Rating: 
Summary: Golden Rules for Looney Tunes
Review: Animation legend Chuck Jones had a mythic set of ground rules for his ingenious Road Runner series: the setting was always the desert, the characters never spoke, the Road Runner never left the road, the Coyote never caught the Road Runner, etc. A similar set of rules seems at work in THE GOLDEN COLLECTION introductory DVD presentation of Warner Bros. animated shorts. Here is the breakdown:1. The majority of the fifty-six motion pictures included are artistically valuable and the collection as a whole is a sheer delight which belongs in the library of anyone who loves classic cartoons. The set includes such masterpieces and popular favorites as "Duck Amuck", "Bully for Bugs", "Deduce You Say", "Fast and Furry-ous", "Long-Haired Hare", "Rabbit of Seville", "Rabbit Fire", "Rabbit Seasoning", "The Scarlet Pumpernickel", "Wabbit Twouble" and "Duck Dodgers in the 24-1/2 Century". All the films, even the weakest, deserve preservation, restoration and DVD availability. 2. The selection of complete shorts spans two decades (1940-59), according to year of initial theatrical release. This means that the heyday of Porky Pig (1936-39) is excluded, along with the historic Harman-Ising period (1930-33) and such early characters as Bosko, Buddy and Foxy. On the other hand, the set is also free of material from the Warner cartoon studio's years of decline (1960-64) and decay (1965-69). 3. Within the 1940-49 span is an intensive focus on the six-year "middle" period 1948-53, when the Warner cartoons were at their technical zenith. Fully half of the films in the collection were released during the three peak years of 1949-51 (ten in 1950 alone). The high degree of concentration allows for appreciation of the studio output of a particular era, lent contrast and variety by the broader context. 4. The star of the show is unquestionably Bugs Bunny, with twenty-one cartoons. There is an adequate amount, for a starter set, of Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Seymour & Tweety. Key films of the Road Runner, Pepé Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and Speedy Gonzales are duly included. Important supporting characters like Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam are well-represented, and the Tasmanian Devil makes a token appearance. The bill is rounded out with a few one-shots and curios. 5. The individual directors at Warner's animation studio are as notable as its character stars. A full twenty-five of the films (almost half) are by superstar director Chuck Jones. Most of the rest are directed by Friz Freling, with several by Robert McKimson. Only three films are directed by the great Bob Clampett, with one by Clampett's protegé Arthur Davis. 6. There are no films directed by the legendary Tex Avery, who departed the studio in the early 1940's, or the influential stylist Frank Tashlin. 7. All cartoons are voiced by the amazing Mel Blanc. 8. All cartoons are scored by Music Director Carl W. Stalling or his immediate successor. 9. Most notable of the anomalies is the poor showing of the ultra-popular (and ultra-"violent") Road Runner, with only one episode (albeit his debut), while tired old Foghorn Leghorn encores with an undistinguished late episode -- rather than, say, "The High and the Flighty", his memorable pairing with Daffy Duck. In keeping with Rule #6, Avery's Oscar-nominated classic "A Wild Hare" (1940), the first "true" Bugs Bunny cartoon, is supplanted by Jones' "Elmer's Candid Camera", a rare prototype from earlier that year which features the debut of Elmer Fudd and the still-evolving Wascal Wabbit. And the extras, in their mania for completeness, feature the animated excerpts from TWO GUYS FROM TEXAS and MY DREAM IS YOURS twice each, but only one version is digitally restored. 10. Not all of these Golden Era cartoons are masterpieces or true classics, but the less exceptional films included represent the high standard against which the extraordinary stand out. A technically crude quota quickie like McKimson's "Rabbit's Kin" shines because voice artist Stan Freburg's endearingly dumb Pete Puma character is memorable. A couple of genuine duds ("Big Top Bugs", for instance) have been thrown in for good measure, and even these serve to offset the overall excellence of the remainder. 11. Organization is minimal, with most of the Bugs Bunny material on Disc One, Daffy and Porky on Disc Two, and the others in an "All-Star" free-for-all on Discs Three and Four. The cartoons are presented in seemingly random order, but this very randomness is exactly how audiences experienced them both in theaters and on television. 12. The hours of extras are an embarrassment of riches. 13. Such beloved masterpieces as "Robin Hood Daffy", "Knighty-Knight Bugs", "Beanstalk Bunny", "Duck, Rabbit, Duck!", "The Singing Sword", "The Three Little Bops", "Horton Hatches an Egg" and, supremely, ""One Froggy Evening" and "What's Opera, Doc?", have been withheld for future DVD editions. The set is designed to whet the appetite for more and leaves the grateful viewer with much to look forward to. 14. THE GOLDEN COLLECTION is worth more than its cost in dollars and is an infinitely better investment than the cheap alternate "Premiere Collection", which simply duplicates Discs Three and Four with no extras. The Premiere Collection is kiddie fodder for the undiscerning bargain-store shopper and is to be avoided by anyone concerned with art and popular culture. High sales of the vastly superior Golden Edition will determine future releases, so buy 'em up and give 'em to your friends. CARTOONS ARE FOR EVERYONE. Doctor_Mabuse
Rating:
Summary: Total Hilarity, Smartly Assembled, and BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED!
Review: QUERY: "What's Up, Doc?"
ANSWER: My favorite DVD of the year. Possibly of all time. The original LOONEY TUNES gang is back, and boy do they look terrific. Warner Home Video has compiled a terrific selection of 56 animated gems starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky, Pig, Elmer Fudd, along with dozens of other characters, and added hours and hours of bonus features and documentaries. This is sure to become a perennial in anyone's serious DVD collection. Best of all, the cartoons have been GORGEOUSLY restored. Restoration means bringing something back to its ORIGINAL form, and that's what Warner Bros. has lovingly done here. The glorious Technicolor imagery is mind-boggling, the animation art is sharp and clear. So sharp and clear that you see can even see the dust that was on the original cels these cartoons were painted on. THAT'S restoration. Thank heavens Warner didn't go the route that Disney did with SLEEPING BEAUTY and monkey around with these images, wiping out all traces of the original cel animation and making them look like CGI. No, it's beautiful old-style animation, and each cartoon has been restored to look as they did when they first hit theater screens decades ago. Each cartoon on this collection is an American classic in its own right. Happily these classics have not been tampered with, but are presented with the utmost respect and attention for the masterpieces they truly are.
Rating: 
Summary: shortage of the road runner
Review: i really enjoyed the disc set of the golden collection but was extremely disappointed that there was only one short of the coyote and road runner. They were my favorites. I don't see why warner bros. didn't include much more of these two characters. I feel Bugs Bunny was overdone. But otherwise it was a good collection. Wish there was a set of just the road runner and coyote-I would buy it.
Rating:
Summary: way TOOOO much!!!!
Review: wow,this dvd sure cost alot!!! but im trying to get it
ive been a looney toons fan for quite a while but THIS IS the ultimate collection....i hope they have that one funny episode where bugs bunny celibrates his 50th anniverssery it is HILIOROUS!!!! anyway i hope i can get this DVD.....
Rating:
Summary: This Is the One To Buy
Review: Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. You know the characters: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Elmer Fudd. You love the cartoons, with the hilarious gags and sharp dialogue, the superb animation and design, the great voice acting and music. Well, let me tell you this: If you're looking for these cartoons on DVD, GET THIS SET and this set alone. The Looney Tunes Golden Collection features 56 cartoons from the 1940s and '50s, fully restored from the original negatives (so that they look better than you've ever seen them on TV). The cartoons will be uncut, so you'll get to see the gags they won't show on TV: the suicide gags in "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" and "Tortoise Wins By a Hare," the Russian-Roulette game at the end of "Ballot Box Bunny." And the set includes an incredible number of extras, including: audio commentaries by animation experts and voice actor Stan Freberg (who provides the voice of Pete Puma in "Rabbit's Kin" and Junyer Bear in "Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears"); excerpts from TV shows and recording sessions; storyboards; featurettes; a new documentary on the making of Looney Tunes; music-only tracks for Carl Stalling's musical scores; and more, much, much more than I can list here. It's hard to believe, but Warner Brothers is reportedly not sure that these cartoons can sell. This set is a test to see whether DVD collectors are in the market for Looney Tunes fully restored and presented with in-depth extras. If the set sells well, there will be more big boxes like this one, with still more cartoons (including earlier classics that are still in the process of restoration). If it doesn't sell, all we'll get is bare-bones samplers aimed at kids alone. So don't buy the bare-bones "Premiere Collection," a poorly presented kid-oriented release with no extras and only half of the cartoons on this set. Get the Golden Collection, and you'll not only get the extras, but you'll get Bugs posing as conductor Leopold Stokowski ("Leopold!") and getting revenge on an arrogant opera singer in "Long-Haired Hare"; Daffy and Porky battling Marvin the Martian for control of Planet X in "Duck Dodgers in the 24 & 1/2th Century"; Porky and Sylvester dealing with psycho-killer mice in "Scaredy Cat"; Bugs playing against an entire baseball team by himself in "Baseball Bugs"; Daffy as the host of the game show "Truth or AAAAAGGGGH!" in "The Ducksters," and on and on and on. 56 cartoons. Great extras. Help make "The Looney Tunes Golden Collection" a best-seller and you'll not only be helping the cause of classic animation on DVD, you'll be getting some of the best comedy films ever produced, animated or live-action. You'll be getting fascinating extras and supplements. You'll be getting hours and hours of great entertainment. What could be better than getting great entertainment in a good cause? Buy this set, and if enough people do, we'll get to see more sets of Bugs, Daffy, and the rest, to enjoy at home as often as we want -- and believe me, we'll want to watch it often.
Rating:
Summary: A Hubby's Delight
Review: Not much can make me happier than watching my husband's face literally glowing with joy, and it does whenever he puts in a disc from this collection. Obsessed since childhood, he is determined to pass the love of Bugs and company onto our children. This collection is perfect for doing just that and also appeasing him with all the wonderful extras.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but need more Road Runner!
Review: This selection of "Classic" Looney Tunes is not complete by a long shot. There is only one Road Runner Cartoon. I hope they plan to realease more!!
Rating:
Summary: Total Hilarity, Smartly Assembled, and BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED!
Review: QUERY: "What's Up, Doc?"
ANSWER: My favorite DVD of the year. Possibly of all time. The original LOONEY TUNES gang is back, and boy do they look terrific. Warner Home Video has compiled a terrific selection of 56 animated gems starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky, Pig, Elmer Fudd, along with dozens of other characters, and added hours and hours of bonus features and documentaries. This is sure to become a perennial in anyone's serious DVD collection. Best of all, the cartoons have been GORGEOUSLY restored. Restoration means bringing something back to its ORIGINAL form, and that's what Warner Bros. has lovingly done here. The glorious Technicolor imagery is mind-boggling, the animation art is sharp and clear. So sharp and clear that you see can even see the dust that was on the original cels these cartoons were painted on. THAT'S restoration. Thank heavens Warner didn't go the route that Disney did with SLEEPING BEAUTY and monkey around with these images, wiping out all traces of the original cel animation and making them look like CGI. No, it's beautiful old-style animation, and each cartoon has been restored to look as they did when they first hit theater screens decades ago. Each cartoon on this collection is an American classic in its own right. Happily these classics have not been tampered with, but are presented with the utmost respect and attention for the masterpieces they truly are.
Rating:
Summary: SUPERB COLLECTION
Review: Looney Tunes "The Golden Collection" is a 4 disc set presenting 56 of the best Looney Tunes cartoons ever made. Disk one features 14 of the best of Bugs Bunny cartoons. Disc two features 14 of the best of Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Discs 3 & 4 feature 28 toons featuring various other Warner Bros. characters like Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety and Sylvester, Wylie Cyotie, Yosemetie Sam, etc. This is a great collection HOWEVER, I would have liked to have seen more Daffy and Bugs and a bit less of some of the more minor characters. To me there are some glaring omissions. First and foremost many of the great WWII era tunes which while maybe not politically correct in their portrayal of Germans and Japanese, were funny as hell. Just a few Daffy Duck omissions I can think of off the top of my head are "Robin Hood Daffy", The Great Piggy Bank Robbery", and Daffy the Commando. And perhaps the greatest omission of all is "One Froggy Evening" with Michigan J. Frog, the mascot for the WB channel. Still it's an outstanding collection but the treat is the great special features that come on the four discs. Disc one: A Greeting from Chuck Jones, Vintage documentary "Camera Three: The Boys Termite Terrace (Part 1)." New Behind-the-Tunes Featurettes: "A Rabbit For All Seasons," "Short-Fuse Shootout," "Forever Befuddled." Bonus Cartoons: "Blooper Bunny," "Bugs Bunny at the Movies (with commentary). Excerpts from The Bugs Bunny Show: "My Dream is Yours," "Two Guys From Texas." Vaults: "A Star is Bored." Bridging sequences: "The Astro Nuts Audio Recording Sessions with Mel Blanc." Trailer and still gallery Disc 2: Extras: Vintage documentary "Camera Three: The Boys Termite Terrace (Part 2)." New Behind-the-Tunes Featurettes: "Hard Luck Duck," "Porky Pig Roast," "Animal Quackers." Stills gallery Disc 3 Extras: Documentary "Toon Heads: The Lost Cartoons." New Behind-the-Tunes Featurettes: "Too Fast, Too Furry-ous," "Merrie Melodies: Carl Stalling and Cartoon Music," "Blanc Expressions." From the Vaults: "Hair-Raising Hare Schematics," "The Hypo-Chondri-Cat Schematics." Still gallery Disc 4 Extras: New documentary "Irreverent Imagination: The Golden Age of Looney Tunes." New Behind-the-Tunes Featurettes: "Needy for Speedy," "Putty Problems and Canary Rows," "Southern Pride Chicken." From the Vaults: "Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid," "Virgil Ross Pencil Tests." Stills gallery
In addition 26 of the tunes come with a commentary track as well.
All in all...well worth the price.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful collection, but...
Review: I am overjoyed to have this great 4 disc collection of
Looney Tunes. I only have two technical complaints. 1. With
all the digital technology and remastering capabilities of
today, I thought they could remove the dust and lint
that creeps across several of the shorts. Also, 2., the
audio volume is inconsistent from short to short, especially
the extras interviews and documentarys. I hate having to
alternately turn up, and then down the volume on my tv.
Otherwise, I can't wait for Golden Collection Volume II.
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