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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 24, 2008

Bugs Bunny with Stalin and Hitler? It happened

By Jen Chaney
Washington Post

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
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Most people think of Looney Tunes and immediately hear the sound of Porky Pig stammering, "That's all folks!," or Bugs Bunny wisecracking his way through another "What's up, Doc?" They probably don't connect the influential shorts starring Daffy Duck, Tweety and company with, say, politics or American history.

Yet that linkage is a key theme in "Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Volume 6," the latest and last in a series of exceptional DVD box sets that deliver some of the best and rarest 'toons from the Warner Bros. vault. Like the five that preceded it, this "Golden Collection," released this week, offers its share of standard, delightfully Looney fare featuring the libidinous Pepe Le Pew, dim-witted Elmer Fudd and others.

But we also get an entire DVD devoted largely to "patriotic" cartoons from the World War II era in which, among other things, Bugs Bunny impersonates Joseph Stalin, viewers are encouraged to buy bonds and an animated Adolf Hitler invariably gets whacked on the head with a mallet.

I don't remember seeing these anti-fuhrer features back when I munched on Froot Loops during "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour" every Saturday morning. And that's exactly what makes the opportunity to revisit this propaganda-filled chapter in Looney Tunes lore so fascinating, especially for those who have made that wascally wabbit a focal point for serious cultural study. (Yes, there are such people, some of whom provide audio commentary on selected shorts throughout the set.)

The inclusion of several Bosko and Buddy shorts from the earliest days of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies should be equally compelling to the cartoon cognoscenti. Indeed, watching Bosko — a dead ringer for "Steamboat Willie"-era Mickey Mouse — chirpily croon "We're in the Money" during a 1932 cartoon takes on layers of meaning when viewed through the prism of 401(k)-crushing 2008.

In keeping with the "Golden" standard set by Warner Bros., the 60 'toons and extras — which include bonus shorts, commentaries and a pair of full-length TV specials — are a joy to behold. But the highlight of this particular volume has to be "Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices," a fascinating, often touching documentary about the late actor who brought Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety and hundreds of others to life.

If the tone of this set sounds a little mature, that's not an accident. Warner Bros. notes on the cover of each "Golden Collection" that the DVDs are "intended for the adult collector and … not suitable for children." For those seeking more kid-friendly fare, the "Spotlight Collection" discs — including a sixth released this week — offer more than 30 family-appropriate installments from the Golden box sets.

Die-hard fans of Bugs and his buddies may find themselves a little weepy when they realize this volume is the final one in the series. But they can take solace in the fact that, with so many Looney Tunes moments to savor again and again on DVD, there's no need to ever say, "That's all, folks."

Most poignant bonus: The Mel Blanc documentary tells the story of an enormously talented and dedicated vocal genius via interviews with his son, Noel, various animation veterans and voice actors such as Hank Azaria ("The Simpsons"). It's all worth watching, but the moment most likely to tug the heartstrings comes during the aftermath of a 1961 car accident that nearly killed the man. As Looney loyalists undoubtedly know, when Blanc finally came out of his coma, the first sentence he uttered consisted of three simple words: "What's up, Doc?"