REVIEW

DVD Review: Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Five

Written by Chris Beaumont
Published February 15, 2008
page 1 | 2

Disk Two is called "Fun-Filled Fairy Tales" and its focus is on — you guessed it — animated takes on classic fairy tales. Highlights of this disk include "The Bear's Tale," "Goldimouse and the Three Cats" featuring Sylvester as the head of the family, "Red Riding Hoodwinked," which crosses over with The Three Bears tale, and "Tweety and the Beanstalk."

This disk's extras are:

  • Chuck Jones - Extremes & In Betweens, a Life in Animation Pt. 2
  • Chuck Jones Tutorial: Tricks of the Cartoon Trade
  • Behind the Tunes featurettes: Once Upon a Tune and Drawn to Life: The Art of Robert McKimson.
  • Five commentaries and five music/effects tracks.

Disk Three carries the title "Putting a Bob Clampett On It." It takes a look at a series of Clampett directed shorts. I cannot say I would be able to tell a Clampett from a Jones or a Freleng, but the cartoons themselves are all great. Among my favorites are "Bacall to Arms" featuring an audience watching Bogie and Bacall on the big screen, "The Old Grey Hare," which sends Elmer Fudd "Far into the future" (the year 2000) for a final meeting with Bugs, "Buckaroo Bugs," and "Prehistoric Porky."

Extras included on Disk Three are:

  • Behind the Tunes featurettes: Wacky Warner One-Shots and Real American Zero: The Adventures of Private SNAFU
  • From the Vault:
  • Hare Ribbin' - Director's Cut
  • The Bashful Buzzard - Storyboard Reel
  • The Bashful Buzzard - Original opening musical cue
  • Alternate Milt Franklin Opening Themes, with an introduction from filmmaker Glenn Ford
  • Private SNAFU shorts created for the US Army Signal Corps: Coming!! SNAFU, Gripes
  • Mr. Hook shorts created for the US Navy: The Good Egg, The Return of Mr. Hook, Tokyo Woes.
  • Nine commentaries

Disk four goes by "Early Daze." It goes back to the early toons produced by Warner. This disk includes some experimental work as the early years of Warner played with what could be done with animation. Highlights include "Eating on the Cuff," an early take on combining animation and live action, the weird exercise and singing video "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song," "Scrap Happy Daffy" a propaganda film for WWII, and "Porky's Preview."

Extras on the final disk are:

  • Unsung Maestros: A Director's Tribute
  • The Looney Tunes TV Specials:
  • Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals
  • Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales
  • Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over

Bottomline. What else can be said? This set is absolutely wonderful, as are all of the Golden Collections. You cannot call yourself a cartoon lover if you do not have these in your collection. The laughs hold up just fine. No worries about not finding the funny here! It is amazing how well they do hold up. Younger fans can learn a lot about what makes a cartoon funny by watching these. No one makes them like this anymore.

Highly Recommended.

page 1 | 2
Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about entertainment when he isn't sitting in a movie theater. He is known around the office as the "Movie Guy" and is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Interests include science fiction, horror, and metal music. His writings can be found at Draven99's Musings and Draven99's Media Center.
Keep reading for information and comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own!
DVD Review: Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Five
Published: February 15, 2008
Type: Review
Section: Video
Filed Under: Video: Comedy, Video: Classics, Video: Animation, Review
Writer: Chris Beaumont
Chris Beaumont's BC Writer page
Chris Beaumont's personal site
Spread the Word
Like this article?
Email this
Submit to del.icio.us Save to del.icio.us
RSS Feeds
All RSS Feeds (240+)
Comments on this article
BC articles by Chris Beaumont
Video: Comedy
Video: Classics
Video: Animation
Review
All Video Articles
Chris Beaumont's personal weblog
All Review articles
All BC articles
All BC Comments

Comments

#1 — February 22, 2008 @ 12:02PM — Peter

Hi Chris,

Great review. I've been wanting to buy some of the Looney Tunes collections for awhile and was getting confused about all the different choices. Did a search, found your review and just ordered Volume 5. Thanks!

Pete

#2 — February 22, 2008 @ 12:19PM — Chris Beaumont [URL]

Glad to help, Pete. If it helps, all of the Golden Collections are very much worth getting. Great stuff all around.

Want comments emailed to you? No spam, promise! Address:

Add your comment, speak your mind

(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/73904)

Personal attacks are not allowed. Please read our comment policy.





Remember Name/URL?

Please preview your comment!

Fresh
Articles
Fresh
Comments