| The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Chuck Jones Phil Monroe Classic Cartoons: Chuck Jones Maurice Noble Tom Ray |
| Screenplay by | Chuck Jones Michael Maltese |
| Story by | Michael Maltese |
| Produced by | Chuck Jones |
| Starring | Mel Blanc Stan Freberg Paul Julian Nicolai Shutorev Arthur Q. Bryan |
| Edited by | Treg Brown |
| Music by | Dean Elliott Milt Franklyn Carl W. Stalling William Lava John Seely |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie (originally entitled asThe Great American Chase) is a 1979 Americananimatedcomedy package film directed byChuck Jones, consisting of acompilation of classicLooney Tunes/Merrie Melodies shorts (specifically those that Jones himself directed) and newly animated bridging sequences hosted byBugs Bunny.[1] The bridging sequences, which had been produced in 1978, show Bugs at his home, which is cantilevered over a carrot-juice waterfall (modeled onFrank Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater" house inBear Run,Pennsylvania). The film was released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bugs Bunny.[2][3]
Bugs Bunny takes audiences on a tour of his opulent mansion, delving into the rich history of comedic chase sequences that define the essence ofLooney Tunes. As he showcases his lavish abode, Bugs reminisces about the pioneers of cartoon comedy and his famous adversaries, each contributing to the evolution of slapstick humor.
Throughout the tour, snippets from classic shorts highlight iconic rivalries from theLooney Tunes series. The final segment of the tour followsWile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, blending snippets from multiple shorts into one pursuit.
As the tour concludes, Bugs looks out into the night sky, watching the Road Runner and Coyote as constellations engaged in their eternal chase.
In the introductory segment, Bugs Bunny recounts his encounters with various antagonists from past cartoons. This is followed by a satirical overview of comedy history and a pivotal scene where Bugs addresses his "several fathers." Authored by Chuck Jones, this scene serves to refute claims made by animation directorBob Clampett in the 1970s that he solely created Bugs. Clampett's absence from Bugs' acknowledgments reflects the discord between Jones and Clampett.
The 1975 documentary filmBugs Bunny: Superstar prominently features Clampett and comprises a compilation of cartoon shorts, marking one of the earliest attempts to delve into the history of Warner Bros. cartoons. However, the film downplays Bugs' other creators, contributing to the ongoing conflict between Jones and Clampett. All shorts showcased inThe Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie are under the direction of Chuck Jones.
This film's fusion of vintage animated footage with new animation sets a precedent for subsequent theatrically releasedLooney Tunes movies untilDaffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988). It is dedicated to the memory of Chuck Jones' late wife, Dorothy Webster, who died prior to the film's release.
The film was released between April–May 1979 in some test markets asThe Great American Chase.[3] The film was shown at the 17thNew York Film Festival on September 29, 1979, atAlice Tully Hall.[4] The film opened at the Guild 50th Theatre on September 30, 1979.[5] It set an opening-day record at the theater with a gross of $6,280.[2]
It aired onHBO,CBS,Disney Channel andCartoon Network.
Warner Home Video debutedThe Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie inVHS andBetamax formats in 1979, as part of its initial 20-title release (catalog number WB-1003). It was reissued in 1981 and also onCED the same year. In 1983, a corrected version was released on VHS and Betamax to address previous time-compression issues. Subsequent releases in 1986 reverted to time-compression until 1997.
On February 3, 1998, the film was re-released on VHS andLaserDisc as part of Warner Bros.' 75th Anniversary VHS promotion. It was included in theLooney Tunes Movie Collection DVD set alongsideBugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales in 2005.
The film is available for purchase or rental on the AppleiTunes Store and has been featured onNetflix, both offering remastered HD quality. Additionally, it can be streamed or downloaded in HD onGoogle Play,Amazon Prime Video,Microsoft Store,Movies Anywhere,Vudu, andXfinity.[6]
