Tex Avery toons coming from Warner Archive *

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by DetroitDoomsayer, Jan 17, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    The nitrate source elements for the MGM cartoons up to around 1952 went up in flames long ago. Judging from previous reissues on dvd the Avery shorts will need a ton of clean up work and color correction for blu-ray. The post ‘52 shorts looked nice on the previous Avery/Droopy set on dvd, and will be great looking in higher resolution.

    I assume the single disc at a time release for the Avery shorts is like the Popeye series of Technicolor blu-ray year by year reissue approach Warner has taken. Jerry Beck has spelled things out for the current trickle of cartoons from the Warner/MGM/Paramount Popeye short releases - keep buying the discs and Warner will keep issuing them, if they don’t sell well enough then the reissues on blu-ray will most likely die. Boxes like the Looney Tunes Golden Collection aren’t going to happen anytime soon (if ever) so order what you can and keep the tiny flow of cartoons alive.
     
    Mark J likes this.
  2. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I assume this is Blu-Ray only.......?
     
  3. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child Thread Starter

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    vince likes this.
  4. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    The Popeye Technicolor disc have been factory manufactured blu-rays with an option for a made-on-demand dvd. Perhaps WAC thinks they can do well enough with just a factory Pressed blu-ray Disc, or will add a pressed on demand dvd option down the road.
     
    stereoptic likes this.
  5. Antifrodis

    Antifrodis Forum Resident

    If you're referring to my observations, I wouldn't call it complaining. I was merely stating that one of the very best cartoons was left off this set. Since it's not a chronological order situation, the only way, in my mind, that it would make sense is if they're spreading out the "highlights" for future sets, as Michelle66 stated. I'd say that's a positive, if anything. Besides, I've already pre-ordered the set. I am overjoyed by this release and I've been waiting and checking for the day that we'd see something like this. However, I'm still unhappy about the premature ending of the Tom and Jerry volumes years ago, as I'm sure everyone is. I haven't purchased any animated blu-rays since and I'm unfamiliar with the practices of releases in recent years. I'm only hoping things don't turn out the way they did with Tom and Jerry, and from what I gather, they won't. Your sentiments are certainly valid, and I agree with them.
     
    mBen989 likes this.
  6. bem

    bem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indianapolis
    I'm buying this. I want more Warner Brothers stuff to be released on physical media.
     
  7. entropyfan

    entropyfan Forum Resident

    You think they would just release everything at once like they did on the 90s laserdisc set.
     
  8. bem

    bem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indianapolis
    One would think so but no, releases are curated then cartoons are duplicated on another set. The Foghorn Leghorn set was incomplete. It frustrates me no end. At the same time there doesn't seem to be a big market for physical releases but I would have liked to see huge chunks of the cartoons released by either character or chronologically and just put it out there. But the moment has passed. How long since Porky Pig 101 been released and this is the first one since?
     
  9. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    The Popeye Technicolor shorts have come out through Warner Archives following the Porky 101 series test-balloon for reviving classic/full theatrical animation releases - the days of 4 disc sets (or even 2 disc sets) of classic/theatrical animation from the Warner vaults (Warner Bros/MGM/Paramount Popeye and Superman shorts) are pretty much done; unfortunately, Hanna-Barbera and Filmation's back catalogs of tv shows seems to be the only Warner controlled titles that see multi-disc set releases these days.
     
    PhantomStranger likes this.
  10. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    Great news, I love Tex.
     
  11. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

  12. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    I checked in with Jerry Beck - the shorts will look and sound better than they have in ages.
     
    g.z., cloggedmind and Trey A like this.
  13. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child Thread Starter

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
  14. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Over at Cartoon Research is a great post about the cast of voice people Tex Avery utilized at MGM:
    “Hello All You Happy Tax Payers”: Tex Avery’s Voice Stock Company |

    After reading partway through the post there was a Youtube link to an Avery short that had Warner Archive visible - click the link and you'll get a 3 minute sample of one of the restored shorts:
    “Hello All You Happy Tax Payers”: Tex Avery’s Voice Stock Company |

    There's 2 more clips from restored shorts posted, and they all look sensational compared to the prior Avery releases that used tv prints as source material. Amazon has the set listed at just under $18 (with a release date showing as a couple days after the street release date.
     
    supermd and DetroitDoomsayer like this.
  15. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    My copy came from Amazon today.
     
    longdist01 and DetroitDoomsayer like this.
  16. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child Thread Starter

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Mine is still sitting unwatched because I'm in the middle of the Monty Python's Flying Circus blu box set, and I feel like I have to finish it first. :laugh:
     
    mBen989 likes this.
  17. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Well, you can skip the last series.
     
  18. DetroitDoomsayer

    DetroitDoomsayer Forum Middle Child Thread Starter

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    Nope, Python's a fave. Series 4 ain't all class "A" material, but there are some gems. :cool:
     
  19. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    My guess is that the titles made available on this set are a function of element condition as well as the desire to save some good stuff for subsequent volumes. I know for a fact that "Blitz Wolf" has element issues. This is somewhat ironic as it was the only Tex Avery MGM cartoon that was encoded in high definition for the Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Volume 2 "Best of the Rest of Tex" bonus feature.
     
    stereoptic likes this.
  20. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    I’ve never seen a good looking version of Blitz Wolf (based on tv prints or watching discs) - that’s probably the Avery short in roughest shape. Your comment on element condition is probably driving what titles get released the soonest as far as the Avery MGM cartoons from before 1953 are concerned (those shorts’ primary source material was mostly destroyed in a fire, the later shorts’ source elements were stored elsewhere were not involved and they look fine). My copy is set to arrive today and I’ll give it a once over and report back.
     
    stereoptic likes this.
  21. supermd

    supermd Senior Member

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    My copy arrived yesterday, and I think these look great. They're a lot of fun. I'm not sure I've seen any of these before. I'm also a bit surprised I was able to accurately pick Pinto Colvig as the voice of the pitcher in the baseball short. :)

    Side question: Did Tex Avery do that cartoon of the young car who wants to be a hot rod? I always loved that short.
     
  22. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Yep...
     
    longdist01 and supermd like this.
  23. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    First three shorts look so much better than what has been broadcast over the years - fine grain is present, colors vivid when appropriate, muted when called for - so far so good...
     
    g.z. and longdist01 like this.
  24. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Well worth the wait - don't hesitate to order a copy!
     
    Jazzmonkie, g.z. and DetroitDoomsayer like this.
  25. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    Yes. Short was from 1952 and called "One Cab's Family". In 1953, he made a sequel of sorts called "Little Johnny Jet". OK, maybe not a sequel exactly, but an extrapolation of the same premise. :)
     
    supermd likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine