(Blooper) Bunny!

This was a very, very edgy cartoon that should have been more widely seen that it was. Apparently, shortly after it was made, some kill-joys at Time-Warner decided it was too edgy and harmed the bland reputation they've created for their characters in recent years. Yet back in the early 90s, somehow, the writers and animators at Warner Brothers were given a lot of leeway to create a modern version of Bugs Bunny. It begins with a sappy '51st and 1/2 birthday' celebration, but the cartoon then became a parody of the 'making of,...." video where the cartoon characters let down their hair (hare) and you see who they REALLY are! This was a great idea and I loved seeing the characters acting edgy and funny instead of the insipid SPACE JAM-type Warner cartoon characters. For very little kids, this cartoon isn't too appropriate, but for older kids and teens, they'll probably think it's great when they bleep out comments made by jealous Daffy Duck!! About the only thing that doesn't work is the section where they show fake take after take of the same dancing number--it really got repetitive and a bit annoying! But, this cartoon is a great way to both celebrate the past and keep the edginess that made Bugs, Daffy and the rest popular.

Cartoon mockumentary about the behind-the-scenes of a Bugs Bunny retrospective special with Daffy, Elmer, and Yosemite Sam causing problems. It's mostly made up of blooper clips, a few of which are actually funny. Points for creativity, particularly since the post-classic era Looney Tunes shorts were all-too-often pointless exercises in nostalgia copying old gags instead of coming up with new material. At least they were trying here. I've made no secret in my other reviews of modern Looney Tunes cartoons that they almost all suck. The degree to which they suck certainly varies but I've yet to see one that I watch and go "yeah, that deserves to be talked about in the same breath as the classics." This one doesn't hold up to the greats either but it doesn't completely suck so that's something. There's no doubt this was made by people who love the characters and wanted to bring them to a new generation. The animation is quite nice and I have no problems with the music or Jeff Bergman's voice work. As far as newer Looney Tunes goes, you can't do better than this. Which is kind of sad if you think about it too long.

Although he is no replacement for the late Mel Blanc, Rick Bergman does the voice recreations a lot of justice, and this short, Blooper Bunny, is the funniest and best cartoon since the Golden Age ended back in the mid-60s. Honestly funny and reminiscent of the wacky show-biz humor of the classic "Show Biz Bugs", Blooper Bunny displays the decades long good humored rivalry between Bugs and Daffy Duck.

I liked it.

While not without it's flaws, this short is still one of the most entertaining Looney Tunes shorts in recent years. I've resigned myself to the fact that the golden age of Looney Tunes is long in the past and it'll never get as good as it was back then again in the future. But I still enjoyed this cartoon that plays out like a blooper reel taking place on Bugs Bunny's fifty first and a half birthday special. Even if the Looney Tune's gang acted a tad off-kilter. This cartoon can be found as an extra on disk 1 of the 'Looney Tunes Golden Collection' and has optional commentary.

My Grade: C+

I love Looney Tunes, and I love all four characters featured here, so this seemed like a winner. And it was. Not only are Bugs, Daffy, Elmer and Yosemite Sam all great, but when it comes to the voice work Jeff Bergman manages to be both dynamic and stick to the characters' characteristics very well. The animation is absolutely great, very lively and colourful, and the music has a lot of energy and doesn't get annoying no matter how many times we hear the main theme. The outtakes are hugely funny, not just in the fresh writing but also in the sight gags. While I loved the business with the cane, the Eh What's Up Doc to uproarious laughter and Daffy stepping on a floorboard and it hits him, it was the outtake where Elmer's gun goes off and it's real ammunition narrowly missing Bugs and hitting Daffy that really amused me. All in all, a hugely funny cartoon. 10/10 Bethany Cox