Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Where to begin? There is so much that could be said about this release. It’s 56 (technically) Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoon shorts from the 50's & 60's with most around 1948-1952.
Do you know what Looney Tunes is? Should I try to explain it to you? It’s virtually impossible to give an accurate description without literally writing a book. Bugs Bunny is said to be the most popular cartoon character in the world so chances are you already have an idea of who he is. The creators were among the pioneers of animation. In fact, the first Looney Tunes short was one of the first animated shows to experiment with using sound. Keep in mind when comparing this to modern animation that this is all done by hand-drawn cells. That alone gives the animation a look and feel that’s different from more contemporary shows. The style feels simpler, almost rustic. That allows for more flaws, less perfect art, but remember, we’re comparing this to computer generated graphics. However imperfect this art may be, it’s downright impressive.

The pace is typically fast with comedy ranging from slapstick to more subtle humor (some of the same gags can even be seen in more adult oriented shows). It’s not uncommon for an adult that doesn’t much care for cartoons to enjoy Looney Tunes: my wife is one such person. I’m more easily amused having a cartoon collection that ranges from The Prince Of Egypt to old Transformers episodes (all of which I will review at some point) whereas my wife likes little more than Shrek and Monsters Inc. The range of the comedy can amuse both lovers and dislikers (pardon the use of a non-existent word, I just like the way it sounds here, “hater” doesn’t really fit) of cartoons.

Am I saying that EVERYONE will like Looney Tunes?… Yes, but not exactly. The shorts are similar in a lot of ways depending on the era (common characters, different takes on similar stories, etc.) but they have many individualities (background styles, character movements and expressions, sight gags, and camera angles) that vary between artists and directors. While someone may dislike the elements used in one short, they may very well love the next one. There is so much diversity in virtually every aspect of these cartoons that sooner or later most people are going to see at least one that they like. Some are silly, some heartfelt, some pointless, some poignant, some political, some patriotic, some encouraging, some dark, some energetic, some serene, some that pay tribute to famous operas, classical music, popular music (of that era, of course), movies, TV shows, and personas… get the idea? They’ve survived more than half a century being even more popular now than when first released. If that doesn’t tell you something about the quality of entertainment we’re dealing with nothing I can say will convince you to give them a chance.

Another element that sets the Looney Tunes apart from others is the full orchestra used to score every short. The composers (Carl Stalling for the most part) made grand use of this resource and more. You never know what you’ll hear in one of these cartoons. Maybe it will be original, maybe classical, opera, show tunes, or songs popular at the time. Or maybe it will be one of those elements for a few seconds jumping right into another style. This isn’t just background music either, sometimes the score is used like sound effects for a character prancing or like a music video with everything centering around the music you hear.

It doesn’t stop there. The sound effects are innovative and the voice characterizations are world-renowned. The voice of virtually any of the primary characters is instantly recognizable in any form. They are constantly imitated and referred to. I could go on and on about all the factors and contributors, but there are plenty of people more knowledgeable about that and more skilled at writing who have books out if you’re that interested in learning. I’ll just say if you’ve never seen any of these cartoons, you don’t know what you’re missing. Check out Cartoon Network or a video rental store.

Of course, with hundreds of cartoon shorts (over 1000 I believe) that are so diverse nobody is going to like them all. Many people, including myself, have been disappointed when renting a tape of Looney Tunes to watch a couple of good ones and several poor ones. Usually this has to do with preference in the eras of the cartoons. For example, there aren’t many made from the mid-40’s on (not counting the contemporary stuff) that I don’t like at least a little, but the further back you go from there, fewer are the shows that I enjoy. I particularly don’t care for the old bouncy, pop-song driven Merrie Melodies. Some viewers will be less picky than that, but many are more so. All the shorts in this collection are more similar in style: they are color, less music driven (as far as music-video style), and focus primarily on the most popular characters in their best known forms. There are exceptions (like some first appearances of certain characters) that most collectors will enjoy having. Since the shorts are so diverse, what I’ll do later is tell you exactly what titles are included with a brief description since you probably don’t know many of them by name. The bottom line is, if what you’re hoping for are good Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck cartoons, this DVD collection excels like nothing before it. Once again, however, since there are so many great shorts out there, a lot of you will have a favorite that isn’t available. The more I think about it the more great cartoons I can remember that very well could have been included, but that would make too large a collection in one shot. There will be more to come I’m sure.

When you watch the extra features many of the most influential shorts are referred to several times. Nearly all of those are included in the collection. There is one surprising exception, “What’s Opera Doc.” This one is so highly acclaimed and referred to so many times in the extras that I’m at a loss as to why it’s not in the collection. Maybe next time. For the rest of them it’s nice to be able to watch the same toons that the crew and others talk about in the same collection.

There are 2 similar collections. The Golden Collection I’m reviewing is the largest and more expensive of the 2. The other is the Premier Collection. As far as cartoon offerings it has the same content as the last 2 discs in the Golden. Though I have not seen the Premier first-hand, it doesn’t appear to have near the amount of extras even for the same cartoons as the Golden. It’s really just a cheaper offering to those who want a taste of Looney Tunes but don’t care all that much about them. If you really love these toons you will cheat yourself if you settle for the lesser set the Golden is WELL WORTH the additional price.

Content:
I always let you know about questionable content in my reviews, but this one will be practically unnecessary. The cartoons themselves are suitable for children of any age. It is the epitome of cartoon violence (they fall and blow up but don’t get hurt) if that bothers you at all. Some of the extra features have some very mild foul language parents might find unsuitable for the youngest kids. But then, how many 7 year olds do you know that would sit through a historian’s commentary of a Bugs Bunny cartoon or an hour long documentary about the history of the animators?

DVD:
Now, let’s start talking about what you get with the release. First of all, the audio and video have been cleaned up to an astounding degree. If you compare the quality of them to some of the clips in the extra features that haven’t been touched up, I think you’ll agree. That’s not to say you’re getting 5.1 Surround Sound or an image that looks digital. It’s still mono with imperfections in the film, but everything is brighter, sharper, cleaner, clearer. For one of my all-time favorites “Rabbit Of Seville” I felt like was watching it for the first time all over again! I was so enthralled by the cleanliness of the music that I watched it back-to-back probably 3 times or more. That means, though, if you’re a purist that wants to see the image exactly as it was originally aired, you’re stuck dealing with VHS. Tough luck. You’re a distinct minority. As I’ve hinted already, the touchup doesn’t necessarily apply to the special features.

Second of all, there is none of the editing that has become standard for too many of the shorts aired on TV. Some of the more violent or less kid friendly material has been known to be cut out, but now you get to see Bugs uncensored! Everything here is the same as it was upon its first airing, even the aspect ratio. The ratio is the standard for TV’s and is the original even though they were initially shown in theatres. That’s because the aspect ratio of movie screens at that time was the same as TV is now so there’s no reformatting here.

The packaging is a folder in a box. You’ve seen the pictures of the cover already, I’m sure. There isn’t much other art or materials in general. The packaging is the one sore spot with me. I mean, it’s not that bad, but for $50 it could have been a little bit better. I’ll explain. If you lay the folder flat you get a flap with content info front and back for 2 discs, tray 1 with content info for a disc, trays 2 & 3 with cover art, and tray 4 with content info for a disc. So that means that if you want to stick in disc 3 and glance at the cartoon order you have to unfold the other side of the package and hunt the list. I always find myself flipping to the wrong list because it feels like disc #? should be there while it’s actually another one. A separate insert would have been better, or at least a better organization and placement of the lists on the flaps. Most TV shows these days list the original air dates with their respective episodes. Looney Tunes is technically not a TV show, but it’s in that same style. There’s no better reason for listing dates than having s series that spans such a number of years. Liner notes (first appearance of Elmer Fudd or Marvin the Martian and that sort of thing) would have also been most welcome. But you get what you get, and everything else is so exceptional that the less outstanding packaging doesn’t hurt its rating.

The menus differ from disc to disc though with 3 & 4 you may feel like you’re seeing the same one. The first 2 start with some humorous animation (the others are animated just not funny). Once into the interface there is animation, music, and sound effects. The graphics are different for each disc, but the basic layout remains the same keeping down any potential confusion. I enjoyed the originality instead of the exact same interface being copied and pasted onto all 4 DVD’s.

There are multiple ways to access many of the features. Take, for example, the commentaries; they are all grouped in a menu but are also listed with their respective shorts on the cartoons list. Most groupings of short features have a play all function for minimal return trips to the menu. It’s extremely easy to navigate.

Now for the entertainment. I’ll start with the extras since the cartoons list will be so long. These are the extras that apply to the series. Since I’m doing a cartoon listing I figured I’d put any extras specific to each individual short with it. Mostly those will be commentaries and isolated scores, though there are a few other features that apply only to a single cartoon. I should go ahead and clarify something about the scores, though. Isolated Score is the best label for the feature, but it’s not completely accurate. It’s more like the absence of dialogue meaning that sound effects, including some crowd or background voices, play along with the music. There are a few exceptions to this, and I’ll try to remember to point them out. They are a great idea, very enjoyable, and I hope to see more in the next collection. Each disc has a picture gallery with promotional materials and concept art for the episodes on the disc. It’s actually an automated slideshow. My only complaint is that the images are too small. I don’t mean they’re tiny, but still there’s a lot of wasted space that could have been used for a larger display. DVD-ROM web links are included if you want to check out the internet side of Looney Tunes. There are 26 commentaries (mostly done by historians that play audio clips of past interviews with deceased contributors), 11 scores, and a few other things like schematics (3 total I think) that will be included with the cartoons list.

I said before that the number of episodes (56) is only “technically” accurate. That’s because there are additional cartoons and TV show episodes included as extras. There are 2 episodes of a show called “Camera 3.” It’s a hosted documentary that includes interviews, behind the scenes video, and cartoon clips. They are pretty interesting for related content, but it’s not a show you’d want to buy entire seasons of. The host has no personality, and there are no features specific to the show that are particularly gripping. In other words, if you didn’t have a particular interest in the subject, you’d likely find the show boring. You still might.

The full version of “Bosko The Talk-Ink Kid” is an extra. The sound is bad as is the image quality. It’s more of a novelty than anything being the first Looney Tunes short and one of the first animated shows to ever try using sound. It’s interesting from historical perspectives, but I got bored with it pretty quickly. It stars Rudolph Ising as the cartoonist and Carmen Maxwell as Bosko.

There’s an extra, more recent Looney Tunes short called “Blooper Bunny.” It’s Bugs’ anniversary, and the cast of Looney Tunes is sending best wishes from the stage. The cartoon is about a minute and a half. From that point we are taken on a “behind the scenes” type of tour throughout the day as the various characters get ready for their parts. It has a reality show kind of feel to it and is a lot of fun. There’s a commentary to go along with it.

The other additional show is a special edition of Cartoon Network’s “Toon Heads” series. It is also a documentary show, but it’s focused on the history behind the cartoon shorts rather than how they are made. It’s entirely animated except for the occasional live-action clip thrown in to illustrate something the host is saying and features several of the cartoon shorts in their entirety. A normal episode would basically be like taking 3 or so of the shorts from the DVD and playing them back in a documentary frame. The host has a good voice and a lively personality (she’s also a radio DJ in Atlanta, Georgia whose morning show I’ve listened to on occasion). The show incites some viewer participation with trivia. Here’s something fun to do when you’re watching: when she asks the trivia questions, pause the DVD and try to answer them. They were designed to give you the commercial break to think about them so the DVD skips right to the answer. It’s a well-done series that I have often watched on air though I’d never seen this one. The episode title is “The Lost Cartoons.” It’s actually a longer special rather than an episode and is a collection of some of the oldest and most rare cartoons from the Warner Brothers studio. Some of these same clips (specifically Bosko and the live-action movie segments) are included as extras in other portions of the release and may have slightly different editing. There are clips of more shows than I will list here, but they are played underneath the host’s narration which is why I haven’t included them. Here are the complete cartoons you get: Bosko The Talk-Ink Kid (this one is edited cutting out a good bit of the middle), Crying For The Carolines (the only existing Spooney Melodies which later became Merrie Melodies, includes Milton Charles), Lady Play Your Mandolin (the first Merrie Melodies), Any Bonds Today (a military service announcement featuring Bugs), Spies (a Snafu toon written for the military by Dr. Seuss), The Return Of Mr. Hook (a military morale toon with Seaman Hook), Bugs Bunny appearances in the live-action movies 2 Guys From Texas and My Dream Is Yours (includes the complete scenes that involve Bugs, not the whole movies), So Much For So Little (a public service announcement), Drafty Isn’t It (a toon designed to make the public feel better about the military and the draft), Tang Commercial (features Bugs and Marvin), and clips from the Road Runner Show that were cut from any airings. This show could be boring if you have no interest in the history of Warner Bros. Cartoons; they are not as purely entertaining as the cartoon shorts the DVD revolves around. However, this is a fascinating look at the state of America during World War II and the beginnings of cartoons with sound.

You can view the rest of the shorts individually or by playing them all at once. The Play All feature is more like watching a movie with each toon short being treated like a chapter stop.

There are still plenty more extras to go first, though. There are 3 similarly formatted short behind the scenes features on each disc. They are more fast paced than the “Camera 3” stuff, having narration over animation kind of like the “Toon Heads” though much shorter. They tend to be fun and informative. Here’s a list of the topics they cover: history of Bugs, Yosemite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, the team of Porky and Daffy, Road Runner and Wile E Coyote, Mel Blanc’s voices, Carl Stalling and his music, Speedy Gonzales, Tweety and Sylvester, and Foghorn Leghorn.

There are other behind the scenes features as well. One is a greeting from Chuck Jones which gives you an overview of the show and its characters. In another feature you get to sit in on a recording session with Mel Blanc. The best part of this one is hearing the multiple takes he does. The last one is close to an hour long and is an in-depth look at the studio. Despite being so long, it’s well done and very interesting.

As I’ve already mentioned you get the 2 movie scenes from 2 Guys From Texas and My Dream Is Yours. The editing is a little different from what is in “Toon Heads.”

The Bugs Bunny Show clips were created specifically for that show and are not included in any of the actual episodes. These segments are taken from A Star Is Bored.

There is a selection of animated pencil tests. They are pretty neat though if the segment had been much longer they might have gotten boring.

And finally there are 2 historical, Bugs Bunny related trailers.

That wraps up the extras (besides the commentaries and scores). As you can see there is a lot of good stuff from extra shows to how they’re made to historical snippets. If you are a big Looney Tunes fan you will love this look at entertainment history.

Now for the cartoons.

D1: Bugs Bunny

Baseball Bugs: Bugs takes on a team of nasty baseball players after calling them nasty names.

Rabbit Seasoning: It’s duck season, but Daffy wants to trick Elmer into shooting Bugs instead. Bugs outwits both of them. Includes an OK commentary by Michael Barrier; it’s mostly about the plot.

Long Haired Hare: Bugs innocently distracts an opera singer who has a bad attitude from his practice. After taking abuse after abuse, Bugs fights back during the concert literally bringing down the house. With a commentary by Michael Barrier.

High Diving Hare: Sam pays to see a high-diving act but the performer is delayed. Sam decides to force Bugs to do the act himself… not going to happen. Sam ends up taking the plunge over and over and over… Commentary with Greg Ford that’s a little hard to make out and a little slow.

Bully For Bugs: Bugs stumbles across a bull fight (should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque). When the bull attacks Bugs can’t help but retaliate. Includes an OK commentary by M. Barrier.

What’s Up Doc: Bugs tells his life story over the phone. He started in show business as a chorus singer. Then he met Elmer and they formed a hit comedy team until Bugs struck out on his own. Their tag line was “What’s up doc?” Includes a Greg Ford commentary with some good history and a score.

Rabbit’s Kin: Little Buster runs to Bugs because he’s being chased by Pete Puma. Bugs goes after Pete again and again despite Buster’s worries of them getting caught. The little bunny is inspired and wants his own crack at the villain so Bugs lends a hand. Includes a commentary by Pete’s voice actor Stan Freeberg who tends to state the obvious and recite his lines mostly. There’s also a score.

Water Water Every Hare: Bugs’ house floods. His mattress floats away with him asleep on it bringing him to the castle of a mad scientist who wants to take his brain for use in a giant robot. He sends Rudolph (AKA Gossamer) after the bunny. Bugs gives the monster a hairdo then finds some vanishing cream. Playing with other chemicals while invisible, Bugs finds something that shrinks Rudolph to rat size, but now he’s up against the scientist. The pair accidentally get high on ether fumes and pass out. Bugs manages to land on his mattress and ends up at home again.

Big House Bunny: Bugs is being hunted in the woods. Looking for a safe haven he breaks INTO a maximum security prison. He faces off against Sam the guard ultimately landing Sam in prison… twice!

Big Top Bunny: Bugs joins the circus to perform with Bruno the bear who is not happy with the arrangements. Bruno abuses Bugs until the rabbit strikes back. They compete with increasingly more difficult feats until Bugs gives Bruno a grand finale. Includes a commentary with M. Barrier who plays a recorded interview with Carl Stalling. Stalling is hard to hear but gives some great info about composing.

My Bunny Lies Over The Sea: Bugs ends up in Scotland. He immediately attacks a Scotsman’s bagpipes thinking the guy is being eaten by a monster then ridicules the guy’s kilt. Furious, the Scotsman demands they face off in a game of golf. Bugs wins by cheating.

Wabbit Twouble: Elmer goes camping and Bugs steals his tent. He makes Elmer think a whole day has passed in just a few minutes. Then a bear gets after them. Elmer attacks the park sign to vent his frustration at the destroyed holiday and is sent to prison. He’s happy to at least be out of the woods until he finds a surprise in his cell. This Elmer is the fatter one if you remember that design. It includes a M. Barrier commentary that has some good background and history.

Ballot Box Bunny: Sam wants to be mayor and rid the town of rabbits. Bugs decides to fight back by running for office himself. Their campaigns are violent until they’re both beat by a mare for mayor.

Rabbit Of Seville: Elmer chases Bugs onto the stage of a Barber of Seville performance. They parody the show with Bugs abusing Elmer at every turn. This is one of my all time favorites.

Disc 2: Daffy & Porky

Duck Amuck: Daffy is battling with the animator as scenery, voices, colors, and other elements change without warning. This is another of my all time favorites. It includes a commentary by M. Barrier which is hard to hear sometimes and a score.

Dough For The Do Do: Porky hunts for the last Do Do in Wackyland. He is trying to capture the rarity for a reward, but the Do Do has too many trick up its sleeve.

Drip Along Daffy: Daffy is a Western hero that takes on the role of sheriff for a small town. He makes his entrance only to run up against Nasty Canasta. It turns into a shootout with sidekick Porky caught in the middle. This one has a commentary with M. Barrier. It’s pretty good but may not be good for little kids. There’s a score, too.

Scaredy Cat: Porky and Sylvester move into an old mansion. Sylvester is already nervous, but when he sees mice about to execute another cat he gets hysterical. Porky thinks he’s jumping at shadows, and when the mice attack it looks like Sylvester’s doings. That all changes when he’s captured and Sylvester must save his master.

The Ducksters: Daffy hosts a radio game show where delayed or incorrect answers result in terrible pain. Porky uses his winnings to buy the station and turn the tide on Daffy’s abuse.

The Scarlet Pumpernickel: Daffy is trying to sell a cartoon script. It’s about Daffy as a swashbuckler, the Scarlet Pumpernickel. In a Zorro-like story the lady will be forced to marry the Duke as a trap for Daffy. Here comes the hero to the rescue. The M. Barrier commentary is one of the most interesting, and there’s a score.

Yankee Doodle Daffy: Daffy is the agent for Sleepy Lagoon and his trying to sell his talents to Porky. Only it’s Daffy doing all the performing. Meanwhile Porky is trying to get away to catch a plane. Finally the kid performs.

Porky Chops: Squirrel is trying to take a vacation, but Porky keeps attempting to chop his tree down. Squirrel pulls Bugs-type antics until the pair awaken a bear that sets after them both.

The Wearing Of The Grin: Porky, walking to Dublin, Ireland, gets caught in a storm and stops at an old castle for lodgings. The leprechauns are paranoid and put him on trial for trying to steal their pot of gold, but maybe it’s all just a dream. This one has an M. Barrier commentary that’s good at first then goes silent for too long.

Deduce You Say: Daffy is a parody of Sherlock Holmes and Porky is Watson. They’re put on the case of the Shropshire Slasher. They find him at a bar where Watson’s methods prove more efficient than Holmes’

Boobs In The Woods: Porky is trying to paint a landscape. Daffy gives him grief because he wants to be in the picture. Daffy’s problem is that Porky has a license to use him as a motor.

Golden Yeggs: Someone has laid Porky a golden egg and blamed it on Daffy. Now the mob wants him to lay eggs for them.

Rabbit Fire: Daffy is trying to get Bugs shot by Elmer who is hunting rabbits. The animals dress up as each other to confuse Elmer and finally gang up on him: it’s Elmer season! Includes a score.

Duck Dodgers In The 24 ½ Century: Daffy is sent to Planet X to find the shaving cream atom. He claims the planet in the name of Earth until Marvin shows up to claim it for Mars. Their battle results in the destruction of Planet X. There is a commentary with M. Barrier.

Disc 3: Various:

Elmer’s Candid Camera: This is the first Elmer cartoon and has older version of the characters. Elmer wants to be a wildlife photographer, but Bugs wants to be mischievous. He gives Elmer a hard time before kicking him in the water.

Bugs Bunny And The 3 Bears: 3 bears fitting the description of the Goldilocks story are hungry. They decide to act out the story in order to catch their own Goldilocks only they get Bugs instead. The chase is on until Bugs sweet talks Mama Bear. Includes a great commentary by Baby Bear’s voice Stan Freeberg.

Fast And Furryous: Wile E Coyote goes after Road Runner with a lid, a boomerang, a rocket, a tunnel painted on a rock, a super suit, snow skis and a backpack snow generator, and rocket shoes. Includes a commentary full of history and trivia by M. Barrier. This was the first Road Runner toon.

Hair Raising Hare: Bugs is led by a mechanical female rabbit to the lair of the Evil Scientist. He’s to be dinner for Gossamer (AKA Rudolph). Bugs does the monster’s nails, jousts with him, then shows him the viewing audience. This commentary includes Michael Barrier and Greg Ford and has plenty of insight and history. There is a schematics feature which is basically sketches intermingled with the cartoon and set to the soundtrack.

The Awful Orphan: Charlie the dog wants a home and sneaks into Porky’s house inside a birdcage. Porky doesn’t want a dog but Charlie insists. This results in Porky getting the everloving snot beat out of him by his upstairs neighbor scarring his psyche in unfathomable ways.

Haredevil Hare: I believe this is the first Marvin the Martian toon. Bugs is dragged kicking and screaming to a rocket about to be shot to the moon. Marvin shows up and tries to blow up the Earth. However, Bugs finds out and manages to steal the Space Modulator. Marvin sics K-9 on Bugs who manages to pull a fast one and blow up Marvin… and himself. An M. Barrier commentary that drags a little.

For Scentimental Reasons: A perfume shop owner opens up his door to discover that Pepe has invaded and is sampling the selection. He sics a cat on Pepe, but hair dye marks the kitty as a female skunk. Pepe starts the wooing. He ends up coated in paint while she gets soaked and sick. Suddenly the roles are reversed. The commentary by M. Barrier is hard to make out at times.

Frigid Hare: Bugs accidentally ends up in the Antarctic (that darned left turn at Albuquerque again). He bumps into a penguin being chased by an Eskimo. The penguin follows Bugs around making the rabbit feel sorry for him. Bugs sticks around to take care of the Eskimo for good and gets a vacation reward.

The Hypo-Condri-Cat: Mice Hubie and Bertie invade a house only to be stalked by Claude. They find a weapon in his hypochondria. They manage to make him think he’s sick, then dead, then a ghost. He ends up trying to fly to Heaven. This one includes a schematics presentation that is a mixture of sketches and cartoon images set in time to the soundtrack.

Baton Bunny: Bugs is conducting Morning Noon & Night in Vienna. He’s plagued by and fly and cuffs that won’t cooperate. He puts on a cowboy and Indian show then battle the fly some more. The score for this one has no sound effects in it.

Feed The Kitty: Big Marc Antony tried to terrorize a kitten, but she is unmoved. MA takes her as a pet. His owner chides him for his mess in the house so he hides the kitten. After several escapades he watches what he thinks is his kitty being made into a cookie. There’s an insightful commentary by Greg Ford and a score.

Don’t Give Up The Sheep: The first Sam the Sheepdog and Ralph the Wolf cartoon. The characters have different names at this point. The shift changes for the sheepdogs, and the wolf starts his antics by messing with the work clock. Then he dresses like a bush only to be followed by a tree-clad dog. Next is a Pan impersonation, tunneling, a wildcat, a vine swing, etc. Finally the sheepdogs take turns spanking the wolf.

Bugs Bunny Gets The Boid: The buzzard kids are sent out to get dinner. Beaky is sent for a rabbit which turns out to be Bugs. After a battle Beaky thinks he’s seriously injured, but Bugs proves that he’s fine earning the undying love and admiration of Mother Buzzard. Includes a fairly interesting commentary by Michael Barrier.

Tortoise Wins By A Hare: Bugs can’t figure out how Cecil keeps beating him. Cecil says it’s because of streamlining so Bugs builds a shell. The rabbit mafia tries to help but confuses the disguised racers causing Bugs to lose yet again. This one would be more significant if the one that proceeded it were also included. It basically stands on its own but is still like getting part 2 without part 1.

Disc 4: Various:

Canary Row: Sylvester sees Tweety in the window of the next apartment building, but he can’t get access because Granny is on guard. He disguises himself as a monkey then a bellhop. Finally he runs across the trolley wires only to be chased by the trolley car. Jerry Beck provides a commentary that includes some history, but also just tells a lot of already obvious info.

Bunker Hill Bunny: Bugs and Sam reside in forts. Sam’s is big with lots of cannons, but he can’t get the upper hand. He and Bugs charge back and forth, but mostly Sam just gets the business end of a cannon.

Kit For Cat: Sylvester is homeless in a storm and appeals to Elmer to take him in. A little kitten does the same. Elmer says he can only keep 1 so they try to get each other in trouble.

Putty Tat Trouble: Sylvester and Cat are both after Tweety in his snow covered nest. They beat each other over the head letting Tweety get away. They end up falling into a frozen pond and getting sick. The score for this one includes no sound effects but doesn’t go all the way to the end.

Bugs And Thugs: Bugs stumbles across a bank robbery and is kidnapped at gunpoint. Taken back to the hideout he drives Rocky and his goon crazy enough to turn themselves in.

Canned Feud: Sylvester’s owners are going to California and forgot to out the cat out. Worried about starvation he searches the house until he finds a stash of canned food, but a mouse has stolen the can opener which he refuses to give up. There’s a Jerry Beck commentary with some good info.

Lumber Jerks: The gophers move into a new tree then go nut hunting. They return to find the top of their new home missing. They track it to a furniture factory and decide to rebuild their tree out of furniture.

Speedy Gonzales: The mice want cheese from the factory but can’t get past Sylvester. They get Speedy to help. Sylvester tries to stop the mouse with a catcher’s mitt, mouse traps, and a net, but nothing works. Finally Sylvester decides to blows up all the cheese.

Tweety’s SOS: Sylvester sees Tweety on a cruise liner and sneaks on board. He runs into Granny but separates her from Tweety. Now the bird must defend himself made easier because of Sylverster’s chronic seasickness. Tweety replaces the cat’s medicine with Nitro. There’s a Michael Barrier commentary with some good info.

The Foghorn Leghorn: Henry Hawk is eager to hunt chickens even though he’s never seen one. His grandpa gets beat up by Foghorn and tells Henry that it was a Shnook to cover up the embarrassment. Henry thinks that the dog is a chicken and Foghorn foolishly takes it upon himself to teach Henry what a chicken really is. There’s an M. Barrier commentary with some good historical info.

Daffy Duck Hunt: Daffy is being hunted by Porky. He gives himself up to the dog to help him look good in front of Porky. The duck gets thrown into a freezer. Dog lets him out to warm but won’t let him leave for fear of Porky’s retribution. Daffy starts causing his mischief in the house.

Early To Bet: Dog wants to gamble with Cat, but Cat refuses until he’s literally bitten by the Gambling Bug. He continually loses and is penalized with the Gesuntite, William Tell, and Roll Out The Barrel. The Gambling Bug gets in on it and loses to the cat.

A Broken Leghorn: Prissy wants to lay an egg but can’t seem to. The others make fun of her so Foghorn slips an egg under her. It turns out to be a rival rooster that hatches. Foghorn wants to get rid of the competition and decides to do so by pretending to train him. It doesn’t work out well. The score for this one is music only.

Devil May Hare: The Tasmanian Devil has come into the forest and wants rabbit for supper. Bugs feeds him a bubblegum chicken and an inflatable raft pig instead. But it takes bringing in a lady Devil to stop the eating machine. There’s an OK commentary with Jerry Beck for this one.

Wow! Long list, huh? That’s it, now you know in detail everything that is on this disc. It’s a treasure trove of exceptional cartoon fun with a few courses in entertainment and U.S. history. Cartoon lovers rejoice! History buffs may want to consider it as well since this is an excellent look at life in the 1940’s and 50’s with some of the special features also discussing American life during World War II. Even though I said some negative comments about the packaging, this release holds a strong 5*.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8