In 1990, Warner Bros. ushered in a galvanic rebirth of animation that rivaled Disney's second Golden Age (which began with The Little Mermaid). Inspired by the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which introduced iconic Disney and Warner Bros. cartoon characters and old-school cel animation to a new generation, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment (which co-produced Roger) collaborated with Warner Bros. to create this looney Emmy award-winning series in the classic Warner tradition. The Tiny Toons are not baby versions of Warner's iconic cartoon figures, but rather new characters who live in the wacky land of Acme Acres and attend Acme Looniversity, where the faculty—including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, and Foghorn Leghorn—teach the academics of cartoon comedy to their young and eager charges. The 35 cartoons compiled here from the 1990-91 first season are both pell-mell paced and not just kids' stuff. Yes, youngsters will enjoy the unhinged silliness, but older viewers will appreciate the in-jokes (one cartoon introduces two students, Frank and Ollie, the names of two of Disney's legendary animators), pop culture references (a line of dialogue in the pilot episode evokes Pee-Wee Herman and David Lynch's Eraserhead!), and meta-humor. “I've made up a list of everything needed for a hit show,” Buster Bunny announces. “Let's do Tiny Toons instead,” his sidekick Babs Bunny (“no relation”) replies. Other characters—such as Hamton Pig, Plucky Duck, and Dizzy Devil—evoke their forebears, while some newcomers are edgier, such as animal-mauling Elmyra Duff. DVD extras include a retrospective featurette. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
Tiny Toon Adventures: Season 1, Volume 1
Warner, 4 discs, 767 min., not rated, DVD: $44.98 Volume 23, Issue 6
Tiny Toon Adventures: Season 1, Volume 1
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