Customer Reviews

The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 1: 1930s Musicals [VHS]

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This video features cartoons from the 30s. All of the cartoons feature visual gags set to music as the main element of humor. In many cases, you almost have to be a child of the 30's and 40's to understand much of it, especially with respect to the Hollywood stars.

The titles included on the video include:

Smile, Darn Ya, Smile: A very early black and white version that seems like a take off from Mickey Mouse. Still, it is quite humorous and is one of the better ones on the video.

Shuffle Off to Buffalo: Another black and white classic that contains some (what would be considered today, politically incorrect) ethnic humor.

Miss Glory: No famous Looney Tunes characters in this one, but somne clever gags put to music.

I Love to Singa: Probably one of the better ones on the video. Features a young owl whose father is a classical music buff who despises jazz. Guess what? The kid sings jazz. Lots of clever musical and visual tricks. Plus, my kids think its funny.

Have You Got Any Castles?: This one takes place in a library where the subjects of the books come alive and do some gags that were probably funny at the time, but have only limited context today. I suppose if you grew up in the 30s and 40s, the gags may have more relevance.

Speaking of the Weather: Instead of a library, this one takes place in a magazine shop. Features many Hollywood stars of the day along with some simple and fairly clever gags and plays on words. Much of the historical humor is lost on those of us who are young, but there is still enough there to laugh at.

Katnip Kollege: This one features a school for cats set to jazz and swing music. The name of the class is "Swingology" and all of the gags and effects are centered around the jazz and swing music of the day.

Bottom line: If you grew up around this time and went to the movies and know your old stars, this will probably be pretty nostalgic. If you like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest, you might want to skip this one.

Volume 1 of MGM's GOLDEN AGE OF LOONEY TUNES set is a simply wonderful start to what became an excellent cartoon series. High quality transfers (in SP mode) and HiFi sound enhance these fine condition shorts.

The tape's theme is THE MUSICALS and it contains:

(5.3) SMILE, DARN YA, SMILE! (1931) dir: Rudolf Ising
(6.0) SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO (1933) dir: Rudolf Ising
(7.0) PAGE MISS GLORY (1936) dir: Tex Avery (uncredited)
(8.0) I LOVE TO SINGA (1936) dir: Tex Avery
(6.7) HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES? (1938) dir: Frank Tashlin
(6.4) SPEAKING OF THE WEATHER (1937) dir: Frank Tashlin
(5.8) KATNIP KOLLEGE (1938) dir: Cal Dalton/Cal Howard

"Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!" is primitive and a pure delight! Foxy sings the title song and conducts his streetcar. Passengers join in as do some hobos on the side of the road. Nicely surreal short.

"Shuffle Off to Buffalo" naturally has the famous song, as well as a baby assembly line, some storks and an Eddie Cantor caricature.

"Page Miss Glory" features The Varsity Three and the song "Lullabye of Broadway." It spoofs the Vitaphone movie of the same name that was released a year earlier. (The feature's all-star cast included Marion Davies, Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Mary Astor, Frank McHugh, Lyle Talbot, Barton MacLane, Patsy Kelly, Al Shean and Lionel Stander.)

"I Love to Singa" is probably Leon Schlesinger's first "classic" short. The story parallels THE JAZZ SINGER. A little owl defies his music teacher because he only wants to sing jazz. His infectious rendering of the title song will stay with you forever!

"Have You Got Any Castles" and "Speaking of the Weather" are both crammed with book and movie references and caricatures of the stars of the day.

"Katnip Kollege" has the voice of Little Rascal George 'Spanky' McFarland and the song "Easy As Rollin' Off a Log."


GOLDEN AGE OF LOONEY TUNES, VOL 2 includes the screen premieres of many famous Warner characters.