Looney Tunes animation appears to be in a period of rebirth. Not only does the beloved stable of animated characters have a new show called The Looney Tunes Show on the cartoon network, but they’ve also been invading theaters with a series of short films. Last year saw three original, CG Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote shorts get put in front of big family releases, and now Warner Bros. has sent out a press release saying that they have three more upcoming shorts that will not only be presented in 3D, but will also use the voice of legendary voice actor Mel Blanc, who passed away in 1989. Despite Blanc no longer being with us, archivists have resurrected some of his old recordings from the 50s, including original songs, to act as the vocal tracks for these new short films.

Warner’s press release describes the upcoming cartoons as follows:

“Daffy’s Rhapsody: In the first of the new shorts, a persistent Elmer Fudd chases Daffy Duck (Blanc) on stage during a musical performance. The short features Blanc performing the song ‘Daffy Duck’s Rhapsody.’ Daffy’s Rhapsody is scheduled to debut in theaters on November 18, 2011, in conjunction with Warner Bros. Pictures’ release of Happy Feet 2.

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: A classic game of cat and bird transpires in Granny’s apartment as Tweety Bird goes to great lengths to avoid the clutches of his arch-nemesis Sylvester the Cat. The short also features the hit song of the same name, which was performed by Blanc, and sold over three million copies worldwide.

Untitled Coyote & Road Runner: Wile E. Coyote’s epic quest to capture the Road Runner continues in this all-new short. Will the Coyote finally get his paws on his elusive prize?”

Classic Looney Tunes animation is one of those sacred cows that a lot of people not only love; they’ve loved ever since they were little children. That sort of long time devotion can breed some of the more obsessive types of fandom, so I’m interested to hear how these new shorts have been playing to audiences. Did fans enjoy the ones that came out in 2010? Were they comparable in quality to the classics? Are people excited to hear Mel Blanc’s voice get resurrected from old recordings for these new shorts, or does it feel exploitive? I’m not a big enough animation fan to answer these questions, but I’m sure some of our readers are. I’d be curious to hear what the big time fans think.

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/warner-bros-announces-3-new-looney-tunes-3d-shorts.php

Good, looks like they're finally doing something right.