I usually have a lot of awful to say about modern Looney Tunes, but “Looney Tunes Cartoons” has at least tried to honor the legacy of the Looney Tunes. Say what you want about Warner’s handling of the Looney Tunes library but “Bugs Bunny’s Howl-O-Skreem Spooktacula” really isn’t half bad. It’s actually a pretty decent attempt to conjure up the spirit of the classic Looney Tunes as we remember. It has its finger on the pulse of the comic timing and classic raunch we know and love about the old shorts. It’s funny that Bugs Bunny gets the title of the program since he only has one short in the end of the program, meanwhile Porky has two that he shares with his usual foils.
That’s not a caveat but Bugs feels secondary in an otherwise very good batch of new age Looney Tunes. The first “Graveyard Goofs” is a fun, kind of bizarre romp with Daffy (Eric Bauza) and Porky (Bob Bergen) as they venture in to a graveyard to bury Daffy’s “old pal.” While there they’re stalked by ghosts and assorted ghouls, one of whom is draped in a cloak. “Hex Appeal” starring Witch Hazel (Candi Milo) is the worst, as she takes center stage doing battle with a pesty spider. “Inn for Trouble” is hilarious as Porky and Sylvester stay at an Inn where the owner is trying to murder the pair.
It’s a hilarious bit of horror comedy with some great animation and a great closing gag. “Mummy Dummy” finds Bugs (Eric Bauza) mistaking an Egyptian pyramid for a Vegas hotel, where he accidentally unleashes a murderous mummy. Bugs being none the wiser, evades the hapless mummy who just can’t quite get ride of Wascally Wabbit. “Bugs Bunny’s Howl-O-Skreem Spooktacula” is filled with more hits than misses, and really captures the Halloween spirit for folks that are in to some good horror oriented laughs. This feels almost (almost) like the classic Looney Tunes with some sharp animation and some raunchy humor. While I wish we’d seen more Bugs, this is not a bad half hour to spend.
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