Bugs Bunny, Bip Bip: Le film-poursuite

An interesting compilation Enjoyable feature. A wonderful look on the best of Chuck Jones Probably the most entertaining of the Looney Tunes compilation films.

This compilation of classic WB short cartoons is (expectedly) highly uneven, but generally enjoyable. Among the highlights: Bugs Bunny as a vengeful symphony conductor, he and Daffy Duck arguing about whether it's "duck season" or "rabbit season" (this sketch has a hilarious punchline), the surrealistic (and also somewhat sadistic!) "Duck Amuck", etc. The final "Road Runner" segment does go on a little too long. Overall, this is a nice way to spend 95 minutes mindlessly and painlessly, and also a good opportunity to see some of those shorts that you may have missed on TV. (**1/2)

I personally enjoy the Looney Tunes compilation films, coming from a huge fan of the Looney Tunes cartoons. I hadn't seen this in a while until just about two days ago, but thought could it be better than Daffy Duck's QuackBusters?. My overall conclusion is that while Daffy Duck's QuackBusters has the best storyline I think The Bugs Bunny/Road-Runner Movie despite the misleading title is the most entertaining of the compilation films.

I've often seen these compilation films criticised for cutting/shortening the original cartoons. I admit it, they do, however I don't personally see this as a problem as such. Besides, I was busy being delighted at how many cartoons and Looney Tunes characters there were to savour.

Bugs is the star of the cartoon, and a wonderful job is done to keep him true to the characterisation immortalised in the original cartoons. And fans of either Daffy and Porky, I am of the former and quite like the latter although he is often sidelined, will be delighted to know they have plenty of screen time. Elmer is a delight to watch in the cartoons he's featured in, and likewise with the Road-Runner and Wile E.Coyote.

Spotting the original cartoons are a sheer delight. A vast majority of them are masterpieces, Operation:Rabbit, Long-Haired Hare, What's Opera Doc, Duck Amuck and Duck Dodgers in the 24.5 Century to name a few, and there are some very, very good ones like Bully for Bugs, For Scent-imental Reasons(possibly my personal favourite of the Pepe Le Pew cartoons) and Ali Baba Bunny. The Road-Runner and Coyote cartoons as an overall series is uneven but when they are good they are really good, some of the ones featured are so to speak Zoom and Bored and Zip N Snort spring to mind. The highlight of the film though is the long but very energetic and spirited chase that thankfully does have the classic feel of the originals.

The story is fast-paced and entertaining with seldom a dull spot. The animation is spot on both in the original cartoons and the links, which is an achievement because I remember 1001 Rabbit Tales and Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie having animation that was somewhat inconsistent in comparison.

The music is full of energy and liveliness, the writing is witty, fresh and hilarious very often and the sight gags are inventive. Not to mention the voice work, Mel Blanc voicing all the Looney Tunes characters except for Elmer gives a truly bravura performance here. Overall, hugely entertaining. 9/10 Bethany Cox

"The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie" is a good example of the compliation film. It's one of those films that are a kind of Whitman's sampler that serves as a good introduction to a wide variety of short subjects. While it is true that these shorts are better seen in their original form, why trash these neat features? At least the Warners compliations are seamlessly edited and the bridging material is often above average.

It helps to know that this film was originally released as "The Great American Chase". In fact, that title is STILL in the film. It is in the opening 20 minute prologue that is engaging and original but irrelevant since the title was changed. Adults will forgive it, but from my own experiences (when I first saw the film 16 years ago on tape), kids will get restless.

But after that, we get to the good stuff. The film is a sampler of Chuck Jones' work, hence the title "Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie". Road Runner was Jones' creation as was Pepe Le Pew (both are featured in the film, but the Road Runner gets the bulk of the second half) and Jones reinvented Bugs Bunny in the 50s and 60s from his previous incarnations. There are many good shorts included in the film. Daffy Duck's battle with the animator and his brush. Bugs Bunny vs. Wile E. Coyote: Genius. Classic Road Runner/Wile E. footage. Bugs fights Marvin the Martian on Mars. I can't list them all, but you get the idea.

Most critics dislike these films because they cut the original shorts. But most of these shorts are edited by Cartoon Network for TV (for time and more recently, racial comments)and precious few are available on video. So we should be grateful that at least there is one way we can at least see these shorts in some format (very little is actually edited, most of the shorts are intact) We can see a lot worse these days.

**** out of 4 stars

A wide selection of cartoon shorts starring most all the Warner Bros. characters and is tied together by new animation featuring Bugs Bunny talking in a large mansion. The cartoons are hit-and-miss and when they are all put together in a feature-length film the whole project borders on being down-right tedious. The title does not make a whole lot of sense either as Bugs Bunny dominates the action and The Road Runner only has one cartoon with his arch-nemesis Wile E. Coyote. Only fair. Catch the same thing on the Cartoon Network at most anytime of the day. 2.5 out of 5 stars.