By I feel sorry for kids these days. When I was younger, Cartoon Network was awesome enough to show Looney Tunes all the time, so I grew up with them, catching more of the adult subtleties as I got older. Now, they relegate the shorts to what is essentially animation ghettos on high-end cable channels no one sees, like Boomerang. But at least I managed to get educated on “the classics” they used to show at the movies.
As least kids will get a little exposure to Looney Tunes, as Warner Bros. started airing three new CG shorts based around the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner duo. The first short, Coyote Falls, accompanied 3D films last summer according to SlashFilm, so it naturally incorporated some 3D elements itself, which are painfully obvious and unnecessary. Other than that, the short does a good job of keeping the spirit of the classic cartoons. Even if I’m a diehard 2D enthusiast, I can admit they captured the personalities of the characters well, giving them a “pop” that’s often lacking in 3D animation.
Warner Bros. isn’t the only company dredging up the ghost of old cartoons. Apache Pictures just put out their own short called Wiley vs. Rhodes, a live-action homage to Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. In this short, a thirsty man tries to steal water from a speedy runner. It was shot on location in the Utah desert and recreates the look of the cartoons very well. Some think it may be a viral ad for some energy drink, but I didn’t get any message from it, so take for it what you will.