Video/DVD Review: Carrotblanca

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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that while kids should enjoy the shorts, much of the parody will be lost on them. Some parents may find aspects of these shorts questionable, such as the excessive drinking and cartoonish violence. Older kids have more appreciation for the bountiful wit showcased in these cartoons. Teen viewers may get the most out of this collection. Cinema buffs in particular will appreciate the numerous parodies of venerable Hollywood genres.

Families can talk about why they enjoy the spoofs of well-loved movies. Why is "imitation the finest form of flattery"?

Bugs confronts a lost love and an all-star cast in the Casablanca spoof CARROTBLANCA. Then Daffy vows to clean up a lawless western town in "Dripalong Daffy." Elmer pursues Bugs into a crowded movie theater in "Hare Do." Next, Daffy talks Porky into quitting cartoons and trying his luck in features in "You Ought to Be in Pictures," a rare Looney Tunes combination of animation and live action. Then, Daffy attempts to sell his script chronicling the exploits of a Robin Hood type character, "The Scarlet Pumpernickel." Finally, when a cinema multi-plex is built over Bugs' rabbit hole, he must deal with usher Elmer Fudd, and a deceitful Daffy Duck in "Box Office Bunny."

This animated tribute to the movies mixes old and new, compiling four classic Looney Tunes from the 1940s and 1950s with two contemporary cartoons produced in the 1990s. The older cartoons are all acknowledged classics, the best of which is "You Ought to Be in Pictures," one of the most unique shorts to come out of the Warner factory. A mix of animation and live action (and colorized from its original black-and-white), the plot involves Daffy trying to convince Porky to pursue a movie career. A funny story, combined with surprisingly strong special effects, make this one a winner. "Hare Do" contains the oft-quoted bit where Elmer hunts Bugs in a crowded movie theater, and the two continually stumble over seated patrons with an apologetic "Excuse me, pardon me, excuse me." The swashbuckler spoof "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" offers a sly parody of "all star cast" extravaganzas, as every role in Daffy's movie is played by a famous Looney Tunes character.

One of the newer shorts, the Casablanca lampoon "Carrotblanca," repeats this concept, but with less panache. It doesn't really work having Bugs do Bogie. Bugs is always at his best when he's just being Bugs. It must be said, however, that Tweety's Peter Lorre imitation is pretty funny. A look at the voice credits for "Carrotblanca" reveals a subtle tribute to the vocal skills of the late, great Mel Blanc. It now takes the skills of four people to provide the voices for characters that were originally voiced solely by Mel. Incredible!