Looney Tunes Collector's Choice is a series of Blu-ray discs from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Warner Archive division collecting various Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical animated short subjects from Warner Bros. Cartoons. According to Jerry Beck, the aim of this series is to release Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts that have been previously unavailable in restored form to animation fans and collectors on the various DVD and Blu-ray sets, such as the Looney Tunes Golden Collection , Looney Tunes Platinum Collection , Looney Tunes Super Stars, and Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection sets. Roughly 400 shorts had yet to be released in said DVD or Blu-ray format before the release of this series, but the series also includes shorts that were previously released as bonus features on various Warner Bros. DVDs. However those shorts included as bonus features were usually presented in unrestored form, whereas the Collector’s Choice series uses newly restored versions.
This is the first Looney Tunes Blu-ray to be released through Warner Archive, as opposed to the main home video division (second overall home media release after the Porky Pig 101 DVD set in 2017). Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 was announced on March 28, 2023 [1] and released on May 30. [2] Keeping with tradition with other Golden Age of Animation releases by Warner Archive (such as Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s and Tex Avery Screwball Classics ), Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 is a single-disc set with no bonus material. The set contains 20 cartoons that were previously unavailable on DVD or Blu-ray, presented uncut and digitally restored.
Animation historian and curator, Jerry Beck and Warner Archive President George Feltenstein indicated that strong sales of Volume 1 could result in future volumes, with more cartoons and multiple discs. [3] On September 18, due to strong sales of Volume 1, Warner Archive announced Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 2 — which included 25 cartoons and was released on December 12, 2023. [4] On January 23, 2024, Warner Archive announced Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3, which was released on March 12. [5]
On July 30, 2024, Warner Archive announced they are working on Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 4 with an intended release date of November 26. [6] A four-disc set, Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volumes 1–4, containing the four volumes in the series was also released on the same date. [7]
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 | |
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Directed by | Chuck Jones Friz Freleng Arthur Davis Robert McKimson Frank Tashlin |
Produced by | Leon Schlesinger Eddie Selzer John W. Burton |
Starring | Mel Blanc |
Music by | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date | May 30, 2023 [2] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 1 was released on May 30, 2023. The set includes 20 cartoons- none of which have previously been released on DVD or Blu-ray before. They are all presented uncut and digitally restored. [2]
Beanstalk Bunny and Catch as Cats Can were sourced from new 4K scans from the original camera negatives. [8] According to Jerry Beck, the set was delayed for almost a full year because the Library of Congress had difficulty shipping the camera negatives for Catch as Cats Can to the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. [3] The other cartoons on this set had previously been restored for HBO Max streaming service in 2020 [9] - with HBO removing many of them earlier that same year. [10] However, for this release Warner Archive corrected many of the errors initially made by HBO Max, such as Photoshopped titles. [9]
# | Title | Characters | Year | Director | Series |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Beanstalk Bunny | Bugs, Daffy, Elmer | 1955 | Chuck Jones | MM |
2 | Catch as Cats Can | Sylvester | 1947 | Arthur Davis | MM |
3 | The Unruly Hare | Bugs, Elmer | 1945 | Frank Tashlin | MM |
4 | His Bitter Half | Daffy | 1950 | Friz Freleng | MM |
5 | Daffy Doodles | Daffy, Porky | 1946 | Robert McKimson | LT |
6 | Cracked Quack | Daffy, Porky | 1952 | Friz Freleng | MM |
7 | Little Orphan Airedale | Charlie, Porky | 1947 | Chuck Jones | LT |
8 | Hip Hip-Hurry! | Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner | 1958 | Chuck Jones | MM |
9 | Hot-Rod and Reel! | Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner | 1959 | Chuck Jones | LT |
10 | Greedy for Tweety | Sylvester, Tweety, Granny, Hector | 1957 | Friz Freleng | LT |
11 | Stooge for a Mouse | Sylvester, Hector | 1950 | Friz Freleng | MM |
12 | A Mouse Divided | Sylvester | 1953 | Friz Freleng | MM |
13 | A Fractured Leghorn | Foghorn | 1950 | Robert McKimson | MM |
14 | Plop Goes the Weasel | Foghorn, Barnyard | 1953 | Robert McKimson | LT |
15 | Tale of Two Mice | Babbit and Catstello | 1945 | Frank Tashlin | LT |
16 | The Foxy Duckling | 1947 | Arthur Davis | MM | |
17 | Two Gophers from Texas | Goofy Gophers | 1948 | Arthur Davis | MM |
18 | Doggone Cats | Sylvester | 1947 | Arthur Davis | MM |
19 | What's Brewin', Bruin? | The Three Bears | 1948 | Chuck Jones | LT |
20 | The Bee-Deviled Bruin | The Three Bears | 1949 | Chuck Jones | MM |
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 2 | |
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Directed by | Chuck Jones Friz Freleng Tex Avery Robert McKimson Frank Tashlin Arthur Davis Abe Levitow Norman McCabe Maurice Noble |
Produced by | Leon Schlesinger Eddie Selzer John W. Burton David H. DePatie |
Starring | Mel Blanc |
Music by |
|
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date | December 12, 2023 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 2 was released on December 12, 2023. This set included 25 cartoons never before released on DVD or Blu-Ray - five more than on Volume 1. [11] In contrast to the previous volume, Volume 2 focuses more on miscellaneous "one-shot" cartoons and characters. [12]
Like the previous volume, only two cartoons (Brother Brat and Ghost Wanted) were specifically restored for this release, while the other cartoons were previously restored for HBO Max and Me-TV, with Warner Archive correcting the Photoshopped titles (most notably on A Hound for Trouble). [13] In addition Cross Country Detours had its original opening title sequence restored, as opposed to the Blue Ribbon re-issue titles featured on previous releases. [12]
Volume 2 includes the following cartoons:
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3 | |
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Directed by | Chuck Jones Robert McKimson Friz Freleng Tex Avery Arthur Davis Gerry Chiniquy Earl Duvall Maurice Noble |
Produced by | Leon Schlesinger Eddie Selzer John W. Burton David H. DePatie |
Starring | Mel Blanc |
Music by |
|
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date | March 12, 2024 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3 was released on March 12, 2024. [5]
Like the previous volumes only two cartoons were specifically restored for this release - Mexican Joyride and Riff Raffy Daffy - while all the other cartoons were previously restored for HBO Max and MeTV, with Warner Archive fixing most of the Photoshopped title cards. Riff Raffy Daffy was originally released on the Looney Tunes Super Stars' Porky & Friends: Hilarious Ham DVD set but in an unrestored form. For this release Riff Raffy Daffy was given a brand-new transfer. Since the original separation exposure negatives are missing, critics noted that while Riff Raffy Daffy doesn't look as pristine as the other cartoons on the set, it still looks far superior than on previous releases. [14] Hobo Bobo also had its original opening titles restored. [14]
Volume 3 contains the following cartoons: [15]
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 4 | |
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Directed by | Friz Freleng Robert McKimson Chuck Jones Tex Avery Bob Clampett Arthur Davis Norman McCabe Hawley Pratt |
Produced by | Leon Schlesinger Eddie Selzer John W. Burton David H. DePatie Friz Freleng |
Starring | Mel Blanc |
Music by |
|
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date | November 26, 2024 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 4 was released on November 26, 2024. The set contains 25 cartoons. This time there were three newly restored cartoons for the set: Holiday for Drumsticks (1949), Muzzle Tough (1954) and Peck Up Your Troubles (1945). The rest were all previously restored and released on HBO Max and MeTV. [16] The set also included two bonus cartoons: Stork Naked (1955) and Lighter Than Hare (1960) presented in their original 4:3 aspect ratios (both cartoons were previously released on the Looney Tunes Super Stars' DVD sets, however were cropped to 16:9). [17]
The set includes the following cartoons: [18]
# | Title | Characters | Year | Director | Series |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
B1 | Lighter Than Hare | Bugs, Sam | 1960 | Friz Freleng | MM |
B2 | Stork Naked | Daffy | 1955 | Friz Freleng | MM |
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on October 28, 2003. The first release of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD series, it contains 56 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements. The set won the Classic Award at the Parents' Choice Awards.
Daffy Duck & Egghead is a 1938 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon produced in 1937 and directed by Tex Avery. The cartoon was released on January 1, 1938, and stars Daffy Duck and Egghead.
Tale of Two Mice is a 1945 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Looney Tunes series, directed by a uncredited Frank Tashlin. It is a sequel to 1942's A Tale of Two Kitties, with the Abbott and Costello characterizations now cast as mice. They are voiced by Tedd Pierce and Mel Blanc respectively.
Beanstalk Bunny is a 1955 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The short was released on February 12, 1955, and stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd. The cartoon's story is derived from the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Dangerous Dan McFoo is a 1939 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Tex Avery. The short was released on July 15, 1939.
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6 is a four-disc DVD box set collection of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. Following the pattern of one release each year of the previous volumes, it was released on October 21, 2008. It is the final release in the Golden Collection series. Succeeding the Golden Collection series would be the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection series on Blu-ray, first released November 2011. On July 3, 2012, a two-disc DVD version of Volume 1 of the Platinum Collection was released.
One Meat Brawl is a 1947 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Robert McKimson. The short stars Porky Pig and Barnyard Dawg, and was released on January 18, 1947. The title is a takeoff on the popular song "One Meat Ball".
This is a listing of all the animated shorts released by Warner Bros. under the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies banners between 1940 and 1949.
Devil's Feud Cake is a 1963 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short directed by Friz Freleng. The short was released on February 9, 1963, and stars Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam.
Daffy Dilly is a 1948 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The cartoon was released on October 30, 1948, and stars Daffy Duck.
Looney Tunes Super Stars' Daffy Duck: Frustrated Fowl is a DVD of 15 new-to-DVD Daffy Duck cartoons that was released on August 10, 2010.
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 2 is a DVD box set that was released by Warner Home Video on November 2, 2004. It contains 60 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements.
Punch Trunk is a 1953 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon written by Mike Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones. The short was released on December 19, 1953.
Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1 is a Blu-ray Disc and DVD box set by Warner Home Video. It was released on November 15, 2011. It contains 50 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements. A DVD version of the box set was released on July 3, 2012, but contained no extras.
The Penguin Parade is a 1938 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies directed by Tex Avery. The short was released on April 23, 1938.
Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2 is a Blu-ray and DVD box set by Warner Home Video released on October 16, 2012. It contains 50 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements. Disc 3 is exclusive to the Blu-ray version of the set. Unlike Volume 1, which was released in a digibook, Volume 2 was released in a standard 1 movie case. This release was followed by Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3
Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3 is a Blu-ray and DVD release by Warner Home Video. It contains 50 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons and numerous supplements. It was released on Blu-ray on August 12, 2014, and was released on DVD on November 4, 2014.
Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection is a Blu-ray Disc box-set released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on December 1, 2020. It contains 60 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts starring Bugs Bunny and numerous bonus features and supplementary content. The set's packaging includes a slip book, a booklet, and a collectible Bugs Bunny Funko! POP doll.
Porky Pig 101 is a DVD box-set released by Warner Archive Collection, collecting the first 101 animated short subjects starring the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies character Porky Pig. The set features all 99 Porky Pig cartoons made in black and white, as well as two cartoons made in color: Porky's debut appearance in I Haven't Got a Hat (1935) and the color "special" Old Glory (1939).