Space Jam Stinks! (pt. 2): WB vs. Chuck Jones | Looney Tunes Review

Repost from 2016. #LooneyTunesCritic
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[@AndrewsMagicandMore]

I believe Chuck Jones also stated he never liked how out of character Bugs Bunny was in this movie; in particular Jones referred to the scene where Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan meet, and Bugs loudly begs for Jordan's help in order to fight off the Monstars - whereas in the original short films Bugs never really needed to openly recruit other people to fight off his foes.

[@alexgomez6723]

Wonder how he’d react to Bugs in a New Legacy. If he was out of character in the original, oh boy.

[@walmaker8372]

@@alexgomez6723 I can just hear the ghost of Jones in the abandoned Termite Terrace building screaming into a pillow until he passes out.

[@tylerensminger]

I personally thought Back in Action was a better movie in terms of respecting the Looney Tunes than Space Jam did. I don't hate Space Jam (I think it is not a good movie by any means) but looking back now I think the movie hasn't held up for me who grew up in the 90s. You make very valid points and the fact that there is no danger and the Monsters themselves are cartoons also makes the plot of the movie nonsensical

[@MaryC861]

Totally agree with you. I may of like it as a kid; because I like the Looney Tunes and the idea of seeing them again on the big screen. But I will gladly admit it's a bad and dated film and liked it simply as a guilty pleasure (as you would with any bad movie that you somehow like). But finding out this whole thing of how they treated Chuck Jones is truly discussing.

[@tavvyprods1275]

Looney Tunes Back in Action happens to be one my biggest childhood guilty pleasures.

[@IndyHulkSlamBam]

Back in Action isn't a good movie either

[@vincentfranklin17]

I find it incredible that Chuck Jones was treated in such a horrible fashion! Disgraceful!

[@noonyandtoony3413]

You bet

[@IndyHulkSlamBam]

then again he took a dump on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, so lets hold off on treating Chuck Jones a god

[@vincentfranklin17]

@@IndyHulkSlamBam That's true.

[@Capybaraism]

He asked for it.

[@walmaker8372]

@@IndyHulkSlamBam I think it's because of his rivalry with Bob Clampett and how they argued about the style of their cartoons. TBH, if I was there, I'd honestly just tell Chuck that it's supposed to be zany and Tex Avery like because of how it opposes to the human world and that the film was a great success. I don't want to antagonise the guy, just try and make him understand.

[@ToonReel001]

In fairness though, Bugs has lost to a turtle in a simple race. THREE TIMES. I also have to say that, while Chuck's treatment was shameful and furthered WB valuing shallow marketing over the creative minds that footed them in the first place, he didn't write the book on Looney Tunes. Rather he wrote the book on HIS TAKE ON Looney Tunes, which was one of many. Many different creative members contributed their own ideas and interpretations of the iconic characters, and from the beginning they weren't always cohesive. Remember Jones also slammed Who Framed Roger Rabbit for using Bob Clampett's take on Daffy, as far as he was concerned it was out of character to make him anything other than the pompous fall guy he conveyed him as, even if it was at the cost of making Donald Duck out of character in the same scene, which could have risked him getting his own critique handed back to him by Disney. Robert McKimson also differed in his interpretations of the cast, to the point he openly thought Jones ruined Bugs' personality by making him TOO much of a winner. The Looney Tunes franchise was built on an amorphous core from day one, and sometimes actually benefited from that. These characters are meant to be versatile in their ability to play a role in so many random episodic cartoons. While Space Jam certainly was no work of art, I don't really feel betrayed by many aspects of it because of this, a lot of these supposed rules on how to use them were broken WAY earlier, and sometimes by the original creative team such as Jones himself. We see the whole cast grouping together like a suddenly tight family to shamelessly endorse products as early as the Bugs Bunny Show.

[@hyperstarman6848]

Sure, they’re not in danger of dying but becoming slaves is still a threat

[@vincentfranklin17]

Looney Tunes: Back In Action is a much better film. It's much more in the spirit of classic shorts. I don't care what anyone says. I loved it! I was disappointed when it didn't do well at the box office.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

It didn't do as well as space jam because they barely advertised it. Action>>>>>jam

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

That's putting it VERY mildly.

[@eugeneketaminekrebs3403]

BOB IGOR RUINED STAR WARS NOT JUST KATHLEEN: Warner Bros did that with most of their animated films. Barely promote them.(except the Pokémon films they owned.)

[@thecriticalthinkeroutsidet4947]

@@fridaynightnicktoons6885 It didn't do as well, because, of WB's decreased interest in Looney Tunes. They were focused on selling them instead of evolving them. Space Jam was made to sell the NBA brand and the Looney Tunes, and its success made them want a replica of it.

[@petr79]

funny thing is that there was a very good basketball game for the Super Nintendo in 1994 called Looney Tunes B-ball

[@reimeioh]

I’ll let my child self remember it for the nostalgia and love of Looney Tunes at that age. At least my adult self can see the hypocrisy and disrespect for the characters.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I sincerely don't understand how even a child couldn't see the awfulness. You know you're not nostalgic for the movie itself, right? You're remembering a good time in your life that was in effect when you watched it. As a kid, I had a great childhood, but when I was five and six my sister and I would watch awful Filmation's Journey Back to Oz and I have many happy memories from those days.... none of which involved those viewings. I mean really. What is there to like about that movie? Even if you created all new characters and it wasn't a LT/MM thing, it would still be horrific with no redeeming quality. It would be a bad movie. What makes it an abomination is that they used the LT/MM characters. What makes it egregious is not that they were ignorant of how to do a proper movie with those characters, but rather, the fact that they didn't care, made no attempts to hire those who do and ACTIVELY pissed on Chuck Jones. I mean, when I do it, there's love there. :P

[@reimeioh]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic I'm sure it was remembering a good part in my life.

[@Super_Mario128]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic I remember watching Space Jam as 90's kid and being severely let down when I first watched it, as I was used to Bugs beating his foes in his own various and wacky ways. i.e dressing up as Stalin to beat Hitler.

[@williamlangan5902]

Ok, when you told me what they did to Chuck, I was shocked and pissed off. I never met the guy but I did write him a long e-letter telling him his work was hard to classify and listed many of my favorite cartoons. This was supposed to wind up in a book for him. I never heard back and I wish I saved a copy of the letter. Sad the people in charge of Space Jam couldn't take constructive criticism.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Well, Greg Ford said it best. "The executives at Warners are actually delusional enough that they think they're bigger than these characters." And he would know! - trevor.

[@PokeDude011]

Chuck Jones was rolling in his grave when Porky Pig started rapping in Space Jam 2.

[@dragonslayer101]

THIS. This is the most disgraceful thing I have ever witnessed, why, WHY would they write Porky pig like that, I watched every short, I read every comic, I even listened to his songs, Never, never, have I EVER heard him say something so pathetic in my life, this, this scene right here PISSED ME OFF I DONT GIVE A S**T IF THATS A PUN! I know Porky, hes classy, he's gullible, hes naive even, and by god is he adorable but not cowardly...or at least in this way. You could have made him say anything, like "th-th-thats t-terrifying!" Or just his original signature phrase, you could have him say "eh I-I'm glad I didnt wear pants." Eh..you know what go with the first one. As bad as these recommended punch lines are at least they're better than "I w-we-wet self!" Quoting Daffy, " YOURRRE DETHPICABLE!" look this is not the Porky we fans know, I mean just write him as the every man or even Michal Jordan hollow character at least it would have been better than this rubbish of a pathetic pig, is that even what you think of him? Have you seen the classic shorts? He has been through so many random adventures usually depicting him as the wholesome hero especially in the comics. Why not for a change, actually be relevant, and caring for your fans and not the ads WB!

[@dragonslayer101]

Also, what you said about what they did to my idol, my hero my dear oh dear old friend that I wish I could meet before his end, it fueled even more anger inside me I have never felt in a long, LONG time. I thought, I thought WB was different than Disney, that they paid their employees decent amount of pay unlike the employees at Disneyland. but man, man was I wrong Knowing the truth it hurts my soul, my body and my feelings, this made me cry, and I don't cry often. I mean I know Chuck isnt perfect obviously, he's human, he even had his fair share of drama, but this, this is the man that pretty much Is the glue that sticks WB together. literally without him, WB would be bankrupt and would be forgotten just like their good old character that no one should or does remember, Buddy. Oh and like five others as well. Chuck was one of the most influential people on this planet he inspired so much, he was admired by so many, to do that to a man like him, just... I dont know, I dont know how to explain the burning rage that is boiling in my soul right now.there are so many things that I could say right now, I could even write an essay about it, but I wont for the sake of my patience and yours. But I'm so, so so dearly sorry Chuck. God rest your soul in heaven my man, its lucky that I even know you even...though I never met you. 😞

[@alexgomez6723]

Clam down

[@felixleidig8307]

i dont think Pairing the toons is disrespecting them as characters but the hole point you came up with Bugs Bunny is solid

[@MilesMiddlebrooks]

Just something I thought I'd mention about 17:09, the thing that made me smile even more from Chuck winning that award and Robin Williams introducing him was seeing Quentin Tarantino whirl his hand around in the air all excited when Chuck walked out on stage. I wish Chuck could've still been alive when Looney Tunes Back in Action came out and what he would've thought of it. Not that it's a great LT movie, but you can feel they were trying to put their heart and soul into the characters and zaniness and take it to an ultimate steroid fueled level. Space Jam feels like the team were just simply spending their time powdering their noses like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

When the movie came out, Shawn and I were just becoming huge Tarantino fans (the shot of Sam and Elmer as Jules and Vincent was the only time we ruefully laughed when we watched it on the big screen) and as glued as we were to that Academy Awards airing knowing that Chuck was getting the award, we knew Tarantino was a film snob, and seeing him spin that noisemaker upon Chuck's approach (he never used it again, which leads me to believe he brought it specifically for Chuck) was another point in Quentin's favor for me. Hell, it was several. . You better believe that me including that shot of Quentin in the audience in this review was not a mistake. This was a big televised moment for me, and Quentin being a part of it was an active part of the memory. Thanks for your comment! . - trevor.

[@MilesMiddlebrooks]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic Anytime. I'm a Quentin fan myself. When I went to go see Django Unchained and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, the last 30 minutes of Django and last 10 minutes of Hollywood made me feel as if I was watching Looney Tunes. You can defintelly tell in his movies he gets some of his influences from them with how cartoonish the violence is.

[@felixleidig8307]

WTF they did trow him out in such a manner ....HE is one PART WHY Looney tunes made those assholes soo much money ...He is one of the 3 Greatest Cartoon Creators of all time

[@marcoparada6652]

Not to water down your respect for Chuck Jones, but he did make some of the more awful Looney Tunes shorts during the late 50's and 60's.

[@vincentfranklin17]

Is it wrong that The Dot And The Line is one of my favorite Chuck Jones cartoons? I can't help it. I think it's beautiful.

[@tavvyprods1275]

I think the short was great too.

[@yosefdemby8792]

Then it's Maurice Noble you have to thank. He's the _real_ director there!

[@zaccaryvega]

Space Jam was a money-making misfire.

[@Nathanatos22]

Wow, I wasn’t expecting to hear Jones’ direct opinion on the film-er, movie, that is. It’s a shame his creations were so woefully mistreated.

[@lukeperkins1024]

Space Jam feels like a Roger Rabbit rip-off. Chuck Jones worked on Roger Rabbit and he didn't do Space Jam.

[@23567678]

You do know Chuck doesn’t like Roger Rabbit and mixing live action with animation didn’t start with Roger Rabbit?

[@lukeperkins1024]

@@23567678 But despite the fact he didn't like Roger Rabbit, he was an animation consultant on the film, and this film helped show that cartoon characters are more than, well, cartoon characters. Space Jam is just basically a copycat with no help from Richard Williams or Chuck Jones whatsoever.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Not really. Chuck liked Roger Rabbit, but he didn't have a good experience on it because he was trying to get his designs of the WB characters into the movie. His modern 80s designs I mean. And at that age, he was used to getting his way (unless it was with a WB executive). And he was never a consultant. That's a rumor that has gotten somewhat out of hand. To find out the whole truth, listen to the upcoming WFRR commentary because I interviewed Dave Spafford for that, and he has a few stories about dealing with Chuck on that movie. - trevor.

[@M567dk]

As kid that grew up in the 90's Space Jam felt like a one time climax to all of the Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes moments during the 90's that and due to the popularity of Steven Spielberg's Warner Work in the 90's reminisce of the Looney Tunes of old. Yeah the Plot wasn't that great, but at least i understood it better than the randomness that is Back in Action. THAT Film felt more like a Chuck Jones tribute than an actual movie. I know the Looney Tunes are random, but at least their stories have some sense into them. You have your opinion and I have mine and I enjoy Space Jam, Flaws and all.

[@jeromemccalla9520]

I was born in 96, I grew up on this film, this film got me into animation, and helped me become one. I really like this film.

[@williamlangan5902]

Trevor, after hearing you scream, I think you would've been great in voiceovers! "The Monstars.... ARE CARTOONS... THEMSELVES!" BTW, I agree with you it's bad. My nieces saw it and told me some of the "funniest" lines. I got it from a sibling of mine for Christmas which I appreciate. I watched it once and once was enough, thank you. I don't remember it enough to be pissed off for not being anything it should've been.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I don't know about voiceover, but I do have the perfect face for radio. - trevor.

[@keeleye7225]

Thank you for being the one reviewer that gets into the failure of this movie from a character standpoint; so much of the other reviewers hammer on the story. But the problem is much deeper than that.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

22:26 hey! Someone else who reads these! You should read I SAY I SAY SON! It's all about Bob mckimsons work on Looney tunes and it's worth the money.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I've read it. I'm really looking forward to reading Ruth Clampett's book about her dad, even though it's nowhere near being done, she graciously accepted my request for an interview when it comes out. So look for that! - trevor.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

Sweet. Sounds like an honor. Lucky bastard. Sorry for late response,notification never popped up. Wierd. Lucky my liked vidoe playlist made this pop up.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic I can't find any information on the book. I'd it coming out this year?can't find release date

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Settle down, Beavis. She hasn't even finished writing it yet. I did say that she's nowhere near being done. You're not going to find anything about it online because it's never been announced. Who knows, I probably shouldn't have said anything. In fact, considering the success of her current book, a work of fiction which is getting made into a movie, combined with the work she's doing with WB to create seri-cels of her dad's work, I wouldn't expect to see even an announcement for a few years, but a lucky few of us who are in the 'circle' have gotten word, so I asked her about it directly. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, she's been working on it casually for some time. But unless some unforeseen tragedy occurs in my life that makes it impossible to keep doing Looney Tunes Critic videos, you can bet that when her book comes out, I will have the exclusive -- or at least the first -- interview. - trevor.

[@WillScarlet16]

Chuck was right.

[@komaristudios]

5:40 this is how the deal started

[@victorchapa6307]

2:02 Sylvester, actually.

[@shamikiabrown1793]

It’s Underdog 8:43 I love this show

[@poohandtiggervideosinc6163]

I’d love to see a review of Tweety’s High Flying Adventure. I’m more sympathetic to it than space jam bc it’s animated nicely and has great music and some good gags, but it’s still pretty dull. And putting tweety in a main role in a MOVIE, along with the plot in general, both make zero sense. What are your thoughts on it?

[@walmaker8372]

In my head canon of the Looney Tunes universe... they're all actors. Pretty much "Who framed Roger Rabbit" but with Looney Tunes characters working at Termite Terrace until the 60s.

[@KenLieck]

For the record, the shoes that the hairy monster Gossamer has worn since he was first seen in Hair Raising Hare (1946) are most definitely a pair of Converse All Stars, which were introduced to the market in 1917 as part of their basketball shoe line established the previous year. So screw Nike anyhow!

[@baffledbrandon3132]

Got to love the Internet, right? You can spout whatever bullshit you want and people will believe you no matter what with no questions asked. 😂

[@shamikiabrown1793]

10:01 but I love DePatie-Freleng Enterprises

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I'm racking my brain trying to say something positive in response. Well... at least they're not Filmation?

[@shamikiabrown1793]

I like DePatie-Freleng Enterprises for the pink panther and the Inspector but I don’t really like the Looney Tunes cartoon they made

[@eugeneketaminekrebs3403]

Ferris Wheelhouse: Their Animation is pretty shitty, even compared to Chuck Jones’s shorts from the 60’s.

[@smaug7958]

There was a looney tunes web toon where Yosemite sam and elmer fudd were security guards

[@komaristudios]

4:50 help meeeee!!!

[@DennisTamayo]

The Hare Jordan commercials used digital ink & paint for the animation of Bugs Bunny.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Pretty sure that's not the case for all of them. I certainly never kept track, but I do know that I've seen cels from the commercials. A friend of mine animated on the commercials and the movie and had a painted cel (I only know bc it was unframed), but as I say, I don't know which commercial it was from or even if they used digital at all, or even on only some. The only reason I suspect otherwise (and not because I saw the cel) is that digital paint wasn't really that sophisticated when they were making those commercials. Now, 'digital ink' is another story. I don't doubt for a second that the commercials on some level used a version of xerography, especially since they went into production not too long after Roger Rabbit came out, and at that time, nobody wanted to to argue with that formula. When Roger came out, xerography had gotten to the point where it could isolate unclean lines and give them different colors, making the need for inking (even colored lines) completely obsolete, as it had been since the 70s. You might be right that, at least in some of the commercials, digital paint was used at some point, but I'm almost positive that at some point they were drawn on paper, xerographed and then physically painted. I do know that they did indeed use digital paint for the movie. Dave Spafford told me as much, however the scenes for the sequence his studio directed was drawn with pencils on paper. - trevor.

[@Gloryosky]

It's not like Warner Bros.' forced marketing would've ended if _Space Jam_ didn't exist. Given the many WCW _Looney Tunes_ T-shirts, the focus could have shifted to Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash et al. without missing the primary beat of "Looney Tunes are sidekicks to this sports celebrity". Both the nWo and the Time Warner/Turner merger didn't happen until the second half of 1996, yet there was a pro wrestler dressed as Lord Ruber to promote _Quest for Camelot,_ and RoboCop and Oz were things in WCW long before Time Warner merged with Turner.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

What's your point?

[@Gloryosky]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic That _Space Jam_ is so by-committee that it could have just promoted something in-house instead of someone else's shoe commercial.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Dude, that's MY point! You don't get to make my points in the comments section of the video where I made said point! No fair! I'm telling!

[@thefaceofscience677]

Okay, this might be a stupid question, but is this a reupload? Because I think I can remember that there was a two parter Space Jam review on this channel before it was taken down, but now I’m not quite so sure (Either way, this a great two parter! Keep up the good work mate!)

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

It is a stupid question, but ONLY because it says in the description, first thing, "Repost from 2016." Srslytho. I'm glad you dig it, main. Thanks for watching and please tell your friends! If the old channel had never been taken down, I'd be getting paid by now, so I got some catching up to do! - trevor.

[@robbycooper6787]

is there an actually good movie in this style

[@alexgomez6723]

@DeweyDews Back in Action is massively mediocre.

[@itsange02]

You should sell "Space Jam Stinks" T-shirts

[@samsamkin4647]

Space Jam sucks

[@samsamkin4647]

Who Framed Roger Rabbit was way better

[@darlisaward3103]

@@samsamkin4647 Agree

[@IndyHulkSlamBam]

@@samsamkin4647 Anybody who doesn't agree with that is an idiot

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

I like space jam because of nostalgia. That's it. You can acknowledge when you have a nostalgia bias. This film wasn't funny at all(for me). The music was nice. Normally I hate rap/r and b but it's cool in the film. Idk. I'm a 90s kid

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Yeah, but as I said to Strummz, people with a nostalgia bias need to acknowledge that what they're REALLY nostalgic for was the time in their life that the movie was released. Which is fine, but you should say it more deliberately methinks. As in, more deliberately than you just did. XD Like if you were watching it during your first sexual experience. "I love Space Jam because it was the first in-theater mouth hug I ever got. Back then we called it an 'Alanis' because 'You Oughta Know' was popular." I can understand having a positive memory of that, but that the movie was around when such a good thing was happening is purely consequential. Same goes for Alanis Morrissette's music. - trevor.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

Well I agree the writing is shit,it's pure nostalgia bias. Nothing more. I read online the Chuck jones being escorted was a just a rumor,but it's something I hear a lot. Don't know the source,but if it's true,holy shit,that's like how Disney treats George Lucas. Disgusting.

[@GenerationXNews]

Awesome follow up!!

[@patrickshields5251]

I can't believe that Roger Ebert, my favorite film critic of all time, gave it 3 and a half stars out of 4.

[@NormanMStewart]

Then again, Ebert's a hack. He gave "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" 1 star out of 4.

[@patrickshields5251]

@@NormanMStewart Does his partner, Gene Siskel, actually like movies? Because I'm not really convinced.

[@NormanMStewart]

@@patrickshields5251 I honestly don't know. He claimed that he did, but after essentially doxxing Betsy Palmer in 1980 and doing a special with Ebert on violence against women in horror films the very same year, I'm not so sure. He did often make better points and reviews than Ebert though.

[@patrickshields5251]

@@NormanMStewart That's another reason why I don't think Siskel actually likes moves.

[@patrickshields5251]

@@NormanMStewart I would argue that Nostalgia Critic is actually worse.

[@525Lines]

Love the MST3K callout.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

It's always just below the surface. I have to resist every time I show a piece of footage saying, "Cambot, give me Rocket Number Nine!"

[@HrvojeGrahovac]

Still love the movie

[@superpacman25]

Now, talk about the multiple cameos in space jam such as beans or bosko

[@andrechristopherfeurtado7334]

❤ this!!

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

Waited you said TRUSTED ...but you showed channel awesome?!! Bwahahahhaahahhahahahhaaaaaa. XD

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

As hilarious as that is (read: not at all), I made this in 2016. The nebulous doings of Mike Michaud weren't common knowledge by then.

[@fridaynightnicktoons6885]

Fact check****** his name isn't Wayne knight, it's newman.

[@cristenerichankins5199]

Wayne Knight is the actor who plays Newman

[@komaristudios]

There not the looney tunes