Top Ten Modern Looney Tunes

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Top Ten Modern Looney Tunes

After 1969, Warner Bros. concluded the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, but they still continued to produce shorts from time to time. Some were home releases while others landed in theaters. Whatever the case may be, I am going to rank the ten greatest Looney Tunes shorts from this latest period in their history.

10. The Whizzard of Ow

This is one of a couple of Road Runner shorts released in 2003. Wile E. Coyote is chasing the Road Runner and comes across the Acme Book of Magic. He gains the power to levitate heavy boulders, fly on broomsticks, and transfigure anything to suit his need. It’s a solid magic-oriented short that actually has some excellent gags in the first half. The third act was weaker and the animation was garish, but the sound was great and most gags worked.

9. Pullet Surprise

Pete Puma is trying to raid the henhouse Foghorn Leghorn is guarding. Foggy decides to have some fun with Pete. This 1997 short lacks in terms of action and excitement as it’s too talkative. With that being said, Foghorn Leghorn cartoons operate well when they focus on his exhaustive speeches and this movie was no different. The highlight was the short’s rather mature humor with one high heels line that was quite unexpected.

8. Museum Scream

In this 2004 short, Sylvester hears that a children’s museum’s prize exhibit is Tweety Pie, so he tries to raid the museum in order to have lunch. While the ending was typically weaker for this era and Tweety wasn’t all that memorable, Granny was hilarious and Sylvester was superb throughout this very inventive short that made such a great use of its museum setting. It’s one of the most classical shorts released during this period.

7. Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers

Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd have all been captured, and badly animated pod-people versions have taken their places. Bugs needs to stop them and bring everything back to normal in this very interesting 1992 horror-centric cartoon. While not perfect, it’s a reasonably diverting short given its bigger length than usual. The highlight was its interesting animation, creepy atmosphere and surprisingly confident mystery horror storytelling.

6. Father of the Bird

Sylvester finds a sparrow egg in a nest. Before he can eat it for breakfast, however, a little bird hatches out and calls him mama. He warms to the idea of being a father and instead of eating it, he protects the bird throughout a series of near-disasters. Yes, we’ve seen this type of premise before, but that familiarity also made this 1997 movie wonderfully old-fashioned. Its execution is top-notch with Sylvester being particularly well realized and funny.

5. Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension

Marvin the Martian mistakes Daffy Duck’s Duck Dodgers show, in which Dodgers announces that his forces are about to invade Mars, for a live broadcast and retaliates by going after Daffy, who still thinks they’re shooting the show. This movie was first released in 1996 and it went on to be a staple at Warner Bros. rides. It’s one of the best modern Looney Tunes as it perfectly utilized both Marvin and Daffy while also benefitting from interesting 3D animation.

4. Daffy’s Rhapsody

Elmer Fudd attends a musical concert only to find it’s Daffy Duck performing a song about escaping hunters. Elmer is unable to contain himself, donning his hunting gear and chasing the duck as he finishes his song. While this 2012 short is too brisk and fleeting, it worked because it mixed animation with music so well. Its kinetic energy was a huge plus along with an interesting decision to have an older, more screwy than neurotic version of Daffy in it.

3. The Duxorcist

Daffy is a professional paranormal investigator in this 1987 short. He comes to help a possessed damsel in distress. I loved the supernatural horror atmosphere included in this movie. That made it more unique and modern. Daffy was also excellent and quite amusing throughout. The highlight here was the animation, which was surprisingly polished and artistic, ranking among the best-looking Looney Tunes cartoons from this late period.

2. Box-Office Bunny

In 1991’s Box-Office Bunny, Bugs Bunny partakes of the multiplex cinema that has been instantly built over his hole over the objection of usher Elmer Fudd. This movie is so nostalgic as it will instantly remind you of the best Bugs Bunny cartoons from the fifties. While too short, this movie worked because it made perfect use of its theater setting, resulting in some great gags. Daffy and Bugs’ dynamic was mined for humor so well.

1. Another Froggy Evening

Michigan J. Frog pops in and out of people’s lives through history in this 1995 sequel to the seminal 1955 cartoon that remains one of the greatest Looney Tunes of all time. You’d think that a sequel arriving forty years after the original would be poor, but it ended up being very strong. While a bit too long and not as artistic, the animation was still quite polished and Michigan was hilarious throughout. Its period piece concept was superb and the movie was so well executed with catchy songs and excellent humor. Thus, it’s the best Looney Tunes short released after 1970.

Honorable Mentions:

My Generation G-G-Gap – Porky Pig takes his teenage daughter to a rock concert. When he realizes just how wild the concert is, he will stop at nothing to get inside in this strange, but very funny 2004 short.

The Night of the Living Duck – After indulging in horror comic book reading, Daffy has a dream where he is singing in a nightclub for monsters. While odd and uneven, this 1988 short was quite unique.

The Yolk’s on You – Foghorn Leghorn assigns Prissy, who’s been laying some odd, unsatisfactory eggs, to lay turquoise eggs for Easter. Foghorn was sidelined in this 1980 cartoon, but Daffy and Sylvester were both terrific.

Hare and Loathing in Las Vegas – Bugs can’t seem to lose at Sam’s casino. Then Sam realizes that Bugs has been cheating – he has rabbit’s feet. While lacking in polish, this 2004 short was funny and effective.

Cock-a-Doodle-Duel – Foghorn Leghorn’s dominance over the chicken coop is threatened by a younger, sexier rooster. This was a surprisingly good Looney Tunes short released in 2004 that was too contemporary, but very funny throughout.