Probably my favorite collection of cartoons ever are the Looney Tunes circa the ’40s and ’50s. Among them, some of the best were consistently the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts. Those not only have stood the test of time, but they seem notoriously hard to duplicate. This has always perturbed me because of all the Looney Tunes, it would seem that these would be the most adaptable because they require no voice work from anyone. Only clever (and somewhat hedonistic) writing. Even Mel Blanc couldn’t recapture the magic he delivered during the original span of the Looney Tunes’ run. Check out some of those ’70s LT rehashings if you’ve forgotten.
The good news: it appears that Wile E. and RR are getting some love again. The bad, it’s of course in 3D. ComingSoon reports that there will be three animated shorts premiering in front of films this year as a precursor to a new animated series titled The Looney Tunes Show to appear on the Cartoon Network later this year.
The studio will attach the cartoon shorts to three of its upcoming family features—all three features to be released this year in 3D. The first short will be seen with Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore on July 30th; the second with Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, on September 24th; and the third with Yogi Bear, on December 17th. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution.
In making the announcement, Fellman said, “Audiences have always
delighted in Wile E. Coyote’s dogged pursuit of the Road Runner, with
hilarious, albeit predictable, results. We are thrilled to be
presenting these characters for the first time in 3D, which will
heighten the excitement and humor of the chase, not to mention the
impact—at least for Wile E. We’re sure these three new adventures will
entertain a new generation of fans while reminding us all why these two
characters have been beloved for so long.”
The new 26-episode show will feature Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as roommates with the other Looney Tunes characters as their neighbors. On the item of the TV show, my thinking is: whatever. I’ve never seen any incarnation of the Looney Tunes even come close to those original shorts. The new show might be good, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were geared almost exclusively at kids, and that’s what’ll probably be missing about them. The original shorts had plenty of jokes and references aimed at adults, and that was part of their magic. They were also quite (hilariously) brutal at times and I’m sure that just won’t play for kids of today.
And as to the 3D item: well, does it really need to be said at this point?
10 comments
Looney Tunes should only ever be stand-alone episodes. Turned into an actual sitcom defeats the comedy of it all. Tiny Toon Adventues was the only, IMO, good spin-off but again…it was like a sitcom. Stand-alone episodes are the best! Marvin the Martian was 2nd to Wild E.
I just don't see what's so bad about 3D in itself. If a movie is filmed for 3D and looks good, then great. It adds a little something to the moviegoing experience, and if you don't like it, you don't have to see it. The constant whining about 3D on CHUD makes you guys seem like cranky old men hating all the newfangled contraptions these days. It clearly isn't going away any time soon – why not examine it as a genuinely interesting trend and give credit where credit is due to the films that use it successfully?
I agree – Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote are the best of the Looney Tunes. The animated sitcom is a stupid idea along with the rest of what Cartoon Network has been peddling the last few years.
this, to me, seems like a good idea for a 3D cartoon. Yes, Tiny Toons frickin ruled when i was a kid.
Am I the only one to want Kelsey Grammer to voice Wile E. Coyote?
Looney Tunes is a property that should be left the fuck alone. You're right: no one will ever recapture the brilliance of its initial run, from the 30s through the 60s. So why try? Any attempt will only tarnish the greatest animated legacy in American film.
…how you guy have skipped right to "3D=Bad"
snagglegrass, if the coyote speaks at all these shorts will automatically be failures.
Are all 3 of these new shorts going to be Wile E. and Road Runner, or are we going to have to put up with computer generated versions of Bugs and Daffy as well?
@Stinky Eastwood:
Wile E. Coyote spoke occasionally in some of the original shorts, usually breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience. His voice in those situations was dignified and urbane, which would make Kelsey Grammer a good choice.
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