Looney Tunes Super Stars: Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote

I don't get it, why that release before just doing sets of the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner hour?

I'd much rather have those shows redone, the way your history of the show has it explained

how they used to air.  Those are sets i'd buy!

Kevin wrote great write ups here:

http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/tv/bbrr/bbrrbroad.html

http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/tv/bbrr/index.html

The amount of care Warner has put behind their Looney Tunes DVD's has slipped SO MUCH that made-for-tv shorts and WEBTOONS are being are being released as part of the main program. This is asisine.

They're restoring material for the WAC now. If that's the only remaining venue where these cartoons will be treated with a modicum of dignity, sign me up.

Is Warner gone completely daffy (pardon the pun)? They're releasing both the correct aspect ration for these shorts as well as a version to fit today's widescreen television sets. Here's a brain storm - release the shorts as they were created in the proper aspect ratio. So instead of adding a potential 30 shorts, they've included only 15 shorts with two different versions. Looney, looney, looney!!!

The days of the Golden Collections have gone by the way side. Too bad. :(

Has anyone checked to see what shorts are included in this release?

It's on TVShowsonDVD. Basically, Rudy Larriva, 2-minute webtoons, cheap-looking made-for-TV shorts, and 1990's revival shorts that are mostly double-dips.

This is probably another casuality of WB's gutting of their movie divison; they lost control of the LT's and now we have to put up with this half-assed garbage.

I would hope that all the persons in previous threads, who wanted Looney Tunes complete, are not going to complain about getting Rudy Larriva Road Runners.  That IS part of “complete”. 

I’m actually glad to see them, but I DO draw the line at “webtoons”… if that’s what were getting as some of the “unfamiliar” titles I’ve seen listed.  Is this true? 

I’m also glad to see McKimson’s “Sugar and Spies”, which I believe may have been the last original Road Runner cartoon.  It had a good score to it… “good” for the later period, at least.  Nicely sixties-sounding.

Still, I’ll join my fellow posters in saying that Warners was once the BEST at animation DVDs, and now they’re the WORST! 

While I do remember and like the theme song for the BB/RR hour, as I recall, this show was nothing more than the theatrical release shorts cut and editted for the shows time and presentation.  I would prefer these shorts uneditted and presented as originally shown.  I am fortunate that in additon to the great DVDs WB released in the past (those GREAT six sets) I also possess the golden age LD box sets and the various LDs that were released in the 90s (not restored but they still look nice).  However, if WB were to resume releassing these shorts as they did with the six sets, I would resume purchasing.  As it stands now, I will not be purchasing this DVD or any other in the future based on the last few released.

Well, I just checked out your link there, Kevin, so you know this.  It seems the only thing to get out of the show then is the theme song and the wrap arounds.  While I might rent this for nostalgia sake, I would prefer the shorts presented uncut and original for purchase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Seven 

While I do remember and like the theme song for the BB/RR hour, as I recall, this show was nothing more than the theatrical release shorts cut and editted for the shows time and presentation.  I would prefer these shorts uneditted and presented as originally shown.  I am fortunate that in additon to the great DVDs WB released in the past (those GREAT six sets) I also possess the golden age LD box sets and the various LDs that were released in the 90s (not restored but they still look nice).  However, if WB were to resume releassing these shorts as they did with the six sets, I would resume purchasing.  As it stands now, I will not be purchasing this DVD or any other in the future based on the last few released.

 

Well, I just checked out your link there, Kevin, so you know this.  It seems the only thing to get out of the show then is the theme song and the wrap arounds.  While I might rent this for nostalgia sake, I would prefer the shorts presented uncut and original for purchase.

Question for you Gary...   how have you watched the golden collection dvds?

Do you sit down and pick some specific shorts to watch, or just start a disc and play?

I'm curious, because I often find that watching shorts is not that interesting, unless

there is some format that makes it into a viewing experince like a "show".

Do you know what i mean?

My pleasure Kevin, thanks for the hard work of putting it all together!

Sorry to hear about your mother passing last year, that must have been a rough time.

We always have the choice to start a new path for our lives, the future is out there,

you'll find a way to contribute, I'm sure of that. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin L McCorry 

Profound thanks, derosa! I so rarely get any positive feedback on those pages. By the way, they're most up to date here:

 

http://kevinmccorrytv.webs.com/bbrr.htm

 

A DVD release of The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour is one of my most fervent wishes. I share your sentiment on that. I suspect a lot of the elements for a restoration do still exist, but the way things are currently going @ Warners', it's a pipe dream. Best I've been able to do is a BB/RR reconstruction of my own, and all the Larriva Road Runners are in it. I was hoping to get some Jones Road Runners not in the BB/RR Hour. But looks like even that'll just never happen.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Seven 

While I do remember and like the theme song for the BB/RR hour, as I recall, this show was nothing more than the theatrical release shorts cut and editted for the shows time and presentation.  I would prefer these shorts uneditted and presented as originally shown...It seems the only thing to get out of the show then is the theme song and the wrap arounds.  While I might rent this for nostalgia sake, I would prefer the shorts presented uncut and original for purchase.

I'm with you, Gary Seven.  I watched most of the LT shorts on afternoon TV *uncut* and without the wrap-arounds.  While I *did* watch the BB/RR hour it was only for the toons as I did not then, nor now, like the filler bits.  I always felt the filler bits were rather lame and terribly unfunny - yes, I felt that way as a young 'un.

I can't speak for Gary but I own them all and will start a disc and watch all the way through.  Sometimes I'll watch a select few shorts, but I don't need the "show" format to enjoy 'em.  IMHO the "show" format is just so much filler.  But I don't much care for "variety" type shows which the BB/RR show was emulating.

I know at least one GC had the original beginning as an extra feature.  It might be nice if they could include the wraparounds as a set up option for when you hit the play all button.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Seven 

While I do remember and like the theme song for the BB/RR hour, as I recall, this show was nothing more than the theatrical release shorts cut and editted for the shows time and presentation.  I would prefer these shorts uneditted and presented as originally shown.  I am fortunate that in additon to the great DVDs WB released in the past (those GREAT six sets) I also possess the golden age LD box sets and the various LDs that were released in the 90s (not restored but they still look nice).  However, if WB were to resume releassing these shorts as they did with the six sets, I would resume purchasing.  As it stands now, I will not be purchasing this DVD or any other in the future based on the last few released.

 

Well, I just checked out your link there, Kevin, so you know this.  It seems the only thing to get out of the show then is the theme song and the wrap arounds.  While I might rent this for nostalgia sake, I would prefer the shorts presented uncut and original for purchase.

Warner has dragged the quality of their Looney Tunes releases to beneath even the low standards of their Tom and Jerry sets, and you guys are bickering over the Bugs Bunny freakin' Road Runner show? That's not even not seeing the forest for the trees.

This is the middle finger WB's Family Divison always wanted to give LT fans, but couldn't until now. What would it take for George Feltenstein's camp to wrestle back jurisdiction over the LT's (even if its just remastered DVD's via the Archive) and fight back against this inanity?

I wouldn't mind seeing the TV presentations restored for the sake of the new material/wrap-arounds,etc - It's all part of the LT/MM history. Even if most of the existing material is only in B&W. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin L McCorry 

 

As regards the BB/RR Hour's distinctive qualities, it extends beyond just the intros and extros and a few bumpers. The cartoon title cards, the stage scenes, the Road Runner interstitials, are all part and parcel of the experience of watching it. Personally, I prefer the cartoon titles of the BB/RR Hour and even those of Bugs & Tweety Show. They're stylized and quick. .... But the biggest thing for me, as derosa alluded to, is the cartoon arrangement in the episodes. That's how I like to view them. A Bugs Bunny and then a Tweety and then a Road Runner, and then another Bugs, a Foghorn, a Sylvester and/or Tweety or another Bugs Bunny, and finally a Road Runner. Possibly a one-shot (e.g. "One Froggy Evening") or a Daffy or a Hippety Hopper, or a Pepe mixed in. And with subtle motifs or theme links to the cartoons. How the cartoons were assembled interests me as much as the cartoons itself. And underpinning it all is the nostalgia factor, which for me is immense. 

I completely agree, the arrangement is what makes it more enjoyable for me to watch any compilation or anthology show.

The same goes for shows like the Archie's Comedy Hour, Scooby's All Star Laff-a-Lympics, the All New Superfriends hour.

Watching just the shorts in a row is not that interesting for me, it works much better in my opinion as a whole show.

Aside from great memories of Saturday morning cartoons, I loved watching the Sunday afternoon showings of the BB/RR hour

on Global TV in Toronto during the mid to late 70s.  Great times!

g

First, to Kevin -- my condolences on the loss of your mother. (Not being able to come up with anything that seems meaningful, I'll leave it at that for now, but know you're not alone in this.)

I also wanted to say thanks for your great site, I have gone there for reference many times.

I also share Kevin's experience of watching the BB/RR Saturday morning shows, and he hit the nail right on the head -- they seemed like the "definitive" showcase for the Warner Bros. cartoons back then, and they did have what I and my friends generally considered the "best" ones -- all the show elements were part of the presentation, and the "This Is It" intro was so essential that I was practically scandalized when they changed it to something else, even though I was almost out of high school then. We also had the pre-1948s and various other WB cartoons on one of our local stations during the week, but the Saturday morning presentation seemed like "the real deal." I also remember comic books featuring the Warner characters as a kid -- I enjoyed them, but Bugs Bunny had his own comic, Daffy Duck had his own, Tweety & Sylvester had one, etc., and I remember not really enjoying that presentation too much. At some point I discovered there was also a "Looney Tunes" comic which featured a variety of characters in the same issue and I enjoyed it much more (even though it was more of the same, just mixed up a little) -- I think that's also the first place I ever saw characters like Cool Cat and wondered who he was.

I don't know what to make of this new Road Runner DVD -- but remember that the initial content listings for a lot of these kinds of DVD releases end up being wrong, or changed before they see release. Personally, I would have been OK with whatever they wanted to include, as long as it's not double-dipped -- but yes, that lineup seems pretty lame. I would have much preferred if they would have just picked up after the Road Runner cartoons which already have been released, even if it ended up being mostly Rudy Larriva ones. They're not "the best" or everyone's favorites, but they are part of the canon -- and they were a big part of the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Saturday morning experience.

I also want to say I am very grateful to have the Golden Collections. With the exception of most of the "bonus" cartoons on the last one, I never thought I'd see these films so beautifully restored (particularly the pre-1948s). With over 1000 cartoons, there's no way to try putting it all out in a format that will please everyone, but I'm glad to have what I have!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin L McCorry 

I'm sick and tired of the economy argument. If the BBC can continue releasing Doctor Who with expensive restoration work, and to a market arguably smaller than that of Looney Tunes, so can Warner. The Super Stars discs could have been a good follow-up to the GCs but Warner has kept taking the lazy way out, culminating in this big cheater disc.

I agree with you fully, for what seems like the first time ever.. Or hell, look at how Shout Factory regularly pays what must be tens of thousands of dollars and spend months placating apathetic or hostile copyright holders for those MST3K boxsets, and yet we're about to receive a DVD set of those Gamera films we were explicitly told would never see the light of day in MST3K form. Or look at how Fox bit the bullet and cleared every last piece of music of every last season of Ally McBeal in on go, and that was a show never released on DVD before and had been out of the public mainstream for years and years.

Yet WB can't be bothered to do something constructive with their own stupid cartoon library?

12 shorts + 3 flash webtoons:

1-Judge Granny Case (2001,flash webtoon,2:57)
2-Wild King Dumb (2001,flash webtoon,3:21)
3-Wile E. Coyote Ugly (2001,flash webtoon)
4-WHIZZARD OF OW (2003,Bret Haaland,7:00)
5-CHARIOTS OF FUR (1994,Chuck Jones,7:00)
6-LITTLE GO BEEP (2000,Spike Brandt,7:55)
7-FREEZE FRAME (1979,Chuck Jones,6:05)
8-SOUP OR SONIC (1980,Chuck Jones,9:10)
9-SUGAR AND SPIES (1966,Robert McKimson,6:20)
10-CLIPPERTY CLOBBERED (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:15)
11-THE SOLID TIN COYOTE (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:15)
12-OUT AND OUT ROUT (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:00)
13-SHOT AND BOTHERED (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:30)
14-CHASER ON THE ROCKS (1965,Rudy Larriva,6:45)
15-HIGHWAY RUNNERY (1965,Rudy Larriva,6:45)

-Wild King Dumb:
http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/us/toons/toons_WildKingDumb.swf

-Wile E. Coyote Ugly:
http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/uk/toons/LT3J_Wiley Coyote Ugly_WEB_UK.swf

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/uk/toons/LT3J_Wiley%20Coyote%20Ugly_WEB_UK.swf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bono Vox 

12 shorts + 3 flash webtoons:

 

1-Judge Granny Case (2001,flash webtoon,2:57)
2-Wild King Dumb (2001,flash webtoon,3:21)
3-Wile E. Coyote Ugly (2001,flash webtoon)
4-WHIZZARD OF OW (2003,Bret Haaland,7:00)
5-CHARIOTS OF FUR (1994,Chuck Jones,7:00)
6-LITTLE GO BEEP (2000,Spike Brandt,7:55)
7-FREEZE FRAME (1979,Chuck Jones,6:05)
8-SOUP OR SONIC (1980,Chuck Jones,9:10)
9-SUGAR AND SPIES (1966,Robert McKimson,6:20)
10-CLIPPERTY CLOBBERED (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:15)
11-THE SOLID TIN COYOTE (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:15)
12-OUT AND OUT ROUT (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:00)
13-SHOT AND BOTHERED (1966,Rudy Larriva,6:30)
14-CHASER ON THE ROCKS (1965,Rudy Larriva,6:45)
15-HIGHWAY RUNNERY (1965,Rudy Larriva,6:45)

 

-Wild King Dumb:
http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/us/toons/toons_WildKingDumb.swf

-Wile E. Coyote Ugly:
http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/uk/toons/LT3J_Wiley Coyote Ugly_WEB_UK.swf

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/looneytunes/uk/toons/LT3J_Wiley%20Coyote%20Ugly_WEB_UK.swf

At least no one can complain about double-dipping!  Still, I have a problem with webtoons, when there are so many legitimate Looney Tunes unreleased... and that INCLUDES Rudy Larriva. 

Why not add a few "FRIENDS", as with the Foghorn Leghorn set -- rather than webtoons.

Said it before, but I'm glad to see the McKimson "Sugar and Spies". 
 

Typically, I watch a few shorts before I watch a movie... kind of old style movie house without the news reels.  Sometimes I pop on a few for the heck of it.  I also find the more obscure shorts to be often funnier and more adult than the more mainstream ones (like Bugs, Daffy, etc.)

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by derosa 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Seven 

While I do remember and like the theme song for the BB/RR hour, as I recall, this show was nothing more than the theatrical release shorts cut and editted for the shows time and presentation.  I would prefer these shorts uneditted and presented as originally shown.  I am fortunate that in additon to the great DVDs WB released in the past (those GREAT six sets) I also possess the golden age LD box sets and the various LDs that were released in the 90s (not restored but they still look nice).  However, if WB were to resume releassing these shorts as they did with the six sets, I would resume purchasing.  As it stands now, I will not be purchasing this DVD or any other in the future based on the last few released.

 

Well, I just checked out your link there, Kevin, so you know this.  It seems the only thing to get out of the show then is the theme song and the wrap arounds.  While I might rent this for nostalgia sake, I would prefer the shorts presented uncut and original for purchase.

Question for you Gary...   how have you watched the golden collection dvds?

Do you sit down and pick some specific shorts to watch, or just start a disc and play?

I'm curious, because I often find that watching shorts is not that interesting, unless

there is some format that makes it into a viewing experince like a "show".

Do you know what i mean?

 

Of the 1,005 classic Looney Tunes (Jul. 1929 - Sept. 20, 1969), only 6 in this latest collection are part of that run.

Question to you guys: I'm too lazy to look up my Golden Collection of Looney Tunes, but has "Adventures of the Road Runner (1962)" ever been released on DVD? I know it was later split into three separate shorts but has the film in its entirety been released?

 Yes, it's a bonus feature on Volume 2 of the Golden Collection.

 First time poster and look forward to contributing my thoughts here.

I am glad after a long hiatus the post-48 shorts are being included on the Superstar line.

While it’s a slight improvement over the original contents, the inclusion of the other recent Roadrunner shorts is still jarring. My exposure to the Roadrunner shorts was when Teletoon would air “THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW”. Before reading Kevin’s excellent article about “THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW”. Kevin, I was wondering if you received my email.   I could not detect the difference between one directed by Jones, Larriva, or McKimson. Larivva’ and McKimson’s shorts feature neat concepts, but nonetheless are very interesting to this day. Joe Torcivia, I also look forward to the release of “ SUGAR AND SPIES” due to the clever gags. Bill Lava’s score is very reminiscent to THE INSPECTOR series, for which he scored earlier.

Regarding the budget that Warner Home Video allots for remastering the Looney Tunes.  

The second and third discs of "The Looney Tunes Golden Collection" Volume 2, included Road Runner and Tweety cartoons, which were specifically remastered for the overseas market.  Why doesn’t Warner Home Video include shorts restored for the overseas market apart of the Superstar collection? This would be a mutual solution for Warner’s without resorting to double dipping, which would please fans. It is very unfortunate that pre- 1953 shorts cannot be remastered and included in the Superstar line-up. There many Saturday Morning favorites that most people will miss: "HOT CROSS BUNNY", "MOUSE MAZURKA", "A FRACTURED LEGHORN", "POP I'M POP', "THE CRACKED QUACK" and "LITTLE BEAU PEPE". Joe Torcivia, as you mentioned on your T.I.A. H. blog, it is hard to believe that once Warner Home Video was great with their Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera releases.  

 First time poster and look forward to contributing my thoughts here.

I am glad after a long hiatus the post-48 shorts are being included on the Superstar line.

While it’s a slight improvement over the original contents, the inclusion of the other recent Roadrunner shorts is still jarring. My exposure to the Roadrunner shorts was when Teletoon would air “THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW”. Before reading Kevin’s excellent article about “THE ROAD RUNNER SHOW”.  I could not detect the difference between one directed by Jones, Larriva, or McKimson. Larivva’ and McKimson’s shorts feature neat concepts, but nonetheless are very interesting to this day. Joe Torcivia, I also look forward to the release of “ SUGAR AND SPIES” due to the clever gags. Bill Lava’s score is very reminiscent to THE INSPECTOR series, for which he provided a year earlier.

Regarding the budget that Warner Home Video allots for remastering the Looney Tunes.  

The second and third discs of "The Looney Tunes Golden Collection" Volume 2, included Road Runner and Tweety cartoons, which were specifically remastered for the overseas market. 

Why doesn’t Warner Home Video include shorts restored for the overseas market apart of the Superstar collection? This would be a mutual solution for Warner’s without resorting to double dipping, which would please fans. It is very unfortunate that pre- 1953 shorts cannot be remastered and included in the Superstar line-up. There many Saturday Morning favorites that most people will miss: "HOT CROSS BUNNY", "MOUSE MAZURKA", "A FRACTURED LEGHORN", "POP I'M POP', "THE CRACKED QUACK" and "LITTLE BEAU PEPE". Joe Torcivia, as you mentioned on your T.I.A. H. blog, it is hard to believe that once Warner Home Video was great with their Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera releases.