Tonight's Movies: Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 set was recently released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

The set, featuring 25 cartoons on one Blu-ray disc, is a sequel to Volumes 1 and 2; I reviewed Volume 2 in January. I also previously purchased Volume 1.

I've noticed in reviews of the previous sets that some Looney Tunes experts have picked out minor errors with things like title cards, but as a non-expert who simply enjoys the cartoons, all the sets seem perfect to me!

Volume 3 contains cartoons featuring a wide variety of characters spanning three decades. Picture quality is outstanding; one of the pleasures for me is seeing the "wheel" of bright colors in the opening credits of many of the cartoons. I own several Looney Tunes DVD sets which I purchased for my children years ago, but I'm really enjoying revisiting the cartoons in these beautiful prints.

I particularly like the '30s cartoons, such as the bizarre CINDERELLA MEETS FELLA (1938) which features a very unorthodox-looking "Prince Charming." There are a number of funny jokes, some of which will sail right over children's heads, and I liked things like Cinderella heading off to see a Warner Bros. cartoon near the end.

The pre-Code Merrie Melodies cartoon HONEYMOON HOTEL (1934) features characters who are downright lascivious, trying to spy on a newlywed couple; the entire thing is reminiscent of the sequence by the same name in FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933). As I noted in the Volume 2 review, some of the humor in these cartoons is quite adult.

Of course, the cartoons are also violent, exemplified by A FEUD THERE WAS (1938).  This wasn't one of my favorites, but even a lesser cartoon such as this one is of interest; this cartoon was the first appearance of a character named Elmer Fudd, though he's not the Elmer known from later cartoons, and it also features the Sons of the Pioneers, including Roy Rogers, on the soundtrack.

As was the case with the previous set, I watched the cartoons using the "Play All" feature, which shows them alphabetically. They are listed in that order here: A FEUD THERE WAS (1938), CINDERELLA MEETS FELLA (1938), A HOP, SKIP AND A CHUMP (1942), CHINA JONES (1959), DUMB PATROL (1964), EGGHEAD RIDES AGAIN (1937), ELMER'S PET RABBIT (1941), HOBO BOBO (1947), HONEYMOON HOTEL (1934), I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU (1937), MEXICAN JOYRIDE (1947), THE MOUSE ON 57TH STREET (1961), MR. AND MRS. IS THE NAME (1935), OF RICE AND HEN (1953), PRE-HYSTERICAL HARE (1958), PUNCH TRUNK (1953), QUENTIN QUAIL (1946), RIFF RAFFY DAFFY (1948), SADDLE SILLY (1941), SHEEP AHOY (1954), THE SHEEPISH WOLF (1942), THERE AUTO BE A LAW (1953), TUGBOAT GRANNY (1956), WAR AND PIECES (1964), WET HARE (1962).

Recommended for animation fans.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.

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