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Released by: Warner Brothers
Released on: 11/30/2010
Director: Various
Cast: Mel Blanc
Year: 1954 - 1962
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The Movie:
Time has an interesting way of skewing our perspective on things, and a perfect example of that is the Looney Tunes cartoon legacy. What was considered uproariously funny and perfectly acceptable kids entertainment thirty years or so ago is now meant for an adult viewing audience. Three decades back it wasn't considered offensive to have a giant rooster dress up like a swami and speak with a stereotypical East Indian dialect. Making fun of minorities in cartoon form wasn't just accepted, it almost seemed like it was encouraged - case in point, the episodes on this disc that revolve around a pair of Mexican birds who lounge about all day, speak in a cliché dialect, wear sombreros and love tacos.
So yeah, keep that in mind was you cruise thought this disc, Foghorn Leghorn & Friends, part of Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes Super Stars line of releases that focus in on one specific segment of the Looney Tunes universe. Obviously the focus here is the aforementioned giant rooster, Mr. Foghorn Leghorn, an arrogant and overly confident 'cock of the walk' charged with watching over the chickens on the farm and who excels in goofing off and just sort of hanging out.
Anyone familiar with the character will remember most, if not all, of the nine cartoons that he appears in on this disc. His rivalry with the farm dog, his battle of wits with Junior (the son of the local widow, Ms. Prissy), and his battles with the weasel and the chicken hawk have all rightfully earned their place in the pop culture history books. Warner Brothers presents them here completely uncut (though with a disclaimer that seems to last from here to eternity that precedes the main menu) and nicely remastered and color corrected and looking their best.
Seen through modern (and by default, more politically correct eyes) there are a few moments where you have to wonder what the writers were thinking, but take it all with a grain of salt and a product of a bygone era and it's hard not to crack a smile or giggle to yourself, even if you know it's wrong. Funny is funny, after all, and Foghorn Leghorn is pretty damn funny. Some of the bonus cartoons included - like the aforementioned Mexican crows, push things quite a bit further than Foghorn's exploits do (he's not really so much into racial issues as he is into gratuitous violence - and so much the better - has a rooster ever been blown up as well as Foghorn Leghorn! No siree!) but again, they're a product of their time. There's no sense denying they didn't exist and it's to the studio's credit that they're presented here uncut and intact.
The fifteen cartoons included on this disc are:
Foghorn Leghorn:
All Fowled Up / Fox Terror / A Broken Leghorn / Crockett-Doodle-Doo / Weasel While You Work / Weasel Stop / Little Boy Boo / Banty Raids / Strangled Eggs
“Friendsâ€:
Gopher Broke / A Mutt In A Rutt / Mouse-Placed Kitten / Cheese It, The Cat! / Two Crows From Tacos / Crow's Feet
A Broken Leghorn is the only cartoon on this set that's been released on DVD before, all of the others are new. What you really grow to appreciate, as you watch this set, is just how well timed the Looney Tunes cartoons could be. These are all prime examples of how important comedic timing is, even in animated form, and much of the slapstick here, as exaggerated and over the top as it is, is quite literally textbook examples of highpoints of the form. There's a sense of mayhem and unpredictability that's sadly lacking in modern cartoons and that gives this material an edge that makes it as fresh and funny today as it had to have been back when it was first broadcast.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Warner lets you watch each one of these cartoons in either 1.78.1 anamorphic widescreen or in 1.33.1 fullframe and both presentations look fine - take your pick as to which option you prefer. Minor grain is apparent here and there but print damage is held in check and color reproduction is spot on. Detail is about as good as you'd expect from older cartoons and there are no problems with mpeg compression artifacts or edge enhancement to complain about.
The only audio option is an English language Dolby Digital Mono track with optional subtitles provided in English and Spanish. The dialogue is clean and clear throughout and there are no problems with hiss or distortion to complain about. The frequent sound effects have got just the right amount of punch behind them and all in all, things sound just fine here.
Aside from a static menu that allows for individual episode selection or a 'play all' option, this disc is completely barebones and there are no extra features.
The Final Word:
While it would have been nice to see a full on Foghorn Leghorn release, this'll do for now. Nine of the fifteen selections feature our favorite rooster in action and the six 'filler' bits are at least entertaining enough. No extras, sadly, but the video quality is pretty good and revisiting some of this material after not seeing it in years turned out to be a whole lot of fun.
Favorite quote: the woman's mouth is like an outboard motor....all the time putt putt putt putt putt pikow! pikow!