Following the Platinum Collection and Collector’s Choice lines, Looney Tunes is back on Blu-ray with Looney Tunes: Collector’s Vault Vol. 1. This two-disc set features 50 shorts in all. The first disc features 24 never-before-released on DVD or Blu-ray shorts (the one outlier is Chuck Jones’ Double or Mutton short, which was also on Collector’s Choice Vol. 4), while the second disc features 25 more beloved shorts that had been released on DVD but hadn’t made the transition to high definition. It’s a great value, and these classic cartoons (ranging from 1934 to 1963) have never looked better.
“Here they are – more Looney Tunes, more Merrie Melodies, more laughs, now restored and on Blu-ray disc! Disc 1 presents 25 choice toons never before on DVD or Blu-ray – including gems directed by Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Ben Hardaway, and Cal Dalton. Disc 2 features selected cartoon favorites, making their HD debut as part of a Looney Tunes Collection, with the all-star team: Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety, and more – including the first appearances of Speedy Gonzales, Pepe LePew, and Daffy Duck. The Vault is now open, with treasured cartoon classics to watch whenever you wish,” says the official description.
The first disc contains the never-before-released cartoons, and most of these are from the 30s and 50s. There are some real highlights, such as some classic Chuck Jones and Tex Avery offerings, and quite a few offerings featuring signature characters (Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, etc.). The only one that fell completely flat for me was the oldest in the collection, 1934’s Beauty and the Beast by Friz Freleng, but even that is still historically interesting. Three cartoons were specifically restored for this set — Avery’s A Day at the Zoo (which is a real treat for any pun lovers) and Of Fox and Hounds, plus Freleng’s Each Dawn I Crow — while the rest are based on the HBO Max versions with corrected titles.
The second disc is where more of the better-known characters are featured, as there are quite a few Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig cartoons included here. There are also quite a few historically significant cartoons here, including the few appearances of Speedy Gonzales and Pepe LePew, and Porky’s Duck Hunt, which first introduced Daffy. These latter 25 shorts are primarily from the 40s and 50s, so both Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were firing on all cylinders.
If there are any gripes to be had against the Looney Tunes: Collector’s Vault Vol. 1 Blu-ray, it is the pretty bare-bones presentation. Rather than going chronologically, the shorts are ordered by title alphabetically, so you might go from a Willoughby cartoon from 1940 to a Daffy Duck one made in 1960. There’s an enjoyment in the randomness, as you never know what to expect next as you’re watching a disc, but I would’ve liked to have them either grouped in a way I could chart some progression for the series. There’s also no special features to speak of, even for the cartoons that had audio commentary tracks made for prior DVD releases.
Looney Tunes: Collector’s Vault Vol. 1 Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
Ultimately, you’re picking up the Looney Tunes: Collector’s Vault Vol. 1 Blu-ray for the cartoons, and that is where this set delivers. This is a great value, and a lot of the included cartoons are highly rewatchable. Warner Archive has done a great job making sure they look and sound wonderful, and even the ones that don’t feature beloved characters are interesting historical footnotes from some of the greatest animation directors.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the publisher for our Looney Tunes: Collector’s Vault Vol. 1 Blu-ray review.
