Looney Tunes

[Matt]

My only gripe with the BD set is the same as always, there's no rhyme or reason on what cartoons are in each set. Don't understand why they don't release them in chronological order and be done with it.

I'm still pissed that they released the Porky Pig 101 and told us that if we bought it more chronological sets would follow. So we all bought it and still it's been nothing but grab bags ever since.

[dx23]

A friend of mine has trying to collect them all digitally through legal and illegal means and so far he told me earlier today that between the Laserdiscs, DVDs, BDs, HBO Max, Boomerang, MeTV, MeTVToons and Youtube, he's been able to grab 704 different cartoons out of 1041 shorts that have been produced till now. There are also some variations and different cuts that were re-released under the Blue Ribbon banner. With the exception of of the Censored Eleven, is there a list of unreleased shorts? This new set promises 50 new ones never released on BD or DVD, but they may have been released already on Laserdisc or digitally on Max. One thing I would love is to see the complete cut of Hollywood Steps Out, one of my favorite shorts ever, which had 4 scenes cut during the Blue Ribbon re-release, and so far, this Blue Ribbon version is the one that has circulated since 1944.

[Lowry_Sam]

What is the length of the complete original version? There is a downloadable copy available on Internet Archive that lasts 7:44. I remember first seeing it included as an extra on one of Warner Brother's dvds, but can't remember off hand which one (perhaps one of the Gangsters boxes or That's Entertainment), but wouldn't be surprised if it was included as a dvd extra more than once.

I had been hoping for WB to collect all the Tex Avery discs into a single box to pick up all the blu-rays, but volume 4 never came out (and Hollywood Steps Out isn't on any of them) so it looks like the Collectors Choice box collecting 1-4 was just a random one time decision.

[dx23]

No one has a definitive answer online since the original version hasn't aired since 1942, but it appears to be closer to full 8 minutes. This link shows the availability of the Blue Ribbon re-issue on home media and at the bottom there are screenshots of some of the cut scenes, like the last one with Clark Gable. It seems that most of what was cut on Hollywood Steps Out revolves on Clark Gable and what was happening in his personal life, plus he didn't want to give any notion that he could possibly be gay. There's been rumors about some of the cut scenes been found in WB's archives but with the neglect that most of Looney Tunes gets, it feels that this isn't a situation like Metropolis or King Kong, where the companies are actively looking for missing scenes or anything else that would be historical to the film.

[colinr0380]

So is this "Collector's Vault" series just a double-sized version of the "Collector's Choice" series? Except instead of one Blu-ray with 25 shorts, instead we're getting 2 Blus for a total of 50? I'm not entirely sure that justifies entirely rebooting the line back to a "Volume 1" status, but I guess it if it means getting more cartoons out faster, that might be a good thing.

[captveg]

I believe their stats show that Vol. 1 releases sell best, with subsequent entries reducing in sales as the number increases. As long as there's no overlap with previous BD collections they can restart collections as often as they wish IMO.

[domino harvey]

I guess Pepe Le Pew is no longer banned from releases based on the cover? He’d have to be on the second disc, since all his shorts were already released on a now OOP DVD

[ryannichols7]

I guess Pepe Le Pew is no longer banned from releases based on the cover? He’d have to be on the second disc, since all his shorts were already released on a now OOP DVD

Speedy too!

[dx23]

I guess Pepe Le Pew is no longer banned from releases based on the cover? He’d have to be on the second disc, since all his shorts were already released on a now OOP DVD

Speedy too!

Where they ever banned or was this just a BS rumor that floated around? Speedy has been constantly used in Latin America Cartoon Network for ads and Pepe LePew cartoon have been kept in circulation on Boomerang, MeTV and Max, so I don't believe any of them were banned. And speaking of Pepe, have you guys ever watched his first appearance? "Pepe" is just a ruse for Henry, who isn't French at all and is married with two kids. One of the best and funniest twists ever

[Lowry_Sam]

I guess Pepe Le Pew is no longer banned from releases based on the cover? He’d have to be on the second disc, since all his shorts were already released on a now OOP DVD

I guess I missed the message that Pepe had been cancelled. Is it because he promotes a stereotype of French men? I always assumed the character was a dig at Maurice Chevalier in particular, whom I've always found loathesome & so the Pepe cartoons are quite enjoyable in that context.

[domino harvey]

I watched the entire collection a few months ago but if it didn’t offend the woke moralists why did I waste my time

[colinr0380]

I don't think I have seen any Pepe Le Pew since I was a kid, but remember at the time that the only part of those cartoons that ever interested me was finding out what the new convoluted set up of how the cat would end up getting the accidental white stripe down her back to turn her into a 'skunk' and attact Pepe's lustful gaze would be!

(Was it a different cat every time? Or the same cat and they both just never realise that they keep meeting over and over again in an endless roundelay of cat-and-mouse? Or skunk-and-cat. I suppose it is just a similar set up to the Sylvester and Tweety or Road Runner and Coyote shorts, and nothing more is to be read into the relationship than that, but comparatively there feels like there has to be a bit more necessary work put in to keep contriving the constant meet-cute situations in the Pepe Le Pew cartoons)

[Matt]

I guess I missed the message that Pepe had been cancelled. Is it because he promotes a stereotype of French men?

Pepe was canceled by professional concern troll Charles M. Blow in the New York Times because he "normalized rape culture," and Speedy because he "helped popularize the corrosive stereotype of the drunk and lethargic Mexicans."

[jazzo]

Any thoughts on The Day The World Blew Up? I truly thought we’d never see it released.

[dx23]

Speedy because he "helped popularize the corrosive stereotype of the drunk and lethargic Mexicans."

Well, that was mostly his cousin, Slow Poke Ramirez

[tenia]

Any thoughts on The Day The World Blew Up? I truly thought we’d never see it released.

It sadly opened for about 2 weeks only in France and I missed it, but I only read positive feedbacks about it.

[hearthesilence]

I guess I missed the message that Pepe had been cancelled. Is it because he promotes a stereotype of French men?

Pepe was canceled by professional concern troll Charles M. Blow in the New York Times because he "normalized rape culture"…

That was also a Dave Chappelle joke over 20 years ago, but it was received as a joke (as intended).

[dx23]

In another brilliant move by David Zaslav's Discovery/WB, they have removed all Looney Tunes shorts from Max, on the same weekend as the new Looney Tunes film premiered.

[dx23]

Just back from watching the Day The Earth Blew Up and it was a surprisingly funny, beautiful, film. A little bit long for a Looney Tunes thing, but the animation is certainly one of the most beautifully hand drawn in history. My kids and my wife were laughing throughout the whole movie and the other few patrons were doing the same. Hope it gets a bump at the box office this weekend. Can't wait to own it on 4k and will certainly be looking for a poster of the film for my office.

By the way, is this Petunia Pig's first major appearance since the 40's? I remember her being a big part of the Dell/Whitman/Gold Key comic books from the 50's through the early 80's , but relegated to cameos andvery few appearances in the shorts or feature films since then. Don't remember seeing her in either Space Jam film, which is crazy could they could certainly had used another female character.

[TechnicolorAcid]

By the way, is this Petunia Pig's first major appearance since the 40's? I remember her being a big part of the Dell/Whitman/Gold Key comic books from the 50's through the early 80's , but relegated to cameos andvery few appearances in the shorts or feature films since then. Don't remember seeing her in either Space Jam film, which is crazy could they could certainly had used another female character.

IIRC, she was a major focus in at least one episode of the cult classic 2010s Looney Tunes show so there was that at least.

[dx23]

IIRC, she was a major focus in at least one episode of the cult classic 2010s Looney Tunes show so there was that at least.

Is that the series where Kristen Wiig voices Lola Bunny? If so, I need to see it. From the shorts that I've seen to the Christmas song, it seems pretty funny, but it probably got lost in Cartoon Network/WB ineptitude and fell through the cracks.

[knives]

It’s fun. At its best it’s like a baby’s introduction to Seinfeld type sitcoms. Daffy and Lola are psychos in a good way.

[TechnicolorAcid]

IIRC, she was a major focus in at least one episode of the cult classic 2010s Looney Tunes show so there was that at least.

Is that the series where Kristen Wiig voices Lola Bunny? If so, I need to see it. From the shorts that I've seen to the Christmas song, it seems pretty funny, but it probably got lost in Cartoon Network/WB ineptitude and fell through the cracks.

It is and it also contains what’s probably my favorite modern version of the characters with a more relaxed style that occasionally has moments of pure and inspired looniness (the two that first came to mind in this regard being the Cecil the Turtle episode involving a broken shell and the episode where Bugs gets hooked on an energy drink). It’s no Daffy in Wackyland but like Knives said, it’s pretty fun.

[Altair]

In another brilliant move by David Zaslav's Discovery/WB, they have removed all Looney Tunes shorts from Max, on the same weekend as the new Looney Tunes film premiered.

This might be connected to WBD exploring a potential sale of the Looney Tunes franchise

[knives]

How utterly grotesque, but who knows, maybe it will go to someone who will release everything in a sensible way.