Chuck Jones' Roadrunner vs Wile E Coyote cartoons ranged from thoroughly enjoyable to some of the best and funniest cartoons he and Looney Tunes ever made. The series sadly took a nosedive in quality around 1965 and even more unfortunate was that the series never got back to its former glory.
'Freeze Frame', a late 70s made for TV effort, is not even close to being classic Chuck Jones. It does however make do for a later Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon and is significantly better than the 1965-1968 efforts (which saw some bad stuff generally from all the major Looney Tunes characters).
It is true that Jones' best ideas were long gone by the time 'Freeze Frame' was made, but there is no mistaking his visual and humour style here and they are put to good if not great or classic display in 'Freeze Frame'. The story is basic and routine with a bit too much of a samey feel at times, but is efficiently paced and never feels tired. The gags while not hilarious are sweet and funny, with some knowing references, well-known physical humour and good timing. So this viewer had a good chuckle, without busting a gut.
The animation has an obvious made-for-TV look, but despite some stiff movement and lack of finesse in places it is not bad. It's colourful enough, with some nice wintry detail, Coyote's expressions are very cleverly drawn and priceless and Roadrunner is much better rendered than he was in the Rudy Larriva-directed cartoons. There is a canned sound to the music, but there are also some nice sounds, nothing sounds cheap, it's energetic and unlike Bill Lava's scores for the Rudy Larriva cartoons it fits at least, without being completely action enhancing.
Coyote has always been the funnier and more interesting character of the two between him and Roadrunner, and he is as cunning, funny and rootable as ever. Roadrunner's material isn't quite as funny, though it's amusing, but he is far less annoying than he was in the 1965-1968 cartoons and the dynamic between him and Coyote is strong.
All in all, not bad but falls short of being another Chuck Jones classic. 6/10 Bethany Cox
'Freeze Frame', a late 70s made for TV effort, is not even close to being classic Chuck Jones. It does however make do for a later Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon and is significantly better than the 1965-1968 efforts (which saw some bad stuff generally from all the major Looney Tunes characters).
It is true that Jones' best ideas were long gone by the time 'Freeze Frame' was made, but there is no mistaking his visual and humour style here and they are put to good if not great or classic display in 'Freeze Frame'. The story is basic and routine with a bit too much of a samey feel at times, but is efficiently paced and never feels tired. The gags while not hilarious are sweet and funny, with some knowing references, well-known physical humour and good timing. So this viewer had a good chuckle, without busting a gut.
The animation has an obvious made-for-TV look, but despite some stiff movement and lack of finesse in places it is not bad. It's colourful enough, with some nice wintry detail, Coyote's expressions are very cleverly drawn and priceless and Roadrunner is much better rendered than he was in the Rudy Larriva-directed cartoons. There is a canned sound to the music, but there are also some nice sounds, nothing sounds cheap, it's energetic and unlike Bill Lava's scores for the Rudy Larriva cartoons it fits at least, without being completely action enhancing.
Coyote has always been the funnier and more interesting character of the two between him and Roadrunner, and he is as cunning, funny and rootable as ever. Roadrunner's material isn't quite as funny, though it's amusing, but he is far less annoying than he was in the 1965-1968 cartoons and the dynamic between him and Coyote is strong.
All in all, not bad but falls short of being another Chuck Jones classic. 6/10 Bethany Cox