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The second volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection follows the template laid down by the first volume for the most part. Once again you have a smaller counterpart called the “Spotlight” collection.

Some of the same content has been released in the Platinum Collections on Blu-ray.

The Spotlight version includes the cartoons from discs 3 and 4 of the larger set but doesn't have any of the extras. It's a cheap way to add some toons to your shelf, but you'll miss out on a lot of great material only available on the larger set.

Final Recommendation:

Overall I’m not quite as impressed with the bonus content here as I was with the first set. There were a number of things in that first one that were educational about the time period in which the shorts were created and the history of the series. I don't feel the second set lives up to that standard. Even so, there is some great material here in the form of some rare shows (even if sometimes only glimpses of them) that I haven't seen in many, many years and some of the best toons ever produced. It's a great set for a Looney Tunes enthusiast, and even if you don't care that much about the commentaries and such, things like the Road Runner Show ought to be worth your attention.

The Golden Collection Vol. 2 is a 4 disc DVD set. (Yes, I know the image is the wrong one. I haven't had a chance to scan the v.2 cover yet which I prefer to do over using someone else's image so that there's never a question about which edition I'm reviewing.)

Video:

1.33:

This is the TV standard ratio. There are still noticeable imperfections which comes from an age during which everything was hand-drawn rather than pumped out of a soulless computer (I kid, I kid, I like good computer animation, too), but overall they look and sound brighter and cleaner than they ever have. Compare the presented versions with the unrestored clips in some of the bonus features and you’ll see what I mean. There is a huge difference that makes watching them all the more enjoyable.

Audio:

1.0 Dolby:

The sound is just as impressive as the video, maybe even more so, despite being mono. It's clean and clear. A little fill comes through in the rear channels, but it's so thin it's almost insignificant.

Packaging:

The DVD trays are worked into a folder with flaps listing the contents of each disc. The layout of the flaps is not the most convenient, and I would much rather have a separate insert with the disc information. Specifically it would be nice to have the director and original air dates of each short listed especially considering the large timeframe these cover. I mean with a normal TV season set episodes usually represent a year or two of consecutive airings, but Looney Tunes covers multiple decades in no particular order.

The interface contains some animation and music that, while amusing, isn’t as humorous as the first set. The menus are laid out nicely, though. The main menu features a play all option. You can go to a list of all the shorts for individual selection, each one including links to any commentaries, isolated scores, and sometimes behind the scenes features that go along with them. Then there’s an “extras” menu which contains lists of all the commentaries and scores that can be selected individually or played as part of a group. It’s whatever option you prefer.

Once again the cartoons presented here are uncut. Many of them have also had lost credits restored, and at least one is said to have had cut footage added back in.

Extras:

-Commentaries: 30 episodes have commentaries with 2 having more than 1. The filmmakers and historians return from the first volume along with some animators and voice actors. Details are in the episodes section. You can access these episode-by-episode or use the play all to listen to them all at once.

-Alternate Audio Programs: These are the isolated music tracks some with and some without sound effects. 15 tracks are offered. See the episode list for more precise details. Like the commentaries you can access them episode-by-episode or use the play all option.

-Vocal-Only Programs: These are more alternate audio with takes of the actors singing. There are 2 with the same play all and episode-by-episode options as the others.

-A Conversation with Tex Avery (7:06) This is a look at his methods and approach straight from the man himself with samples for illustration.

-Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes All Star 50th Anniversary part 1 (24:40) A lot of well known stars talk about the cartoon characters. Though it contains some real behind-the-scenes info it's it's more entertainment than documentary. It’s pretty amusing.

-The Bugs Bunny Show:

-Do or Diet Bridging Sequences (6:02) Starting with a written history and explanation this is a look at some of the original animation created for the show. It includes the theme song and several segments. It is the only thing in this whole collection that features Taz.

-No Business Like Slow Business Audio Recording Session (4:16) This offers various takes of Mel recording voices with a slideshow to provide some visual stimulation. There's an intro for some history and context.

-The Adventures of the Road Runner (25:55) Two boys are watching Road Runner cartoons when one of the kids starts thinking he is Road Runner. I think this was created as a pilot but the series never took off. I’ve also read that the shorts in it were original but later cut out and presented as solo shorts.

-Crash Bang Boom the Wild Sounds of Treg Brown (11:12) A behind-the-scenes look at sound effects. It’s about FX guru Treg’s life, use of the effects, how he made certain sounds, and the influence on Star Wars.

-The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show Opening Sequence (2:12) Starting with an explanatory intro it's essentially 2 themes in 1.

-Daffy Duck For President (4:32) This is a more modern toon provided as an extra. Daffy wants to be president so he can outlaw rabbits. He finds out he’d be better off in Congress. That doesn’t help. How about the courts? Nope. It comes out as a lesson in the branches of government.

-Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes All Star 50th Anniversary part 2 (23:28) This includes more star interviews and such. It gets into the actual development of the current Bugs Bunny, directing styles, and a look at an awards ceremony.

-Man from Wackyland (21:12) A behind the scenes bit looks at the art of Bob Clampett, his influence, early history, his style, and his work.

-Opening Sequences: Background info is given in intros.

-The Porky Pig Show (1:18) A little country styling here.

The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show (2:52) There are 2 themes this time.

-Behind the Tunes: 3 behind-the-scenes clips with a play all option – 2 apply to specific episodes so I'll detail them below.

-Looney Tunes Go Hollywood (9:20) This looks at Hollywood parodies. It provides several toon comparisons to the real things.

-From the Vaults: A couple of bonus episodes with a play all option.

-So Much For So Little (10:20) This is kind of a public service announcement toon. You may have already seen it in the Toon Heads episode in the first TVD collection, but now you have it by itself.

-Orange Blossoms for Violet (9:20) This one is a toon-style story using live-action monkeys. It’s amusing though not great. It’s black-&-white with poor A/V quality.

Episodes:

There are 60 toons considered to be the main feature ranging from the 30's to the 50's though favoring the later decade the most. Most of these are 7-8 minutes long with a few a minute longer or shorter and a couple that are as long as 10 minutes. Each one is on a single chapter, and they have a play all option to minimize trips to the interface. Here are the ones with commentaries and such.

1)The Big Snooze

-Commentary: Animator: He talks about the method of animation and pranks the animators played on each other at the studio. It’s kind of funny the number of times he says “wild.”

2)Broomstick Bunny

-Commentary: June Foray: She talks about getting the job, her various roles, and how the pretty girl at the end was based on herself. She gets into character some which is fun, but she also gets quiet for a while.

-Music & Effects: A wonderful music track.

3)Bugs Bunny Rides Again

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about connections to other toons, Sam’s creation, and music. He plays part of a recorded interview with the director.

4)Bunny Hugged

-Music & Effects: Crowd noises are included in the effects.

6)Gorilla My Dreams

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the period references and history of the talent.

9)The Heckling Hare

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about the effects this show had on future projects, the history of Tex Avery and the studios, and the original script.

11)Tortoise Beats Hare

-Commentaries:

-Chuck Jones: This is actually culled together from recorded interviews. He talks about the early Bugs and Tex’s methods.

-Historian: He talks about the talent credits, shadow techniques, rule violations, and similar stories.

13)Slick Hare

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about period references and the influence of the real restaurant this one is based on.

14)Baby Buggy Bunny

-Music & Effects: Another great score though the burglar alarm gets annoying.

15)Hyde And Hare

-Music: No sound effects this time, just studio noise. Check out some Chopin in the middle.

16)Beep Beep

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the origins of the Road Runner beep and show references.

19)Stop Look And Hasten

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about the making of these Road Runner shows.

21)Guided Muscle

-Music Only: Isolated score with studio recording noise.

22)Gee Wizzzzzzz

-Music Only: Isolated score with studio noise.

23)There They Go Go Go

-Music Only: This is one of the few (maybe even the only) true isolated score from start to finish.

24)Scrambled Aches

-Music Only: Isolated score with studio noise.

25)Zoom And Bored

-Music Only: Isolated score with no studio noise this time.

26)Whoa Be Gone

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about influences and levels in the background.

28)The Dover Boys

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the parody influence, animation techniques, and influences for the background.

29)Mouse Wreckers

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about second string characters, influencing other shows, and the original ending.

30)A Bear For Punishment

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the real-life origin of this story, the cast, and working on the dance number at the end.

-Music & Effects: The alarm clocks are kind of annoying.

34)Tweet Tweet Tweety

-Music & Effects: The bird noises fit especially nicely in a music-only format.

36)Ain't She Tweet

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about the establishment of Sylvester and Tweety and unusual techniques such as action off-screen.

37)A Bird In A Guilty Cage

-Music & Effects: Good music.

39)Tweetie Pie

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about problems with the title and reusing gags.

40)Kitty Kornered

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the director’s influences and methods.

41)Baby Bottleneck

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about censorship and a line that was cut as well as the lack of an actual story.

42)Old Glory

-Commentary: Historian, painter: They talk about what makes it unusual technically as well as working with Chuck Jones.

43)The Great Piggy Bank Robbery

-Commentary: An animator: He talks about what sets this toon apart and changes in Daffy’s personality over the years. It’s a lot of “hey, look at this!” kinds of comments.

45)Porky In Wackyland

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about history and references, sound effects, and significance of various elements.

46)Back Alley Oproar

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about how director Friz approached musicals as well as this being a remake.

47)-Book Revue

-Commentary: Historian: He explains some of the references but gives surprisingly little info overall.

48)A Corny Concerto

-Commentary: Historian: He talk about parody references and what director Bob didn’t like about the results.

50)Hollywood Steps Out

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about many of the references and caricature history.

54)The Three Little Bops

-Commentary: Historian, Stan Freberg: They talk about the history of the concept, credits trivia, and a reveal of how Mel Blanc got sole voice credit on Looney Tunes despite not being the only actor.

-Music Only: It provides music with recording studio dialogue but no vocals for about half of the episode after which the final audio takes over. It doesn't include all of the wolf's off-key stuff.

-Vocal Only Program: Stan Freberg records his voice with lots of studio noise a few flubs.

55)One Froggy Evening

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about the singer used, the voices and lack thereof, and how the idea came about.

-Music Only: This time we get different takes of the music (though it still stays in sync with the episode) without vocals.

-It Hopped One Night (7:10) This is a behind-the-scenes clip looking at the history and elements of the short.

56)Rhapsody Rabbit

-Commentary: Music historian: He talks about director Friz’s love for this song and the musicians working with him.

57)Show Biz Bugs

-Commentary: A filmmaker: He talks about the use of Daffy. He plays segments of the temp score used in the creation of the short, but the music has a terrible squeal behind it.

59)What's Opera Doc

-Commentaries:

-Director, writer, background artist: This is culled together from recorded interviews and talks about the size of the project, the approach, and its popularity.

-Music historian: He talks about (what else?) the music. Specifically he gets into the operatic elements and the use of Wagner.

-Music Only: Here is the music with no vocals.

-Vocal Only Program: This gives us practice and recording session clips from Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan.

-Wagnerian Wabbit (9:31) A behind-the-scenes clip talks about the history and elements, cast and crew info, and the reception.

60)You Ought To Be In Pictures

-Commentary: Historian: He talks about song details, history of places and people shown on screen, and the combination of live action and animation.