(c) Warner Brothers

Alas, aside from some clever references to the classic shorts through music (the song “I Love to Singa�?) and dialogue (“I think we took a wrong turn at Albuquerque�?), Back in Action mostly smacks of missed opportunities (for example, with all these bad guys around, where’s my favorite, the Big Hairy Monster?). All this is very surprising considering the devotion to the characters of the men behind the camera. Its no question that director Joe Dante and animation director Eric Goldberg were influenced by the early Warner shorts in their own earlier work (Dante’s Gremlins films, Goldberg’s Genie in Aladdin and the flamingos in Fantasia 2000); Goldberg even claimed in early press for this film that this would be the “anti-Space Jam�?. Then why the Tazmanian Devil fart jokes and rampant product placement? (A side note to screenwriter Larry Doyle: poking fun at product placement does not justify product placement.)

Considering the dismal early box office reports for the film’s opening weekend just passed, it appears that these Tunes may not be Back in Action again anytime soon any way, which is unfortunate, but may just be a blessing in disguise for us fans of their classic early work. Warners would do better by these beloved characters if they allowed them to ‘retire’ with some shred of their former glory intact … why beat a bunny into the ground?

Indeed Porky, this may be “all folks�?.

• Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird and other Looney Tune cast members all had cameos in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
• Brendan Fraser must have a soft spot for toons: he’s played them twice (the title characters in George of the Jungle and Dudley Do-Right) and co-starred with them previously in Monkeybone.
• Joe Alaskey (voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester and Marvin the Martian) voiced Yosemite Sam and Foghorn Leghorn in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He can also be heard in Bonkers, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and Teamo Supremo.
• Steve Martin started his career as a Disneyland Cast Member, working in the Magic Shop on Main Street. He has also starred in both Father of the Bride movies (earning a Golden Globe nomination for the sequel), A Simple Twist of Fate, Fantasia 2000 and Bringing Down the House. He also appeared on television in The Dream is Alive.
• Jenna Elfman co-starred in Krippendorf’s Tribe and starred on the ABC comedy Dharma and Greg, earning three Emmy nominations for her performance.
• Timothy Dalton starred as the villainous Neville Sinclair in The Rocketeer.
• Heather Locklear (Dusty Tails) starred on Spin City and guest-voiced on Hercules.
• Joan Cusack (Mother) voiced Jessie in Toy Story 2.
• Pro wrestler Bill Goldberg (Mr. Smith) guest-voiced on Kim Possible.
• Billy West (Elmer Fudd) voiced the title character in Doug and also contributed vocals to Dinosaur and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
• Bob Bergen (Porky Pig) has supplied voices for the films Hercules; Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World; A Bug’s Life; Tarzan; Toy Story 2; The Emperor’s New Groove (Bucky the squirrel); Monsters, Inc.; Lilo and Stitch; Spirited Away (No Face); The Santa Clause 2 (Comet); Treasure Planet; Finding Nemo and Brother Bear.
• Stan Freberg (Junior Bear) voiced the Beaver in Lady and the Tramp and was also heard in Alice in Wonderland, Susie the Little Blue Coupe and The Wuzzles.
• Animation director Eric Goldberg was the supervising animator for Aladdin’s Genie and Hercules’ Phil, directed and animated the “Rhapsody in Blue�? and “Carnival of the Animals�? segments of Fantasia 2000 and co-directed Pocahontas.
• Composer Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for an Oscar for his score to Mulan. He also composed the scores for Night Crossing, Baby … The Secret of the Lost Legend, Medicine Man and the Soarin’ Over California attraction at Disney’s California Adventure.
• The director of the Batman movie is none other then legendary B-movie maven Roger Corman, who gave director Joe Dante his first break with such shlocky films as Hollywood Boulevard, Piranha and Rock ’n Roll High School.
• The black-and-white man clutching a large seedpod in the Area 52 scene is Kevin McCarthy, ‘reprising’ his classic role from the original Invasion of the Body-Snatchers. He has appeared in several of Joe Dante’s films, including Piranha, The Howling, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Innerspace and Matinee.
• Stay ‘Tuned’ during the end credits to see rough pencil animation of the characters and a bonus scene at the very end.

Coming Soon:

• The Special Edition DVD of Frank and Ollie, a documentary on the legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, will be available in general release November 18^th. Also available that day will be the DVD debuts of The Santa Clause 2 and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
• Lots of “grim grinning ghosts�?, as well as Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Tilly, will show up for the movie adaptation of the classic Disneyland attraction The Haunted Mansion, opening November 26^th.
• The DVD debut of the blockbuster adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl hits stores on December 2^nd:
• Lizzie McGuire fans take note: two DVD collections of favorite TV episodes will go on sale December 9^th: Lizzie McGuire: Growing Up Lizzie and Lizzie McGuire: Fashionably Lizzie. And no, I don’t know how to get in touch with Hilary Duff …