I almost didn’t watch this in theaters but luckily on what I assumed to be its final week in cinemas which was April 6 to April 12 2025, I rushed over to my nearest Multiplex…. IN RICHMOND, BC
Because all the other surrounding cinemas in Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley, etc., preferred to screen The Minecraft Movie instead of the Looney Tunes just because of some stupid Chicken Jockey joke that makes people make a mess in cinemas which piss off the clean up crew.
However, due to rising costs in this economy, I had to watch the movie on a Tuesday since they still do half price for their tickets on Tuesdays.
But it was worth the bus ride to said Multiplex since I haven’t been to a Cinema in 6 years barring a few job interviews for theater staff or Bartending.
Anyway, let’s get back into topic,
As the title blurb implies,
this is a tribute to my most respected and preferred animator in all of WARNER BROS. Animation History:
ROBERT EMERSON “BOB” CLAMPETT SR.
For those who are curious about who Bob Clampett is, he’s an animator who’s responsible for modernizing, at least for 1940s standards, the Rubber Hose style of animation by using redesigns of characters but taking some of Disney’s Principles, and making the characters come to life in funny and zany ways.
Which makes sense since BOB CLAMPETT originally wanted to work for Disney but after being rejected by the company, he was hired by Warner Bros. and found his true calling at Termite Terrace.
Despite what I’ve seen are Critics and Animation Historians preferring Chuck Jones for appeal
And Tex Avery for cartooniness,
Seeing a Modern Cartoon using the Bob Clampett influence is sure to make me smile.
And I’m pretty sure John Kricfalusi would be happy to see this film in his nearest AMC theatre but ever since his 2018 allegations, he’s now retired from Animation and now has to paywall his future blogposts on Patreon to make a living now.
Well, I’m here and I’m gonna make my blogpost about this Looney Tune movie which I heard almost didn’t release due to F***ing David Zalsav and his tax-write off fingers of doom.
But luckily, the good people of...
rescued this film from WBD’s investors and it's an astounding success.
It's certainly a much better movie than the MINECRAFT movie.
I don't get why WBD would rather invest their advertising on a heavily greyed-beard clad Jack Black instead of a BOB CLAMPETT Tribute.
Anyway, like I said, the design are based off Bob Clampett’s own handling of Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
After many years where we often had the Modern LOONEY TUNES always designed in the mold of either Chuck Jones & Friz Freleng, both in films and Marketing, 
We finally have a theatrical Feature Length Cartoon featuring the Looney Tunes designed after the BOB CLAMPETT iterations of Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
And I guess that was director Peter Browngart's intent.
so expect a Daffy Duck who’s portrayed as a misunderstood disaster magnet
and not his greedy ARSEHOLE personality that Chuck Jones foisted upon our duck.
and not his greedy ARSEHOLE personality that Chuck Jones foisted upon our duck.
And Porky Pig on the other hand is portrayed as more of a responsible straight man compared to his childish or confused personality of the past.
And this isn't the first time Porky Pig has been paired with Daffy Duck.
He's often been paired with this screwy Duck many times in the past 
Going as far back as PORKY'S DUCK HUNT in 1937
But their past portrayal together is often a case of Leon Schlesinger telling each unit whether it be Avery, Clampett, Jones, McKimson, Freleng, etc,
And putting the two characters together as a result of Studio Formula.
THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP is a different story.
The film makes it clear that in order to pair the two together while at the same time, provide more Movie Style Pathos emotional tension chemistry, the two need a backstory.
And that's by having an adoptive Father Figure
In the form of the Manly FARMER JIM.
How manly is Farmer Jim?
About as manly as his original form in the 1940 short TOM THUMB IN TROUBLE from which he made his debut...
Though unlike the above examples where Chuck Jones designed Farmer Jim in a similar style to Disney's Semi-Realistic Human Characters,
Farmer Jim in this film is designed in a more cartoony BOB CLAMPETT Style.
Even in the more emotional moments of the film, Jim is still in the Clampett Mold.
Look how happy young Porky and Daffy look in their Clampett Designs.
Petunia Pig on the other hand, she’s a different personality altogether.Shown below is how Petunia Pig is usually portrayed and designed since her 1937 debut:
Admittedly, I never watched any classic cartoon featuring Petunia, nor her characterization in the modern Looney Tunes cartoons of recent.
But I hear this iteration of Petunia is portrayed as much smarter than her previous portrayals in the past.
Which makes sense given that she’s a scientist in this film.
Even though the film is obviously in the BOB CLAMPETT mold in terms of design, there are a few gags inspired by TEX AVERY.
The film is rendered using my most preferred WIDESCREEN format which is
2.35:1 Aspect Ratio.
An aspect ratio not used often in 2D Animation due to the need to fill the entire screen with characters or closeups.
I made a post about Cinemascope back in Summer 2024 so I’ll provide a link to that here:
What is a good Looney Tunes movie without Easter eggs?
Be mindful for a lack of photos until the film is released on Blu-Ray or 4K Streaming but I remember seeing these references:
One of the Coffee Shops seen in the film has the likeness of BEANS THE CAT.
Clever way to use BEANS THE CAT as a substitute for STARBUCKS' mermaid
Yes, that BEANS THE CAT,
a character introduced to viewers back in 1935 with the film I HAVEN’T GOT A HAT, the same BEANS THE CAT who was supposed to be the main mascot for the Looney Tunes after losing BOSKO to MGM and the failure of Buddy....... Until Porky Pig proved to more popular than BEANS.
Also, there’s a 50’s Style Diner bearing the Clampett Family name 
and it also featured Bob’s daughter Ruth Clampett as a waitress.
And the psycho alien that we are made to think is the Villain......
"AH AH AH!!!! NO SPOILER ALERTS!!!!"
He's portrayed by none other than PETER MACNICOL
Overall, the internal studio fights was enough for this film to succeed like it should.
And of course, wipe away the bad taste SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY left on us,
And by the way, 
The film's 2D Animation is all hand-drawn, FRAME-BY-FRAME, just the way I like it.
Yes, the animation is still digital as it's done through TOONBOOM SOFTWARE and all the digitally hand-drawn frames are drawn by hand via WACOM CINTIQS but it's still a wonderful achievement to provide WRIST-DRAWN animation instead of tweened Keyframes.
I know there are people who would prefer if the animation was done on Paper and then scanned into the computer for the ink and paint...
but nowadays, Wrist-Based 2D Animation is done on WACOM CINTIQS due to both environmental concerns and cost reduction.
Though there is this Promotional Animation Paper Drawing I found on IMDB
regardless,
Hand-Drawn is 10 times BETTER than Node-Based Puppet Rigs.
If the Japanese refuse Puppet Rigs with their anime, then ANIMATION in AMERICA should shift back to Hand-Drawn Frame-By-Frame Animation even if every single frame has to be all from a Cintiq because Wrists are much better than Keyframes.
Leave the Keyframes to the CG Rigs while we the 2D Animators keep our Wacom Styluses and box of Pen Nibs because dedication to drawing by Hand on our Pen Displays is king.
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