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By
NICK ZEGARAC
For all those eagerly
awaiting the next wave of classic cartoons from
the Warner vaults, " Looney Tunes - Golden
Collection, Volume Two" will represent something
of a strange dichotomy between absolute elation
and bitter disappointment.
Yes, this box set does contain the prerequisite
cavalcade of Bugs Bunny classics, including
"What's Opera Doc?" and "Broomstick Bunny," as
well as the much beloved "One Froggy Evening"
which, thanks to the WB network, has made Michigan
J. one of the most cherished frogs in film
history. Eat your heart out Kermit! But the real
shock and dismay on this 4 disc collectable set
(featuring 60 classic cartoons) is that the studio
has chosen to stock pile discs 2-3 with a sizzling
stack of Road Runner and Tweety/Sylvester shorts
at the expense of short ordering other classic
characters out of the spotlight. Where's Charlie
Dog or Speedy Gonzales or Foghorn Leghorn or Pepe
LePew? Yes, you will get glimmers of these fellow
crazies on disc 4 -- that's for certain. However,
as with the previously issued box, these merry
mishaps only come to life in the briefest of fits
and sparks. We only get to see bits and pieces of
the rest of the gang instead of being inundated
with a barrage of butt-wacking, brain-beating
hilarity.
As with the previous box set, all 60 shorts on
this occasion have been restored and remastered
with varying degrees of success. For the most
part, colors are rich and vibrant. Most of the
shorts appear remarkably clean and free of
age-related artifacts. However, some of the short
still have a considerable amount of edge
enhancement in addition to age related dirt and
scratches. Thus, the overall quality of the shorts
is inconsistently rendered. The audio for all is
mono but nicely balanced.
Each disc comes with a cavalcade of bonus
materials: no less than 30 commentaries, 9
featurettes and 2 full-fledged documentaries.
There are also some isolated musical scores to
indulge in and a few surprises that will be
disclosed once you have this hot little stocking
stuffer in the palm of your hands. |
