Region 2 Looney Toons coming in 2003... (1 Viewer)

[Bob Black]

From The Digital Bits comes this new info in the rumor mill:

2/17 - Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny
3/19 - Looney Tunes: Daffy Duck
4/14 - Looney Tunes: Tweety Pie & Sylvester
5/12 - Looney Tunes: Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner

No specifics yet, but hopefully all will be OAR and be presented in fully restored condition. Now if only MGM would release the Tom & Jerry shorts...

 

[David Lambert]

Bob, your post is misleading. You left off the part that The Bits published that said this just prior to the list you quoted:

And we've just gotten word that no less than four titles in the series have already been revealed for Region 2:

As you see, these are NOT R1 rumors. It is a list for the UK.
And, this is the same information that I listed in this thread here...which includes mention of some of those Tom & Jerry DVDs you asked about! Of course, I forgot that - while Warner might own the R2 rights - it would be MGM in the R1 arena for the T&J titles.

 

[Douglas R]

Of course, I forgot that - while Warner might own the R2 rights - it would be MGM in the R1 arena for the T&J titles.

MGM do not have the rights for Tom & Jerry. These are part of the Turner library, as are all older MGM titles, so they will be released by Warner in all regions.

 

[David Lambert]

Douglas, I stand corrected. I'm not thinking on all four cylindars this morning! In the middle of working for 12 days straight, with the only "day off" being Thanksgiving (which entailed cleaning house and cooking food, natch), so my mind's kinda in a lull right about now.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

Now if I would've just stoped reading after the initial post, I could have gone away happily mislead.

 

[Kevin McCorry]

It's interesting that R2 is getting the DVDs first. Maybe
Warner is testing there to see what configuration works best. I can see the Tweety and Road Runner discs being full series releases, but not Bugs and Daffy. The Tweety and Road Runner sets (including the DePatie-Frelengs) could comprise 2 or 3 disc sets. I have a bad feeling that DVD-18 may be involved, though.

If they do go this route, it's fine by me. Release character sets first. Start with these and then expand to include Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales,
and Sylvester solo. Then start on the cartoons without the major characters.

Just hope they release cartoons on the Tweety disc(s) that aren't on the Japanese releases.

 

[James Reader]

I originally posted this information in the Regional DVD Forum.

Play already have the first Looney Tunes up for sale at a price of £7.99 (RRP £9.99). Sorry but for this price there is no way the sets will be multi-disc or DVD-18.

 

[Jeffrey Gray]

I think that, for R1, WB should do these two ways: 1. "Best-of" (and uncut) discs for the casual consumer; and 2. Take a cue from Disney and do limited-edition "Treasures"-style box sets (heck, they've even got a good equivalent of Leonard Maltin: cartoon historian Jerry Beck...)

 

[Jean-Michel]

Has Warner announced their February slate for R1 yet?

 

[Brenton]

I hope these come to R1. I would love to get my hands on Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner!

 

[David Lambert]

Kevin, there's no telling yet that "R2 will get these first". While WB *has* announced titles for as late as Feb and Mar 03, I would not say that the slate seems complete. Still plenty of time for announcements...especially a big one like this!
But it might indeed be something where they test configurations in R2 before releasing in R1. It's not like that hasn't happened before.

 

[James Reader]

But it might indeed be something where they test configurations in R2 before releasing in R1. It's not like that hasn't happened before.

You know, I've got to love the arrogance of this statement. When R1 get things first it's OK and natural, and yet when R2 appear to be getting things first it's only a 'Test Configuration'. Whatever.

David, I know you are involved when the 'TVshows on DVD' website and therefore you must know that there are literally hundreds of television DVDs available in the UK than the US - many of them being US originated shows. I started to go through the site listing shows that were available in R2 but not listed on your site as being available on R1 but had to give up halfway through the 'B's, there were literally too many entries on my list.

I've got to imagine the prime market for Looney Tunes cartoons in America has to be televions - the Cartoon Network in particular. While we know Looney Tunes are to be released in America (all hints and talk of restoration seems to point to this) don't you think that the fact that the cartoons, though originated for theatrical showings are now - in effect - TV product could have something to do with how different regions are managing their releases?

 

[David Lambert]

James, forgive the "arrogance" of the statement. Perhaps being in the middle of a 12-day-long stretch of working with no days off (not even Thanksgiving, after a fashion)...a run that can stretch to 18 days potentially...has made me choose my words less than carefully.
There ARE occassions when the studios will have two rather different ideas on the best "configuration" to release an title in. And in these situations, they will often release it in one region in one configuration, and gauge the results there before releasing in the other region.
In many of those cases, R1 is the "test configuration" setting.
I wasn't trying to be arrogant or smug or R1-centric. I'm too tired to be any of those things. So, please accept my apology. Now, I'm gonna finish the Weekly Roundup and head to work. :frowning:

 

[Chris S]

There have also been lots of times where we would hear about another regions release long before hearing anything about a similar region 1 release. Back To The Future being an example. Granted the time frame here is rather short but I suppose it could be possible.

Chris S.


Just for the record, until we get further confirmation, I am taking all of this information with a very big grain of salt.

 

[James Reader]

Chris S as I have already posted on the regional forum days ago and repeated earlier in this thred - Play already have the first release for order Here
Other regions, such as Japan already have Looney Tunes discs released. What more do you want for confirmation?
Whether the R1 discs will be published in the same format, or released in the same year is, admittedly, open to question.

 

[Chris S]

What more do you want for confirmation?

Basically I just got the confirmation that I was looking for with thedigitalbits.com latest post in their Rumor Mill section.

There are a couple reasons why I was a bit skeptical about this info. One reason is that with the internet anyone can post anything they want too. Therefore I have become a bit of a skeptic when it comes to early releases information. I've been burned one to many times not to be. The person who originally posted this information on DVDFile had only been a member for 10 days before posting these dates. This sent up a red flag to me that it might be a hoax.

Second is that e-tailers have been know to post items for sale on their website based on rumor alone. I'm not only talking about second rate sites, but reputable sites like Amazon have posted items for sale based only on rumor. Granted that this has not happened in a long while but it has been known to happen.

The long and short of it is that I just wanted a source that I consider to be reputable to acknowledge these dates. The Digital Bits is a source that I fully trust and I now have no doubt that R2 will be seeing Looney Tunes come February.

Chris S.

 

[Louis-Olivier]

I suppose we will see the looney tunes release just in time to promote the upcoming Looney tunes movie...

 

[Kevin McCorry]

I certainly hope the R2 configuration won't be done in
R1 because looking at the projected price, it's probably
just going to be a Best of Bugs Bunny disc, following the
VHS model of maybe 8-10 cartoons on the disc, possibly as
many as 12 or 14. From precedent, contents will probably include "Rabbit of Seville" "What's Opera, Doc?", "Rhapsody Rabbit", "Bully For Bugs", "Long-Haired Hare", "The Big Snooze", "A Wild Hare", one or two Yosemite Sams (probably "Knighty Knight Bugs" or "High Diving Hare"), one or two of the Rabbit Season/Duck Season cartoons, and a few late 1940s McKimsons, possibly "Hillbilly Hare" and "What's Up, Doc?",
plus a Tasmanian Devil or Marvin Martian added, perhaps.

And following the VHS model, it will be 20 years or never
by the time all Bugs cartoons are out.

Considering the wait, we ought to expect something more substantial than this.

A proper release of Bugs Bunny cartoons would require approximately 6 DVD-9s (at least), or 3 DVD-18s if that's what we'll have to deal with here. Daffy would take as many discs (if all his cartoons with Porky are inclusive). Tweety and Road Runner could be 2-disc sets. Beyond that, single discs for Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Le Pew, Sylvester and Friends (Junior, Hippety Hopper, Spike & Chester, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, various mice) and classic Speedy Gonzales.
And a 3-disc set to include the supporting players like Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog, the 3 Bears, the Goofy Gophers, Hubie & Bertie, Claude Cat, Frisky Puppy, Marc Anthony and Pussyfoot, Ralph Phillips, Charlie Dog, Beaky Buzzard, the Honey-Mousers, the Gambling Bug, Babbitt and Catsello, Calvin Q. Calculus, "It's Hummer Time", Bobo the Elephant, the Two Crows, the Three Little Bops, and Michigan J. Frog.
And then a disc for "Politically Incorrect" ones, a disc for wartime cartoons, and a 2 or 3 disc Golden Oldie set.

Any way the cookie crumbles, for it to be done right, it would have to be a mammoth release, not the piece meal releases we got with VHS and Warner LD. And that's why the projected price for the first R2 disc isn't very encouraging. We must hope that Warner has different plans for R1.

 

[PaulP]

You know, I've got to love the arrogance of this statement. When R1 get things first it's OK and natural, and yet when R2 appear to be getting things first it's only a 'Test Configuration'. Whatever.

I don't think it's anything arrogant. I think it's quite logical that American movies and shows would be released in Region 1 first.

 

[James Reader]

Yes it is logical to expect American product to be released in R1 first.
What I found arrogant about the statement was that when the facts seem to indicate that R2 PAL (let's not forget that selected Looney Tunes cartoons are already available in R2 Japan - these must be test configurations too) the release is dismissed as a 'test configuration' - almost as if Europe is not worthy of such releases.
David maintains that there have been several 'test configuration' releases in either region before, but I cannot think of any. Perhaps he is classing the single Batman:TAS R1 disc as a test configuration, perhaps not, I really don't know what he means. I suppose being as 'Space Jam' is P&S in R1 and 16:9 enhanced in R2 the R1 release must have been a 'test configuration'.
I know a lot of you are expecting a lot from the Looney Tunes releases, but lets look at the facts:
1) The sets are almost certainly to be released by Warner Family Entertainment
2) Warner Family Entertainment still insist on releasing P&S discs - most recently The Powerpuff Girls Movie.
3) Scooby Doo started well with the first 5 episodes in sequential order, but went to pot after the first release. Now with only a few discs released episodes are already being duplicated.
4) Batman:TAS has once again has the first 5 episodes released, but no sign of further releases or box sets.
5) and most importantly as has been pointed out by myself and others for the price stated there is no way the R2 releases will be multi-disc. Just like the current Japanese releases are not multi-disc. The chances are the R1 releases will not be multi-disc either.
Yes, I agree the only way to properly release these cartoons is in sets (personally I favor chronological rather than character based due to the problem of potential duplicates) but do you really think Warner Family Entertainment who have paid little attention to our wishes in the past will do so?