2003 DVD of the Year
 There were some great DVDs issued this year, Finding Nemo, Nero
Wolfe: The Complete First Season, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(Platinum Series Special Extended Edition). But good as they are, I must go with The Looney Tunes Golden Collection -- not just because
they're great, which they are, but also because of their cultural significance.
Does that sound as if I'm trying to load too much
significance onto a bunch of cartoons? Perhaps, but for Americans at least, the Looney
Tunes short animated features are cultural touchstones. Bugs Bunny is the quintessential
Brooklyn wise guy -- imperturbable, sarcastic, and ready for anything. Daffy Duck is the
type-A fussbudget we've all worked for -- or with. And Porky Pig is the bland Ralph
Bellamy type (warning: His Girl Friday reference) who was expressly made as the
perfect foil for all zany situations.
If your childhood was spent in front of a TV (as mine was),
you'll probably be more familiar with the lines of Looney Tunes cartoons than with those
of the Bard of Avon.
And until late in the year, not a single one was available
on DVD -- now we have 56 in one fantastic package. Oh, I could quibble about some of the
choices, and I did, but I can't complain about anything else concerning the package. The
choices are generous, the special features are superb, and the audio/video quality is
fantastic.
Don't pass this one by -- it may be my DVD of the
year, but it’s also one for the ages.
...Wes Phillips
wes@onhometheater.com
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