Book Description
Everything you always wanted to know about Warner Bros. cartoons but were afraid to ask, this complete and indispensable reference will delight adults, children, and audiences all over the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Own For Any Looney Tunes Fan.......2007-03-17
The most fully illustrated book on every Looney Tunes cartoon to date.Every single Warner Bros. cartoon from 1930 to 1989.
Highly recommended!
For the cartoon conisseurs!.......2004-06-22
Here is an illustated guide to the Warner Bros. cartoons commonly known as LOONEY TUNES AND MERRIE MELODIES. Every cartoon was either a Looney Tune or Merrie Melodie. These include both the short subjects and feature films. One of WB's biggest cartoon stars,Bugs Bunny appeared in tens of cartoons in a 25 year period,1940 to 1964. Bugs' first official appearance was in 1940's A WILD HARE. A few earlier cartoons such as PRESTO CHANGE-O,HARE-UM SCARE-UM and ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA(featuring Elmer Fudd) featured a similar-looking prototype. WB's other big stars include Daffy Duck who debuted in or around 1938. The star's name appeared in some titles of his cartoons such as DAFFY DUCK & EGGHEAD,DAFFY DUCK IN HOLLYWOOD and DAFFY DUCK AND THE DINOSAUR. Same thing with Bugs Bunny(BUGS BUNNY AND THE THREE BEARS,BASEBALL BUGS,BUGS BUNNY RIDES AGAIN and BUGS BUNNY GETS THE BOID). Also Elmer Fudd(ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA,ELMER'S PET RABBIT and GOODNIGHT ELMER). Other big stars are Sylvester,a mean-spirited cat always wanting to kill sweet little canary Tweety. Later stars include Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote,Speedy Gonzales and Foghorn Leghorn(Foghorn first appeared in the 40's). There's also Porky Pig who first appeared in the 1935 Merrie Melodie I HAVEN'T GOT A HAT. Porky starred in many black and white Looney Tunes since that cartoon. This book lists synopses for every cartoon produced by WB. It also gives release dates and production credits with directors. I like the awesome concept of the variously colored rings bordering the beginning and end title cards. Over the years,they changed colors. The sizes changed also as did the studio logo(the original light blue changed to red). Some cartoons made between 1937 and 1940 featured multi-colored rings. WB still produces short subject cartoons occasionally but does more feature films today. This book went to press before the 1996 release of SPACE JAM,a semi-animated film starring basketball great Michael Jordan and featuring WB's cartoon stars. I dedicate the book to the memories of longtime director Chuck Jones,actor-director tex Avery(Jones and Avery later went to MGM),Mel Blanc(voice of Bugs Bunny) and actress Bea Benaderet who later appeared on TV's The Beverly Hillbillies and starred on Petticoat Junction.
Great Resource, but the index could be a little better.......2004-03-06
This book is a great resource to read about these classic Warner Brothers cartoons. It would have been nice if the book had included more groupings by characters in the index. The book is 390 pages long, so it seems that they could have included a few extra pages to list all of the appearances of Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam.
Finally! Now I know I've seen all the cartoons of one series.......2003-07-02
I have had a quest to see(and act out)all of the cartoons of Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester. But some episodes appeared on cable networks more than others, and others I saw, but missed the episode name. So I purchased this book to find out which cartoons I've actually seen. It describes the episodes with details such as the ACME products in each episode, the methods the villain uses, and other interesting facts. Buy it if you wish to see all the Warner Bros. cartoons of all or one of the characters!
If you love the Looney Tunes, here is your book.......2002-06-19
It's easy to sit back and watch the re-runs of Warner Brothers cartoons and just let them wash over us, but that would ignore all of the work that went into them. We would not get an appreciation of the sheer number of cartoons produced. Luckily Beck and Friedwald were obsessed enough to pull them all together in one volume. Going on a year by year basis, from Bosko cartoons of 1930 to the last gasps of 1969 (and the reawakening in the 80's) the authors provide a landmark reference showing the premiere date, the credits given in the openings, and a thorough synopsis of the action. But of course any reference like this would be an oddity if it was just a listing. But we are provided with two ways to find information - a title index showing the entry (all purpose for grabbing when watching that cartoon), and an index based upon appearances of 15 of the most popular characters. Want to find out when did Marvin the Martian appear? It's here. (1948 - Haredeveil Hare). Wonder how many cartoons starred Daffy Duck - count 'em up. (a whole lot) Just sitting back and reading synopses shows the breadth of jokes and settings that the artists were able to take advantage of. You can also see the repetition that occured when the writers fell into a rut. Just a great book to have on the shelf to pull down when you want and a great guilty pleasure!
Book Description
Featuring all the favorite Looney Tunes characters, from Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, this is the first visual history of the groundbreaking animated classics. Gathered from the Warner Bros. archives with illustrations by Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, and Mel Blanc, the film stills, sketches, story boards, and more in the Looney Tunes Ultimate Visual Guide are sure to enthrall cartoon fans both young and old.
Customer Reviews:
Nice resource, but with strange exclusions..........2007-06-28
I bought this book with the intention of finding out more about Warner Bros.' main cartoon characters, and that's exactly what it does for me. Apparently written to be released in conjunction with "Looney Tunes: Back in Action", Jerry Beck shows us a look at all of the recurring characters featured in the classic "Looney Tunes" and their careers. As someone who's trying to gather information on the characters, I learned quite a bit from this, such as who exactly was the original voice of Michigan J. Frog, periodic thespian and until-recently WB Network mascot. Imagine my surprise when I saw the old comic panel where Bugs Bunny reveals his real name! (Although that may not be canonical, since, as Beck points out, the pre-DC comic stories were quite different from the actual cartoons.) And since I've acquired all the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection" DVD sets released thus far, one of the most interesting things about the book is seeing the screenshots that show how bad the video quality is before the shorts get cleaned up for the DVD releases.
Of course, the book is not without its faults. There's a few mistakes here and there (one of which some other Looney Tunes fan mentioned when he reviewed the book on his website); for example, page 91 claims Elmer to be Daffy's tortured contestant in "The Ducksters", despite the accompanying screenshot clearly showing it is Porky whom the duck is tormenting there. Plus, they refer to the turtle Bugs sometimes races with the name Cecil *Tortoise*, despite the current comics labeling him as Cecil *Turtle*, and they claim the bulldog who sometimes beats up Sylvester is mainly named Spike when I've mainly known him as Hector. Also, I can't understand why they devoted two whole pages to the "Duck Dodgers" show on Cartoon Network (which apparently wasn't as popular as page 45 claims, because it got cancelled after 39 episodes), but there's not a single mention given to "Taz-Mania" or "The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries". And like JThree's review stated, I too would've liked it if they had said something about "Tiny Toon Adventures" in here, especially since, on page 106, Foxy's girlfriend is referred to by the name Roxy, which she wasn't actually given until their "Tiny Toons" guest spot. (And while they were at it, they should've also mentioned "Animaniacs" and "Histeria!" in there, since the "Looney Tunes" characters made occasional cameos on those shows as well.) And yes, since we do get four pages about "Back in Action", a nice two-page spread about "Space Jam" would've been a good inclusion too. It's because of these strange exclusions that I did not give this a five-star rating. Other than that, the book is still a recommendable read for "Looney Tunes" fans.
Buy it for the ACME catalogue alone.......2004-08-15
There seem to be numerous visual guides around by these publishers for all kinds of movies and television shows some of which are rather average, but Looney Tunes is a must have. Inside is a substantial amount of information on the major cartoon characters such as Bugs, Daffy, Taz, Sylvester, Yosemite, Wile E as well as minor less known stars such as Torpid Toad, Pete Puma, Cecil Tortoise and Gossamer. Learn that Daffy and Sylvester have the same voice, just that Daffy's is sped up and other interesting facts. The ACME catalogue is a must for any roadrunner chaser and modern movies with the cartoon characters is another interesting section. A must buy for anyone who has ever been a kid and owned a TV.
I LOVE IT.......2004-06-26
This is an awsome book.No Looney Tunes fan should be without it.It gives perfect details of each and every Looney Tunes character.You'll also see all kinds of merchandise from past and present.There is also mention of the original Road Runner comic book series,and how it differed from it's animated cartoon source.Plus a little bit of information on the latest movie Back In Action.
Perfect book for Warner Bros. cartoon fans.......2003-11-24
I have to admit I had reservations when I saw this at the store. I had not been impressed by the Superman volume or the other editions to come out under this series because so much of it was devoted to modern versions of the main characters. But this book is a visual treat, as well as being very informative about the history of the animated cartoon at Warner Bros. Many model sheets, cels, posters, etc. are here indepth throughout this wonderful volume.
Beck has written extensively about the WB cartoons before, so DK made a great choice in picking him for this book. Even though the targeted audience for this series is kids, the adult, like me, will love this beautifully put-together homage to the best cartoons to come out of Hollywood. I am so glad very little in this book talks about recent efforts; instead, they chose the Golden Age (the 30s, 40s, 50s) and I couldn't be happier.
Beck comes through!!!.......2003-10-05
Jerry Beck's Looney Tunes Book for DK Publishing comes through as a real winner. With more "in-jokes" than DK's previous Disney edition, this text is sure to please.
The work shows. From the (every character who appeared in a WB cartoon)painting/picture that appears on the inside cover to the comic book covers chosen, this is a fun read.
One of the best "jokes" and keeping with the personality of the characters, Daffy appears on the last page of the Bugs section, announcing that "this is where the real fun begins."
It's great. Some of the "extras" which include humerous sections on the Road Runner cartoons, and a mentioning of some of the gags used in those animated flicks.
Fun for the kids, and I'm sure Beck must have enjoyed putting this together. These books are great for the youngsters to get an overview of the history of WB, and the same for the Disney edition.
Beck also spends a bit of time on the new Looney Toons film coming up, and the recent Duck Dodgers series. It would have been nice if a few pages could have been spent on Tiny Toons, which did have some ties to the older characters. Two pages on Space Jam would have been nice.
Hmm. DK has done Disney and now Looney Tones, I wonder if DK will do Woody Woodpecker/Universal animation next. Maybe Paramount's Popeye. I'd hate for this one to be the last of these. ...
Customer Reviews:
Every animator and animation fan must own!.......2003-01-16
If you like to own some really cool prints of Bugs Bunny, Tweety, or just the old folks from the Warner Bros. Studio, this is the book! It goes through the history of the animation studio and its founders. Chuck Jones is similar to Walt Disney, he had his own crew of animation masters to create a whole new perspective of cartoon.
One disappointing about this book is that its published date is 1997. Sadly "The Iron Giant" (released 1999) and "Cats Don't Dance" (1997) did not make it to the book; two of the most successful WB animated feature film. However, it is still a book to own and look for inspiration.
This book was an exceptional collection of old and new........1999-05-04
This book was well done and very appealing to the eye and informational to read. It gives the reader some good history of Warner Bros. cartoons and the rarely credited artists. Through-out the book there are pointers on how to draw various characters, but unfortunatly they are not as complete as one might have it. However, the overall is terrific.
It should be the Warner Brother Ltd. Ed. collectors' bible........1998-07-22
It provides the information about different types of animation art such as production cel, sericel, limited edition. The reader can use this book to check the original prices and edition size of many WB limited edition cels.
Book Description
The Art of The Polar Express celebrates the transformation of Chris Van Allsburg's celebrated children's book The Polar Express into a full-length, animated feature film through a fascinating collection of concept art, production storyboards, and computer-generated renderings. Production designer Doug Chiang shares his original, never-before-seen artwork that evolved into the final motion picture. Weaving these pieces together are candid interviews with the star-studded cast and crew, including Robert Zemeckis and his team of filmmaking visionaries, that deliver rare insight into the film as they divulge the secrets behind their creative process.
Customer Reviews:
waste of time and money.......2007-01-17
Picking up and opening this book is a clolossal waste of time. Buying it is a colossal waste of money. If I had been able to rate this with a zero instead of one star, I would have. This book is nothing more than an advertisement for a movie. I do not know how anyone could possibly be interested in "artwork" from a computer-generated movie. Sad and pathetic.
Fantastic!.......2007-01-10
This book is amazing. Even though if the story isn't that great to you, just looking at the pictures is fantastic.
Beautiful Book & Movie.......2005-11-23
I disagree with the other reviewer, because I thought this book was very worthwhile and mine was in fine shape. The pictures are breathtaking and it gives you a nice insight into how they made the movie. It's meant to be a coffee table book and one that you look at from time to time. It certainly will put you in the Christmas spirit.
I sent this book back to Amazon for a refund.......2005-11-13
Although the content of the book is breathtaking, the book itself is very poorly constructed. When I received my copy, the glue keeping the spine together was clearly visible and beginning to separate. The continuity necessary when a single picture took both the left and right pages was completely destroyed by this pernicious affect. In the book I received from Amazon I could see the threads that held the pages to the binding. This is not an isolated incident. The copies sold at Barnes and Noble exhibited the same level of cheap construction.
What is wrong with the publisher of this book? Are they completely insane? This is a great story with beautiful Christmas imagery that is more deserving than the debasement it suffered at the hands of an administrator trying to save a buck. Shame on you!!!
Customer Reviews:
Makes the less scholarly among us feel like a "maroon".......2001-05-30
Animation fans be warned--this is anything but light reading.
While I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person, I must admit I had considerable trouble slogging through the dense, polysyllabic prose. Once I did so, however, I found the book did contain some interesting observations:
In one installment, one of the book's many co-contributors examines the deconstruction--and reassertion--of gender roles. No news to those of us who are transgendered--the book points out things that many in the TG community find obvious. Namely the main premise, that gender roles are ridiculed (as with Bugs Bunny's crossdressing) in order to reinforce them. Whether the animators themselves had this intention is questionable--they were merely following a formula as old as vaudeville-- but it does make one think. A related essay covers the lampooning of heterosexual behavior in the Pepe Le Pew cartoons. The contributor noticed what I discovered many years ago--that "gay panic" in straight males forces them into the same sort of blissful denial as poor Pepe. They, like Pepe, try to convince the world they are irresistible to women, because that is what defines them as men. Most of all, however, they're trying to convince themselves.
There is also an excellent overview of the portrayal of blacks in Warner Brothers cartoons--it contends, as I have always believed, that the animators themselves were not necessarily racist even if their cartoons sometimes were. The fact that Bob Clampett went so far as to take his animators to a black jazz club in L.A. (as preparation for the brilliant "Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs") shows a sincere, if naive, sensitivity on his part. Rather, it was the enforced racial separation of the time--and the resulting ignorance of whites toward black people--that were the real culprits. Those who participated in the making of such cartoons now wish they hadn't--they would hardly have been so contrite if they truly were racist. It is a period they--and we--are now trying too hard to live down.
Given the sometimes insightful essays contained in this book, I wanted desperately to give it a higher rating, but it is weighed down too much by wordy "pedagoguese" for me to give it a higher recommendation. The whole in this case is less than the sum of its parts, and no book that requires one to have a dictionary within arm's reach is fun reading.
A Great Book That Covers Topics Others Wouldn't Think Of.......1999-05-26
This is a great book for anyone who likes warner brothers animation. This book covers many interesting topics that you normally wouldn't think of. Some on the topics cover Gender Evasion of bugs bunny, African-American:Images and portrayal, temporary Disneyfication of Warner cartoons and fans verses Warner Brothers and even talks about the fans erotic fantasys (some people actually think of that ?)on the internet. It's a really interesting book and I really recomend it. It's not boring like others i've read. Each chapter is also written by a different author ( Kevin Sandler only edited them)so it keep it interesting.
Serious, but still fun.......1999-05-11
Over the last few years, academics have discovered the joy of writing about pop culture phenomena. Some (like the contributors to the book Enterprise Zones, a collection of papers on Star Trek) get lost in a fog of postmodernist critical/cultural theory, churning out abstruse and obtuse collections of quotations from French philosophers, ignoring as much as possible the text under study.
Thankfully, the contributors to this book don't do that. They're writing some serious history and commentary, but the Warner Bros. cartoons remain the focus, not what Jameson said about what Derrida said about what Foucault said. More to the point, even when criticizing elements of the cartoons (as in the paper on representation of black characters), the reader senses that the writers are fans of the Warner Bros. cartoons, flawed though some may be. There's always the sense that, no matter how serious the discussion, this is ultimately about something fun.
Oh, and the editor's comments in the introduction, about the recent dumbing down of the classic characters into friendly TV commercial shills and merchandise movers, is right on the money (so to speak).
Customer Reviews:
Colourful ode to Warner Brothers animation.......2002-09-18
This is an excellent and richly illustrated book on animation at Warner Brothers. It contains a lot of background information on e.g. Carl Stalling's music, the styles of the different directors, inside jokes, war cartoons, forgotten cartoon characters and so on. The joy of reading this book is only surpassed by watching the Warner Brothers cartoons themselves.
Very good survey historical and technical survey.......1998-05-15
While writing an article for the Talaria Enterprises Museum Store's new release of Looney Tunes sculptures, I turned to this very informative book. It discusses the history and impact of the Looney Tunes characters from historical, technical, and theoretical perspectives. Very Good Sourcebook!
A great resource for WB cartoon buffs........1996-10-01
First, I have to confess that I am a card-carrying adult who
still watches cartoons every Saturday morning. As an adult,
however, I'm now interested it the history of the cartoons
I watch. (It makes me feel more...sophisticated about my
cartoon viewing.)
"That's All Folks" has incredible full-color pictures,
chronicals the history of WB cartoons, provides specific
information about the most popular characters and cartoons,
AND includes a filmography of WB cartoon releases. If you
like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the gang,
you should have this book.
Average customer rating:
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The Art of Space Jam
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