Customer Reviews

Looney Tunes - Golden Collection Volumes 1&2

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are just so many people that are really interested in older cartoons again, thanks to their release on DVD. Yet, it is just a shame that cartoons like The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Johnny Quest aren't on television anymore, in place of more recent hits like Spongebob Squarepants and the animated revival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Nevertheless, the classic animation is sometimes a whole lot better than what has to be hot right now. One classic case in point is the Looney Tunes cartoons from Warner Brothers. They really have proven to be one of the most influential cornerstones of animation ever. Yet, while many may have forgotten them, the feeling of their animation really goes on well.

The Looney Tunes: Golden Collection 1 & 2, is a double pack of both of the 4 disc DVD volumes of the classic Warner Brothers library. The whole package consists of over 110 deligthful cartoons from characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner and many more. The animation on all these cartoons has been remastered very well, except for a few cartoons that were musically remastered in the wrong key. There are just so many wonderful cartoons here, including the legendary cartoons What's Opera Doc?, Deduce You Say where Daffy plays a detective who goes up against The Shropshire Slasher, Whoa Be Gone!, the Bob Clampett masterpiece The Great Piggy Bank Robbery, A Broken Leghorn, Speedy Gonzales and many more cartoons here. The commentary and the bonus features on this collection really speak out extraordinarily well, with a lot of classic clips from legendary animators including the late Chuck Jones who sadly died in 2002, and the legendary Oscar-winning director Friz Freleng who died in 1995.

All in all, the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: 1 & 2 are a very well adjusted DVD combo collection of some of the greatest animation of all time. If you really want the looney experience set in, don't buy either of them, buy both of them at once. It is a wacky animated package, at a reasonable price. That's All Folks!!

Remastered Animation: B+

Bonus Features: A

Packaging: A-

Overall: B+

They're great individually. This pair consists of two boxed sets, each with numerous and detailed reviews of its own (do product searches on B0000AYJXS and B00020SK1Y).

More is better. The first set is a fairly safe and predictable set of Looney Tunes - all good, but WB is saving a lot of the top favorites as reason to buy future sets. The second, likewise, has a few great favorites, but also reminds me that the "lesser" works are pretty darned good too. Both sets have roughly the same format: two Bugs-oriented disks, and two that emphasize other characters (8 discs total - a lot of watching). There's a mix of early and late material, enough to make character development quite visible. Also, the DVD extras are very worthwhile - not just a few stills from the `toons you 've already watched, but real features that add insight, or that are plain fun by themselves.

If you like the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, you are sure to like these. They set is on the pricey side, but bargain hunters can probably do well on the used market. The entertainment is all there, however you get to it, and is the kind worth watching more than once. I'm happy I have the whole set - or at least, the whole set so far.

//wiredweird

Disney can rightfully lay claim to be king of golden age feature film animation, but when it comes to shorts the crown goes to Warner Brothers. No other studio, including Disney, ever even came close. With talents that included Tex Avery, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Mel Blanc, and Carl Stallings--to name but a few--Warner developed and refined a series of characters that have become fixtures in our cultural landscape: whether you mention names like Bugs Bunny or just simply refer to "that singing frog," every one knows exactly what you're talking about.

This stunning eight disk collection includes both Looney Tunes Golden Collection sets--a total of eight DVDs packed with more than one hundred Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and more extras than you can shake a carrot at. Although some may quibble that in some instances the title cards are not original to the first theatrical releases, the simple fact is that you haven't seen these films looking this good in a very, very long time. The fuzziness and odd color values typically seen on television are gone; the Technicolor process is brought back to its full brilliance and with minor exceptions the prints are as pristine as any one could possibly wish.

The bonus material is almost overwhelming in abundance. Granted, a fair portion of the material is trivial in nature, but it is never less than entertaining, and now and then the package includes material that really does deserve the name "bonus." The most significant items include "The Boys From Termite Terrace," a 1970s documentary that outlines the history of the Warner Brothers animation department; "Irreverent Imagination," a collection of interviews with surviving directors, animators, and voice artists; and too-short but extremely interesting hommages to Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Mel Blanc, Carl Stallings, and many others.

It is true that the bulk of the material here draws upon the work of director Chuck Jones, and if you happen to prefer the work of other animation directors--Tex Avery is something of a cult figure--you may feel short-changed. But this does not actually undercut the quality of the material that IS offered, and one can only hope that Warner Brothers will release other volumes to fill the gaps in the future. As for this release itself, it's all memorable stuff, worth every penny you'll spend.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

America is a great country, ain't it, Doc? Where else do people pay a full price premium on a product that they really only want 25% of?

Alright, alright...perhaps dat ain't fair. Daffy, Porky and the rest of the gang have their moments. And some of the lesser known classics that feature none of the popular characters are "nice to have", but ain't "need to have".

But the Bugs Bunny shorts in this collection make it woith the dough and woith the 4 star rating. HIT THE BUY BUTTON, for sure, Doc.

It sure would be nice to be giving 5 stars to an all Bugs Bunny collection though. I mean why couldn't they sell the individual character collections separately. Rhetorical question, really. The answer is good old American capitalism. And us maroons keep buyin' 'em, so no point in complaining anymore.

If they release one collection on its own it should be the "banned" collection. This way those who might be offended don't have to purchase it. Here's the list of what us collectors would like to see, so please Mr. Warner, let us see 'em again:

Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt - Featuring a stereotypical Elmer Fudd trying to catch Bugs.

Bunker Hill Bunny - Bug's says, "Your brother blows bubble gum."

All This and Rabbit Stew - The only Bugs cartoon on the Censored Eleven, featuring a stereotype trying to catch Bugs.

Southern Fried Rabbit - Yosemite Sam is a Confederate with Bug's trying to cross the Mason/Dixon line as a stereotype.

Any Bonds Today? - Bugs Bunny and friends promote war bonds, with Bugs doing a Jolson impression.

Fresh Hare - A firing squad that turns "into a stereotype" at the end to sing along to Bugs' last wish of being in Dixie. Elmer and Bugs jump into snow drifts leaving silhouettes...one of Bug's silhouettes is a shapely woman.

Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips - One of the most infamous Bugs Bunny cartoons, with Bugs fighting stereotypes during World War II.

Herr Meets Hare - Bugs disguises himself as Hitler in the Black Forest.

Mississippi Hare - Cotton pickers mistake Bugs' tail for a ball of cotton and toss him in with the rest of the haul. On the riverboat Bugs takes on the gambler Colonel Shuffle.

Which is Witch? - A stereotypical witch doctor needs Bugs as an ingredient.

Bushy Hare - Featuring the stereotypical Aborigine "Nature Boy",..."UNGA BUNGA BUNGA INGA BINGA BINGA BUNGA!!!! What'd I say?! What'd I say?!"

Horse Hare - Yosemite Sam leads a Indian stereotypes to invade Bugs' fort.

A Feather In His Hare - Another American Indian stereotype trying to catch Bugs.

It is very nice to have so many of the classic Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies cartoons on DVD, finally. However, I would like to see more of the Roadrunner, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe, Speedy Gonzales, etc., in addition to more of the major characters. There are earlier WB cartoons (30's and 40's) from other directors and animators besides Chuck Jones that need to have a stronger presence. Yes, this even means the black and white cartoons. Out of over a thousand WB cartoons, I don't really expect everything to be made available on DVD, but I do hope to see a larger variety as WB makes more DVDs available. That being said, what we do have are two superb collections anyone would be happy to have.

Technically, I think they did a very fine job on the video and audio. When you compare them with other DVD's out on the market, you know what I mean. Even the packaging is pretty good. All the DVDs just fold out for easy use. All the cartoon titles are conveniently situated for easy display.

Overall, I am pleased with these sets, and I think anyone who enjoys the WB cartoons will find them to be excellent.

I simply love the older cartoons period and therefore had to have this collection!! Price is always a factor, but if you got have it and this is worth it-- then the price really is no issue. It arrived in great condition and since I'm in Iraq; the 2 week delivery time was understandable.. But now I've got my sought after collection.. thanks

This is a great collection of cartoons. The children were entertained for hours and had to finally be pried away from the TV with the promise that they could watch more of the cartoons the next day.

My main reason for purchasing this collection was that when I passed through the living room and saw my kids watching the cartoons that are on TV today, I reflected on my own childhood and the memories of Looney Tunes and how great they were. Cartoons today don't compare with the old Looney Tunes. Today's cartoons are just plain old obnoxious and in your face with a lot of nothing. These classic Looney Tunes are the way cartoons ought to be.

When my kids saw this collection of Looney Tunes, I sat down with them and we enjoyed them together! They love them, and they bring back memories for me as well. This is a great collection, you won't be dissapointed!

MM

This is the greatest collection of Looney Tunes ever! It is every episode I loved as a child and then some. It is absolutelly worth every penny.

I absolutely adore this collection. Not only do you get volume 1 with four discs, but you get the second volume with four discs also! I haven't gotten to the second volume yet, only because i'm still on the first... and i only got the package from Amazon.com about 4 days ago. It's insane. All the great memories, all the great laughs, and all the great characters intertwined into this little bundle for a super low price. The best price i've seen so far. I've actually calculated the prices of a lot of stores.. including ebay... all retailing around $120 for both volumes. Do the math. I still have the looney tunes tapes my father used to tape for me back in the 80s.. only problem is that it gets a little distorted and he cut out all the "heavy" scenes.. like the goldfish drinking poison after getting a big smooch from the large russian bunny-boo. Classic. But seriously, if you grew up watching Looney Tunes, of if you want your children to experience and enjoy the classical, magical, comical genius of The Looney Tunes, then this deal is a wonderful solution.