New Looney Tunes movie in development

[jvcarroll]

Looney Tunes exist in 7-minute intervals. Movies exist in 90-minute intervals. Back in Action was a thinly scripted story of classic bits and that is just not enough. Space Jam created an idiotic story that drowned out all of the classic humor. What I'm saying is that they need a compelling story to slip the characters into. Something fun and interesting that lasts 90+ minutes. Once that happens, the classic humor will find the nooks and nest. Otherwise, it's going to be an empty shell of cliches.

 

[Drtooth]

I can't really say that Tweety's High Flying Adventure was the greatest thing out there, but I really think that was a stronger film than the actual big budget live action ones. I never saw Bah Humduck, though. I think that's the problem right there. If they want Looney Tunes to work in a 90 minute frame, they need to make some serious alterations. I think Taz-Mania, Tiny Toons, Duck Dodgers, and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries can show they can work in 11-22 minute intervals, and they need to revisit those. That's why the Tweety film worked as well as it did. It was like the series finale/spiritual successor to the Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries show.

Now, the problem with Space Jam and BIA is that Space Jam got things right that BIA got wrong, and BIA got things right that SJ got wrong. BIA at least had some nice potential for Bugs and Daffy's relationship to get some depth, but every time they went deep, they had to do something wacky and cartoony.

 

[D'Snowth]

I can't really say that Tweety's High Flying Adventure was the greatest thing out there, but I really think that was a stronger film than the actual big budget live action ones.

Oh gee, I forgot all about that... but then again, I was only thinking about the two live action/animated movies.

It was an interesting movie to say the least, but I agree, it wasn't the greatest one out there... and in all honesty, Joe Alaskey isn't quite as good a Tweety as Bob Bergen was, IMHO.

 

[minor muppetz]

And true to form, Taz made a random appearance in the second Scooby movie.

I saw the second Scooby movie (once, in the theater) and I don't remember the Taz appearance. Maybe it happened when I went to the restroom.

I wonder if they could get away with a narrative structured like one of the old compilation movies. Not actually a compilation movie, but a plot with slightly-connected 7-minute scenes that if cut into 7-minute shorts wouldn't be too confusing for those who didn't see the movie.

 

[Drtooth]

It was an interesting movie to say the least, but I agree, it wasn't the greatest one out there... and in all honesty, Joe Alaskey isn't quite as good a Tweety as Bob Bergen was, IMHO.

Alaskey voiced Tweety all through the series Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. That film was a continuation/series finale/spiritual successor, right down to similar looking art styles and the inclusion of Cool Cat.

The movie was pretty good, but it had an even clearer narrative than both live action films, and it managed to work in all the Looney Tunes characters smarter than BIA did. Even managed to get Lola Bunny a significant part. Never saw Bah Humduck, so I can't comment on that.

I saw the second Scooby movie (once, in the theater) and I don't remember the Taz appearance. Maybe it happened when I went to the restroom.

Shaggy and Scooby were in some sort of lab basement, and I think they were playing with various magic potions, and Scooby turned into Taz for 10 seconds.

 

[TheWoodringman]

Yeah, I saw that, when I watched it on DVD the first time and every time I watch it.
It was funny.

 

[mupcollector1]

Anyone hear about the CGI Bugs Bunny movie gossip or the upcoming Woody Woodpecker movie which is also going to be CGI? I've tried really hard to contact the people involved and told them to be more respectful to these characters. In my opinion, they are the 2 greatest cartoon characters of all time. I'm already fusterated with the treatment Bugs got with The Looney Tunes Show with all this modern jazz. Just seeing what happened with Lorax, Yogi, Smurfs. I will not be a happy camper if this is made. lol It's like someone making a Droopy movie and ruining what Tex Avery did with him. Tex was a one of a kind and just to see Hollywood replacing good humor like that with juvinille toilet humor and for what, box office money. It makes me sick. It's an old saying I've been told a million times which I iqnore the advice "It's not about art, it's about making money!" But before I start guessing on all of this and get into more of a rant, lol I'll allow that little sunshine of hope that who ever is the filmmakers of this new Looney Tunes movie will do the right thing. Who knows, it might come out as good as the new Three Stooges movie

 

[Drtooth]

Looney Tunes movies get mixed results anyway. Space Jam was alright, and Looney Tunes Back in Action was ruined by Executive Meddling, but still pretty good when the focus isn't completely on Brendan Fraisier. The other movies were nothing but Clip Shows. Bah Humduck, I finally got the chance to see. It's not really movie length no matter what the package says, but it was classic Looney Tunes perfectly updated without ruining the original versions of the characters.

Problem is, they need some big human celebrity to hold the movie down. Some reason, a completely animated Looney Tunes movie just wouldn't sell without one. I wish that wasn't the case.

As for Yogi Bear, it sets as a perfect example of what's wrong with these kinds of movies. Not the updating, not the random use of 1990's safe rap... the human characters are poorly cast and can't act and just don't want to be there. Really... it's so bad I actually liked the Smurfs because Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria ACTED instead of sleepwalked and muttered through the whole thing. Heck, Hank didn't chew the scenery, he devoured it like Cookie Monster. Compare to Jason Lee in the Chipmunks films. He so didn't want to be there so badly, he was barely in the second one.

 

[mupcollector1]

Looney Tunes movies get mixed results anyway. Space Jam was alright, and Looney Tunes Back in Action was ruined by Executive Meddling, but still pretty good when the focus isn't completely on Brendan Fraisier. The other movies were nothing but Clip Shows. Bah Humduck, I finally got the chance to see. It's not really movie length no matter what the package says, but it was classic Looney Tunes perfectly updated without ruining the original versions of the characters.

Problem is, they need some big human celebrity to hold the movie down. Some reason, a completely animated Looney Tunes movie just wouldn't sell without one. I wish that wasn't the case.

As for Yogi Bear, it sets as a perfect example of what's wrong with these kinds of movies. Not the updating, not the random use of 1990's safe rap... the human characters are poorly cast and can't act and just don't want to be there. Really... it's so bad I actually liked the Smurfs because Neil Patrick Harris and Hank Azaria ACTED instead of sleepwalked and muttered through the whole thing. Heck, Hank didn't chew the scenery, he devoured it like Cookie Monster. Compare to Jason Lee in the Chipmunks films. He so didn't want to be there so badly, he was barely in the second one.

I remember Billy West speaking out on a radio show on how angry he was that Celebrities where doing cartoon voices in the movies and real voice actors don't get a change to audition the celebrities make more money for doing this which is on the terf of the voice actor industry which I totally agree. I'm not so much pickey with celebrities being in movies, I remember reading lots of screenplay books and how to sell your screenplay and one of the golden rule of thumbs they have on there is always have big celebrities star in the movies which I don't necessarily agree with unless it's someone like David Zucker and Jim Abrahams which you can take big names and do crazy stuff to them. lol I don't really like new movies that much, last one I went to see was The Three Stooges movie which I just loved. I really like the old school kind of films from the black & white movies through the early 90s. Mel Brooks, Zucker Bros, Ernest Movies, etc. Those are my kind of movies. I'm not so much into the big blockbuster sort of thing. I like the plot to be basically simple and just full of gags through out. lol I taped Back in Action on my DVR, I rarely seen it though I'll check it out again. I love the animation of that and Space Jam. It's very much like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". In fact I'm working on figuring out how to do that 24 frame, cinema shading effects with my own animation projects . The one thing I don't like about Space Jam and the newer Looney Tunes stuff is Lola Bunny. I don't like her. If Lola was more punkish, tomboyish, Tank Girl like with Bugs' personality with that Brooklyn accent, a leather jacket, I'd probably love her but it's Hollywood, enough said. lol I would love to see the newer Looney Tunes stuff like Blooper Bunny and Invasion of the Bunny (Snatchers?), the 1990s shorts. I like those. But I do agree, it's hard to do a plot movie with the characters because they've mainly did shorts and clip movies which I wish they still did. It'd be nice to see the classic cartoons on the big movie theater screen again. Sure there's all these Hollywood politics on box office, money blah blah blah. Though in my opinion, as long as you got a strong fan base cult following, your set for life.

 

[Drtooth]

I remember Billy West speaking out on a radio show on how angry he was that Celebrities where doing cartoon voices in the movies and real voice actors don't get a change to audition the celebrities make more money for doing this which is on the terf of the voice actor industry which I totally agree.

It really depends on the movie. The last 2 Looney Tunes live action hybrids had voice actors as those characters (though Brendan just had to do the voice of Taz for some reason... but it's not like they got the well established Jim Cummings to play him in Space Jam, either). Though I do notice celebrity VA's in other films... They had unrecognizable, stars who didn't even have top billing as the Chipmunks and Chippetes. Yet Dan Akroyd and Justin Timeberlake were plastered all over the Yogi movie (and frankly were the only ones who bothered, and Justin is eerily good as Boo Boo). But then again, I couldn't pick anyone better as An Ape named Ape than John Cleese. But Rocky and Bullwinkle did it right. June Foray as Rocky, a Jay Ward historian and voice actor as Bullwinkle and the narrator. And the human characters were surprisingly well cast. Like I always say, Jason Alexander has the same receding hairline as Boris.

The one thing I don't like about Space Jam and the newer Looney Tunes stuff is Lola Bunny. I don't like her.

She's a very awkward character, but I regret complaining about her Looney Tunes Show form. Lola was introduced as the girl character in a boy's club so girls would want to see the movie. She was to be an equal to, yet superior to Bugs. They awkwardly added her into their terrible Baby and Super Hero shows, she had a small role in the Tweety DTV, that's about it. But I've quite grown on her on the Looney Tunes Show. They made the character cartoonish and looney. She fits in perfectly now.