Brand New! Looney Tunes Golden Collection

by James Christian

Rohrbach Library just acquired a truckload of classic cartoons. Looney Tunes Golden Collection (Volumes 1-6) just hit our shelves, carrying 24 discs of animated antics from the Warner Brothers vault. The set runs the gamut of WB material, from legends like Long-Haired Hare and Duck Amuck to Hitler-thrashing WW2 shorts. Entire discs are dedicated to characters (Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Roadrunner, Tweety and Sylvester, Speedy Gonzalez and, most surprisingly, Bosco) and animators (Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin).

Looney Tunes’ place in film history is indisputable. What’s Opera, Doc? and One Froggy Night live on in both the American consciousness and the National Film Registry. Catchphrases like “That’s all, folks” reverberate in the popular lexicon. While many remember Looney Tunes for its slapstick violence, the show’s sight-gags, verbal barbs, and strong characterization are equally important to the series reputation.  For contrast, watch some of the earlier B&W cartoons in this collection. These feature a slow-paced musical format, rather than the hare-brained hijinks of the best-loved shorts. In the early days of talkies, the miracle of synchronized sound was enough to enthrall audiences. As tastes changed and attention spans shortened, these early ‘toons are notable more for their historical value than entertainment. Have no fear; the collection contains many heavyweight laugh-riots as well. The Golden Collection includes 356 animated shorts, plus tons of special features, commentary tracks, documentaries, and plenty more to get you film buffs salivating.

Call Number: PN1992.77 .L86 2011