Favorite Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes Cartoons

[AndyL]

Forgot to mention my favorite bit from the HIGHWAY RUNNERY Road Runner cartoon (DePatie Freleng era).  Most of the cartoon is standard Coyote/Road Runner fare, until wile E. puts the time bomb in the phony egg.  The payoff of the wind up Road Runner and explosions is priceless.

[Rlotpir1972]

First off, I want to say that Cartoon Network had finally brought all of the W-B cartoons back after a five-year absence, although some are still stripped down for rating issues.  I don't really have a favorite, but I do feel that a few should have not been overlooked.

Some of the colorized versions were aired from 1968, the W-7 (Warner Bros.-Seven Arts logo), instead of the original black-and-white.  Example...1943's Puss 'N Booty had a modified MP-PDA symbol in the credits and the concertric circles in the "Looney Tunes" graphic were green.  The 1990 color version was better, except the circles were purple instead of red, like the Technicolor episodes.

Most of the ending graphics from the older cartoons, owned by Turner, were stripped.

The DVD collections were more original than ever.

[Ccook]

Those "colorized" versions from 1968 were actually redrawn. Those 1931-43 black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoons were first distributed by Sunset Films (thought to be a Warner dummy corporation) then by Guild Films. They had all references to W-B taken out and replaced with new titles and endings. Guild was absorbed into Seven Arts, which then merged with Warner Bros. Warners, having reacquired the cartoons, sent 75 of them to Korea where they were redrawn using the "rotoscope" process. That's where each frame of film is projected in the back of an animation table and the image traced. The animation was inked (on 8-field cels) and painted in color. But time constraints and budgets made the cartoons look incredibly sloppy.

Warners began computer-coloring the original shorts in 1990. On those "redubbed" editions Turner has been running: It was pointless to replace the original ending cards with the 1938 and 1948 "That's All Folks" titles. At least that was affected on videotape and not the original prints themselves.

[joeyboy]

Way too many to list, but some of my all-time favorites:

• One Froggy Evening. A true classic.
• The Three Little Bops.

and just about every Bugs Bunny cartoon.

[Rlotpir1972]

Those "colorized" versions from 1968 were actually redrawn. Those 1931-43 black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoons were first distributed by Sunset Films (thought to be a Warner dummy corporation) then by Guild Films. They had all references to W-B taken out and replaced with new titles and endings. Guild was absorbed into Seven Arts, which then merged with Warner Bros. Warners, having reacquired the cartoons, sent 75 of them to Korea where they were redrawn using the "rotoscope" process. That's where each frame of film is projected in the back of an animation table and the image traced. The animation was inked (on 8-field cels) and painted in color. But time constraints and budgets made the cartoons look incredibly sloppy.

In 1988-1990, the opening/closing graphics were replaced with the 1957 Looney Tunes graphics with the exception of a few.  In 1936's "The Village Smithy", the W-B Shield was blurred while the theme was muted, then the picture focuses and zooms in with the "original" credits and the theme un-muted.  The next graphic was the Looney Tunes one from 1940.  The ending graphic was in bright red with the "That's all folks!" in outline then filled with the rest of the original credits.  In 1942's "Daffy's Southern Exposure", the opening graphic starts in bright red, with muted theme, with the W-B shield, in black WITHOUT the hyphen, fading in.  Two seconds later, the actual copyrights appear, and the music un-muted.  The ending graphic was from 1957.

The same "colorized" redrawn versions were ALSO done with the black-and-white Popeye cartoons, retaining the AAP (Associate Artists Productions) logo.  As far as the Sunset Films, or Sunset Productions as it's shown, the copyright roman numberals were wrong.  The first three letters shown were "MXM", or 1990, when it should be "MCM" as in 1900.

[Ccook]

One other cartoon that was redrawn, 1939's Chicken Jitters, opened in the 1980s with the W-B shield dissolving into the background of musical notes (which the Looney Tunes had from 1937 to 1942) instead of springing out as usual. It ended with Porky popping out of the drum in redrawn form.

[OrchestraRicki]

A couple of examples of other cartoons that I enjoyed starred Foghorn Leghorn, Barnyard Dog and Henery Hawk.  They are Walky Talky Hawky and Henhouse Henery, both of which received the Blue Ribbon and an Oscar, if I am not mistaken.  Walky Talky Hawky, the first Foghorn Leghorn cartoon ever, is such a classic.
As usual, Henery hunted for chicken, and Foghorn would spank Barnyard Dog's behind with a wide wooden stick (I do not know exactly what it is).  The funny thing is that there is a clip on Walky Talky Hawky in which, after the horse bopped the rooster and dog on the heads while they were taken out of the barn, the two of them would team up by shaking hands, as if they were saying, "Congratulations!  Let's get that horse!" (Chuckles)
I could very much picture Meredith Vieira playing the voice of Foghorn Leghorn, Al Roker as Barnyard Dog, and Emily Osment as Henery Hawk!  Th-th-th-that's all Folks!

Hector Manuel Torres Jr.

[Rlotpir1972]

One other cartoon that was redrawn, 1939's Chicken Jitters, opened in the 1980s with the W-B shield dissolving into the background of musical notes (which the Looney Tunes had from 1937 to 1942) instead of springing out as usual. It ended with Porky popping out of the drum in redrawn form.

( buzzer sounds )...I remember that cartoon, BUT the ending was from 1957.  There was NO re-drawn graphic with Porky Pig busting out of a snare drum during the re-colorization process.  To prove me wrong, see if you can get that cartoon and upload it on YouTube.  The same with the other two I mentioned to prove my point.

[Rlotpir1972]

A couple of examples of other cartoons that I enjoyed starred Foghorn Leghorn, Barnyard Dog and Henery Hawk.  They are Walky Talky Hawky and Henhouse Henery, both of which received the Blue Ribbon and an Oscar, if I am not mistaken.  Walky Talky Hawky, the first Foghorn Leghorn cartoon ever, is such a classic.
As usual, Henery hunted for chicken, and Foghorn would spank Barnyard Dog's behind with a wide wooden stick (I do not know exactly what it is).  The funny thing is that there is a clip on Walky Talky Hawky in which, after the horse bopped the rooster and dog on the heads while they were taken out of the barn, the two of them would team up by shaking hands, as if they were saying, "Congratulations!  Let's get that horse!" (Chuckles)
I could very much picture Meredith Vieira playing the voice of Foghorn Leghorn, Al Roker as Barnyard Dog, and Emily Osment as Henery Hawk!  Th-th-th-that's all Folks!

Hector Manuel Torres Jr.

The cartoon you mentioned was actually nominated for an Academy Award.  The winner for 1946 was "The Cat Concerto" starring Tom and Jerry.  Both are found in DVD collections and YouTube.  Enjoy!

[Ccook]

( buzzer sounds )...I remember that cartoon, BUT the ending was from 1957.  There was NO re-drawn graphic with Porky Pig busting out of a snare drum during the re-colorization process.  To prove me wrong, see if you can get that cartoon and upload it on YouTube.  The same with the other two I mentioned to prove my point.

Well, it's been awhile since that cartoon was shown on TV so I wouldn't be surprised. There was a redrawn cartoon that did have Porky and the drum--thinking of what it was, however, is a crap shoot.

[OrchestraRicki]

The cartoon you mentioned was actually nominated for an Academy Award.  The winner for 1946 was "The Cat Concerto" starring Tom and Jerry.  Both are found in DVD collections and YouTube.  Enjoy!

Very interesting, Doc!  Thanks for the information.

Speaking of information, I just found out from a member at the Game Show Network forum that Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes are celebrating their 80th anniversary!  In 1930, Warner Bros. and Vitaphone answered the staff at Walt Disney's making of Mickey and Minnie Mouse by providing Bosko and Honey.  Around 5 years later, circa 1935, Porky Pig, who was a member of the Beans Gang, was introduced, and in just a short time, he became famous.  Then, 4 to 5 years later, around 1939 or 1940, we were introduced to the Wascally Wabbit named Bugs Bunny, and he immediately became the star of the show!  I wanted to make sure that I mention this to you.

Going back to the subject of favorite cartoons, I also like to mention "Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century".  In this cartoon, Duck Dodgers (Daffy Duck) was given an assignment to go to Planet X to investigate on the shaving Cream atom, and the Eager Young Space Cadet (Porky Pig) was his assistant.  Over 50 years after its debut, Warner Bros. gave Duck Dodgers his cartoon series.  Th-th-th-that's all Folks!

Hector Manuel Torres Jr.

[Plinkoman]

Road Runner cartoons have always been my among my favorites, but Rabbit of Seville is my number 1 pick.

[Rlotpir1972]

Then, 4 to 5 years later, around 1939 or 1940, we were introduced to the Wascally Wabbit named Bugs Bunny, and he immediately became the star of the show!

Bugs Bunny WAS introduced in 1940's "A Wild Hare".  Earlier versions of Bugs started in 1938's "Porky's Hare Hunt" with a crazy high-speed laugh that sparked another superstar, Woody Woodpecker...starred in Universal/Walter Lantz's "Knock Knock" in 1940.

[Ccook]

Two grey rabbits with a white cottontail and fleshy cheeks that some take as an embryonic version of Bugs appeared in 1939's Hare-Um Scare-Um and Elmer's Candid Camera. Chuck Jones did the second film and he wasn't happy with it. He'd later describe the rabbit as "Bugs with his umbilical cord in his hand looking for a place to plug it in."

[Teddy]

I can't believe nobody mentioned this, but my two all-time favorites are Fresh Hare and The Wabbit Who Came to Supper. My favorite scene in the former involves a chase scene under the snow, with Bugs Bunny buzzing along and Elmer Fudd going VROOM! like a car motor. The chase ends when Elmer crashes into a tree, which reveals decorations, and then, with Jingle Bells playing in the background, Bugs pops up shortly afterwards and says "Merry Christmas, Santy!" because of Elmer's canny resemblance to the jolly old man himself. In the latter, my three favorite scenes are Bugs singing in the shower, Bugs wishing Elmer a "Happy New Year!" and singing Auld Lang Syne before Elmer realizes it is actually July 4, and the final scene with the postman saying "Easter Greetings!" before handing Elmer a large egg with a hundred wascally wabbits inside; the hares pop out and say Bugs' signature tagline in unison: "Eh, what's up, Doc?" before jumping out of the egg and running all over his property. Hilarious stuff, and I wish I had posted this during the holiday season that had just gone by. Oh well...