Although reports of this collection being a total disaster are, in my opinion, a little exaggerated, it's pretty clear that Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 2 represents a visual step down from the first set. This is almost entirely due to what looks like mild to more intrusive amounts of digital noise reduction applied to the majority of these shorts, which turns what should have been a refined filmic presentation into something a little more waxy and smooth. As evidenced by the 39 (mostly chronological) screenshots in this review -- which include 1-2 captures for each short -- the level of grain varies between "very good" to "almost completely absent", with most falling somewhere in the middle. Tellingly, the grain doesn't come and go during individual shorts; it's likely less of a source material issue than something that was obviously applied after the elements were scanned and, though some folks aren't bothered by DNR, those who appreciate film grain will be pretty bothered by it. Additionally, some of the more offending shorts are exacerbated by mild sharpening and contrast boosting, giving them an appearance closer to digital video than film).

Another odd defect here is that at least three shorts -- "Magical Maestro", "One Cab's Family", and "Doggone Tired" -- have digitally redone studio logos at the beginning, rather than the original ones featured elsewhere on this collection. A curious speedbump and probably not as egregious as the noise reduction, but still worth mentioning.

It's a shame, too, because otherwise this collection looks to be more or less on par with the first volume: most of these shorts are exceedingly clean with great color saturation, and thankfully uncut from start to finish. And of course, let's also remember that the majority of shorts here actually do look quite good from a grain perspective: even if they don't sparkle like Warner Archive's typically terrific treatment of nitrate-era source elements, they're at least somewhat filmic and still represent their best home video presentations to date. But whatever the reason for this moderate downshift in quality (rumors suggest personnel changes behind the scenes as well as less-than-desirable remasters hastily created for HBO Max, but I've leave those conversations in the forum), this rare visual misfire from the otherwise almost-bulletproof Warner Archive Collection will hopefully be, going forward, an exception rather than a rule.

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