Blu-ray Review Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice Volume 2 Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Timothy E]

Volume 2 of the Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice series on blu-ray gives us another 25 shorts in high definition.



Disc Information



Studio: Warner Brothers
Distributed By: Warner Archive
Video Resolution: 1080P/AVC



Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 1.0 DD (Mono)



Subtitles: Spanish, French
Rating: Not Rated



Run Time: 3 Hr2. 3 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray



Case Type: Amaray



Disc Type: BD50 (dual layer)
Region: ABC



Release Date: 12/12/2023
MSRP: $21.99



The Production: 5/5

What can I say about the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoon shorts that has not already said in my review of...

Continue reading...

 

[Broomy]

Thanks for the review Timothy. It’s a shame about those audio issues, hopefully WAC can offer a disc replacement programme.
I’m glad they’ve gone with an alphabetical running order. I found the running order of shorts on volume one a bit tiresome as seeing all the shorts from the same character one after another gives me burn out.
I’m really looking forward to this arriving now

 

[Wayne Klein]

Think I’ll hold off to see if there is a replacement disc.

 

[RBailey]

Could WA add a corrected version of THE EAGER BEAVER as an extra on Volume 3?

I've already pre-ordered and I'm sticking with it. There's too many favorites of mine on this set.

 

[battlebeast]

For those uneducated, what does “ rerelease version with blue ribbon titles” mean? Are the original titles lost?

 

[Timothy E]

For those uneducated, what does “ rerelease version with blue ribbon titles” mean? Are the original titles lost?

That is a very good question. The film studios used to fill the voracious demand for theatrical cartoons by producing new cartoons all of the time. It was not unusual for demand to exceed supply of new cartoons being produced, so the studios would make up the difference by rereleasing some of their better cartoons from past years with the new cartoons. (Eventually, the studios figured out that it was more economical to rerelease old cartoons rather than paying animators to remake old cartoons and create brand new ones, which is why fewer new theatrical cartoons were being created by the late 1950s.)

In the 1940s and 1950s, Warner Brothers would rerelease their better or more popular cartoons from years past with a “Blue Ribbon” title card at the beginning of the cartoon.

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies had an opening and closing iris with the studio shield logo in the opening and “That’s all, folks” in the closing. The colors and the designs of the iris would change for each “season” or year that the new cartoons were produced. The studio wanted there to be a consistent color design for each new batch of cartoons for the “season” regardless of whether the cartoons were brand new or merely old classics being slipped in for release with the new batch. This usually meant that cuts would be made to the original negative to insert the opening and closing iris that was current for that season, and taking out the original title card and credits for the cartoon. The original titles were often junked and lost to the ages. A few original titles have actually survived in the hands of film collectors, but usually the original titles have not survived. In some instances, the studio has released Blue Ribbon versions of titles that have survived because the studio no longer has those elements, even though they exist sometimes in the hands of collectors.

One of the limitations of the Blue Ribbon rereleases, aside from the fact that the cartoon was not released originally that way, is that the original artwork created for the title cards is discarded in exchange for a generic Blue Ribbon title card with the same basic artwork for every Blue Ribbon title. The Blue Ribbon cartoons also discarded the original credits to the writer, animator(s), director, and music composer. (One of the rare exceptions to that practice on this release is A Hick, A Slick, and a Chick which is a Blue Ribbon title preserving the original title card and credits; the Blue Ribbon card is followed immediately by the original title card and credits before the beginning of the cartoon.). Whenever a Blue Ribbon title has been inserted into an older cartoon, the music score behind the titles has also been changed. (This would be the case even for A Hick, A Slick, and a Chick since the insertion of the Blue Ribbon card between the opening iris and the credits changed the running time and required new music be synced into place of the original score to bridge into the beginning of the animation.) For the most part, the content of a Blue Ribbon cartoon is the same animation content as the original, although there are limited instances where the cartoon has been modified or edited in the Blue Ribbon version. Hollywood Steps Out(1941) is a notable example of this.

The Eager Beaver in this collection is a Blue Ribbon rerelease. It was originally released on July 13, 1946. The Blue Ribbon version premiered on November 28, 1953. The later version replaced the concentric rings from the original opening and closing with the color and design of rings used in the 1953-1954 season. The later version also removed the original title card and credits, and replaced it with the generic Blue Ribbon title card, and replaced the original music that played over the original titles and credits. Since the original version of The Eager Beaver is not known to survive, the version on this disc (now with soundtrack noticeably out of sync with the animation) is the version released in 1953.

For all of these reasons, the original version is preferable to a rerelease version if you want to see the short exactly as it was presented originally. Usually, the Blue Ribbon is the only surviving version.

 

[battlebeast]

That is a very good question. The film studios used to fill the voracious demand for theatrical cartoons by producing new cartoons all of the time. It was not unusual for demand to exceed supply of new cartoons being produced, so the studios would make up the difference by rereleasing some of their better cartoons from past years with the new cartoons. (Eventually, the studios figured out that it was more economical to rerelease old cartoons rather than paying animators to remake old cartoons and create brand new ones, which is why fewer new theatrical cartoons were being created by the late 1950s.)

In the 1940s and 1950s, Warner Brothers would rerelease their better or more popular cartoons from years past with a “Blue Ribbon” title card at the beginning of the cartoon.

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies had an opening and closing iris with the studio shield logo in the opening and “That’s all, folks” in the closing. The colors and the designs of the iris would change for each “season” or year that the new cartoons were produced. The studio wanted there to be a consistent color design for each new batch of cartoons for the “season” regardless of whether the cartoons were brand new or merely old classics being slipped in for release with the new batch. This usually meant that cuts would be made to the original negative to insert the opening and closing iris that was current for that season, and taking out the original title card and credits for the cartoon. The original titles were often junked and lost to the ages. A few original titles have actually survived in the hands of film collectors, but usually the original titles have not survived. In some instances, the studio has released Blue Ribbon versions of titles that have survived because the studio no longer has those elements, even though they exist sometimes in the hands of collectors.

One of the limitations of the Blue Ribbon rereleases, aside from the fact that the cartoon was not released originally that way, is that the original artwork created for the title cards is discarded in exchange for a generic Blue Ribbon title card with the same basic artwork for every Blue Ribbon title. The Blue Ribbon cartoons also discarded the original credits to the writer, animator(s), director, and music composer. (One of the rare exceptions to that practice on this release is A Hick, A Slick, and a Chick which is a Blue Ribbon title preserving the original title card and credits; the Blue Ribbon card is followed immediately by the original title card and credits before the beginning of the cartoon.). Whenever a Blue Ribbon title has been inserted into an older cartoon, the music score behind the titles has also been changed. (This would be the case even for A Hick, A Slick, and a Chick since the insertion of the Blue Ribbon card between the opening iris and the credits changed the running time and required new music be synced into place of the original score to bridge into the beginning of the animation.) For the most part, the content of a Blue Ribbon cartoon is the same animation content as the original, although there are limited instances where the cartoon has been modified or edited in the Blue Ribbon version. Hollywood Steps Out(1941) is a notable example of this.

The Eager Beaver in this collection is a Blue Ribbon rerelease. It was originally released on July 13, 1946. The Blue Ribbon version premiered on November 28, 1953. The later version replaced the concentric rings from the original opening and closing with the color and design of rings used in the 1953-1954 season. The later version also removed the original title card and credits, and replaced it with the generic Blue Ribbon title card, and replaced the original music that played over the original titles and credits. Since the original version of The Eager Beaver is not known to survive, the version on this disc (now with soundtrack noticeably out of sync with the animation) is the version released in 1953.

For all of these reasons, the original version is preferable to a rerelease version if you want to see the short exactly as it was presented originally. Usually, the Blue Ribbon is the only surviving version.

Thank you SO MUCH for that explanation! That was was WAY MORE than I thought I’d get… very MUCH APPRECIATED!

 

[Justin2001]

Actually... One Meat Brawl and Rabbit Rampage have both been released on Official DVDs. Hilarious Ham and Golden Collection 6 respectfully.

 

[Broomy]

If I remember rightly Rabbit Rampage wasn’t remastered in anyway so this will be its first proper time looking sparkling new.

 

[Paul Penna]

If I remember rightly Rabbit Rampage wasn’t remastered in anyway so this will be its first proper time looking sparkling new.

Yes, it's one of the 80s-90s broadcast-quality transfers included as extras on the Vol. 6 Golden Collection DVD set.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

"The Eager Beaver has a musical soundtrack that is timed specifically to the movements of the characters. Unfortunately, this short is presented with audio noticeably out of sync with the animation. Even if you do not perceive that the characters are speaking a beat or two before the animation shows their mouths moving, this flaw is painfully apparent in the sequence in which two beavers are chopping a tree trunk with axes, and the soundtrack is designed to have the percussion of the axes chopping, and the beats of the music, synced to the motions of each beaver as they alternate chopping the tree. What I have seen is that the first sequence of ax-chopping is heard before it is seen, and the second beaver is chopping to the part of the soundtrack assigned to the first beaver."

I don't see this synch issue at all. Looks timed correctly to me.

Maybe some weird glitch with Timothy's copy?

 

[ThadK]

It's definitely out of sync. The audio comes too early. This is also consistent with how this transfer is on streaming and MeTV. I have to say I concur with this review and that the transfers are overwhelmingly excellent (save The Wacky Worm, which looks genuinely awful).

 

[Paul Penna]

It's definitely out of sync. The audio comes too early.

Well that sucks, since The Eager Beaver has been a favorite of mine from the moment the package first started showing on local TV kid shows, oh, several centuries ago. I'll just have to hope my laserdisc player keeps working. If they can't issue a replacement disc, a nice thing would be to put a corrected version as a bonus on the next volume.

 

[Baenwort]

It's definitely out of sync. The audio comes too early. This is also consistent with how this transfer is on streaming and MeTV. I have to say I concur with this review and that the transfers are overwhelmingly excellent (save The Wacky Worm, which looks genuinely awful).

At least the audio is early. I can adjust the audio delay on my reciever.

If it was lagging, then I have no adjustment.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It's definitely out of sync. The audio comes too early. This is also consistent with how this transfer is on streaming and MeTV. I have to say I concur with this review and that the transfers are overwhelmingly excellent (save The Wacky Worm, which looks genuinely awful).

Dunno the deal, but I saw no signs of sync issues when I watched.

Went over the potentially offending scenes a few times - no issues.

 

[Broomy]

Nicely written review up on Cartoon Research by Thad Komorowski

Thad K Reviews “Looney Tunes Collectors Choice” Vol. 2 |

cartoonresearch.com

It’s a shame about the audio on The Eager Beaver and picture quality on The Wacky Worm but neither are deal breakers for me. Fair and Worm-er is the short in most excited for this time round as it’s been a favourite since childhood. Not to be greedy but I hope we get an announcement for volume three soon.

 

[Garysb]

Currently $12.99 at Amazon

Amazon.com

 

[Timothy E]

The HTF review of Volume 3 has been posted HERE.

 

[moviebuff75]

A Hound For Trouble's opening just cuts to black and doesn't fade out. I know they fixed these credits from the release on On Moonlight Bay. The credit for Chuck Jones had artifacts that were fixed this time. So, is this a mistake? I would think it wouldn't be since they fixed that exact credit.

 

[David Norman]

A Hound For Trouble's opening just cuts to black and doesn't fade out.

Did one of the characters lean back and reach for his cigarettes in his pocket?