This second volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection contains 60 toons considered to be the main feature. There are a few other bonus shows which have been covered already in the extras portion of the DVD buying guide, but I will include here the ones that are presented in their entirety. I will list the toons by disc so that if you're looking for what is included in the Spotlight collection you can skip down to discs 3 and 4 of this set to see what you will get.
D1: Bugs Bunny
1) The Big Snooze
Elmer is sick of chasing Bugs and gives it up. Bugs invades Elmer’s dreams in a bid to get him back.
-You knew Elmer was going to get frustrated sooner or later. I have to agree with the animator on this one, it's kind of “wild.”
2) Broomstick Bunny
Bugs goes trick or treating at a real witch’s house. It just so happens she needs a rabbit for a spell. The chase is on with the weapon of choice being a pretty potion.
-I love these Halloween themed episodes. I wish I could make my own Halloween collection of just these kinds of toons. (Edit: We do get a complete set of Witch Hazel toons in the first Blu-ray set.)
3) Bugs Bunny Rides Again
This one is a western with Sam. Sam is one bad dude, but Bugs aims to put him in his place. After his dance trick is used against him will he dare step across Bugs’ line? They’ll finish it with a game of cards. Who’s going to be the on the next train out of town?
-Bugs vs. Sam toons are some of the best ever if you ask me (and since you're reading my opinions I'll approach it as if you did ask). This one features one of my all-time favorite gags: “This town’s not big enough for the both of us!”
4) Bunny Hugged
Bugs is the mascot for a flamboyant wrestler named Ravishing Ronald. When Ronald gets creamed by the Crusher, Bugs steps in to save his meal ticket. When he finds he can’t wrestle worth a flip he turns to gags to win.
-The truth of wrestling revealed!
5) French Rarebit
Bugs accidentally ends up in Paris and finds himself wanted by two different French chefs. Bugs sets them against one another while he tries to avoid the stew pot.
-Not really the best Bugs chase toon ever, but it's still fairly amusing.
6) Gorilla My Dreams
Bugs is adrift on the ocean and ends up on an island where he’s found by a gorilla desperate for a baby. He plays along but quickly regrets it when he meets his abusive “father.”
-Not one of my favorites, but still worth seeing.
7) The Hare Brained Hypnotist
Elmer wants to try hypnotizing animals when hunting them. It may work on bears but not on rabbits.
8) Hare Conditioned
Bugs has a cushy job hopping around a dept. store display, but his next job promises to be his last. (Did you say “stuffed?”) The chase is on around the mall with the manager playing for keeps.
-This is one of my favorite chase toons of those that don’t pair Bugs with another famous character.
9) The Heckling Hare
A dumb hound is hunting Bugs who tortures him, of course. But when the dog thinks he’s crushed Bugs he can’t stand the grief.
-Director Tex Avery plays the part of the dog.
10) Little Red Riding Rabbit
In an irreverent take on the fairy tale this Red Riding Hood is loud and obnoxious. She’s taking Bugs to Grandma “ta HAVE!!” but the wolf has different ideas. So around Grandma’s house he chases Bugs.
-Did you ever want to reach out and throttle a little red riding hood? You might end up cheering on the wolf in this one.
11) Tortoise Beats Hare
Bugs is none too happy with the title of this cartoon. It has to be baloney. Now it’s a race to the finish with Bugs in the lead to discredit the absurd title, but Cecil the turtle has a plan.
-The sequel to this one, “Tortoise Wins By A Hare,” is in the first volume. They would have been more effective in the correct order on the same volume.
12) Rabbit Transit
Bugs thinks a tortoise beating a hare is silly, but Cecil thinks it’s a sure thing. What trick does he have up his shell?
-There were 3 Bugs vs. Cecil toons. This is the last of them. One was a sequel (as mentioned above), while this last one is more of a reimagining; in it Bugs and Cecil haven’t raced before.
13) Slick Hare
Humphrey Bogart wants rabbit for dinner in the priciest restaurant in town. Chef Elmer aims to please, but Bugs has no intention of being dinner.
-There are lots of movie star gags in this one.
14) Baby Buggy Bunny
A short bank robber posing as a baby looses his loot down a rabbit hole. He tricks Bugs into taking him in as a lost child so he can retrieve his cash. Bugs can’t figure out who keeps smacking him in the dark.
15) Hyde And Hare
Bugs likes the old guy who feeds him carrots in the park. He talks Dr. Jekyll into adopting him, but Jekyll tends to become the psychopathic Hyde who chases Bugs around the house while wielding nasty weapons. Bugs is desperate to escape but won’t leave Jekyll to Hyde’s mercy. Boy is he in for an unpleasant surprise.
-I greatly enjoy these nods to classic horror literature.
D2: Road Runner and other Chuck Jones shorts
16) Beep Beep
Road Runner cartoons generally have no more plot than the same chase over and over, so for these summaries I'm just going to list the major gags used. Gags in this one are a spring glove, anvil on a high wire, water bomb, mine chase, spring board, rocket, rocket skates, and railroad crashing.
17) Going Going Gosh
Gags in this one are TNT arrow, sling shot, cement in the road, grenade in a manhole, hitchhiker, fake road at cliff’s edge, boulder roll, balloon anvil, and spear on a string.
18) Zipping Along
Gags in this one are crossroads, grenade in an alcove, mouse traps, kite bomb, power poles, metal birdseed, hypnotism, teeter totter, guns on a string, cutting a bridge, cannon, wrecking ball, and a TNT doorway.
19) Stop Look And Hasten
Gags in this one are boulder drop, slip knot, Burmese tiger trap, steel wall in the road, railroad maze, TNT under the road, motorcycle, saw the bridge, and muscle enhancement.
20) Ready Set Zoom
Gags in this one are glue in the road, dynamite glue, detour through a log, falling weight, TNT lasso, sling shot, motor wagon, rocket, and a female Road Runner.
21) Guided Muscle
Gags in this one are self arrow, sling shot, cannon, pendulum ball, rolling ball, grease, cliff swing, TNT fishing pole, tar and feather machine, and TNT in the road.
22) Gee Wizzzzzzz
Gags in this one are a gun, battleship armor, TNT fishing pole, Bat Man suit, rubber band anvil, spring TNT, fake bridge-out, TNT on the road, and a jet bike.
-Even though the Bat Man suit has nothing to do with the Dark Knight it's still enough of a superhero nod for me to get a kick out of it.
23) There They Go Go Go
Gags in this one are a spear swing, hidden pistol, tree sling, twirling maces, broken ladder bridge, TNT wheel, missile, and a rock pile.
24) Scrambled Aches
Gags in this one are a trip, TNT on a string, wind powered skates, rocket ride, teeter totter, anvil balloon, big spring, dehydrated boulder, and a steamroller.
25) Zoom And Bored
Gags in this one are a jackhammer, brick wall, bee trap, anvil drop, bomb roll, catapult, and harpoon gun.
26) Whoa Be Gone
Gags in this one are a rocket ride, teeter totter, trampoline, rubber band trip, TNT barrel, head on a wire, blowing a bridge, and a tornado trap.
27) Cheese Chasers
This one is Bertie and Hubie vs. Claude the cat. The mice have eaten so much cheese they are sick of it which makes them decide they can’t go on living. They decide to have Claude eat them, but the cat can’t fathom such a thing; he thinks he’s flipping his lid. Now he wants the dog to tear him apart, and it’s the dog’s turn to flip.
-These tend to take the classic cat chasing mouse idea and turn it on its head. This one might just be the best of them all. It's a fun romp through various characters falling into insanity.
28) The Dover Boys
A visit to Pimento University introduces us to three brothers, Tom, Dick, and Larry. They pick up their favorite girl for a day out (because they are evidently all dating her at one time?), but their nemesis Dan Backslide kidnaps her during a game of hide and seek. Can the Dover boys save her? Does she even need saving??
-While it has its funny moments this is my least favorite toon on the disc.
29) Mouse Wreckers
Hubie and Bertie want to move into a new house, but the best mouser in town lives there. How can they get him out? They play tricks on him in his sleep convincing him that his proverbial cheese is sliding off his mental cracker.
30) A Bear For Punishment
It’s Father’s Day and baby bear wants to treat his dad, but Pa is grumpy. It doesn’t help that everything Jr. does is disastrous.
-The Mama Bear dance is kind of creepy to me.
D3: Tweety & Sylvester, Daffy, and Porky
31) Bad Ol Putty Tat
Sylvester is after Tweety. He dresses his finger as a female bird, uses him as a bad mitten, and disguises himself as a birdhouse, but Tweety turns him into a train.
32) All Abirrrd
Tweety is sent off on a train, but his traveling companion is you know who. Soon Sylvester is the one fearing for his life as a vicious dog sets after him.
33) Room And Bird
Sylvester and Tweety’s owners sneak them into a room and board where pets aren’t allowed. The animals cause chaos while the bellman tries to find them. Boy is the bellman in for a nasty surprise!
34) Tweet Tweet Tweety
Sylvester is camping, and the bird in the tree is making him hungry. Problem: there is no hunting allowed. He turns to hatching an egg which turns out to be Tweety. The chase is on around the forest.
35) Gift Wrapped
A Christmas episode: Granny gets Tweety as a Christmas present. Sylvester wants the bird, of course. He will use various presents to try to catch his prey. One of the presents turns out to be a vicious dog turning it into a 3 way chase. Granny will not have this in her house and will stop it one way or another.
-Now that I think about it, I can't recall nearly as many Christmas toons as Halloween ones. Were those all reserved for seasonal specials or am I just that inclined to spooks?
36) Ain't She Tweet
Granny buys Tweety from a pet store and is followed home by Sylvester. How to get the bird out of the house? Granny seems to have an obsession with taking in dogs which form a sort of moat that the cat cannot cross though it won't stop him from trying.
-This is possibly one of the best Tweety toons.
37) A Bird In A Guilty Cage
Tweety lives in a department store. Sylvester infiltrates and the chase is on around the store.
38) Snow Business
A blizzard is keeping Granny from getting to her cabin. Tweety and Sylvester get along normally in this continuity, but the threat of starvation drives the cat to acts he wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Then a mouse gets in on the action, but he has his eyes set on the cat.
-This is kind of a morose story if you think about it: friends ready to kill and eat each other with the threat of the lack of food looming.
39) Tweetie Pie
Tweety and Sylvester live out in the snow. The bird is adopted by a woman nearby, and Sylvester gets into the house to chase him. He gets beaten by the broom over and over.
-Sylvester is actually called “Thomas” in this one.
40) Kitty Kornered
Porky’s cats do not want to go out for the night. It’s cold and snowy out there! It’s a battle for who goes out and who stays in.
-Sylvester is one of the cats although he isn’t the same incarnation as what is famous now.
41) Baby Bottleneck
Overworked storks are delivering babies to members of the wrong species. It’s up to Porky and Daffy to sort the problems. They themselves end up delivered as a baby to a mama gorilla.
42) Old Glory
A young Porky is mad he has to learn the Pledge of Allegiance. Uncle Sam appears to give him a history lesson on why the pledge is so important.
-This is a patriotic toon and has few laughs in it.
43) The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
Daffy gets a new Dick Tracy comic and starts dreaming about being a detective himself. He investigates a rash of piggy bank robberies with odd villains.
-I was a little let down by this one. I guess I was hoping for more of a detective noir kind of feel to it. I've come to appreciate it more after seeing it a few times as an adult.
44) Duck Soup To Nuts
It’s duck season and Porky wants to bag Daffy. Daffy sets out to prove how talented he is so Porky won’t hunt him.
-This is an earlier incarnation of Daffy – the more Bugs Bunny type than the Bugs rival he would become famous for.
45) Porky In Wackyland
Porky is hunting the rare Dodo bird in its natural habitat, Wackyland. It’s a very strange place full of paradoxes which make it great fun to watch.
-This one is the black and white precursor to “Dough for the Do-Do.”
D4: All Stars (mostly musical and show biz toons)
46) Back Alley Oproar
Sylvester insists on singing on the fence outside Elmer’s house all night. It’s keeping him up, but when Elmer can’t shut the cat up it becomes a full-blown feud.
47) Book Revue
Books come to life and make music. Daffy faces off against the Big Bad Wolf.
-This isn’t one of my favorites. I guess I don’t get enough of the popular references of the period.
48) A Corny Concerto
Elmer hosts a classical concert Fantasia style. In time with the music Porky hunts Bugs with the stylings of a ballet. Next a baby Daffy tries to sing, but he stinks. Then he plays hero to save baby swans.
49) Have You Got Any Castles
Another toon with books coming to life to make music. This one uses more of the classics than the other one. The 3 Musketeers stage a jail break but Rip Van Winkle wants to shut them all up so he can get some sleep.
-The usage of more classical literature makes me enjoy this one a little more. I don't know the singer Daffy is impersonating in “Book Revue,” but I know who Rip Van Winkle is.
50) Hollywood Steps Out
This takes us into a high-priced restaurant where movie stars abound. We tour around meeting different people and watching some stage shows.
-This one may be dull if you don't get enough of the caricature jokes.
51) I Love To Singa
A music teacher owl hates jazz but his youngest son loves to sing it. The boy goes to a radio audition when kicked out of the house.
-This is one seems to be popular as it shows up a lot, but it's not one of my favorites. It's more of the cutsey, musical style.
52) Katnip Kollege
The cat college has one class, swing-ology. They sing their lessons, but one of them has no rhythm. Can he find it and win over the pretty female cat?
-This is another one I could do without.
53) The Hep Cat
A rhythmic cat gets chased by a dog who uses the feline's weakness for women to lure him.
54) The Three Little Bops
This is the “3 Little Pigs” in jazz form. The Big Bad Wolf wants to join their band, but he stinks. Instead of blowing the house down he wants to blow his horn.
-Whatever I may think about a lot of the musical toons, this one is fun. I like the jazzy music and the humor more than the previous few toons. Stan Freberg is in top form here.
55) One Froggy Evening
A construction worker discovers a singing frog. He sees it as an opportunity to get rich, but when it doesn't perform for anyone else they all think he's just looney.
-This is one of the best toons ever made: artistic, silly, and incredibly amusing it's well worth owning.
56) Rhapsody Rabbit
Bugs plays Liszt but gets into a battle with a mouse during the concert.
-This is another great one though it helps to like the “Hungarian Rhapsody #2” which is one of my favorite classical pieces (probably in part because of seeing this as a kid).
57) Show Biz Bugs
Bugs and Daffy put on a show for a live audience. Daffy can’t understand why he’s not the big star, but he will be if it’s the last thing he does.
-This is less about music and more about show biz than the previous ones on this disc.
58) Stage Door Cartoon
Elmer chases Bugs into a theater and they end up on stage. Bugs uses Elmer’s stage fright to outwit him.
59) What's Opera Doc
Elmer hunts Bugs to Wagnerian tunes utilizing opera and ballet.
-This is considered by many to be the best Looney Tunes short ever created. Its brilliance is almost beyond words. Like many kids I grew up singing, “Kill the wabbit!”
60) You Ought To Be In Pictures
Daffy talks Porky into getting out of his contract and pursuing a career in the movies. He really wants Porky out of the way so he can further his own career and pleads his case before the head of the studio while Porky tries to get onto a studio lot. The studio guard thinks Porky doesn't belong and chases him off despite the aspiring star's clever tricks.
-This is a mix of animation and live action with Leon Schlesinger and Michael Maltese in on-screen roles.
Extras
61) So Much For So Little
This is kind of a public service announcement toon about infant healthcare.
62) Orange Blossoms for Violet
This is a toon-style love triangle story using live-action monkeys.
-As amusing as this sounds this isn't as good as I thought it might be.
63) The Adventures of Road Runner
Two boys are watching Road Runner cartoons when one of the kids starts thinking he is Road Runner.
-It's mostly a collection of Road Runner toons with a few moments of the boys interacting in between.
64) Daffy Duck For President
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.
-This is a short toon and is more modern than the others. It's more educational than comical but still with a sense of fun to it.