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January 15, 2025
Coming January 28; includes 7 modern shorts in HD
With the Los Angeles area still battling raging wildfires that are affecting millions of people's lives, homes, and jobs, it would have been understandable if Warner Archive needed to delay this month's slate of Blu-ray releases. But alas, pre-orders are now appearing for its January titles, including the Blu-ray debut of the 1988 feature Daffy Duck's Quackbusters. Marking the first hi-def release of any of the 1970s-1980s compilation movies, the Blu-ray is now available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
In addition to the movie itself, the disc will include as bonuses the following 1980s-1990s revival shorts, all in HD....
Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24 1/2th Century (1980)
The Duxorcist (1987)
Little Go Beep (2000)
The Night of the Living Duck (1988)
Superior Duck (1996)
(blooper) Bunny! (1991)
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers (1992)
With Warner Archive hinting at another big year for its animation releases, starting things off with one of the more popular modern Looney Tunes productions might prove to be a nice appetizer for things to come (well, "modern" as in the last three-and-a-half decades, already...yikes!). And with the added bonus of a good chunk of the "newer" shorts, this Blu-ray serves as an essential purchase for the completist wanting things in HD.
The Daffy Duck's Quackbusters Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on January 28 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
December 6, 2024
Includes 7 modern shorts all in HD!
Last month, George Feltenstein and Jerry Beck promised that the Warner Archive will be expanding its animation efforts in 2025, and today the Archive announced a number of titles set for January. Among the three cartoon releases announced is the Blu-ray debut of the 1988 feature film Daffy Duck's Quackbusters. Marking the first hi-def release of any of the 1970s-1980s compilation movies, the Blu-ray will see release on January 28. At press time, the disc is not available to pre-order, nor has a retail price been revealed.
In addition to the feature film (presented in full frame as originally produced and released), the Blu-ray will include seven of the 1980s-1990s revival shorts as bonuses, all in HD.
The Blu-ray will contain the following cartoons....
Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24 1/2th Century (1980)
The Duxorcist (1987)
Little Go Beep (2000)
The Night of the Living Duck (1988)
Superior Duck (1996)
(blooper) Bunny! (1991)
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers (1992)
Figure if you've watched any of these on HBO Max, these will be the same masters. And yeah, that means Duck Dodgers... will be the official, "short" version.
The five compilation movies have been long overdue for a revisiting in terms of remastering and disc presentation (longtime readers know of our frustration at seeing the exact same 2009 Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie DVD being repressed in every imaginable configuration and multi-pack), and if this is the start of a new collection from Warner Archive, we're all for it. And if that would also serve as a way to get HD versions of all of the revival shorts released, all the better for the completists out there. Perhaps we might even one day see the prime-time TV specials added as extras?
The disc's official synopsis, as posted by Warner Archive's Facebook page, reads as follows....
In this delightful, animated feature film, Daffy Duck opens up the ghostbusting Ghouls 'R' Us agency. "It's supply and demand," the spook sleuth explains. "My clients supply the ghosts, and I demand the money." Highlights include Daffy "Anything for a Buck" Duck pitching his wares on TV, a house call to a vampy seductress, a ghost-to-ghost hookup with Zed Toppel on Frightline and talk about a tough crowd, crooner Daffy wowing a nightclub of Transylvanian baddies. Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety and Sylvester join this exercise in hilarity, with principal voices provided by the always masterful Mel Blanc. The gang's all here-and so is the fun. You'll quack up over Daffy Duck's Quackbusters.
The Daffy Duck's Quackbusters Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on January 28, and a price and link to pre-order it will be posted here as soon as they become available.
November 26, 2024
18 disc debuts! 7 home video debuts! 2 bonus cartoons!
This is it, everyone! Today's the day! The month will finally end on a positive note, as today Warner Archive has released Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4 on Blu-ray! Collecting twenty-five cartoons in the main program (plus two bonus cartoons!), the compilation is now available through the Archive's official shop at Amazon and other online retailers.
The Blu-ray contains the following cartoons....
Along Came Daffy (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
A Bone for a Bone (1951) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Cagey Canary (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
D' Fightin' Ones (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Dangerous Dan McFoo (1939) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Devil's Feud Cake (1963) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Double Chaser (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
Double or Mutton (1955) (NEW TO DISC!)
Fox Pop (1942) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Henhouse Henery (1949) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Holiday for Drumsticks (1949) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hopalong Casualty (1960) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hyde and Go Tweet (1960) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Impatient Patient (1942) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO IN BLACK AND WHITE!)
Leghorn Swoggled (1951) (NEW TO DISC!)
Meatless Flyday (1944) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mouse-Warming (1952) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Mouse-Merized Cat (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Muscle Tussle (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Muzzle Tough (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
Peck Up Your Troubles (1945) (NEW TO DISC!)
Quack Shot (1954) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Road to Andalay (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sneezing Weasel (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Streamlined Greta Green (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Lighter Than Hare (1960) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
Stork Naked (1955) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
This is an amazing assortment of shorts from practically all eras of the animation studio's history. A number of key missing-in-action titles have finally arrived on disc, such as Hopalong Casualty, Along Came Daffy, Henhouse Henery, and a newly remastered Peck Up Your Troubles, among others. And for us OCD fans, the two bonus cartoons get us even closer to corrected versions of all of the Looney Tunes Super Stars widescreen shorts.
As for the future, George Feltenstein and Jerry Beck recently visited the Extras podcast to stress that Looney Tunes releases WILL continue through the Warner Archive into 2025. Whether they will be additional Collector's Choice volumes or an all-new thing, we don't know, but George and Jerry have stated that this is only the beginning!
(Speaking of only the beginning, if you have just started looking into the Looney Tunes Archive releases, then you can quickly catch up with the four-disc Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 1-4 set, also released today.)
The Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4 Blu-ray is now available online and retails for $21.99. Order it now on Amazon.
November 14, 2024
Coming November 26; includes HD debut of Rhapsody Rabbit
At the end of September, Warner Archive announced their November slate of Blu-rays. Now with barely two weeks to go before the release date, those titles are now finally up for pre-order. One of the November releases is the 1946 romantic drama Humoresque, starring Joan Crawford as a married woman pining for a violin-playing John Garfield. Boasting a new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative, the Blu-ray is set for release on November 26 and is available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
The disc's extras include two Bugs Bunny cartoons. There's a Blu-ray double-dip of the classic Racketeer Rabbit (last seen on the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection) and the HD debut of the equally classic Rhapsody Rabbit. Rhapsody had been seen on a number of DVDs dating back to the Golden Collection Volume Two, but this disc will mark its first appearance on Blu-ray.
Humoresque is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on November 26 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
November 14, 2024
Now Coming November 26; includes HD debut of Count Me Out
In other Warner Archive news, a yearlong problem the label has been facing has once reared its ugly head, as the Extras podcast has confirmed with the Archive that a couple of its October Blu-ray titles are being pushed to later this month. Again the problem has been stemming from an ongoing production delay with the Archive's disc replicator, Allied Vaughn, which continues to be overwhelmed with orders from a variety of labels.
One of the titles being delayed is the Oscar-winning romantic musical Sweethearts. Starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, the Blu-ray is now set for release on November 26.
Despite originally being an MGM release, the disc contains two Warner Bros. cartoons among its extras: a Blu-ray double-dip of Love and Curses and the HD debut of Egghead in Count Me Out. Both are masters that were prepared overseas for HBO Max, and we had previously detailed some of the issues with both titles.
The Sweethearts Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on November 26 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 17, 2024
Coming October 29; includes disc debut of The Gay Anties
At the end of August, Warner Archive announced their October slate of classic-film Blu-rays. Over a month later (and precariously close to the release date), the titles are all finally up for pre-order and the discs' special features have finally been revealed, as announced by both the Extras podcast and Allied Vaughn's official store at Movie Zyng. The October titles are all set for release on October 29 and each have a retail price of $21.99--although at the moment Amazon for whatever reason is listing some of them at higher prices.
First up is 1946's The Beast with Five Fingers, a creepy whodunuit with Peter Lorre that mixes in elements of the typical family-gathers-for-inheritance plot with shades of Edgar Allan Poe. The Warner Archive Blu-ray is boasting a brand new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative.
The disc's extras include two cartoons. There's a Blu-ray double-dip of Arthur Davis's The Foxy Duckling (released last year on the Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 1) and the disc debut of Friz Freleng's 1947 one-shot The Gay Anties. This would mark Anties' first home video appearance since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 4 laserdisc set back in 1993.
BUT! (yep, you know)
The Gay Anties was remastered in HD for HBO Max, and unfortunately that does mean that it fell victim to the rampant "Photoshopping" of opening titles that affected a large amount of shorts in 2020. This will actually be the case of most of the cartoon extras on the October Blu-rays.
It's not the worst case we've seen, but there's definitely some tinkering going on, as the trophy shadow has been extended (including a weird dark red streak at the very right edge). If this is a dealbreaker, consider yourself warned.
The Beast with Five Fingers is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on October 29 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 17, 2024
Coming October 29; includes disc debut of Dog Gone Modern and HD Porky's Hotel
Continuing the news of Warner Archive's October releases, another title now available for pre-order is the 1939 horror entry The Return of Doctor X. Starring Humphrey Bogart as a sort of vampire who was brought back from the dead, the Blu-ray is set for release on October 29 and is available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon (please see the note in the above article about current Amazon prices).
Despite being suggested by the title, this movie is not in any way a sequel to Warner's far more celebrated and historic Doctor X from 1932. Obviously the most interesting thing to note is that it marked Bogart's only time starring in any kind of horror or sci-fi movie.
The disc's extras include two cartoons, both new to Blu-ray. One is Porky's Hotel, which is an HD upgrade of the Porky Pig 101 master that was done for HBO Max (it has yet to actually appear on Max but has aired on MeTV). The other short is Chuck Jones's Dog Gone Modern starring the Curious Puppies. This is Modern's disc debut and first release on home video since the rare Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 5 laserdisc set from 1997.
BUT! (here we go)
Dog Gone Modern was prepared for HBO Max, and as a result had its opening titles messed around with a bit.
As will be a pattern with these October releases, one can use the trophy shadow on the right as a guide to see where the Photoshopping starts. So now you know.
The Return of Doctor X is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on October 29 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 17, 2024
Coming October 29; includes HD debut of Count Me Out
And the news of Warner Archive's October releases keeps going, as another title now available for pre-order is the romantic musical Sweethearts. Starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and earning an honorary Oscar for its cinematography, the Blu-ray is set for release on October 29 and is available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon (please see the note earlier about current Amazon prices).
Despite originally being an MGM release, the disc contains two Warner Bros. cartoons among its extras. First is a Blu-ray double-dip of Love and Curses, which had only very recently been used as an extra on The Shining Hour. The other cartoon is the HD debut of Egghead in Count Me Out, which had only previously been released as an unremastered extra on DVDs of The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse.
BUT! (we have two this time!)
Both cartoons were prepared in HD for HBO Max, and both had "Photoshopping" done to their opening titles.
On the title card for Count Me Out, there is some obvious clone-stamping going on to increase the audience size on the sides and bottom. For example, in the bottom left corner look for the little yellow hat as a guide.
We previously covered the alterations made to Love and Curses back when The Shining Hour had been announced, but here again are comparisons between the original version and the HBO Max version:
So again, you've been warned.
The Sweethearts Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on October 29 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 17, 2024
Coming October 29; includes disc debut of The Cat Came Back and HD debut of Let It Be Me
Is this show still on??
The final special-features announcement for Warner Archive's October titles surrounds Warner's 1936 kinda-sorta Frankenstein rip-off The Walking Dead. Starring Boris Karloff and Edmund Gwenn and directed by Michael Curtiz, the Blu-ray is set for release on October 29 and is available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon (please see the note earlier about current Amazon prices).
A number of neat extras have been announced for this disc, although we do have to question the titling of the documentary Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You've Never Heard Of (because surely fans of classic movies have never heard of such little known products as Yankee Doodle Dandy, White Christmas, or Casablanca). There will also be two Merrie Melodies: the disc debut of The Cat Came Back and the remastered debut of Let It Be Me (which had only appeared as an off-the-shelf bonus on the Follow the Fleet DVD).
BUT! (last time today)
Both shorts were remastered for HBO Max, and both have issues with their title sequences.
Like with the other news items today, the trophy shadow is a good indicator as to where the original frame ended, but there is also some odd clone-stamping going on to the left the Blue Ribbon seal.
There is definitely something going on with the sides of the frame, as there's a (recurring, if you read above) weird dark red streak next to the extended trophy shadow, and the white highlight to the left of the Blue Ribbon...um, ribbon looks clone-stamped. But also, Let It Be Me was one of the earliest Blue Ribbon reissues, during which the whole screen would darken when the short's title appears (such as on The Wild Hare). We've never seen any indication that the darkening was the result of film transfers or anything, so did they actually go in and recolor the frame back to red?
So once again, you've been alerted.
The Walking Dead is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray on October 29 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 11, 2024
Available November 26!
Here we go, folks! Start your engines, because Warner Archive's upcoming Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4 Blu-ray is now available to pre-order at the usual online stores such as Amazon. Collecting twenty-five cartoons in the main program (plus two bonus cartoons!), the disc is still set for release on November 26.
The Blu-ray will contain the following cartoons....
Along Came Daffy (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
A Bone for a Bone (1951) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Cagey Canary (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
D' Fightin' Ones (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Dangerous Dan McFoo (1939) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Devil's Feud Cake (1963) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Double Chaser (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
Double or Mutton (1955) (NEW TO DISC!)
Fox Pop (1942) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Henhouse Henery (1949) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Holiday for Drumsticks (1949) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hopalong Casualty (1960) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hyde and Go Tweet (1960) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Impatient Patient (1942) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO IN BLACK AND WHITE!)
Leghorn Swoggled (1951) (NEW TO DISC!)
Meatless Flyday (1944) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mouse-Warming (1952) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Mouse-Merized Cat (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Muscle Tussle (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Muzzle Tough (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
Peck Up Your Troubles (1945) (NEW TO DISC!)
Quack Shot (1954) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Road to Andalay (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sneezing Weasel (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Streamlined Greta Green (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Lighter Than Hare (1960) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
Stork Naked (1955) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
We are of course recommending this title. It is not only a great selection of new-to-disc cartoons, we're also getting some much-needed upgrades such as Fox Pop and an actual remastered version of Hyde and Go Tweet, and the series is even looking out for us OCD collectors with the two Super Stars bonus shorts. This entire series has truly felt like it's catering to the collectors without making it all deep cuts or rarities (not that we'd complain about that, either).
George Feltenstein this week spoke with the Extras podcast about the future of Looney Tunes through the Warner Archive. He said there is nothing to worry about, and that next year the Archive is "going to be expanding our Looney Tunes efforts." But, we would still love to make it clear that, even if this specific Collector's Choice series will graduate to something else, there is still an eagerly paying audience for the cartoons on home media...so if you can, pre-order today!
(And if you have to catch up on the series, then please continue reading to our next news item.)
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4 is scheduled to be released on November 26 on Blu-ray only and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
October 11, 2024
All four volumes! Available November 26!
Speaking of Looney Tunes Warner Archive Blu-rays now available to pre-order, a special, very recently revealed title is also now up to pre-order at the usual online stores such as Amazon: Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 1-4. Collecting all four volumes of the Looney Tunes Collector's Choice series (including the brand new one), the set is also scheduled for release on November 26 and will retail for $39.99.
Announced last week by George Feltenstein on the Extras podcast, this combined set is meant for fans who had yet to start collecting the individual Blu-ray volumes and wanted to catch up with the release of volume four. (The timing of the release for the holiday season doesn't hurt, either.) The content is the same as on the individual volumes, and the cover is...well, it's unique. (And yes, those are designs of Elmer and Charlie from Cartoon Network's The Looney Tunes Show.)
Honestly, if one never bought a single Collector's Choice volume then this is a great buy. It's essentially ten bucks for each volume...or forty-one cents for each cartoon.
And just to be clear, the fact that Warner Archive is offering a "complete" set of the Collector's Choice series does NOT indicate anything in terms of the future. Feltenstein has made it clear that Looney Tunes releases WILL continue through the Warner Archive in 2025. Whether it's more Collector's Choice volumes or a newly branded series, we don't know--but this is NOT the end of Looney Tunes Blu-rays, so do not worry!
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 1-4 is scheduled to be released on November 26 on Blu-ray only and will retail for $39.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
September 30, 2024
18 disc debuts! 7 home video debuts! 2 bonus cartoons!
This is it, folks, the moment we've been waiting for! After first promising on July 30 that it was in fact in production, today Warner Archive announced on their Facebook page the Blu-ray release of Wait Till Your Father Gets Home! Err, we mean Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4! Containing twenty-five classic cartoons in the main program, the Blu-ray will see release on November 26.
At press time, the disc is not available to pre-order, nor has a retail price been revealed, but it will most likely be in the same ballpark as the previous volumes. And, like with the previous volumes, it is most likely that there will not also be a DVD edition.
The Blu-ray will contain the following cartoons....
Along Came Daffy (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
A Bone for a Bone (1951) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Cagey Canary (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
D' Fightin' Ones (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Dangerous Dan McFoo (1939) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Devil's Feud Cake (1963) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Double Chaser (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
Double or Mutton (1955) (NEW TO DISC!)
Fox Pop (1942) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Henhouse Henery (1949) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Holiday for Drumsticks (1949) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hopalong Casualty (1960) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hyde and Go Tweet (1960) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Impatient Patient (1942) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO IN BLACK AND WHITE!)
Leghorn Swoggled (1951) (NEW TO DISC!)
Meatless Flyday (1944) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mouse-Warming (1952) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
The Mouse-Merized Cat (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Muscle Tussle (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Muzzle Tough (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
Peck Up Your Troubles (1945) (NEW TO DISC!)
Quack Shot (1954) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Road to Andalay (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sneezing Weasel (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Streamlined Greta Green (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Lighter Than Hare (1960) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
Stork Naked (1955) (BONUS! - CORRECTED FULL FRAME VERSION!)
As you can see, in addition to the twenty-five cartoons in the main program, for the first time in the Collector's Choice series there will be bonus shorts: Lighter Than Hare and Stork Naked. These were among the twenty cartoons from the first wave of Looney Tunes Super Stars DVDs back in 2010 that had been cropped into widescreen, removing the tops and bottoms of the frame. Their inclusion here is to help correct that error, as many collectors still yearned for the complete full frame versions to be released. The two were also especially noted as bonus cartoons so as not to take away from the main program of these compilations being made up of all "new" cartoons. For us this is a win-win, and we would love to see this trend continue on future volumes for not only the rest of the "widescreen" cartoons but also for things like, say, the music-replaced cartoons from Porky Pig 101.
As for the main program, it looks like another winner. Like last time, eighteen of the twenty-five cartoons are brand new to modern optical disc formats, and seven of those are completely brand new to home video (a number itself that grows with each volume). Of those, only one is a Bugs Bunny cartoon, the clipshow-like Devil's Feud Cake. For Bugs, we are getting down to the bone, and for volume five Warner Archive will have to start dipping its toe into the well of the more-controversial shorts of his left to release.
(For those wondering, these are all of the Bugs Bunny shorts left to remaster and release uncut and in full frame: All This and Rabbit Stew, Any Bonds Today?, Fresh Hare, Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips, Gas, Three Brothers, The Goofy Gophers, A Feather in His Hare, A-Lad-in His Lamp, Which Is Witch, Horse Hare, and The Iceman Ducketh.)
We're also able to finally check off a number of Daffy cartoons with this release, as the duck gets five shorts in the main program. The rest of his remaining "safe" 1940s entries are here, including the home video debut of the original black and white version of The Impatient Patient, as are most of his remaining 1950s films left to remaster and release. Arthur Davis's Holiday for Drumsticks is one that fans have particularly been asking for--it hasn't even turned up on Max yet, so this may be one that was newly remastered just for this Blu-ray. We'll know more when George Feltenstein talks to the Extras podcast in the near future. But also, Along Came Daffy and the criminally underrated Quack Shot?? These are some long-missing-in-action favorites.
Speaking of much-requested favorites, fans are likely sighing in relief to see that Hopalong Casualty and Hyde and Go Tweet are finally being released remastered. We're also getting more Goofy Gophers, an excellent early Foghorn Leghorn, more Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones one-shots, Ralph and Sam, The Mouse-Merized Cat (with a scene requiring the "adult collector" disclaimer), some Tex Avery, the very early Sylvester short Peck Up Your Troubles (which was teased two weeks ago on the Extras podcast, along with the two bonuses)...even a DePatie-Freleng Speedy cartoon! It would have been nice to have seen another black and white cartoon in there, but this is still a great mix covering almost all of the eras--certainly another all-star collection that can appeal to general fans in addition to the completists.
Everything that isn't new to disc had only previously been released as unremastered extras on previous Warner DVDs...or in the cases of The Sneezing Weasel and Streamlined Greta Green, were used as extras on Warner Archive Blu-rays and need to have their opening titles corrected from HBO Max Photoshopping.
The disc's official synopsis, as posted by Warner Archive's Facebook page, reads as follows....
Who can resist a Putty Tat versus a monstrous canary, Goofy Gophers who kill their foe with kindness, Babbitt and Catstello hypnotizing the Cat, or Bugs Bunny versus a Yosemite Sam from outer space? You know all the characters on a first name basis: Daffy, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy, Elmer, Foghorn and Wile E. You know the directors - Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Friz Freleng, Art Davis and Robert McKimson. You know the cartoons - they are the ones fans and animation aficionados have most asked for, restored to brand new condition, in High Definition, and finally available to own. Twenty-five crown jewels - with two additional bonus titles (featuring Bugs and Daffy) now presented in their full frame glory. Collectors Choice Vol. 4 - its 100% Looney Tunes!
We hate to sound like we keep fawning and swooning over these discs, but each new release has been a dream come true. In just two years' time we've gotten ninety-five remastered cartoons on disc in an era in which everyone is claiming that physical media is dead. And if fans keep supporting this series as they have been, then the sky's the limit.
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 4 is scheduled to be released on November 26 on Blu-ray only, and a price and link to pre-order it will be posted here as soon as they become available.
July 28, 2024
Now Coming August 13; includes HD debuts of The Good Egg (1939) and It's an Ill Wind
In what has become something of a recurring theme this year, the Extras podcast has confirmed with Warner Archive that the label's July Blu-ray titles are being pushed to August. And like with similar news earlier in the year, the delay is a result of the Archive's disc replicator, Allied Vaughn, being overwhelmed with orders from a variety of labels.
Among the July titles being delayed is the 1939 comedy Idiot's Delight. Starring Clark Gable and Norma Shearer, the Blu-ray is now set for release on August 13.
Despite Idiot's Delight originally being released by MGM, the Blu-ray is still scheduled to include two Warner Bros. cartoons among its special features: The Good Egg (1939) and It's an Ill Wind with Porky. Both cartoons are making their debuts in HD.
The Idiot's Delight Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on August 13 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
July 28, 2024
A quick guide for all of your witchy needs
Not a normal news update, but July 24 marked the 70th anniversary of the release of Bewitched Bunny, and to celebrate we have launched a brand new mini-guide just for Witch Hazel.
Like with the mini-guide we launched last month for the Tasmanian Devil, it's just short and sweet. No introductions, no bells and whistles; just copying and pasting the info from other sections of the site to present all of Hazel's cartoons together.
Enjoy!
July 6, 2024
Coming July 30; includes HD debuts of The Good Egg (1939) and It's an Ill Wind
After having first been announced on Facebook way back on May 28, Warner Archive's upcoming Blu-ray release of the 1939 comedy Idiot's Delight is now finally up for pre-order, and a $21.99 retail price has been revealed. Starring Clark Gable and Norma Shearer and featuring Gable doing a musical number of (of all things) "Puttin' On the Ritz," the Blu-ray is set for release on July 30.
But before we dig deeper into Idiot's Delight, Warner Archive also recently threw everyone a few curveballs on its June wave of Blu-ray releases, swapping out a number of announced bonus cartoons for other titles, or in a couple of cases just adding new titles outright. The label gave no explanation as to why these changes were made, and some of these changes aren't even reflected on the releases' back covers.
The Alfred Hitchcock Mr. & Mrs. Smith Blu-ray is no longer containing The Cat's Tale or Sport Chumpions but rather Holiday Highlights and Stage Fright
In addition to the previously announced The Sneezing Weasel and Love and Curses, the Blu-ray of The Shining Hour also contains a third bonus cartoon, Porky's Five & Ten. This is the version first used on Porky Pig 101 with the missing WB shield zoom.
The Blu-ray for The Man I Love no longer contains Roughly Squeaking or Slick Hare but rather Rabbit Transit and Crowing Pains.
Finally, the Act of Violence Blu-Ray now offers The Shell-Shocked Egg as a bonus cartoon!
Back to Idiot's Delight but keeping on the subject of cartoons as special features, despite the movie originally being released by MGM, the Blu-ray will include two Warner Bros. cartoons among its special features: The Good Egg (1939) and It's an Ill Wind with Porky. This will be Egg's first apppearance on home video since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes laserdisc series and Wind's debut on Blu-ray after first appearing unremastered on the Porky Pig 101 DVD. Both cartoons are making their debuts in HD.
BUT! (yeah, here it comes)
The Blu-ray will be using HD masters initially prepared for HBO Max. It's an Ill Wind has no glaring problems despite not being sourced from the negative, but The Good Egg has some dreaded Photoshopping done to its title sequence.
It's getting to the point where one has to start wondering why the Archive can't just zoom in to crop out these issues like they do for the Collector's Choice discs.
Regardless, if you were getting this solely for The Good Egg, you have been warned.
The Idiot's Delight Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on July 30 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
June 19, 2024
A quick guide for all of your Taz needs
Not a normal news update, but while everyone is celebrating Juneteenth or waiting patiently for the launch of MeTV Toons, we wanted to officially announce that in honor of today's 70th anniversary of the release of Devil May Hare, we have launched a brand new mini-guide just for the Tasmanian Devil.
We say "mini-guide" because it's short and sweet. No introductions, no bells and whistles; just copying and pasting the info from other sections of the site to present all of Taz's cartoons together. This may or may not be something we will do in the future for other supporting characters.
Enjoy, and Happy Birthday Taz!
May 18, 2024
Now Coming June 25; includes HD debuts of Love and Curses and The Sneezing Weasel
A week after Warner Archive's June Blu-ray releases first started showing up for pre-order (and all with a new street date), the last lingering title has finally joined them. The final straggler is the film adaptation of the Broadway play The Shining Hour, which is now up for pre-order, and a $21.99 retail price has been revealed. Starring Joan Crawford and Margaret Sullavan, the Blu-ray is now set for release on June 25.
Despite the movie originally being released by MGM, the Blu-ray will include two Warner Bros. cartoons among its special features: Love and Curses and Tex Avery's The Sneezing Weasel. Curses had been used as a bonus on past DVD releases for Gold Diggers in Paris, but this will mark Weasel's first home video release since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 5 laserdisc from 1997.
BUT! (yeah, sorry)
The Blu-ray will be using HD masters initially prepared for HBO Max. As longtime readers of our news site know, quality control on the opening titles has been extremely hit or miss, and unfortunately we're getting a double-dose of Photoshopped titles.
Just look at what's going on to the left of the "Blue Ribbon" seal. Not that we'd ever offer any suggestion or compromise for these atrocities, but was red really that hard of a color to mimic that they needed to clone-stamp and smudge-stretch the edge of the picture? Back in the day when Warner Bros. or Turner wanted to protect information on a frame (like a title or a credit), they would create an obvious windowbox. Just saying, the solution to this "problem" was already figured out, and with far more finesse.
As for Love and Curses, sigh...just look. The image at the left is from older, pre-HBO television broadcasts. The image at the right is what we're now getting, as recently seen on MeTV.
Once again, we post screenshots like these not to anger fans or to whine. We simply want everyone to be aware of what they're in for. Again, the bodies of the cartoons are perfectly fine, and we may very well get corrected versions on a future Collector's Choice volume. But until that may happen, consider yourself warned.
The Shining Hour on Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on June 25 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
May 11, 2024
Now Coming June 25; includes HD debuts of The Cat's Tale and Sport Chumpions
Warner Archive's June Blu-ray titles have started coming up for pre-order, but unfortunately with these pre-orders have come the news that all of the titles are being pushed back a week. This has been a recurring issue with Warner Archive releases primarily because the label's disc replicator, Allied Vaughn, has started becoming overwhelmed with orders from not just the Archive but also a number of other studios and labels (Allied also handles replication for Studio Distribution Services, Disney, Paramount, Sony, and Hallmark, among many others).
Among the June titles being delayed is the Blu-ray debut of Alfred Hitchcock's lone outright comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery as a long-married couple who discover that by a technicality their union isn't quite legal, the Blu-ray is now scheduled for release on June 25 and is now available to pre-order, while a retail price of $21.99 has also been revealed.
Despite the movie originally being released by RKO, the Blu-ray will include two Warner Bros. cartoons among its ample special features: The Cat's Tale and Sport Chumpions. This release will mark the disc debut for both titles and their first home video release since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 3 laserdisc set back in 1992.
BUT! (and you know what's coming)
The Blu-ray will be using HD masters initially prepared for HBO Max. As longtime readers of our news site know, quality control on the opening titles has been extremely hit or miss.
Fortunately, The Cat's Tale appears to have been able to get out unscathed. As for Sport Chumpions, however....
Yikes.
Again, we post screenshots like this just to make sure everyone is aware of what they're in for. The body of the cartoon is perfectly fine, but if this opening sequence is a dealbreaker for you, you have been warned.
The Mr. & Mrs. Smith Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on June 25 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
May 11, 2024
Now Coming June 25; includes HD double-dips of Roughly Squeaking and Slick Hare
Continuing the news of Warner Archive's delayed June titles, the Blu-ray debut of the 1947 drama The Man I Love is now also up for pre-order, and a $21.99 retail price has been revealed. Directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Ida Lupino, the Blu-ray is now set for release on June 25.
Though the disc's biggest selling point is the restoration of an entire sequence that had been missing from the film since 1956, it does also contain as special features two classic cartoons: Roughly Squeaking and Slick Hare. Both are double-dips on the format, as Roughly Squeaking last appeared on the Looney Tunes Mouse Chronicles: Chuck Jones Collection (though, in all fairness, the Blu-ray edition is currently out of print). Slick Hare, meanwhile, can easily be found on the Platinum Collection Volume Three.
The Blu-ray release of The Man I Love is scheduled for June 25 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
April 28, 2024
Many bonus cartoons, including three disc debuts
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At press time, the specs for the special features on each title's announcement did not indicate whether the cartoons will be featured in HD. We have reached out to the Archive for clarification. It would be a safe bet to assume as much, but nevertheless without confirmation we ask that consumers tread lightly.
First up is something for Alfred Hitchcock fans, the Blu-ray debut of Hitchcock's only full-fledged romantic comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery (it was the last film with Lombard released during her lifetime). Despite being a legitimate hit upon its release, it's not very good, and the director himself never thought too highly of it, but historically this marks the final Hollywood Hitchcock film to see a Blu-ray release.
The disc's special features are more enticing than the actual feature. Included are two radio adaptations, one starring Lombard herself opposite Bob Hope and another with Errol Flynn and Lana Turner, and two Warner Bros. cartoons: The Cat's Tale and the public-domain staple Sport Chumpions. (Even though the movie was an RKO release.) This Blu-ray will mark the disc debut for both titles and their first home video release since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 3 laserdisc set back in 1992.
Next is 1947's sorta film noir drama The Man I Love, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Ida Lupino (no Alvino Ray Gun, though). Notably, the film was scanned in 4K from its original camera negative, restoring six minutes back into the movie that had been cut for a 1956 re-release and has remained unseen since (reportedly an entire musical number).
The cartoons included on this disc are the only two double-dips among the new announcements, Roughly Squeaking and Slick Hare. The former was previously released on both DVD and Blu-ray on the Looney Tunes Mouse Chronicles: Chuck Jones Collection, while the latter was last used as a bonus on the Dark Passage Blu-ray.
Finally it's the film adaptation of the Broadway play The Shining Hour. Starring Joan Crawford and Margaret Sullavan, it's a sort of romantic rectangle complete with jealousy, creepy farmhands, and a house-burning!
Kinda like with the Hitchcock title, despite being an MGM release, the disc does contain the Blu-ray debuts of two more Warner Bros. cartoons: Love and Curses and Tex Avery's The Sneezing Weasel. Curses had been used as a bonus on past DVD releases for Gold Diggers in Paris, but this will mark Weasel's first home video release since the Golden Age of Looney Tunes Volume 5 laserdisc from 1997.
Once we get confirmation if the cartoons will be in HD will we do our customary breakdown on possible problems, as most of these shorts were remastered for HBO Max...and you know what that could mean.
The Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Man I Love, and The Shining Hour Blu-rays are all scheduled to be released on June 18, and official prices and links to pre-order them on Amazon will be posted here as soon as they appear.
April 13, 2024
Includes HD debuts of Freddy the Freshman and The Queen Was in the Parlor
Back on March 20 Warner Archive announced their April titles, with the Blu-ray releases originally scheduled for April 30. This past week all of the announced titles have finally become available for pre-order, but with the unfortunate update that they had all been delayed by a week. One affected title is 1932's The Mask of Fu Manchu with the one and only Boris Karloff as the iconic title villain. Boasting a new "4K scan of best preservation elements," the Blu-ray is now set for release on May 7 and is now finally available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
Among the disc's special features are the HD debuts of two classic black-and-white Merrie Melodies, Freddy the Freshman and The Queen Was in the Parlor. Having both last been seen on home video in the 1990s in the Golden Age of Looney Tunes laserdisc series, this Blu-ray marks both cartoons' debuts newly remastered and their debuts on a modern disc format.
BUT (and you know what's coming)....
The remastered HD versions of the two cartoons had been prepared for HBO Max (at press time Freddy the Freshman has yet to actually premiere on the Max service). Unfortunately, both cartoons fell victim to the rampant "Photoshopping" that was done to many shorts' title sequences by an overseas post-production house over the summer of 2020.
Freddy the Freshman comes out the more tolerable of the two alterations, with most of the graphic tinkering only affecting the Merrie Melodies title screen. (The edges of the musical notes at the top and bottom of the image are a good indication of where the original title screen ended.) Thankfully a fade out present in the original cartoon saves the short from any messing around on the actual title card, which itself leads into the cartoon's opening gag, as the credits are all written on the back of Freddy's car.
The Queen Was in the Parlor, however, seems to have received bigger visual vandalism. In the opening sequence, usually only the right half of Goopy Geer's marotte (jester stick) can be seen, and in most prints the left side of the title screen used to cut it right in half. Now the rest of the marotte can be fully seen, and it appears as if Goopy's elbow might have been digitally added, too.
Like always, we mention these changes for anyone who may consider these to be a dealbreaker. Past the title sequences, the cartoons play intact and haven't looked this good on home video since the end of the last century.
The Mask of Fu Manchu is scheduled to be released on May 7 on Blu-ray only and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
March 12, 2024
18 disc debuts! 6 home video debuts!
Today's the day, everyone! It's been a brutal month-and-a-half, but we made it! Today Warner Archive has released its much-anticipated Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3, the label's latest Blu-ray containing twenty-five classic Warner Bros. cartoons all making their physical debut in HD. With films covering a span of three decades, the 25-cartoon compilation is now available through the Archive's official shop at Amazon and other online retailers.
The Blu-ray contains the following cartoons....
A Feud There Was (1938) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hop, Skip and a Chump (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
China Jones (1959) (NEW TO DISC!)
Cinderella Meets Fella (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Dumb Patrol (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Egghead Rides Again (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Elmer's Pet Rabbit (1964) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hobo Bobo (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Honeymoon Hotel (1934) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
I Only Have Eyes for You (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Mexican Joyride (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name (1935) (NEW TO DISC!)
Of Rice and Hen (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Pre-Hysterical Hare (1958) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Punch Trunk (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Quentin Quail (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Riff Raffy Daffy (1948) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Saddle Silly (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
Sheep Ahoy (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
The Mouse on 57th Street (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sheepish Wolf (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
There Auto Be a Law (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Tugboat Granny (1956) (NEW TO DISC!)
War and Pieces (1964) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Wet Hare (1962) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Like we've done with the earlier volumes in this series, we are fully recommending this title. We're getting some new-to-disc Daffy cartoons (including one we thought we'd never see, and you can honestly take your pick of which one we're referring to!), a nice mix of one-shots alongside shorts with the star characters, a number of upgrades of cartoons that had only previously been used as special features on past Warner DVDs (and a much-needed redo of a previously remastered Porky-and-Daffy!), and SIX U.S. home video debuts, including three Bugs Bunny titles!
(And historically, with its release on this disc, Pre-Hysterical Hare is the final 1950s Bugs short to be released on home video.)
Despite the constant state of flux the home video industry has been in, this is nevertheless a very exciting time for Looney Tunes fans. We can only hope this new volume does well so that the Collector's Choice series can continue.
The Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 Blu-ray is now available online and retails for $21.99. Order it now on Amazon.
February 22, 2023
Deadline for e-mail questions is March 15
And here we go again, folks! It's been a big year in animation, and who better to talk about it than the one and only Jerry Beck as he makes his annual return to Stu's Show, the online series hosted by pop culture/television historian Stu Shostak. The show is a video/audio simulcast, so you can either listen or watch it as it premieres. The show will air at 7PM EST and is available as a free stream for those who tune in (afterward, fans can purchase a "rerun" of the episode online). Information on the various ways to access the show can be found on its web site: www.stusshow.com.
And BOY, is there a lot to talk about this time! Mickey Mouse's appearance in Steamboat Willie entering the public domain, the renewed focus on animation at Warner Archive (including the continuing Looney Tunes Collector's Choice series), the ongoing status changes of the Coyote vs. ACME feature film, and the breaking news that Disney will shut down its own home video distribution and license titles out to Sony! And if all these changes are making your head spin, Jerry will bring some stability by again offering three rare cartoons to screen at the end of the show.
And as is now the norm for Jerry's appearances on Stu's Show, this will be a pre-taped episode. Stu will read viewers' e-mailed questions to Jerry during the show like always, BUT there is a deadline to get them in by the time the show is taped. We reached out to Stu, and he told us that viewers have until March 15 to e-mail questions to: comments@stusshow.com
As we always stress, remember that Jerry only works as a consultant for Warner Bros. (and other labels) on select projects. He does not have final say on programming, remastering, or release matters; he can only try to comment on situations as best as he can...and even then, he is sometimes contractually required to not say anything about certain upcoming releases. The information he gives is never meant to be inferred as any sort of official statement from a studio and that they can and do change plans on a whim without telling him. Anything Jerry is authorized to reveal will be said during the show, so please do not barrage Stu and Jerry with "When will this cartoon or show come out on DVD?" questions. IF JERRY KNOWS AND IS ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT, HE WILL!
We will be posting news updates on our Facebook page as the new episode airs. If there is any major DVD or Blu-ray news announced, we will of course report it here after the show.
So get ready, bring your now totally free and legal black-and-white mouse with a captain's hat, and tune in for Jerry Beck on Stu's Show on March 20!
January 31, 2024
Available March 12!
It's time, folks! A week after its initial announcement, Warner Archive's upcoming Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 Blu-ray is now available to pre-order at the usual online stores such as Amazon. Collecting twenty-five cartoons all debuting in hi-def, the disc is still set for release on March 12.
The Blu-ray will contain the following cartoons....
A Feud There Was (1938) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hop, Skip and a Chump (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
China Jones (1959) (NEW TO DISC!)
Cinderella Meets Fella (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Dumb Patrol (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Egghead Rides Again (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Elmer's Pet Rabbit (1964) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hobo Bobo (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Honeymoon Hotel (1934) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
I Only Have Eyes for You (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Mexican Joyride (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name (1935) (NEW TO DISC!)
Of Rice and Hen (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Pre-Hysterical Hare (1958) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Punch Trunk (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Quentin Quail (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Riff Raffy Daffy (1948) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Saddle Silly (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
Sheep Ahoy (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
The Mouse on 57th Street (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sheepish Wolf (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
There Auto Be a Law (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Tugboat Granny (1956) (NEW TO DISC!)
War and Pieces (1964) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Wet Hare (1962) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Of course we are fully recommending this title, not just because this is amazing assortment of shorts but also because we know most everyone wants to see this volume do well so the series can continue. The Collector's Choice line has been one of the best things to happen to cartoon fans in a very long time.
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 is scheduled to be released on March 12 on Blu-ray only and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
January 22, 2024
18 disc debuts! 6 home video debuts!
And here we go, folks! Barely a month after the release of its predecessor, today Warner Archive announced on their Facebook page the hotly anticipated Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 on Blu-ray. Containing twenty-five classic cartoons all new to the format, the Blu-ray will see release on March 12.
At press time, the disc is not available to pre-order, nor has a retail price been revealed, but it will most likely be in the same ballpark as the first two volumes. Also, there is still no word yet if a DVD edition will be made available for any of the volumes.
The Blu-ray will contain the following cartoons, listed for now in (almost) alphabetical order....
A Feud There Was (1938) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hop, Skip and a Chump (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
China Jones (1959) (NEW TO DISC!)
Cinderella Meets Fella (1938) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Dumb Patrol (1964) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Egghead Rides Again (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Elmer's Pet Rabbit (1964) (NEW TO DISC!)
Hobo Bobo (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Honeymoon Hotel (1934) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
I Only Have Eyes for You (1937) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Mexican Joyride (1947) (NEW TO DISC!)
Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name (1935) (NEW TO DISC!)
Of Rice and Hen (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Pre-Hysterical Hare (1958) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Punch Trunk (1953) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Quentin Quail (1946) (NEW TO DISC!)
Riff Raffy Daffy (1948) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Saddle Silly (1941) (NEW TO DISC!)
Sheep Ahoy (1954) (NEW TO DISC!)
The Mouse on 57th Street (1961) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
The Sheepish Wolf (1942) (NEW TO DISC!)
There Auto Be a Law (1953) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
Tugboat Granny (1956) (NEW TO DISC!)
War and Pieces (1964) (NEWLY REMASTERED!)
Wet Hare (1962) (BRAND NEW TO HOME VIDEO!)
This time around, eighteen of the twenty-five cartoons on this collection are brand new to modern optical disc formats, having only previously been released on either VHS or laserdisc. We have six home video debuts in the mix as well, including three Bugs shorts: Pre-Hysterical Hare, Wet Hare, and Dumb Patrol--not exactly cream-of-the-crop Bugs, but considering what's left to remaster and release on disc, this is a huge step toward finishing his filmography. Most of the remaining cartoons here have only previously been released unremastered as extras on past Warner Home Video DVDs.
(For those wondering, these are all of the Bugs Bunny shorts left to remaster and release uncut: All This and Rabbit Stew, Any Bonds Today?, Fresh Hare, Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips, Gas, Three Brothers, The Goofy Gophers, A Feather in His Hare, A-Lad-in His Lamp, Which Is Witch, Horse Hare, Lighter Than Hare, Devil's Feud Cake, and The Iceman Ducketh.)
And it appears that we're getting another upgrade from a previously remastered title with Riff Raffy Daffy. That short last appeared remastered back in 2012 on the Porky & Friends: Hilarious Ham DVD from the Looney Tunes Super Stars series, but even then it couldn't escape the rather muddy look most prints seem to possess (the film was originally processed in Cinecolor, if that's any indication). We can only hope that it's been newly remastered again from the negative and cleaned up--it definitely needed it.
This is arguably an even better mix of cartoons than we saw on Vol. 2, with some missing-in-action Chuck Jones one-shots like Punch Trunk and The Mouse on 57th Street, a number of 1930s Tex Avery titles remastered, the long-awaited return of Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog to home video, and two key cartoons in the Egghead/Elmer evolution. There's some slightly un-PC Daffy cartoons (including another Arthur Davis favorite), Chuck Jones's final classic-era Road Runner short, yet another Tweety cartoon coming to disc after having only been released in the Japanese I Love Tweety series, and with Pre-Hysterical Hare we can now historically say that every 1950s Bugs Bunny cartoon has been released on home video and is currently available on disc!
The disc's official synopsis, as posted by Warner Archive's Facebook page, reads as follows....
They say the third time's the charm, to which we'll add THREE times the fun and 300 times the laughs! Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Volume 3 provides 25 classic Warner Bros. cartoons, here for the first time on Blu-ray and spanning 30 years (1934-1964), the Golden Age of animation! And with rarities featuring Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, and Tweety & Sylvester - directed by Warner Bros. cartoon geniuses Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery and Robert McKimson-this collection is one for the ages. Highlights include some of the first and last original Bugs Bunny shorts; landmark early appearances by Egghead and Elmer, hilarious rarities with Bobo the Elephant and Quentin Quail; and the first color Merrie Melodies short "Honeymoon Hotel".
This sounds like such an amazing collection, and of course we will be recommending this both here and on our home page. We're only three volumes in and we're seeing cartoons that many fans thought would never see a legitimate release. And there is still so much more to release after this!
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 is scheduled to be released on March 12 on Blu-ray only, and a price and link to pre-order it will be posted here as soon as they become available.
January 7, 2024
Includes HD debuts of The Lady in Red, Superior Duck, and From Hare to Eternity
After a month and a half of waiting, and just a day after one title had gone live, the remainder of Warner Archive's announced January releases are now finally coming up for pre-order. And it's definitely a diverse bunch of films, including 1996's Joe's Apartment, the wacky comedy produced by MTV and starring Jerry O'Connell and thousands of singing-and-dancing cockroaches. Boasting a brand new 4K scan of the negative, the Blu-ray is set for release on January 30 and is now finally available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
Among the disc's special features are three cartoons making their debuts in HD: the appropriately bug-themed The Lady in Red and two 1990s Chuck Jones shorts, Superior Duck and From Hare to Eternity. Duck and Hare have been used numerous times as off-the-shelf bonuses on past DVDs and Blu-rays, but The Lady in Red is making its first appearance on home video since the second Golden Age of Looney Tunes laserdisc set.
As an added bonus, The Lady in Red will be from the recent HBO Max master, which normally when mentioned would be cause for alarm but this time it's noteworthy because that version includes the short's original title card. Most often seen in the past as a "Blue Ribbon" reissue (including on laserdisc), this restoration of its original title sequence is a welcomed surprise.
The Joe's Apartment Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on January 30 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
January 7, 2024
Includes HD debuts of Plenty of Money and You, Streamlined Greta Green, and A Sunbonnet Blue
And the Warner Archive January pre-orders are coming fast and furious, with another announced title going live being the 1937 version of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, starring Errol Flynn and twins Billy and Bobby Mauch and arguably the most known "straight" adaptation of the story (no offense to Mickey Mouse, Garfield, or the Monkees). Boasting a brand new 4K scan of the negative, the Blu-ray is set for release on January 30 and is now finally available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
Among the disc's special features are three 1930s Merrie Melodies all making their debuts in HD: Plenty of Money and You, Streamlined Greta Green, and A Sunbonnet Blue. Although an unremastered version of Plenty... had been used on DVD releases of Gold Diggers of 1937, the other two shorts are making their disc debuts on this release and haven't been seen on home video since the final Golden Age of Looney Tunes laserdisc set.
Now here comes the standard HBO Max warning.
All three HD versions were prepared for HBO Max, and unfortunately all three were subject to the bizarre "Photoshopping" that was done to make the cartoons HDTV-friendly. Like usual, these alterations only affect the title sequences, where on all three shorts extra bullseye rings are present. Plenty of Money and You and A Sunbonnet Blue are also "Blue Ribbon" reissues, and so extra visual information was created for the Blue Ribbon title cards (extra shadow for the statue, extra red space, etc.). And finally, it should be noted that the Blue Ribbon title card for Plenty... was one of the early ones that would darken the background when the title lettering appears (such as on the retitled-and-reissued The Wild Hare); the HBO Max version has the red color of the background remain, so count that among the differences, too. You have been warned!
The Prince and the Pauper on Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on January 30 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
January 6, 2024
Includes HD debuts of Dog Daze and Dog Collared
It's been nearly a month and a half since Warner Archive took to Facebook to announce its January Blu-ray titles, and with three federal holidays taking place since then it has taken online stores a while to get some of those titles up for pre-order. At press time, the only release ready to go is the odd 1991 animated family film Rover Dangerfield, starring--who else--Rodney in the lead role as a wisecracking basset hound. Boasting a new 1080p HD master, the Blu-ray is set for release on January 30 and is now finally available to pre-order at all of the usual online stores such as Amazon.
Among the disc's special features are two Warner Bros. cartoons making their debuts in HD: Robert McKimson's Dog Collared with Porky and 1937's Dog Daze from Friz Freleng. Although Dog Collared last appeared on DVD back on Porky & Friends: Hilarious Ham from the Looney Tunes Super Stars series, Dog Daze is making its disc debut and its first appearance on home video since the final Golden Age of Looney Tunes laserdisc set.
It needs to be mentioned that Dog Daze was remastered for HBO Max, and there does appear to be some Photoshopping done to the opening titles on that version, with some "extra" bullseye rings being present. The rest of the cartoon plays unaltered. So, like with all of these Warner Archive Blu-rays using the HBO Max versions for extras, if that's a dealbreaker, you have been properly warned.
The Rover Dangerfield Blu-ray is scheduled to be released on January 30 and will retail for $21.99. Pre-order it now on Amazon.
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