The children's holiday special Bah Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas uses classic Looney Tunes characters in a modern version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Although it contains some crude humor and typical Looney Tunes cartoon violence, this animated Christmas special for kids will entertain older children while teaching a quick lesson about the importance of appreciating family and being generous during the holiday season.
Bah Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas plot
Looney Tunes fans will be glad to see their favorite Looney Tunes characters taking roles in this children's animated special. Bugs Bunny narrates, and Daffy Duck stars in the Scrooge role of the owner of the Lucky Duck Superstore. So greedy and blind to the holiday spirit that he knocks over poor beggars and raises store prices to take advantage of desperate parents, Daffy also overworks his store minions (including Marvin the Martian, Elmer Fudd, Pepe le Pew, and Porky Pig in the Bob Cratchit role of assistant manager) and plans to have them come in to work at 5:00 a.m. on Christmas Day.
Each character has something he or she wishes for Christmas—Elmer Fudd needs rest, Marvin the Martian would like to visit his far-away family, and Porky Pig wants to spend the day with his daughter Priscilla and be able to afford a special doll for her—but none of them will get their wishes unless Daffy Duck learns to care for more than money and profit. Luckily for them, in true Christmas Carol fashion, he spends Christmas Eve being visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
First Sylvester the Investor (in the Jacob Marley role) comes to warn Daffy that the ghosts will be coming and to serve as a warning against being small-minded and greedy. He himself was squashed by a forklift driven by a disgruntled employee. Next the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Granny and Tweety Bird) take Daffy to his past to show how being orphaned and passed over for adoption and left alone on Christmas year after year taught Baby Daffy that life is cruel and one must be selfish to survive. In between corrective beatings, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Yosemite Sam) shows Daffy how his employees are spending Christmas, particularly Porky's family, where Daffy sees Priscilla wishing on a Christmas star that she and her father can spend Christmas together. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future (the Tasmanian Devil) shows Daffy his lonely end and grave, which Priscilla promises to visit every year so she can bring him Christmas cookies.
Touched, Daffy vows to change his ways. Given his second chance, he gives each employee what he or she most wants (from a Hawaiian vacation for Elmer Fudd and a rocket for Marvin the Martian to toys for Priscilla). Despite a momentary worry that he will go broke, newly generous Daffy also awards each of his employees a raise and a paid vacation.
Looney Tunes Christmas Special Cartoon Violence
Although this Looney Tunes Christmas special for children does teach a lesson about the Christmas spirit and not being greedy, it also contains many moments of typical slapstick Looney Tunes cartoon violence and crude humor. Daffy Duck in particular smashes into many objects, is beaten up by Yosemite Sam, and is dragged through a toilet. Looney Tunes fans will think nothing of the mayhem, but some parents may wish to opt for quieter Christmas specials that are not so full of physical violence.
Bah Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas DVD Review
Overall, this children's holiday special contains many funny moments, and younger viewers will not notice if the characters' voices are done by new voice artists whose versions of Looney Tunes characters do not completely match those of Mel Blanc. Looney Tunes fans may want to purchase a copy of this Looney Tunes DVD for year-round watching, while other families will probably prefer to rent this Christmas special or check it out from the library. DVD extras include deleted scenes, a music video version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen with scenes from the movie, and a game kids can play by steering Daffy Duck around obstacles in the store.
Children may also enjoy another version of A Christmas Carol, the holiday special Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure.
Renee Carver - Renée Carver has an Elementary Education degree and over ten years of experience writing and editing children's educational products.
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