosted by Porky, Bugs gets mistaken for a bank robber, "the Tall Dark Stranger", and is arrested by agent Fudd. He manages to escape from prison, but with the likes of Yosemite Sam and Wile E. Coyote after him, he has to find the real culprit. With an entertaining story and comedic new sequences linked well with the old footage and great portrayals of the characters, this is one of my favorites of these specials! As a slight criticism, the mystery aspect is missing in some of the featured cartoons – "All a Bir-r-r-d" being featured Sylvester and Tweety cartoon instead of "The Last Hungry Cat" is a weird choice, for one. In any case, they're still good shorts, making this a fun watch!
9
Daffy Duck's Thanks-for-Giving Special (1980)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Co-Director: Phil Monroe
Classic Cartoons Directed by Chuck Jones & Friz Freleng
Produced by Chuck Jones Enterprises. Frustrated with how bad Thanksgiving is for birds (including ducks), Daffy comes up with the idea to make it Thanks-for-Giving Day instead – a day when everyone thanks him for all the joy he has given them! His boss J.L. wants a Thanksgiving special and isn't interested in Daffy's pitch of "Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century". Daffy tries to convince J.L. to change his mind by reminding him of all the great movies he has given the studio. Not really much to do with Thanksgiving here, but the special is a fun one with the variation on "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" (surprisingly, the story itself isn't featured here, just Daffy pitching ideas). Mel Blanc's voice performance is charming always, and the obvious highlight is the only appearance of the full Duck Dodgers sequel (the only proper way to watch it). The other cartoons featured are mostly ones we've seen in these specials before (especially "Robin Hood Daffy" has been used a lot), though "His Bitter Half" is a more surprising choice.
8.5
Bugs Bunny: All American Hero (1981)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Co-director: David Detiege
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng & Gerry Chiniquy
Bugs' nephew Clyde has an American history test today. Bugs helps him by telling him about various historical events and the part rabbits have played in them. He covers the US becoming independent, the Civil War, World War I and elections. Essentially an extended version of "Yankee Doodle Bugs" with new footage and other cartoons included. While it may not have as much new animation as some of the other specials did, this is among my favorites – the cartoon selection is a strong one (with less seen shorts like "The Rebel Without Claws" and "Dumb Patrol"), but most significantly, they all fit the theme of the special perfectly, which hasn't necessarily always been the case! The new footage is also appealing, no doubt thanks to Freleng's hands-on involvement and the contributions of various original WB crew members.
9.5
Bugs Bunny's Mad World of Television (1982)
Directed by David Detiege
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
The QTTV network fires its president after a week. They decide to hire someone who understands entertainment: Bugs Bunny! He gives feedback on the network's shows (including "Dragnest" starring Sergeant Tweety and a game show hosted by Daffy Duck). Yosemite Sam tries to become a star, and Bugs hires him as vice-president. But Sam has plans to take over as president... The TV theme connects the cartoons relatively well, though there are some occasional flaws, like "The Ducksters" obviously being about a radio game show rather than one on TV. Content reuse reaches a new level when this TV special uses "This Is a Life?", a short that already featured clips of earlier cartoons! An entertaining special, but not one of my favorites.
7.5
Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary (1986)
Directed by Gary Weis
Original Animation Directed by Chuck Jones
Classic Cartoons Directed by Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson & Frank Tashlin
In this live-action special produced by Broadway Video, the Museum of Modern Art honors Bugs Bunny and two of the people behind his cartoons, Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng. We hear them and Mel Blanc telling about the various characters' origins. Many celebrities also share their experiences of the Looney Tunes characters. A mixed bag, really. The classic cartoon clips are quite representative and even show some earlier cartoons than usual, including Porky's debut "I Haven't Got a Hat" and even a few black and white shorts. What little new animation there is of Bugs and Daffy looks nice and has their typical character chemistry. It's always interesting to hear from the creators, especially when we see Jones drawing the characters and Blanc doing Bugs' voice. But the segments with celebrities pretending to know the characters for real and recounting past events involving them are the weak point of the special and a lot of time is spent on those. I don't really find most of those parts funny – if celebrities were to be included, I would have preferred to hear about their real-life experiences watching the cartoons! More Mel Blanc would have been great too.
7
Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars (1988)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Bugs and Daffy run their own TV stations, WABBIT and K-PUT respectively, both broadcasting music videos (i.e. musical clips from classic WB cartoons) – Daffy mostly focuses on his own performances, while Bugs shows songs with a variety of themes. The two compete in Nielsen ratings, with WABBIT constantly outperforming K-PUT. A fun take on the popularity of music videos and MTV at the time! The selection of cartoons is more diverse than we've seen in any previous specials or movies. Pre-1948 cartoon clips are included alongside later ones: we see clips from some of the A.A.P. library (thanks to them being in the public domain) as well as black and white cartoons, ranging from Porky classics to Bosko and even obscurities like "Those Were Wonderful Days" and "Shake Your Powder Puff"! The new story is also a very entertaining one with the typical Bugs and Daffy rivalry and including some stealthy references. Some of the linework in the new animation is a bit blurry, but that's just a slight complaint in an otherwise great special. Also nostalgic for me, since this was not just the first Looney Tunes special I saw but also my introduction to many of the earlier shorts excerpted here.
9.5
Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports (1989)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Bob McKimson
In the Arthur Q. Bryan Pavillion, the Sportsman of the Year will be chosen. Through classic cartoon footage, we see the many nominees taking part in various sports such as swimming and diving, badminton and wrestling. Daffy is annoyed, predicting Bugs will win as always. Sports were always a common theme in the classic WB cartoons, and this special takes good advantage of that. The featured cartoons include classics like "High Diving Hare" as well as less remembered shorts like "Sport Chumpions" (as in the previous Ford/Lennon special, some pre-1948 material is featured too). The result is an appealing one with the old and new footage linked well and amusing moments like the announcement of the winner! The reference to Elmer's original voice actor is a nice touch. This was the last WB cartoon ever to feature newly recorded dialogue by Mel Blanc, who died months after its premiere. His last Looney Tunes performance still contained the usual charm!
8.5
Happy Birthday Bugs: 50 Looney Years (1990)
Directed by Gary Smith
"Wheel of Fortune" Segment Directed by Dick Carson
"Entertainment Tonight" Segment Directed by Ron DeMoraes
"Geraldo" Segment Directed by Marlene Phillips
"Donahue" Segment Directed by Bryan Russo
Classic Cartoons Directed by Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
Additional Classic Cartoon Directors: Arthur Davis, Ben Hardaway, Abe Levitow & Frank Tashlin
Original Warner Bros. Animation Directed by Greg Ford, Terry Lennon & Darrell Van Citters
"50 Years of Bugs Bunny in 3½ Minutes" Directed by Chuck Workman
In this live-action special produced with Smith-Hemion, various celebrities send their birthday wishes to Bugs Bunny. To Daffy's dismay, many TV shows also cover Bugs and his career. The broadcast occasionally gets disrupted by Daffy's fans, protesting his treatment. Among other things, we also see a sneak peek of the yet-to-be-released "Box-Office Bunny", a tribute to the late Mel Blanc and a 3½-minute music video edited from various Bugs classics. Very much in the style of the 1986 anniversary special with the celebrity guests and cartoon clips (this even reuses the Freleng, Jones and Blanc interviews from that one)... but I find this special to be a vastly superior version! The celebrity appearances are funnier thanks to their at times over-the-top performances, the animated parts (both new and redubbed ones from "Bugs vs. Daffy") utilize the Bugs and Daffy rivalry better, and there are even some emotional moments in the Blanc tribute. This was the first long-form appearance for his successor Jeff Bergman, who does a good job, though matching Blanc is impossible. I don't think this kind of special could have been done much better!
9.5
Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster (1991)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
William Tell Overture Sequence Directed by Daniel Haskett
Classic Cartoons Directed by Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng & Abe Levitow
Bugs, Daffy, Porky and Elmer all perform in a concert of classical music. The audience includes the Three Bears, Yosemite Sam, Granny and Mr. Meek among others. The performers and audience get distracted by various things (to Daffy's amusement), including a fly and Sylvester's attempts to show off. The second music-focused special is another entertaining one: the characters' antics are fun, and the cartoon selection is flawless with classics like "What's Opera, Doc?" and the less seen "Baton Bunny". Out of Bergman's voice performances, I particularly like Elmer – the best one since Arthur Q. Bryan. The William Tell Overture sequence with Daffy and Porky is the wildest part of the special, and probably the most remembered too, as it was later cut down into a standalone short...
9
Bugs Bunny's Creature Features (1992)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Bugs hosts a compilation of horror cartoons starring himself and Daffy. This special consists of the first three shorts by Ford and Lennon: "Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers", "The Duxorcist" and "The Night of the Living Duck". All of these three are great, among the best Looney Tunes productions made after the classic era. There's little new bridging footage – despite being well made, Bugs' hosting segments are very short and not particularly memorable. Indeed, the highlight here is the debut of "Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers", a true shining moment among all the Looney Tunes revivals. This would be the last of the specials to actually be aired on TV.
9
Bugs Bunny's Lunar Tunes (1993)
Directed by Nancy Beiman
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson, Abe Levitow & Maurice Noble
Marvin the Martian finally gets his case heard in the Intergalactic Court of Last Resort. He's going to blow up the Earth and tries to justify it with the ways Earthlings have committed crimes against the universe with pollution and negative portrayals of Martians in the media. Bugs has been selected to defend the Earth. He has to convince the alien jury that Marvin is the one to blame before the Earth is destroyed, and he only has 23 minutes to do so! A brilliant special. The classic cartoons excerpted here (the ones featuring Marvin) are among WB's best. But there's more new animation than usual, and the plot is an excellent one, with many amusing gags including meta jokes, enjoyable character chemistry, great use of classic footage (including some live-action stock material)... It was the last WB cartoon with the involvement of Greg Ford, who co-wrote and produced it. Also the first Looney Tunes production by a female director! For some reason, this special was released on VHS instead of being aired on TV. I doubt this was due to its quality, as it's a very strong one – I'd go as far as to say this is my favorite of the bunch.
10
Movies
Bugs Bunny: Superstar (1975)
Directed by Larry Jackson
The first compilation movie was not by Warner Bros., but a Hare-Raising Films production distributed by United Artists (who owned the A.A.P. cartoon library)! Through Orson Welles' narration, interviews with directors Bob Clampett, Tex Avery and Friz Freleng, and a lot of production artwork, archival footage and classic cartoons, we go through the history of the Warner Bros. cartoon studios and their characters. While this film (particularly some of the sequences with Clampett, who appears the most here) has been criticized for some inaccuracies, it still provides an entertaining overview of the history of the Looney Tunes. The cartoon selections (from the pre-1948 color library) are all excellent picks, showcasing the WB cartoons at their best. Most of the main directors from this era (the interviewees, as well as Jones and McKimson) are represented, as are the most important characters, with the cartoons ranging from obvious choices ("A Wild Hare") to less seen gems ("I Taw a Putty Tat"). A slight criticism: they're all from the 40s – it would have been nice to have at least one 30s entry included (such as Porky's debut in "I Haven't Got a Hat"). But even with its slight flaws, this is a great look at the series and its background.
9.5
The Great American Chase (1979)
Directed by Chuck Jones
"Bugs at Home" Co-director: Phil Monroe
The first animated compilation feature, better known by its later title of "The Bugs Bunny/Road-Runner Movie". We visit Bugs at home. He tells us about how the chase was invented. He also explains how he has many fathers, presenting the films of one of these (Chuck Jones). We see Bugs and Daffy meeting various villains, such as Marvin (the) Martian, Elmer Fudd and Wile E. Coyote, Pepé Le Pew trying to find love, Bugs' exploits at opera and a compilation of Road Runner gags. While the focus is on Jones' cartoons, largely those from the 50s, I think this is a great showcase of the Looney Tunes at their best, with many of Jones' greatest masterpieces featured here either in complete or abridged form. The new introductory segments with Bugs are also entertaining, with some informative material (such as the reference to most of the directors and writers in the sequence about Bugs' fathers) mixed in with the comedy. This is also where Marvin, now one of the most popular characters in the franchise, got his official name. I feel this would be a great introduction to the WB cartoons for someone not familiar with them!
10
Friz Freleng's Looney Looney Looney Bugs Movie (1981)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Sequence Directors: David Detiege, Phil Monroe & Gerry Chiniquy
The previous movie having focused on Jones' cartoons, it's now Freleng's turn! After a presentation of the Oscar-winning "Knighty Knight Bugs", a three-act feature showcases Friz's best.
Act I "Satan's Waitin'": Sam dies after a failed attempt to marry Granny and take her money. The devil gives him another chance if he catches someone to take his place... namely Bugs Bunny.
Act II "The Unmentionables": As agent Elegant Mess, Bugs gets the task of arresting the dangerous gangster Rocky and his gang. However, Rocky keeps getting released due to various loopholes, kidnapping Daffy and Tweety along the way.
Act III "The Oswald Awards": As creators are the ones who get Oscars, five-time Oscar and two-time Emmy winner Freleng has come up with an awards show to honor cartoon characters: the Oswalds! Various characters are there, including nominees Big Bad Wolf, Sylvester and Tweety, and Bugs himself. Daffy is annoyed at not being honored.
An excellent compilation feature! While the new animation isn't visually quite at the level of the old cartoons, the sequences are charming in any case, connecting the classics (which include both very famous shorts like "Birds Anonymous" and underrated ones like "The Unmentionables"). The Oswald awards part is definitely my favorite, including great appearances from many familiar faces (including some used by other directors). Act I is also a positive surprise – while it's very similar to the lackluster "Devil's Feud Cake", this one works better, including having a better design for the devil. And despite the Freleng focus, this feels slightly less like a "self-tribute" than Jones' film did, which is a positive. Another highlight among these films.
10
Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales (1982)
Sequence Directors: David Detiege, Art Davis & Bill Perez
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Robert McKimson & Chuck Jones
Bugs and Daffy are salesmen for Rambling House Publishing Inc. Whoever sells more books gets a grand prize, with Bugs set to sell them in Pismo Beach and Daffy in Thermopolis. But as the cold sets in, Daffy tries to fly south, while Bugs ends up in the jungle and then the desert where Sultan Yosemite Sam forces him to tell stories for his son Prince Abadaba. Another solid compilation, though I don't think it quite matches the first couple in quality. Thanks to its plot, this film manages to take advantage of the large number of fairytale parodies in the WB cartoons – most of the featured shorts are in that vein. These are very well chosen for the most part, though the inclusion of a cut-up version of "Ali Baba Bunny" feels a little unnecessary (a more intact version had already been used in "The Great American Chase"). The new animation and story are strong enough, with the bratty Abadaba an appropriately annoying character Bugs is forced to spend time with. The Bugs and Daffy rivalry (and the duck's role in general) proves to play a surprisingly small part in the film, though I guess we've had enough of that in previous cartoons. And one thing I really liked: decades later, the late Arthur Q. Bryan finally gets a credit for voicing Elmer Fudd.
8.5
Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island (1983)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Co-director: Phil Monroe
Sequence Directors: Phil Monroe, David Detiege & Friz Freleng
Classic Cartoons Directed by Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones & Robert McKimson
Daffy and Speedy are stuck on a desert island with nothing to eat but coconuts. But once pirate captain Seaweed Sam's ship is sunk by Bugs, Daffy ends up in possession of Sam's treasure map. This gives him control of a wishing well, and he of course decides to earn money by selling pennies (for 500 dollars!) for other characters to have their wishes granted. Sam and his mate Taz try to find out who took the map and get it back. While not as strong as the first couple of movies, it's one I've always enjoyed and another very nostalgic one, as it was one of the first Looney Tunes productions I remember seeing as a kid. The storyline is a fun one, and the featured cartoons are of course absolute classics. Even the Daffy and Speedy pairing works better than in most earlier films, as the two are portrayed as friends (of sorts) instead of the duck chasing the mouse for whatever reason. There are some weak parts, like the weird way "Stupor Duck" is linked to the rest of the movie (Daffy suddenly returns to the island in his non-super form a couple of times with no explanation), but for the most part, it's an enjoyable compilation.
9
Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Classic Cartoons Directed by Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng & Robert McKimson
Classic Cartoons Co-directed by Maurice Noble
Preceded by a showing of the new short "The Night of the Living Duck". Failed salesman Daffy makes ailing millionaire J.P. Cubish laugh and inherits his fortune. But as a condition, Daffy must start a business that serves the public, and every time he shows the wrong attitude, he loses some of the money. Daffy becomes a paranormalist, vowing to get rid of ghosts (including that of Cubish!), and hires Bugs and Porky to work with him. A compilation of horror-themed cartoons, with "Daffy Dilly" and "The Duxorcist" being the foundations of its story. While this kind of compilation was done before in "Bugs Bunny's Howl-oween Special", this one's a lot better – the story is the most entertaining in these films, the cartoons all fit thematically, and the animation is excellent, replicating the style of the classics. Ford and Lennon's Looney Tunes revivals have been among my favorites, and with this, they gave the characters their best compilation feature film. At a level the Looney Tunes productions may not have reached since then, an absolute standout.
10
Shorts
It was inevitable that the Looney Tunes would return to their original format of theatrical short cartoons someday, especially with shorter new stories having already been made for some of the TV specials. Some of these enjoyed wide theatrical releases, while others got a limited release or were only aired on TV or released on video in the end.
Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century (1980)
Directed by Chuck Jones
What better way to reintroduce theatrical shorts than with the return of one of Daffy's most famous roles, handled by most of the same crew! Duck Dodgers and the Eager Young Space Cadet must solve a terrible crisis by getting the rack-and-pinion molecule, the only substance that can be used to polish yo-yos. They crash into a rack-and-pinion meteor and end up meeting Marvin the Martian who's planning to blow up the Earth! The first Duck Dodgers short was an all-time classic, so matching it was going to be quite a task even for Jones. While this didn't quite happen, the short is an entertaining one with appealing character portrayals and wordplay. Gossamer returns, finally getting his familiar name! With its troubled production, it could have been a lot worse... This was the last collaboration of Jones and Michael Maltese, credited as co-writers, but Jones rejected most of Maltese's original storyboard. The short was planned to be released alongside the movie "The Empire Strikes Back" but eventually only got a limited theatrical release. The final version of the short had a couple of scenes cut out, while the original full version would only be shown on "Daffy Duck's Thanks-for-Giving Special". The shortened version barely makes sense with all the edits (Dodgers doesn't realize what Marvin is going to do, and even ending is taken out). The long version is definitely the one to go for.
8.5
The new theatrical shorts program would get its proper start in 1987, with Greg Ford and Terry Lennon as the series' new directors and writers. They also revived the TV specials and briefly movies with the characters.
The Duxorcist (1987)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Paranormalist Daffy Duck gets a customer – an attractive female duck. Daffy's attempts to romance her don't go as expected, as she's possessed, with Daffy having to exorcise her. An excellent comeback, very much in the spirit of the classics! Great gags, plenty of puns and appealing artwork (with the involvement of some of the classic Looney Tunes crew) make this a memorable one. Daffy is portrayed well, combining the wacky duck of the early days and McKimson's salesman Daffy instead of using the later angrier version. Like the other Ford/Lennon cartoons, this reuses music and vocal effects from older cartoons, adding to the atmosphere. For a slight criticism, Mel Blanc's Daffy voice isn't sped up as usual – something that happened very often in these late productions. But even in spite of this slight flaw, it's a strong success, which would inspire a full feature film the following year!
10
The Night of the Living Duck (1988)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
Daffy is reading comic books. While looking for issue 177 of "Hideous Tales" (featuring Smodzilla!), he gets knocked out. He dreams he's a nightclub singer and comedian, performing for an audience of monsters. Continuing the horror theme from Ford and Lennon's debut short, it's another appealing one. Great animation, Daffy's portrayal is charming, and the monsters are fun... but the obvious highlight is Daffy's performance of the jazzy tune "Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives" – surprise guest Mel Tormé provides a great vocal, and of course the title is a reference to the classic "Hair-Raising Hare". Also the last short to feature Mel Blanc, who will be missed tremendously.
9
Box-Office Bunny (1991)
Directed by Darrell Van Citters
A movie theater is built over Bugs' rabbit hole. After he pops out of his hole to see what's going on, usher Elmer notices he has snuck in without a ticket. Daffy is also trying to see the film without one, and a wild chase involving the trio ensues. Some nice Bugs tricks in this well-animated short. Not an all-time classic (being less than five minutes long doesn't help), but definitely an enjoyable one, with the ending being a particular highlight.
8
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers (1992)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
On what seems like an ordinary day, except for Bugs being late for work and some strange carrots showing up, Bugs deals with Elmer, Sam and Daffy as usual. But the following day, Bugs' three rivals don't act like their usual selves... An absolute classic among these revivals! An unusually long WB cartoon (more than 11 minutes) where the first half is classic Bugs and the second half is very creative! We see some hilarious intentionally bad animation, clever references and gags and some great fourth wall breaking. A strong candidate for the best Looney Tunes short since the classic era. This was produced for the TV special "Bugs Bunny's Creature Features", but with theatrical showings in mind (which didn't materialize in the end). A very funny and imaginative take on the classics.
10
Chuck Jones Film Productions would create several shorts, with the involvement of various Looney Tunes legends, including of course Jones himself, art director Maurice Noble, and Stan Freberg as both voice actor and writer. The first and most successful of these shorts featured the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote:
Chariots of Fur (1994)
Directed by Chuck Jones
The Road Runner (Boulevardius-burnupius) is once again being chased by Wile E. Coyote (Dogius ignoramii). The coyote uses creative contraptions like a giant mouse trap, a cactus costume and lightning bolts. There are more signs than usual and various sound effects, otherwise it's very much in the spirit of the classics, with the imaginative gags and expressive animation (this time with the involvement of pseudonymous Disney animators). A late masterpiece by the legendary director!
10
Carrotblanca (1995)
Directed by Douglas McCarthy
Assistant Director: Spike Brandt
General Pandemonium (Yosemite Sam) is looking for a stolen important document, which Tweety hands over to Bugs. Sylvester is the suspect, and his girlfriend Kitty (Penelope Pussycat) asks Bugs to help... A Casablanca parody with a large cast of Looney Tunes characters. Even without seeing the original movie, it's an entertaining one, with the characters very much being their usual selves despite playing specific roles (the one exception maybe being Tweety with his Peter Lorre impersonation). It's also unusually romantic for a WB cartoon, and Penelope has her most significant appearance with a speaking role. Good execution of an increasingly rare concept.
8.5
Another Froggy Evening (1995)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Another cartoon by Chuck Jones Film Productions. 300,000 years ago, a caveman discovers a box with Michigan J. Frog inside. He sees an opportunity to get rich, but the frog refuses to perform for anyone else but him. The story repeats itself in various settings and eras, such as ancient Rome and the United States in 1776. The famous singing frog from "One Froggy Evening" was finally brought back four decades later – the fact that he was used as the mascot for the then-new WB network may have played a part... How well does the cartoon work? It's definitely no match for its predecessor, especially with a strange ending with a cameo appearance that feels quite forced. But at the same time, with "One Froggy Evening" being one of my favorite WB cartoons (even a strong candidate for number one!), even a rehash has an appeal of its own, and there are some nice gags and new songs that fit the storyline just as well as the originals did. Jeff McCarthy does a good job replacing Bill Roberts as the voice of the frog (which he would also perform for various WB network idents), and the animation is also good. Not something I'd ever pick over the original, but you can get away with this just once!
8.5
Superior Duck (1996)
Directed by Chuck Jones
In this Superman parody produced by Chuck Jones Film Productions, Daffy is the superhero Superior Duck. But the narrator keeps getting his introduction wrong, with a lot of chaos and cameo appearances ensuing. Not one of Jones' all-time classics, but an amusing short for what it is. Plenty of puns, funny cameo appearances, good animation... and some nice callbacks to classic WB cartoons, particularly Duck Dodgers (Daffy's superhero costume is also notably similar to Dodgers' outfit). A divisive cartoon from what I've read – there's admittedly not much of a story here, but I enjoyed all the randomness!
8
Marvin the Martian in the 3rd Dimension (1996)
Directed by Douglas McCarthy (uncredited)
Duck Dodgers is acting out a scene where he's planning to blow up Mars. Marvin finds out about this, mistaking it for a real plan, and sends K-9 to capture the Earthling. But a lot of wackiness ensues, as Dodgers thinks he's getting to star in a movie. Shown in Warner Bros. Movie World amusement parks, this short featured the series' first use of 3D in more than four decades. The version I watched is in 2D, but I imagine the effects were rather impressive in some scenes! The character animation is in cel-shaded CGI (the first time this was done in a Looney Tunes production), which looks decent but doesn't quite match the quality of the other recent shorts. Storywise, we get the usual antics over the extended 13-minute duration – a fun one that I bet was quite a hit in its original 3D version!
8
Pullet Surprise (1997)
Directed by Darrell Van Citters
Produced by Chuck Jones Film Productions. After his failed attempts to catch a rabbit, Pete Puma is back, this time chasing chickens! Foghorn decides to trick him, convincing him that he's doing it wrong and showing him what he should do to catch one. A surprise return for another one-shot character, and in a new character pairing! Both characters are amusing here, but I especially like Pete's portrayal, with Stan Freberg returning to give him the same lovably dopey voice. They're the best part of the short – the gags are solid but not spectacular. A rather average Foghorn cartoon apart from the surprise co-star.
8
(Blooper) Bunny! (1997)
Directed by Greg Ford & Terry Lennon
A one-minute short featuring Bugs, Daffy, Elmer and Sam, celebrating Bugs' 51½st birthday. But after this, we see the making of with the characters trying to film the short with various mishaps and disagreements along the way. Made in 1991, but only released six years later on TV. Maybe it was too critical of some of the characters' portrayals: the first minute portrays them all as friends, happy throughout, but the later parts show the real versions who don't really get along that well! A great concept for a short, and it's done brilliantly too. The "bloopers" are obviously the highlight here, featuring some of the edgiest versions of the characters we've seen. What I really appreciate about the Ford and Lennon shorts is that they did new things with the characters while still making them feel like their original selves, which is definitely the case here.
10
From Hare to Eternity (1997)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Produced by Chuck Jones Film Productions. Buccaneer Sam sails on the H.M.S. Friz Freleng and finds a treasure on an island... But in addition to the treasure chest, he finds Bugs Bunny who proves to be an obstacle to his plans. Dedicated to Friz Freleng who died in 1995 – nice to see one of the WB legends pay tribute to another. As such, we have a rare case of Jones using Yosemite Sam, one of Freleng's most famous creations. This is clearly inspired by some of the early Bugs and Sam cartoons, especially "Buccaneer Bunny" (including Sam's costume being similar to that film). There are some good gags, including a "One Froggy Evening" reference, but at the same time, I feel some of it drags on a bit, including several scenes with the characters singing. This was the last WB cartoon ever directed by Jones, though he would keep contributing as a producer and writer until his death in 2002. This is not a highlight in his career, but definitely a watchable short.
7.5
Father of the Bird (1997)
Directed by Stephen A. Fossati
Produced by Chuck Jones Film Productions. Sylvester finds a sparrow's egg and decides to eat it. But then it hatches and the little bird (Cornbread) thinks Sylvester is his mother! The cat is unable to eat his "son" or leave him behind, so he ends up having to keep him safe from danger. There's a little of the usual slapstick here (including a Wile E. Coyote-esque anvil gag), but first and foremost, it's a sweet cartoon! It reminds me of "A Mouse Divided", similarly exploring an unusual fatherly side of Sylvester. A very likable short with a fun ending! This was the last Looney Tunes short with the involvement of producer Jones, though he would create one more project for WB, released on their website: the 2001 Flash cartoon series "Timber Wolf" on which he would serve as producer, writer and storyboard artist.
9
Little Go Beep (2000)
Directed by Spike Brandt
Cage E. Coyote tells his baby son Wile E. (Poor schnookius) that it's time for him to learn to hunt like every coyote does. And he's not to say a word until he manages to catch the Road Runner (Morselus babyfatius tastius)! The two babies' chase sees the coyote use the likes of a badger trap, a Stretch Hamstring action figure and a water rocket powered tricycle. Essentially the Road Runner equivalent of the classic "The Old Grey Hare". Despite the characters being babies (the Road Runner still uses training wheels!), we get the typical chase action and cartoon violence. The coyote's silence (except when he's chasing Bugs Bunny) is finally explained. Nice little touches like fourth wall breaks, a portrait of Cage E. with Chuck Jones... The last gag is particularly priceless. This was to be the first cartoon in a planned series of "Baby Looney Tunes" theatrical shorts with the characters being portrayed as babies but otherwise following the style of the classic Looney Tunes. The concept would instead be retooled as a run-of-the-mill preschool TV series. Shame, since this short was such a brilliant use of the original concept!
10
The writer of the film "Looney Tunes: Back in Action", Larry Doyle, produced six shorts to be shown alongside WB family movies, but after the film's commercial failure, this didn't happen. The first one ended up being shown in Walmart stores and was later released on the Back in Action DVD, while the others would only be available on the DVD's Australian release for years. The cartoons were inbetweened at Rough Draft Studios in South Korea, making them the first Looney Tunes shorts to be animated outside the United States. They had various production issues, including reportedly having some crude content edited out right before their release. There were also many additional shorts planned that were never finished.
Whizzard of Ow (2003)
Directed by Bret Haaland
The Road Runner (Geococcyx californianus) is being chased by Wile E. Coyote (Canis latrans) when the ACME Book of Magic falls on the coyote. After this, he tries everything from a flying broom to turning himself giant and a bomb painted to look like a crystal ball. The gags are good and very fitting for the Road Runner series, with the magic theme adding some novelty. But the short isn't without its flaws. The opening sequence with two dueling wizards feels very much out of place, and the animation is decent but more TV quality than something you'd expect to see in theaters. And the use of real Latin names for the duo is very unimaginative, even if it arguably adds an educational element to the short! An enjoyable effort in any case.
8.5
Museum Scream (2004)
Directed by Dan Povenmire
At a children's museum, Granny shows a group of kids various exhibits, including a nearly extinct tweety bird. A hungry Sylvester sees this and tries to catch the bird while the museum is closed for the night, but he ends up getting hurt repeatedly. There are some good (and violent) gags, and I enjoyed seeing Tweety play a more active part in foiling Sylvester's plans. On the other hand, the visuals leave a lot to be desired – I don't know why the difference from the last short is so dramatic, but the drawings in a few scenes are some of the ugliest seen in WB cartoons.
7
Hare and Loathing in Las Vegas (2004)
Directed by Bill Kopp & Peter Shin
Bonaparte Sam builds his casino over Bugs' rabbit hole. The rabbit decides to try some gambling, winning a lot of money and angering Sam who tries to shoot him. Out of the Doyle shorts, this is the one that feels the most like a classic Looney Tune. Good gags in the style of "Barbary-Coast Bunny" and "Bonanza Bunny", entertaining portrayals of the characters, solid animation... The background styling is my only complaint here, as they're a bit garish at times, but in general, this is a standout in one of the series' lowest-rated eras.
9
Attack of the Drones (2004)
Directed by Rich Moore
Duck Dodgers comes up with a plan to defeat a group of space monsters: he creates 100 robotic clones of himself. This succeeds, but the clones start causing chaos all over, forcing Dodgers to come up with a plan to get rid of them. A more action-packed cartoon than the others in this bunch, with some CGI effects thrown in. This approach works well for Duck Dodgers, making this quite a fun one, though it predictably doesn't reach the level of his earlier cartoons.
7.5
Cock-A-Doodle-Duel (2004)
Directed by Peter Shin
A genetically engineered rooster shows up in the barnyard, charming all the hens and annoying Foghorn. The old rooster challenges the newcomer to a fight, but the new one seems to be better at everything. Some funny gags here, even if it gets a bit cringy at times... The visuals are the main flaw here, almost as crude as "Museum Scream" was. A different kind of Looney Tune, for sure.
7.5
My Generation G... G... Gap (2004)
Directed by Dan Povenmire
Porky takes his teenage daughter Peta to a rock concert. But he soon finds out that the performance is inappropriate for kids and tries to get in to prevent her from seeing it. Another modernized and slightly strange take on the Looney Tunes! Porky as a father is something we haven't seen many times before, though it does suit his character. Decently fun, even if it doesn't really feel like a WB cartoon at times. It gets better as it goes on, with Porky's stutter being utilized for a surprising musical gag.
7
Daffy Duck for President (2004)
Directed by Spike Brandt & Tony Cervone
Daffy is running for president and plans to outlaw rabbits. But Bugs explains to him that the President can't make laws. All of Daffy's attempts to pass anti-rabbit laws fail. An unusual short in that it's mostly informative, though with some humorous touches, of course. It works well for what it is, with some appealing Bugs and Daffy chemistry and nice designs. Based on a 1997 book by Chuck Jones – he planned to produce a cartoon version himself, but it was eventually only made after his death. The short, partially animated by Yearim Productions, only got a DVD release in the end (on Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume Two, fittingly released on Election Day).
8
Porky and Daffy in the William Tell Overture (2006)
Directed by Daniel Haskett
Associate Directors: Terry Lennon & Doug Compton
Porky and Daffy give a wacky performance of the Rossini classic. Porky is very popular with the audience, so Daffy tries to get rid of him to get the plaudits himself. Another video-only release, cut down from the earlier "Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster" for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Four DVD, with a little new animation added at the end. It's a fun clip, for sure, but I think it worked a lot better in its original context. The later animation doesn't match that from the original special in quality despite adding an amusing conclusion to the short.
8
The following batch of shorts would be released alongside various WB family films. These were the first shorts with the Looney Tunes characters to be fully CG-animated (courtesy of Reel FX Studios). They were released in 3D, though the versions I've seen were in 2D.
Coyote Falls (2010)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Wile E. Coyote uses a bungee cord in his attempts to catch the Road Runner. But once again, they all go wrong in comedic ways. Other than being shorter than usual (just three minutes) and CGI, this is a typical Road Runner short in spirit. The animation is good despite my preference for traditional animation. The Larriva-esque basing of all the gags on one theme works well, though I'd have liked to see this run a little longer!
8
Fur of Flying (2010)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Wile E. Coyote builds a propeller helmet, using it to chase the Road Runner. But he ends up getting missiles after him... I think this works better than "Coyote Falls" – the animation feels a little more lively, with surprisingly cartoony moments for CGI animation. Again, I think making this a bit longer would have been a great idea, but thanks to more extended gags, it doesn't feel as overly short as its predecessor did.
8.5
Rabid Rider (2010)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Wile E. Coyote uses an electric scooter in his attempts to catch the Road Runner. But things again go badly for him. Another entertaining short based on a specific theme. I especially enjoyed the camera angles here.
8
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat (2011)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Sylvester tries to catch Tweety without waking up Granny, with the cat and the bird singing a song during the chase. Based on the Capitol Records hit song from 1951, the use of old vocals (accompanied by a new orchestral backing) allows us to hear Mel Blanc's voice again! The result is a fun one, essentially a music video to the song. Solid CGI, the usual Sylvester and Tweety action, June Foray returning as Granny... The audio mix is one thing that could have been improved on – the sound effects, while typical cartoon stuff, detract from the song and cause occasional jumps in volume, and sometimes the vocal track's age compared to the instrumental shows. In any case, this is something I'd gladly see for the various entertaining songs recorded about the characters, and we would get one more...
8.5
Daffy's Rhapsody (2012)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
On stage, Daffy performs a rendition of Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" while Elmer tries to shoot him. Based on another Capitol Looney Tunes record by Mel Blanc – "Daffy Duck's Rhapsody" is my absolute favorite of them with its lovable wackiness! The animated adaptation isn't perfect – there are times when I think traditional animation would have worked a lot better, and we again get the extra sound effects that are distracting and sometimes ruin the flow a little. But all in all, it's still a fun effort with the wackiest Daffy portrayal in ages, even if its appeal is largely down to the original recording used here.
8
Flash in the Pain (2014)
Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Wile E. Coyote gets a molecular transporter and tries to catch the Road Runner with its help. But his attempt to blow up the bird has chaotic consequences... The last of the CGI shorts is definitely the best one! Another new, futuristic idea for the series, strong gags and a surprise cameo as a particular highlight! An enjoyable combination of old and new.
9
Curse of the Monkeybird (2018)
Directed by Pete Browngardt
Daffy and Porky go looking for the lost temple of the Monkeybird to find a treasure. But they must beware of the Monkeybird curse. A first short made for the "Looney Tunes Cartoons" streaming series, this was the only one planned for a theatrical release. Very enjoyable with the lively animation, fast pacing and wackiness – the Clampett influence is obvious. The characters are portrayed appealingly, with the Daffy and Porky chemistry working well. Definitely among the most successful Looney Tunes revivals!
10
We can say the Looney Tunes are still going strong despite the original series having ended more than five decades ago. The classics will never be forgotten and revivals of some kind will continue to be made – maybe we'll even see more theatrical shorts someday!
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