Looney Tunes: The Golden Collection [Volume 1]

Wonderful review, and I'm glad to see that those who were around when these wonderful cartoons were first shown have not forgotten their magic!

When John told me the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection" was coming out I practically leaped out of my chair. I purchased my copy on Tuesday and have been in absolute heaven ever since. Looney Tunes have been such a cherished part of my life and I'd have to say at least 50% of my humor is based on their wacky antics. To me, this is what cartoons are all about and everything a cartoon should be. Politically incorrect behavior, slapstick quick witted characters, and senseless violence have always been a good receipt for a plethora of laughter. If you don't believe me just look at recent animation, namely "The Simpsons." They've been on television for what . . . eleven years now? Sure, it's nothing compared to the decades of Looney Tunes, and it probably never will be. Looney Tunes will always manage to span generations because of the way everyone, of all ages, can relate to the characters. I love a lot of Disney, but it's far too conservative for my taste. It goes without saying that, if I had to choose between the two empires, WB Looney Tunes would win my heart every time.

This new four disk set is loaded with some of my favorites; one of them being "Duck Dodgers in the 24th 1/2 century." Some others I'm fond of include "Bully for Bugs," "Long-Haired Hare," "What's up Doc," "Devil My Hare," "Bugs and Thugs," and "The Scarlet Pumpernickel." I, like John, am also upset they didn't include "Opera Bugs" on the set. It's true there's only one Road-Runner cartoon, and not even the best one of the lot. In fact, when you consider WB made over a thousand Looney Tunes, and only 56 are on this DVD set, you'll notice that many memorable shorts are missing. I was waiting for the "fire cracker, fire cracker, zis-boom-baw, Bugs Bunny, Bugs Bunny, rah-rah-rah" short, but it never came. I am curios, though, if WB is planning to release an eight disk "Platinum Edition" next year? Even if they did, they would still come up short considering how many shorts they actually made. So, what after a "Platinum Edition?" A "Titanium Edition?" A "Uranium Edition?" Who knows?

I really can't say who my favorite character is because I really enjoy all of them equally. The animators did such a wonderful job in making each character unique with their own sense of hilarious expressions. Like many people, I'm probably a bit partial to Bugs, Daffy, Taz, Yosemite Sam, and Marvin Martian. However, all of the characters are just as worthy of praise as any of the audience favorites. Take Pepee LePew, I have always loved his love-sick antics and the way the cat he chases says, "Le mew." Then there's Foghorn Leghorn with his dumb-wited, southern hospitality, and the evil antics of Witch Hazel, which, unfortunately, she only appears on one of the extra features. I always loved her line, "modesty is my best quality," followed a wickedly hideous laugh. Of course, my favorite all-time line was from Bugs, "I knew I should have taken a left at Albuquerque!"

Regardless of the many shorts that I wish would have made it onto this set, I'm still delighted with whatever I could get. I'm sure someone on DVD town will post, on the message form, "what was your favorite DVD of 2003?" Well, I'm saying it now, "Looney Tunes Golden Collection" gets my vote for #1. Maybe that sounds crazy to some, but when you have something that brings up so many fond memories of countless Saturday mornings glued to the TV, you just can't pass it by for mediocre entertainment. They don't make' em like this anymore folks, and that's a fact!

It's a funny thing, as a child I wasted a lot of time watching these timeless cartoons and I enjoyed every minute of it. Now with this new Golden Collection I plan on wasting a lot of time watching them again, and again, and I won't feel any guilt, "not one wittle bit!"