Boomerang bringing back classic “Looney Tunes” shorts in October

I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan of Cartoon Network’s The Looney Tunes Show, an attempt to bring back the classic Warner Bros. animated characters in a modern format. While it was fun seeing the old gang like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, I found the show too formulaically sitcomish, and not nearly “looney” enough — certainly not up to the standards of inspired comic insanity set by the original Looney Tunes short films.

Those short films will be making a return to the Cartoon Network family, on its sister network Boomerang. Beginning Oct. 5, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote and others will be part of a one-hour Looney Tunes block airing Saturday and Sunday at 7am ET. This marks the first time these original shorts have appeared on Boomerang since May 2007.

looney tunes

Boomerang provided a list and descriptions of some of the first Looney Tunes shorts the network will air starting in October, with primarily films from the 1950s. Hopefully the network will also continue to delve deep into the long history of Looney Tunes, which featured productions from the 1930s through the late ’60s.

“Hillbilly Hare” (1950), Saturday, Oct. 5— Bugs Bunny is vacationing in the Ozarks and stumbles into the territory of two hillbilly brothers, Curt and Punkin’head Martin. After having several of their hunting attempts foiled, the hillbillies are determined to get revenge on Bugs for their humiliation.

“Tweet Dreams” (1959), Saturday, Oct. 5— Sylvester tells a psychiatrist of his frustration at not being able to catch Tweety, and his repeated failures are illustrated through past escapades.

“Hip Hip-Hurry” (1958), Saturday, Oct. 5 — Wile E. Coyote comes up with an idea or two on how to catch the Road Runner, involving outlandish schemes and of course, various ACME products.

“Rabbit Hood” (1949), Saturday, Oct. 5 — The Sheriff of Nottingham catches Bugs eating the King’s carrots and is about to arrest him, when Little John shows up and tells them that Robin Hood is on his way. A variety of misadventures ensure, including the infamous “knighting” exchange where Bugs dresses up like a king, and proceeds to pound the skull of the Sheriff with his scepter. In the end, the “real” Robin Hood appears in the form of Errol Flynn from the classic 1938 movie The Adventures of Robin Hood.

“Napoleon Bunny-Part” (1956), Sunday, Oct. 6 — Bugs Bunny is traveling underground, only this time he winds up in France at the headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon thinks Bugs is a saboteur, and sends a guard after him.

“Scrambled Aches” (1957), Sunday, Oct. 6 — Wile E. Coyote (Eternalii Famishiis) and the Road Runner (Tastyus Supersonicus) continue their chase through the twisty roads of the desert.

“Ain’t She Tweet” (1952),  Sunday, Oct. 6 — Sylvester stands outside a pet store window, hungrily watching Tweety in the display area. As Sylvester is planning to cut through the glass with a glass cutter, a deliveryman takes Tweety away, to be delivered to Granny’s house. Sylvester follows the deliveryman and rushes into the yard, only to discover a whole army of bulldogs.

“A Witch’s Tangled Hare” (1959),  Sunday, Oct. 6 — Opening with William Shakespeare trying to write “Macbeth,” he hears the loud screeching laugh of Witch Hazel and watches her stir her cauldron. The witch has Bugs Bunny trapped, sleeping on a platter and wakes him up. Bugs believes the cauldron to be a bath and readily climbs in, only realizing his mistake after reading her open recipe book. He quickly jumps out and runs away toward the castle, with Witch Hazel pursuing him on her flying broomstick. All sorts of “Shakespearean” calamity unfolds.

Looney Tunes shorts air Saturday and Sunday at 7am ET on Boomerang starting Oct. 5.

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