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WARNER

MOVIE INFO

Director:
Various
Cast:
Mel Blanc, Arthur Q. Bryan, Stan Freberg
Writing Credits:
Various

Synopsis:
60 animated Bugs Bunny shorts made between 1940 and 1991.

MPAA:
Rated NR.

DISC DETAILS
Presentation:
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio:
English Dolby Monaural
French Dolby Monaural
Portuguese Dolby Monaural
Subtitles:
English
French
Dutch
Portuguese
Closed-captioned
Supplements Subtitles:
English
French
Dutch
Portuguese

Runtime: 425 min.
Price: $74.99
Release Date: 12/1/20

Bonus:
• Audio Commentaries for 29 Shorts
• 4 Alternate Audio Programs for 3 Shorts
• “Bugs Bunny’s 80th” Documentary
Hare Ribbin’ Director’s Cut
• “Forever Befuddled” Featurette
• “A Rabbit For All Seasonings” Featurette
• “Mars Attacks!” Featurette
• “All Star 50th Anniversary” Documentary
• “A Hunting We Will Go” Featurette
• “Ain’t He A Stinker?” Featurette
• “Wagnerian Wabbit” Featurette
• “Hard Luck Duck” Featurette
• “Short Fuse Shootout” Featurette
• “50 Years of Bugs Bunny in 3 ½ Minutes” Featurette
• Bonus Shorts
• Exclusive Funko Pop Bugs
• Letter from Historian Jerry Beck


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RELATED REVIEWS


Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection [Blu-Ray] (1940-1991)

Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (November 22, 2020)

Back in 1940, a certain wascally wabbit made his first formal appearance. We celebrate that occasion via this three-disc Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection Blu-ray set.

Across those platters, we get a whopping 60 shorts from that 1940 debut through 1991, though all but the last one come from the span of 1940 to 1964.

For each short, I’ll offer the following information: the year in which it was produced, the director, and what kind of extra audio track if offers (if any). A “C” designates an audio commentary, while an “AAP” connotes an “alternate audio program”. I’ll also provide a quick synopsis of the cartoon plus my number grade on a scale of 1 to 10.

DISC ONE:

Elmer’s Candid Camera (1940, C. Jones - C): Elmer Fudd decides to take up wildlife photography. Along the way he runs into troubles with a rabbit who looks and acts – but doesn’t sound – like a certain legendary Bunny.

A proto-Bugs appeared earlier than Camera, and it’s too bad we don’t see any of those shorts here. Still, Camera becomes his formal launch, and it’s a terrific first salvo. 9/10.

A Wild Hare (1940, F. Avery - C): Elmer continues to hunt rabbits and he butts heads with a rabbit who looks, acts and sounds like a certain legendary Bunny. With traditional catchphrases in tow, this short delivers much closer to “classic Bugs” than its predecessor. 9/10.

Hold That Lion, Please (1942, C. Jones - C): To prove his status as “king of the jungle”, a lion hunts rabbits and gets more than he bargained for when he meets Bugs. The Bugs side works but the lion seems like a less than stellar antagonist. 7/10.

Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid (1942, R. Clampett - C): A mama vulture sounds out her kids to fetch some eats. Slow-witted Killer resists but she forces him to at least bag a little rabbit. He attempts to sic Bugs, with the usual results. 9/10.

Super-Rabbit (1943, C. Jones – C): Bugs gains superpowers not unlike those possessed by a certain Man of Steel. Though the story veers toward the usual “Bugs Vs. Rabbit-Hater” motif, the Bunny’s abilities add a fun twist. 8/10.

Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk (1943, I. Freleng): As he steals enormous carrots, Bugs confronts an unhappy giant. This large antagonist reminds me a little of the lion from the earlier short, but the plus-sized setting adds creativity. 7/10.

What’s Cookin’, Doc? (1944, R. Clampee, I. Freleng – C): Bugs demands a recount when he doesn’t win the Oscar. Doc deviates from the usual “Bugs battles a foe” template and mocks Hollywood in a delightful manner, though it loses some points because a large chunk reuses the Little Hiawatha short. 6/10.

Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears (1944, C.Jones – C): The Three Bears lack for food, but they plan to trap – and apparently eat – Goldilocks. With only carrots as bait, they instead lure Bugs. He then needs to evade their attempts to bag him. 10/10.

Hare Ribbin’ (1944, R. Clampett – C): A posh pooch hunts a particular rabbit. Given how many of these shorts come with the same basic concept, it seems remarkable how much creativity the Warner crew churned out of them. Ribbin’ delivers laughs, though I admit I don’t love the vaguely Russian canine antagonist. 7/10.

The Old Grey Hare (1944, R. Clampett – C): Frustrated with his inability to slaughter Bugs, Elmer gets a view of his distant future – in the year 2000! This becomes a terrific twist on the standard Bugs/Elmer battle. 10/10.

Baseball Bugs (1945, I. Freleng - C): When the Gas-house Gorillas obliterate the hometown Tea Totallers on the diamond and Bugs heckles them, the monsters force him to play them on his own. 9/10.

Hair-Raising Hare (1945, C. Jones – C): An evil scientist tries to lure Bugs to his lair so his horrible monster can eat the rabbit. Naturally, Bugs prefers to avoid this fate. 10/10.

Racketeer Rabbit (1946, I. Freleng): When Bugs holes up in a remote house, he runs up against gangsters. With spoofs of Edward G. Robinson and Peter Lorre, we find a delightful take on the genre. 9/10.

Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1947, I. Freleng - C): When Yosemite Sam terrorizes an Old West town, only Bugs stands up to him. The two engage in an ever-escalating battle. 9/10.

Haredevil Hare (1947, C. Jones – C): As scientists send a rocket into space, they recruit Bugs to man it against his will – until he sees the mass of carrots stocked in it, that is. He soon lands on the moon, where he attempts to stop a mission by Marvin the Martian to destroy the Earth. 10/10.

Hot Cross Bunny (1948, R. McKimson): Scientists attempt to swap the brain of “Experimental Rabbit No. 46” with that of a chicken. This mostly revolves around a doctor’s attempts to corral Bugs, but it becomes reasonably entertaining. 7/10.

Hare Splitter (1948, .I. Freleng): Bugs dresses up like his would-be girlfriend Daisy to ward off a competitor for her affection. Though this essentially pits Bugs against an antagonist he must outsmart, the premise gives it juice. 8/10.

Knights Must Fall (1949, I. Freleng): Medieval Bugs offends Sir Pantsalot and finds himself stuck in a jousting duel. Again, this short uses the standard theme, but the Olde Dayes theme brings a fun twist. 8/10.

What’s Up Doc? (1949, R. McKimson - C): Movie-star Bugs gets a request for his life story. He tells this tale as we watch flashbacks to his childhood and career on his path to stardom. 7/10.

8 Ball Bunny (1950, C. Jones – C): Bugs attempts to help a lost penguin find his way to the South Pole. I always appreciate a shift from the usual “Bugs avoids predators” theme, and this one becomes a cute endeavor. 8/10.

DISC TWO:

Rabbit of Seville (1949, C. Jones - C): On the run from a gun-toting Elmer Fudd, Bugs ends up as part of an opera production. Bugs performs and lures Elmer into the piece as well. 8/10.

Rabbit Every Monday (1951, I. Freleng – C): Yosemite Sam stalks Bugs. No gimmicks this time, as we find a pretty basic short in which Bugs just attempts to avoid his death. While not an original theme, the short manages laughs. 7/10.

The Fair Haired Hare: (1951, I. Freleng – C): When Sam builds a house atop Bugs’ hole, the two butt heads. This devolves to the usual “Sam tries to kill Bugs” motif, but it comes with some clever twists along the way. 7/10.

Rabbit Fire (1950, C. Jones – C, M): Elmer Fudd hunts rabbits, and Daffy Duck does his best to lead the little guy to Bugs’ door. The Bunny fends off the attacks and tries to send Fudd to bag Daffy instead. 9/10.

His Hare Raising Tale (1951, I. Freleng): Bugs tells his nephew a slew of tall stories about his life. While entertaining, Tale relies largely on clips from old shorts, so it loses points for a lack of much new material. 4/10.

Hare Lift (1952, I. Freleng): Sam mistakes Bugs for an Air Force pilot and forces him to take him on an aerial escape. That’s certainly a twist on the usual battle, and it brings some entertaining escapades. 8/10.

Upswept Hare (1953, R. McKimson): When Elmer uproots a special plant, he accidentally brings Bugs home with him. Inevitably, this leads to Elmer’s usual attempts to murder Bugs, but the scenario brings life to the old theme. 8/10.

Robot Rabbit (1953, I. Freleng): Tired of Bugs’ attempts to steal his carrots, Elmer sends a mechanical bunny to take care of him. Though more of the usual “foe assaults Bugs” material, the automaton brings new twists. This one works if just for the sight of the mechanoid’s attempts to woo “Robot Bugs”: the rabbit with a bucket on his head. 8/10.

Captain Hareblower (1954, I. Freleng): Cowboy Sam becomes Pirate Sam, and he battles with Bugs at sea. Because each character occupies his own vessel, this one puts Bugs and Sam on more equal footing in terms of firepower, and it manages some lively escapades. 8/10.

No Parking Hare (1954, R. McKimson): A construction worker attempts to evict Bugs from his hole in the ground. This one can feel a little more Road Runner than usual, as the worker stands in for Wile E. Coyote, but with plenty of verbal humor, it works. 7/10.

Yankee Doodle Bugs (1954, I. Freleng): As his nephew tries to learn about American history, Bugs gives him the “real story” – one that involves rabbits. A nice break from the usual “Bugs avoids death” scenario, it offers a clever spin on its topics. 9/10.

Lumber Jack-Rabbit (1954, C. Jones – C): Bugs meets Paul Bunyan and spars with his dog. This one feels a bit reminiscent of Beanstalk. While not a rehash, it seems a bit less creative than I’d like. 5/10.

Baby Buggy Bunny (1954, C. Jones – C, M): A bank robber impersonates a baby to escape the authorities. When his ill-gotten gains accidentally wind up in Bugs’ rabbit hole, the crook uses his infant shtick to fool the Bunny and retrieve his cash. 5/10.

Hare Brush (1955, I. Freleng): Corporation CEO Fudd believes he’s a rabbit and manages to swap places with Bugs, who eventually comes to think he’s Elmer. No one can call this one derivative, as it takes some quirky twists. 8/10.

This Is A Life? (1955, I, Freleng): A spoof of TV”s This Is Your Life, Elmer leads us through a look at Bugs’ history, much to Daffy’s jealous chagrin. This acts as an excuse to feature clips from old shorts, though it comes with enough “new” content to redeem it – sort of. 5/10.

Rabbitson Crusoe (1956, F. Freleng): Sam finds himself stranded on a desolate island, and he envisions rabbit stew when a shipwrecked Bugs arrives. This takes us back to the old “Bugs attempts survival against foe” theme, but the Robinson Crusoe inspiration adds cleverness. 7/10.

Napoleon Bunny-Part (1956, F. Freleng): Bugs takes a wrong turn and ends up in… 19th century France, where he wrangles with Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The short eventually explains this wacky concept, and you’ll find a reasonably entertaining historical farce. 6/10.

Half-Fare Hare (1956, R. McKimson): As Bugs takes a train from LA to Chattanooga, two hungry vagrants try to eat him. The big spin here comes from the fact Bugs’ antagonists act as doppelgangers of the two male leads from The Honeymooners. The short seems to assume this gimmick will carry it, but it doesn’t, so we end up with a lackluster cartoon. 4/10.

Piker’s Peak (1957, F, Freleng): Sam volunteers to climb a mountain for a prize, but Bugs attempts to beat him to the top. That offers a decent spin on the usual competition, even if it still involves Sam’s attempts to harm Bugs. 7/10.

What’s Opera, Doc? (1957, C. Jones - C, M): To the strains of Wagner, Elmer attempts to “kill the wabbit”. An operatic battle ensues. 8/10.

DISC THREE:

Bugsy and Mugsy (1957, F. Freleng): Bugs ends up in a gangsters’ hideout and he attempts to teach them that crime doesn’t pay. This short puts Bugs in the driver’s seat more than usual, and it comes with fun twists as Bugs messes with the outlaws’ heads. 8/10.

Show Biz Bugs (1957, F. Freleng - C): Bugs and Daffy play a musical show together. The Duck becomes irritated because the Bunny receives top billing and all the adulation. 8/10.

Hare-Less Wolf (1958, F. Freleng): Badgered by his wife, a forgetful wolf tries to shoot Bugs – if he can remember his mission. Even in the wild world of Looney Tunes, it seems weird that an animal predator goes out with a rifle to stalk his prey. We’re used to humans like Sam and Elmer, but a wolf?

The wolf’s absent-minded nature manages a twist on the usual “Bugs outfoxes murderous rival” aspect, but I still think it’s more illogical than it needs to be. 6/10.

Now, Hare This (1958, R. McKimson): A wolf tries to catch Bugs. Now there’s an original concept! “Hare” uses Little Red Riding Hood as a turn on the theme, but it’s not a great twist. 5/10.

Knighty Knight, Bugs (1958, F. Freleng - C): King Arthur needs a champion to retrieve a magical sword, and he forces court jester Bugs to do the deed. Hey, I’m all over shorts that alter the standard template, even if Medieval Sam makes this one more traditional that it might initially appear. 7/10.

Hare-Abian Nights (1959, K. Harris): Bugs winds up in an Arabian kingdom and he needs to entertain the sultan to survive. Unfortunately, this just becomes a framework for a short mainly composed of clips from older cartoons. 3/10.

Backwoods Bunny (1959, R. McKinsom): Bugs finds himself in the Ozarks and he needs to contend with ravenous buzzards. This feels like a country-fied twist on Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid. 6/10.

Wild and Wooly Hare (1959, F. Freleng): Yosemite Sam takes on all gunslinging rivals, and Bugs confronts him. This smacks awfully closely to Bugs Bunny Rides Again, though it finds some new gags along the way. 5/10.

Bonanza Bunny (1959, R. McKinson): Set during the late 19th century Klondike Gold Rush, Bugs strikes it rich and fends off bandit Blacque Jacque Shellacque. Jacque comes across as a French-Canadian Yosemite Sam, though he seems wilier. Bonanza makes Bugs less clever than usual, but he still remains smart enough to outwit his opponent. 6/10.

People Are Bunny (1959, R. McKinson): When a TV station offers $1000 for the first rabbit kill of the season, Daffy tries to use Bugs for the cash. Though this uses the standard “Bugs tricks a foe” theme, the presence of Daffy gives it zing, and other twists add to the fun. 8/10.

Person to Bunny (1960, F, Freleng): Bugs appears on a TV interview show, and his comments offend a vengeful Elmer. “Cedric R. Burroughs” acts as a stand-in for Edward R. Murrow, and Daffy steals the show when he tries to take over the broadcast. 7/10.

Rabbit’s Feat (1960, C. Jones – C): Wile E. Coyote stalks Bugs. I guess this counts as a “crossover”, one of five times Buys and Wile E. faced each other. It’s an uneasy match, especially because it allows the normally mute Coyote to speak. 5/10.

From Hare to Heir (1960, F. Freleng – C): “Duke of Yosemite” Sam stands to win a fortune if he can stay calm around Bugs for an extended period of time. Given Sam’s temper, his attempts to remain sedate in the face of Bugs’ provocative moves creates mirth. 7/10.

Compressed Hare (1961, C. Jones, M. Noble): Wile E. Coyote tries to cook and eat Bugs. The fourth of their five collaborations, these two still feel like an awkward fit, though Bugs’ methods of attack on Wile E. manage some creative moments. 6/10.

Prince Violent (1961, F. Freleng, H. Pratt): Viking Sam terrorizes a medieval castle and Bugs attempts to stop him. The setting brings some flavor, as does the presence of an elephant (!) as Sam’s sidekick. 6/10.

Shishkabugs (1962, F. Freleng): Sam cooks for a king who demands Hasenpfeffer – or rabbit stew – and attempts to use Bugs as the main ingredient. What’s with the Olden Dayes theme of these shorts? It’s not a great concept, and “Shishkabugs” doesn’t elevate the concepts. 5/10.

The Million Hare (1963, R. McKimson): Bugs and Daffy race to win a cash prize offered by a TV show. The Bunny and the Duck always combined well, so this becomes a pretty good romp. 7/10.

The Unmentionables (1963, F. Freleng): Federal Agent “Elegant Mess” pursues gangsters. A spiritual heir to Racketeer Rabbit, this one obviously acts to capitalize on the popularity of TV’s Untouchables, but it doesn’t match up to the earlier organized crime-related short. 5/10.

False Hare (1964, R. McKimson): Big Bad Wolf and his nephew attempt to bag Bugs. This short reprises the wolves from Now, Hare This, and they still don’t seem like winners. 5/10.

Blooper Bunny (1991, G. Ford, T. Lennon - C): As his friends create a birthday message for Bugs, we get rough footage from behind the scenes. Blooper seems to go with the Roger Rabbit view of toons as actors, so we get a view of them “off-screen”. 6/10.


The Disc Grades: Picture B/ Audio C+/ Bonus B

Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.37:1 on these Blu-ray Discs. Though usually appealing, the shorts came with erratic visuals.

For the most part, sharpness looked good, with cartoons that mostly displayed accurate definition. However, sporadic instances of softness materialized, so some elements could feel a little on the fuzzy side.

No issues with jagged edges or noire effects materialized, and I saw no edge haloes. Grain seemed natural, but some examples of print flaws cropped up along the way.

These became inconsistent, as most shorts lacked defects. Some of the cartoons came with minor specks and marks, though.

Colors largely worked well, as the primary hues on display often appeared vivid and lively. The tones occasionally felt a little flat, but those instances occurred infrequently, as the shorts mainly delivered dynamic colors.

Blacks felt deep and dark, and low-light moments came across with nice clarity. Overall, I felt pleased with the visuals of the cartoons, even if some came up short.

Note that Blooper Bunny mixed 1.37:1 and 1.78:1 material. The latter came from the “behind the scenes” footage and was windowboxed.

As for the shorts’ Dolby Digital monaural audio. It seemed perfectly competent given the age of these films. Speech occasionally felt a bit brittle, and a little edginess appeared at times, but the lines usually remained reasonably natural, and no issues with intelligibility occurred.

Music lacked much range, but those elements seemed moderately peppy and full. Effects also came across with only minor distortion, so they appeared well-rendered, albeit without a lot of low-end impact.

Given the nature of the material, the shorts demonstrated more than acceptable audio. I did deduct some points due to the absence of lossless sound, though. While I understand that old monaural cartoons won’t provide the greatest audio, they still should get the lossless treatment to optimize their potential.

A bunch of extras appear on these three discs, and across the shorts, we find 29 audio commentaries. Check back with my listings of the original cartoons to see which shorts come with commentaries.

Across these, we hear from animation historians Jerry Beck, Greg Ford, Paul Dini, Constantine Nasr, and Michael Barrier, voice artist Stan Freberg, and animator Eric Goldberg.

We also get sound bites from directors Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng and Bob Clampett, writer Lloyd Turner, layout artist John McGrew and animators Michael Maltese, Art Leonardi, Holly Pratt, Virgil Ross, Maurice Noble and Pete Alvarado. Bugsy and Mugsy features some excerpts from the recording of its score as well.

The focus of each commentary varies, but cumulatively, they cover a lot of territory. We learn good information about the shorts, their creators and actors, and the genre in general. For some of the ones with period references, we hear explanations of those allusions.

We get a nice feel for the production process and what went into the making of the cartoons. It helps that we occasionally get those archival audio clips from some of the biggest figures in Bugs’ history. Overall, the commentaries give us a fun and educational glance at the cartoons.

Three shorts boast Alternate Audio Programs. Here’s what we find:

Rabbit Fire: music-only track.

Baby Buggy Bunny: music-and-effects track.

What’s Opera, Doc?: music-only track.

What’s Opera, Doc?: Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan vocal track.

All four offer nice glimpses of the production. Unsurprisingly, the “vocal track” becomes the most fun of the bunch.

A new documentary, Disc One boasts Bugs Bunny’s 80th, a one-hour, one-minute, four-second piece. Narrated by Billy Crystal, it brings comments from Beck, Freberg, Jones, Freleng, Goldberg, Ford, Ross, inkers/painters Dora Yakutis and Martha Sigall, animators Bill Melendez, Willie Ito and Mark Knausler, voice artists Mel Blanc, Billy West, Tom Kenny, Joe Alaskey, June Foray and Keith Scott, son Noel Blanc, character designer Robert Givens, directors Tex Avery and Joe Dante, historians Leonard Maltin, Charles Solomon and Mark Evanier, director Bob Clampett’s daughter Ruth, Disney producer Don Hahn, director’s son Robert McKimson, Jr., and TV producer David H. DePatie.

“80th” looks at Bugs’ origins and development, aspects of his look, character and voice, various interpretations of Bugs, and his history over the decades.

“80th” becomes a surprisingly deep program, one that really digs into nuances such as the ways different directors handled Bugs. While certainly celebratory, “80th” brings a fine overview.

A Director’s Cut of Hare Ribbin’ runs eight minutes, three seconds. That’s precisely 19 seconds longer than the “standard version” found elsewhere on the disc.

The alterations come from the ending, as Bugs uses a more proactive method to get rid of his enemy here. I guess the Powers That Be didn’t like the implication Bugs would actually attempt to murder a foe.

Forever Befuddled goes for three minutes, 25 seconds and includes notes from Maltin, Beck, Jones, Alaskey, Noel Blanc, and Ruth Clampett.

As implied by the title, “Befuddled” gives us some background on Elmer Fudd. Though it has some useful moments, it’s too short to tell us much.

Next comes A Rabbit For All Seasonings, a five-minute, 39-second featurette that offers comments from Ruth Clampett, Freberg, Hahn, Maltin, Jones, Noel Blanc, Melendez, Beck, Freleng, Dante, Friz Freleng’s daughter Sybil, and Chuck Jones’ daughter Linda.

“Rabbit” gives us basics about Bugs. It’s fine for what it is, but it’s redundant after the more detailed “80th”.

Disc One concludes with Mars Attacks! Life on the Red Planet With My Favorite Martian. It spans 14 minutes, 49 seconds and delivers notes from Goldberg, Beck, historians Mark Kausler, Michael Mallory, Andrew Farago and Charles Zembillas, and animator Andy Beall.

Marvin the Martian becomes the focus here, as we trace his history and development. This turns into a solid exploration.

On Disc Two, we find Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes All Star 50th Anniversary, a 47-minute, 31-second program. It presents many clips from Looney Tunes shorts plus comments from David Bowie, Cher, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Penny Marshall, George Burns, Chuck Jones, Jeremy Irons, Friz Freleng, Danny Thomas, Kirk Douglas, Jeff Goldblum, Eve Arden, Mike Nichols, Steve Martin, Geraldine Page, Candice Bergen, Molly Ringwald, Mel Blanc, Chuck Yeager, Quincy Jones, and Billy Dee Williams.

Don’t expect to learn much about the cartoons here. We occasionally get interesting tidbits and some good archival material like pencil tests and live-action footage of Tex Avery as he acts out part of a short.

However, mostly we see snippets of the cartoons and hear from the various celebrities, all of whom discuss the Looney Tunes characters as if they were real members of the Hollywood community.

A few funny bits emerge - especially when Martin talks about Bugs’ influence on Paul Newman and Meryl Streep - but the joke gets old fairly quickly.

A Hunting We Will Go fills nine minutes, 30 seconds with notes from Goldberg, Leonardi, Maltin, Dini, West, Chuck Jones, Melendez, Foray, Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi, cartoon editor Rick Gehr and animator Corny Cole.

This brings an overview of the Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning and Duck! Rabbit, Duck! shorts, aka the “Wabbit Season Trilogy”. We find some good insights about these specific cartoons.

Next comes Ain’t He A Stinker?, a 16-minute, 41-second program with info from Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng. Though we hear a smattering of remarks, “Stinker” mostly just acts as a collection of film clips. It’s not especially useful.

Finally, Disc Two wraps with Wagnerian Wabbit, a nine-minute, 31-second piece that offers notes from Beck, Solomon, Cole, Kausler, Maltin, Chuck Jones, Ito, Scott and cartoon music historian Daniel Goldmark.

They cover the creation of the short and various aspects of it. The participants contribute nice details and flesh out the subject well.

When we head to Disc Three, Hard Luck Duck goes for three minutes, 41 seconds and features Ito, Melendez, Alaskey, Chuck Jones, Maltin, Beck, Noel Blanc, Leonardi and Goldberg.

As expected, “Duck” offers a basic overview about Daffy. Also as expected, it seems insufficient for the scope of the subject.

Short Fuse Shootout lasts three minutes, three seconds and delivers comments from DePatie, Foray, Givens, Melendez, Sybil Freleng, Friz Freleng, Maltin, Leonardi and Beck.

This one looks at Yosemite Sam. Though brief, it works acceptably well, mainly because it concentrates on the notion that Friz Freleng acted as the model for Sam.

For the final featurette, 50 Years of Bugs Bunny in Three ½ Minutes actually fills three minutes, 52 seconds. It throws out a slew of movie clips in a decent package, though the poor quality of the taken-from-video compilation holds back its usefulness.

Disc Three finishes with 10 Bonus Looney Tunes Cartoons. All of a more modern vintage than those in the main collection, these take up a total of 58 minutes, 12 seconds.

On one hand, I don’t think the Looney Tunes characters should remain on ice and delegated solely to the decades-old cartoons. On the other hand, the newer shorts tend to feel like pale imitations. I wish this package used the space for more classic cartoons instead of these newer concoctions.

This “Limited Edition” release also includes two non-disc components. We get a letter from historian Jerry Beck that seems innocuous as well as a Funko Pop Bugs. The latter adds more value, as Funko figures go for about $10 on their own, and this one claims to be exclusive to this package.

One of the all-time great cartoon characters, we get a substantial compilation of shorts via Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection. Though not all the films satisfy, we still find plenty of entertainment here. The Blu-rays come with largely solid visuals as well as appropriate audio and a nice compilation of bonus materials. Fans will enjoy this fine package.

Viewer Film Ratings: 4.6666 Stars Number of Votes: 3
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