There are few crimes more reprehensible then the dumbing down of the Looney Tunes in a failed attempt to appeal to today's, presumably dumb, children. Fortunately, director Joe Dante, writer Larry Doyle, lead voice actor Joe Alaskey, and composers John Frizzell and Jerry Goldsmith have created a truly fine work that is able to stay true to the personalities and comedic sensibilities of the original characters.
Actually the credit goes to the entire cast and crew of Looney Tunes: Back in Action. These days, seeing a movie where Steve Martin is actually funny is enough of a gift from the Hollywood Heavens. But, I singled out Dante, Doyle, Alaskey, Frizzel, and Goldsmith for their outstanding efforts. Dante is a brilliant director. The success of this film hinged on his dedication to what made the 'toons classic to begin with: really great timing, and convincing character interaction. Larry Doyle made a name for himself on the Simpsons and this movie is evidence that he was one of the GOOD writers. Simply put, he understands and actually respects the subject matter. I can't say enough about the quality of Alaskey's voice work. He performs the film's two main animated characters, Bugs and Daffy, as well as Tweety, Sylvester, and Marvin the Martian. I don't care what the nitpickers have said, he emulates Blanc almost perfectly. But his skill lies not in mere impersonation, but a genuine understanding of the cadence, timing (again), and personality of the characters. Finally the pace is perfectly frenetic and that's due in large part to the score provided by Frizzel and Goldsmith. They've seamlessly blended the recognizable, classical pieces used in old Looney Tunes shorts with stings referencing Dante's past work, other films, and their own new material. There's not enough room here to mention everything I liked about this movie. Fraser, Elfman, Martin, Cusack, and the rest are great. The script is filled with too many gags to catch in one viewing. Insider film references abound, just like in the old shorts. This is simply the funniest movie I've seen all year.
Actually the credit goes to the entire cast and crew of Looney Tunes: Back in Action. These days, seeing a movie where Steve Martin is actually funny is enough of a gift from the Hollywood Heavens. But, I singled out Dante, Doyle, Alaskey, Frizzel, and Goldsmith for their outstanding efforts. Dante is a brilliant director. The success of this film hinged on his dedication to what made the 'toons classic to begin with: really great timing, and convincing character interaction. Larry Doyle made a name for himself on the Simpsons and this movie is evidence that he was one of the GOOD writers. Simply put, he understands and actually respects the subject matter. I can't say enough about the quality of Alaskey's voice work. He performs the film's two main animated characters, Bugs and Daffy, as well as Tweety, Sylvester, and Marvin the Martian. I don't care what the nitpickers have said, he emulates Blanc almost perfectly. But his skill lies not in mere impersonation, but a genuine understanding of the cadence, timing (again), and personality of the characters. Finally the pace is perfectly frenetic and that's due in large part to the score provided by Frizzel and Goldsmith. They've seamlessly blended the recognizable, classical pieces used in old Looney Tunes shorts with stings referencing Dante's past work, other films, and their own new material. There's not enough room here to mention everything I liked about this movie. Fraser, Elfman, Martin, Cusack, and the rest are great. The script is filled with too many gags to catch in one viewing. Insider film references abound, just like in the old shorts. This is simply the funniest movie I've seen all year.
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