Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Originally published on social media January 22nd, 2022

People say that Austin Powers or the 1967 Casino Royale are the ultimate Bond spoofs. They are wrong. This is a film I watched countless times as a child that introduced me to the Bond universe, along with other Hollywood and music references that later spark my interest in Old Hollywood. This is the film my sister said, “really you are watching this again?” and then reminded me of how much I loved it as a child.

Here are some of the Bond tropes I found in this film:
- Car chases and the Bond Car.
- Bond girls/ Women spy’s
- The term assassin is also used along with spy to describe the Bond like character.
- Timothy Dalton plays the James Bond called Damien Drake. He played Bond in two films.
- “Damien Drake” is in films like License to Spy and has Bond like posters for movies in his house.
- His house is filled with Bond like gadgets
- He is on a mission involving diamonds and a Bond like enemy played by Steve Martin with an absolutely ridiculous goal.
- Martini shaken not stirred
- ACME in this film very closely resembles SPECTRE.
- Joan Cusack plays “Mother”, reference to M as well as the character Mother in the 1960s TV show The Avengers. She also has a lot in common with Q.
- Exotic travels

Some of these Hollywood/pop culture references include:
- Both the old and modern Scooby Doo
- Michael Bible “Come Fly With Me”. This has always been one of my favorite jazz classics.
- Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas”
- Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho
- Warner Bros Studio tours (which I’ve been on a few times)
- Men in Black references and vibes.
-The Mona Lisa and the Scream
- The Red Balloon

This film is not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it is clever, funny, and a great way to get children hooked on old Hollywood and Bond. Plus, Brendan Fraser’s ability to be a bad actor comes in handy in this cheesy classic. He even makes fun of himself at one point which is fantastic.