Tom and Jerry (1940-1967): Favorite Era and episode

Interesting. If it does come get released, I may have to check that out. I'm not sure where Warner made that statement, but I did find another post about it here: http://www.80scartoons.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=25544&sid=503ac0271fd8d0911cd2a7bc76932038.

The following 2 sentences only apply if this set is actually being released:
So Warner's releasing a box set for this show, yet they still have yet to release the rest of the theatrical shorts via more Golden Collection DVD's/Blu-ray? It's great that they're releasing the 70's show, but I wanted the remastered versions of the 2 "banned" HB shorts as well as all of the Deitch shorts.

It just infuriates me that Warner would go through the trouble of making the first volume of the wonderful Golden Collection and just give up after that because a small group of people may be offended by 2 shorts with racial stereotypes that are no more "offensive" than anything else on the first volume. Gah. If that was Warner's mindset going into the project, then why did they do it to begin with? Here's the thing; these Golden Collections were intended for "the adult collector". Adults are mature and can handle racial stereotypes. If they were secretly marketing these sets to kids, then I don't think they'd care. In fact, I doubt a little kid would even know what a "blackface" gag is if they were watching a Tom and Jerry short with one. Guess what? I sure didn't know what "blackface" was when I watched T&J as a kid. Sorry if I sounded a bit preachy and ignorant right there, since I know people will not react positively to that comment. I meant absolutely no offense. If they refuse to put the 2 "banned" shorts on Vol. 2, then I can see why they cancelled the rest; seeing how everything else from the HB era is readily available with the Spotlight Collections and with the Chuck Jones era having its own box set. I'd simply buy those Spotlight Collections again, but I want everything in chronological order and don't want to constantly switch discs just to watch everything in order. Oh yeah; the Spotlight collections used the wrong Mammy voice for several episodes IIRC, which is also an issue of mine. Is there any way that we can get Warner to continue releasing the Golden Collections?

 

They were made in Czechloslovakia by folks who's animation skills were far different than those of the animators at MGM in the 40s and 50s. Add the bizarre sound effects and peculiar music and you have something that's Tom and Jerry in name, but not like what the MGM staff made. Here's a link to Gene Deitch's site:

https://web.archive.org/web/2013060...fo/Pioneering-Wireless/eMagazines/VTV/vtv.htm

 

Here's some information about why certain cartoon won't be coming out anytime soon:

http://www.intanibase.com/forum/index.php?topic=1798.msg16571#msg16571

 

I just found out that none of the Deitch episodes are on any of those Art of Tom and Jerry laserdiscs. I guess they aren't easily available because whoever at Warner is well aware that few people have even the slightest interest in the Deitch material. Somehow, I am among the few people who has any interest. I love weird and abstract things, so that may be a factor. I may just get that region 2 DVD and watch it on my computer.

 

It's a shame, I bought Volume one on blu and was really amazed with the quality, the chronological order and entire package. I thought the disclaimer they used at the beginning was adequate and honestly, how could anyone have been duped when buying it? They made it clear they didn't endorse how things were over 50 years ago and they made it clear what you were getting. I'm not entirely surprised by the decision not to release Volume II, but I'm disappointed nonetheless.

 

Getting back on topic, it's the Hanna Barbera content I'm by far the most familiar with (via syndication in the 70s & 80s). I'm not even sure I've seen much of the later material. So my vote is with the Hanna Barbera.

 

Here's one of the intros from the 1965-1972 TV version of the shorts;

It's very neat to see that this still exists. I must say, it's really odd to hear Mel Blanc's voice in clips from the Hanna-Barbera era. It just doesn't fit IMO. But then again, this same thing happened with the 2 clip show shorts from the Chuck Jones era.

 

That whole section of the cartoon from the beginning of the song to when he starts chasing Tom for new guitar strings always cracked me up. Probably my favorite Tom & Jerry cartoon.

 

Some guy singing/acting along to the Crambone song as best he can. Don't miss the end.

 

The 13 Deitch cartoons are coming out in June.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Tom-Jerry-The-Gene-Deitch-Collection/20732

 

It's about time that these shorts are getting the proper remaster treatment. It's funny that they're receiving their own box set. Knowing that everyone really hates the Deitch shorts, I wonder who'll buy this release other than me and a bunch of collectors. I know I'll get a lot of flak for this, but I personally love the Deitch shorts. Even more than the more professional Chuck Jones material. I don't know where else to mention this, but Tom doesn't look like a cat, but rather more like a jackal most of the time in the Jones shorts

 

I'll buy it. I'd even buy a box set of the DePatie- Freleng Looney Tunes shorts with the Bill Lava soundtracks if it were offered.

 

The Dietch ones were strange even when I was a kid. They were creepy then and they are creepy now.

NY people...who showed Tom & Jerry back in the 70's and 80's? Was it WNEW or WPIX?

I have a couple of T&J's in my 35mm collection: MOUSE CLEANING, LIFE WITH TOM (a great "clip show" short), SURF-BORED CAT, and PECOS PEST (the jewel of the four). All 4 are faded stock which was typical of MGM non-Technicolor prints, but MOUSE CLEANING has the full uncut blackface ending, which is kinda cool from a collectors standpoint although obviously a little twisted here in 2015. When I watched it for the first time, my jaw dropped, because by the time I was seeing T&J on TV as a kid, the ending had obviously gone through some editing to remove the 'coal pile' gag. It was my first time seeing it. Ever.

Yeah, things were indeed different back then.

 

If you remember the ending for the TV version of Mouse Cleaning you saw as a kid, was it completely cut out, or did it use the version that Chuck Jones' animators modified?

 

I honestly couldn't tell you. I just know that I did NOT remember Tom poking his head out and speaking. I was probably not much older than ten years old, if even....

 

Nerd alert . The original Tom scream is used at least 3 times in the Jones shorts.

Love Me, Love My Mouse: This one takes some effort to hear (I had to use headphones), but it's there. It's in the scene where Jerry hurts Tom's foot to get inside his mouth. Bill Hanna's scream is only used for a split second, and Mel Blanc's scream replaces it immediately afterward.

Matinee Mouse: The easiest one to notice. Jerry takes Tom inside of a room and beats him up off-screen.

Cannery Rodent: You can hear it when cold water causes Tom to jump off of a pole.

 

Great news! I was not expecting this, I tell you for sure. Most people hate these shorts, and they might have valid reasons to feel that way. I like them, particularly High Steaks, Dicky Moe and Buddies Thicker Than Water. Some sloppy animation, it's true, but some backgrounds look truly great and it's nice to have a different approach to such legendary cartoon characters. Maybe I like these shorts because I'm not a Tom & Jerry fan, I don't know . I have these shorts in a UK release, but I'm going to buy them again, providing they are properly remastered (no DVNR, please).

 

Forgot to mention another Chuck Jones cartoon that uses a Tom scream from the HB shorts:
Puss 'n Boats: Remember the scene from Tee for Two where Jerry hits Tom's head with a golf club while he's stuck inside the hole? The scream used there is recycled twice in Puss 'n Boats when Tom's tail catches on fire near the end. There are also many instances where gasps and other miscellaneous sound effects from the HB shorts are used in a Jones T&J, but there's way too many to count.

It's really nice to see that there are some people who are showing some positive interest in the Deitch material for once. I'll say this again: the Deitch shorts make me laugh MUCH more than the Jones shorts. In fact, I recently re-watched the CJ box set (again) last week, and I didn't laugh a single time. I don't hate the Jones era (I like several individual shorts), but as a whole, it sticks out as the most different and least entertaining of the theatrical shorts IMHO. However, I'll still take Chuck's efforts over ANYTHING that came out afterwards.

 

Sorry, haters, but this incarnation of Tom & Jerry is and shall forever remain that of my liking.



Whatever anyone's feelings/thoughts about it, it is notable for being the first time Tom & Jerry were seen in animated installments made exclusively for TV.

In fact, I have dedicated a web presence devoted solely to the preservation and perpetuation of this particular incarnation:



And while an impending DVD release of a Complete Series set in August (coinciding with the show's 40th anniversary) does sound exciting, I really wouldn't hold my breath on that, as Wikipedia's not exactly a 100% reliable source for impending DVD releases. They said the exact same thing a year ago, and it hasn't happened.

However, the series premiere of The New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show (show #TJGA-1) is currently available on Disc 2 of Warner Home Video's Saturday Morning Cartoons—1970s Volume 2 DVD set, (released October 27, 2009), complete, uncut, and digitally remastered, right down to the original New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape interstitials! And "Cosmic Cat And Meteor Mouse" (#80-15) can be found on Disc 2 of Tom & Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection (released June 22, 2010).