The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons - Edited by Jerry Beck

Whether you watched them in theaters, on Saturday morning television, in syndication, or on Cartoon Network and Boomerang, the Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies shorts are simply unforgettable. While Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd and countless other characters are iconic, so are the creative giants who brought them to life; Mel Blanc, Chuck Jones, Robert Clampett, Tex Avery, Frank Tashlin, Fritz Freleng and Robert McKimson, to name a few. All of the aforementioned talents are featured in the book The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons, edited by Jerry Beck. Of course, with any list there will be debate about what should have been included and what should have been excluded, but it is difficult to argue with the vast majority of the shorts that made the final cut. While I am familiar with and/or have seen approximately 90 out the 100 Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies shorts featured, I realize that I am not the expert I thought I was, having missed a few key animated gems. Of course, some have been out of circulation for various reasons and have never aired on television at all.

As readers might expect, Bugs Bunny appears in many of the Looney Tunes shorts that have been selected as the best - 35 in all. Of course, Daffy Duck would be jealous, since he appears in "only" 24 shorts, followed by Elmer Fudd with 18, the underrated Porky Pig with 15 and, rounding out the top five, Sylvester, with 9. Nearly every classic Looney Tunes character is represented here, including Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety, Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian and Speedy Gonzales. While Pepe Le Pew makes one appearance, it is really a cameo, in "Dog Pounded," which is a disappointment, but at least he was not completely left out, like Granny, the Tasmanian Devil, and Witch Hazel. As I said before, this list is bound to spark debates. Of course, without the guidance from the aforementioned directors, the Looney Tunes characters would be lifeless. For instance, Chuck Jones is credited with helming nearly 40 of the best animated shorts, many of which feature Bugs and/or Daffy.

Readers familiar with Looney Tunes will likely recognize the majority of the selections included here, such as "One Froggy Evening" (with Michigan J. Frog), "Rabbit Season" (with Bugs and Daffy manipulating poor Elmer into shooting each other), "Satan's Waitin'" (where Sylvester uses up all nine of his lives), "The Rabbit of Seville" (a spoof of The Barber of Seville, featuring Bugs at his most abusive towards Elmer) and the musical masterpiece "The Three Little Bops." Other cartoons, including "From A to Z-Z-Z-Z" had dropped off my radar over the years and now have me yearning to watch them again. I found myself smiling, and even laughing at times, while reading about each animated short and the sheer genius behind their creation. I also developed a new appreciation for the music, which was always terrific, but was used to a far greater extent than I ever imagined.

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons are presented in alphabetical order, with a description of each short, color photos (where applicable), blurbs featuring information on the behind the scenes talent, and a comment from various professionals in the world of animation. Among those who lend their expertise are Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series), Stephen Patsis (author of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine) and editor Jerry Beck, who adds his own personal reflections on selected shorts and also writes the Introduction. In addition, film critic Leonard Maltin pens the Foreword, with an appreciation that many Looney Tunes fans will likely identify with.

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons (Insight Editions) is a highly enjoyable, educational and entertaining read. The (mostly) full color artwork and photographs make this book a must have for Looney Tunes enthusiasts and is sure to bring back many fond memories. In addition, the Looney Tunes have cross generational appeal and can be enjoyed by children of any age. Yes, some of the references, particularly to famous people of a certain era, seem dated, but the personalities, humor, music and stories are timeless and never seem to lose their charm. How many contemporary cartoons can make you laugh just by showing someone dancing, such as Yosemite Sam in "Wild West Dance," which is not listed as one of the best, but is a great example, nonetheless? I doubt that there will ever be another animated series of shorts that can measure up the creative talent that was assembled to produce these legendary cartoons for so many years. It just does not get any better than Looney Tunes.