LOONEY TUNES COLLECTOR’S CHOICE, VOL. 3: More Obscurities From The Golden Years

LOONEY TUNES COLLECTOR’S CHOICE, VOL. 3 (Blu-ray)

1934-1964 / 177 min (25 shorts)

FROM WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

This third volume in Warner Archive’s Collectors Choice series continues raiding the vaults for more Looney Tunes obscurities from the golden years (and a few which aren’t). Like Volumes 1 & 2, it showcases 25 shorts, some of which haven’t been available on home video for years…if ever.

The disc contains a few pivotal pieces of Looney Tunes’ history. In “A Feud There Was,” a character known as Egghead in previous shorts is finally given a name: Elmer Fudd, while “Elmer’s Pet Rabbit” is director Chuck Jones’ first cartoon to feature Bugs Bunny. Elsewhere, the 1964 Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner short, “War and Pieces,” was Jones’ last before being fired by Warner Brothers.

Familiar faces pop up here and there in some lesser-known cartoons. Bugs stars in the hilarious “Wet Hare” and the comparatively lame “Dumb Patrol.” Daffy Duck plays a private dick in “China Jones,” which has seldom been seen in its entirety for good reason…its depiction of Asian stereotypes is a little shocking in this day and age. But for historical posterity, it’s here uncut (and also one of the reasons these discs come with a reminder they are intended for adult collectors).

A tender moment from "Sheep Ahoy."

Sylvester & Tweety show up once, as does the always funny Foghorn Leghorn, but the real treasure might be “Sheep Ahoy.” Some of you might remember Sam Sheepdog & Ralph Wolf, who punch the clock in the morning before squaring off against each other like it’s their 9-to-5 job. I always loved those and am happy they finally saw fit to include one. 

Elsewhere, there are a lot of one-off shorts by various directors dating as far back as 1934. Subjectively, most are more interesting than funny. However, “Punch Trunk,” about a 5-inch elephant sending New York into a panic, is a forgotten gem, while “There Auto Be A Law” is a gag-filled look at modern driving in the ‘50s.

Like the previous two releases, Looney Tunes Collectors Choice Vol.3 is a revealing collection of seldom seen cartoon shorts. Few would rank among the studio’s best, but collectors and completists will find a lot to like.