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The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie

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The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie
Directed byChuck Jones
Phil Monroe
Classic Cartoons:
Chuck Jones
Maurice Noble
Tom Ray
Screenplay byChuck Jones
Michael Maltese
Story byMichael Maltese
Produced byChuck Jones
StarringMel Blanc
Stan Freberg
Paul Julian
Nicolai Shutorev
Arthur Q. Bryan
Edited byTreg Brown
Music byDean Elliott
Milt Franklyn
Carl W. Stalling
William Lava
John Seely
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • September 14, 1979 (1979-09-14)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie (originally entitled as The Great American Chase) is a 1979 American animated comedy package film directed by Chuck Jones, consisting of a compilation of classic Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies shorts (specifically those that Jones himself had directed) and newly animated bridging sequences hosted by Bugs Bunny.[1] The bridging sequences, which had been produced in 1978, show Bugs at his home, which is cantilevered over a carrot-juice waterfall (modeled on Frank Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater" house in Bear Run, Pennsylvania). The film was released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bugs Bunny.[2][3]

Plot

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Bugs Bunny takes audiences on a tour of his opulent mansion, delving into the rich history of comedic chase sequences that define the essence of Looney Tunes. As he showcases his lavish abode, Bugs reminisces about the pioneers of cartoon comedy and his famous adversaries, each contributing to the evolution of slapstick humor.

Throughout the tour, snippets from classic shorts highlight iconic rivalries and hilarious escapades, providing a nostalgic trip down memory lane for fans. The climax of the film culminates in an exhilarating chase between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, seamlessly blending multiple shorts into one thrilling pursuit.

As the tour concludes, Bugs and his fellow characters transcend into the night sky, immortalized as constellations engaged in their eternal chase.

Cartoons in order of appearance

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Cartoons with Bugs Bunny and others

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Cartoons with Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote

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Voice cast

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Production notes

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In the introductory segment, Bugs Bunny recounts his encounters with various antagonists from past cartoons. This is followed by a satirical overview of comedy history and a pivotal scene where Bugs addresses his "several fathers." Authored by Chuck Jones, this scene serves to refute claims made by animation director Bob Clampett in the 1970s that he solely created Bugs. Clampett's absence from Bugs' acknowledgments reflects the discord between Jones and Clampett.

The 1975 documentary film Bugs Bunny: Superstar prominently features Clampett and comprises a compilation of cartoon shorts, marking one of the earliest attempts to delve into the history of Warner Bros. cartoons. However, the film downplays Bugs' other creators, contributing to the ongoing conflict between Jones and Clampett. All shorts showcased in The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie are under the direction of Chuck Jones.

This film's fusion of vintage animated footage with new animation sets a precedent for subsequent theatrically released Looney Tunes movies until Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988). It is dedicated to the memory of Chuck Jones' late wife, Dorothy Webster, who passed away prior to the film's release.

Release

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The film was released between April–May 1979 in some test markets as The Great American Chase.[3] The film was shown at the 17th New York Film Festival on September 29, 1979, at Alice Tully Hall.[4] The film opened at the Guild 50th Theatre on September 30, 1979.[5] It set an opening-day record at the theater with a gross of $6,280.[2]

Television

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It aired on HBO, CBS, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network.

Home media

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Warner Home Video debuted The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie in VHS and Betamax formats in 1979, as part of its initial 20-title release (catalog number WB-1003). It was reissued in 1981 and also on CED the same year. In 1983, a corrected version was released on VHS and Betamax to address previous time-compression issues. Subsequent releases in 1986 reverted to time-compression until 1997.

On February 3, 1998, the film was re-released on VHS and LaserDisc as part of Warner Bros.' 75th Anniversary VHS promotion. It was included in the Looney Tunes Movie Collection DVD set alongside Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales in 2005.

The film is available for purchase or rental on the Apple iTunes Store and has been featured on Netflix, both offering remastered HD quality. Additionally, it can be streamed or downloaded in HD on Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Store, Movies Anywhere, Vudu, and Xfinity.[6] As of March 2024, no official Blu-ray version of the movie exists.

References

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  1. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 170. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  3. ^ a b McCarthy, Todd (August 1, 1979). "Film Reviews: The Great American Bugs Bunny-Road Runner Chase". Variety Magazine. p. 20.
  4. ^ Buckley, Tom (September 29, 1979). "Film Festival: What's Up, Road Runner?". The New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Post-Fest 'Bugs Bunny'". Variety Magazine. September 12, 1979. p. 5.
  6. ^ The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie MA, retrieved 2022-09-22
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