WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

THE OSCAR-WINNING, ANIMATED CAT AND MOUSE DUO
TOM AND JERRY, RETURNS TO DVD
WITH THE RELEASE OF
TOM AND JERRY SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION VOL. 3
SEPTEMBER 11, 2007
FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO

Two-Disc Set Features 35 Classic Cartoons,
15 of which have been Re-mastered
in Their Original CinemaScope Widescreen Format

DVD To Include Bonus Material

BURBANK, CA (August 7, 2007) – The most popular and beloved cat and mouse act returns to DVD with Warner Home Video’s (WHV) release of Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3 on September 11, 2007. The highly-anticipated third and final volume of the Spotlight Collection from the Hanna-Barbera era will feature a total of 35 classic cartoons, 15 of which have been re-mastered in their original CinemaScope Widescreen formats. The two-disc set will retail for $26.99 SRP.

The never-ending chase between Tom and Jerry continues in Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol . 3. Several memorable shorts are showcased in this exciting volume. Shorts include Love That Pup, where Jerry is protected from Tom by menacing bulldog Butch. Neapolitan Mouse, where the duo travel all the way to Italy and meet Topo, an Italian mouse who gives the two a tour of Naples. Robin Hoodwinked where Jerry and Tuffy head to Sherwood Forest to help Robin Hood escape from the Sheriff’s jail. Little Runaway has Jerry discover a baby seal who’s runaway from the circus. While all sorts of bad things happen to Tom in Tennis Chumps, where his racket catches fire, he’s tangled in the net and swallows a bunch of tennis balls before he looses the match to Jerry, who wins a trophy. That’s My Mommy has Tom end up as a surrogate mom to a baby duck but not before attempting to eat the duckling several times. Volume 3 is comprised of many more endearing and delightful shorts, which will entertain viewers for hours.

From Tom and Jerry’s appearance in the Academy Award nominated short Puss Gets the Boot to their latest television series Tom and Jerry Tales, the legacy of the cat and mouse team continues to capture new audiences to this day. Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3 is the last volume of shorts from legendary animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.

“Tom and Jerry, is one of the most ingenious cartoon series ever created because of the unique way music and sound are used to convey communication between the two characters, both of whom never speak. This characteristic enabled the cartoon to gain popularity across the globe with generations of audiences who love the series to this day,” said Dorinda Marticorena, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. She added, “We are certain that both fans of great television as well as seasoned animation aficionados will embrace this delightful title as part of their DVD libraries.”

The first two volumes of Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection sold hundreds of thousands of units to date. Tom and Jerry classic shorts as well as made for video cartoons currently air on the Cartoon Network while Tom and Jerry Tales can presently be seen on the Kids WB block which is broadcast Saturday mornings on the CW.

DVD Bonus Special Features Include:

³ Cat and Mouse: The Tale of Tom and Jerry – The history of one of animation’s greatest teams – from early days to censorship controversies to award-winning glory.

³ The Karate Guard – The theatrical short released in 2005 that marked Joe Barbera’s first return as a writer, director and story board artist on the series since his and Hanna’s original cartoon shorts. This also was the last Tom and Jerry short Barbera worked on.

The Credits

Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, “Sinkin' in the Bathtub.” Since then, Warner Bros. Animation’s characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home entertainment and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studio’s rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation also oversees the creative use of, and production of animated programming based on classic animated characters from the Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics libraries. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

For more information on this and other titles distributed by Warner Home Video, visit www.whvdirect.com.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

OK dont have my check off guide close, but this should finish the HB theatrical shorts, of course they could be nice and include Texas Tom as a bonus, LOL, one this is done, here is hope that WB will either put out a Barney Bear/Screwy Squirrel set, or a Tex Avery set. what a great year for classic animation on DVD

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Why are "Mouse Cleaning" and "Casanova Cat" being left off this final volume?

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7809

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I imagine "Mouse Cleaning" is being left off because of Tom imitating Stepin Fetchit, who, although was a very funny actor, some people find him offensive because his character was unfortunately stereotyped http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon_informat..._Cleaning.html

"Casanova Cat" has a blackface routine also...
http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon_informat...anova_Cat.html

But at least we got 2 copies of "Texas Tom"!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

When will WHV produce proper sets with transfers that don't look like utter crap, do not feature edited content and revisionist audio tracks, actually include worthwhile extras and insightful commentary from people that are not actors on Mad TV, and collected in an organized and chronological fashion?

Why is it that we we've been asking for this for 4 years now (after it was initially promised to us) and yet they still will not concede??

After the CLEAR success of recent and thoughtfully packaged golden age cartoon collections (which we all KNEW were quite viable and have requested for ages) - Why does WHV remain so stubborn in this instance?

These are among the GREATEST animated short films to come out of the 1940's Hollywood studios and yet they are treated like second-rate kiddie fodder. The transfers are abysmal, they are riddled with DVNR, some shorts are interlaced, the bonus content is laughable and utterly useless next to the same recycled film segment with Fred Astaire. They are thoughtlessly compiled and in my opinion, overpriced for what they offer. And WHV's replacement discs that they promised in regards to the censorship issues which should never have existed in the first place, are completely useless as they are improperly flagged and all the cartoons are interlaced and the picture is just about unwatchable! This is the very reason the studio had proposed to set up an exchange program for the Looney Tunes sets int he first place... and yet this is what they deliver for disc replacements?? What a joke!

The bottom line is that these DVD sets are rubbish and even those who've been referred to and acted as consultant on them will and have attested this much. I want to know if and when we will finally get a proper release of the MGM Tom & Jerry cartoons on DVD?

I wouldn't pay five cents for any future volumes of these crappy Spotlight Collections!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Although, someone pointed out elsewhere that the trailer for this set ( http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Sp...&affliateid=-1 ) has clips from "Mouse Cleaning"!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

The other volumes have black face jokes. There's plenty of racist jokes that are intact on other WB DVDs. Why would (or is) Warners chicken out here?

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Superb post, MarcoBiscotti.


...says it all.

As I've said elsewhere on this forum, Warner should wrest these films away from the careless, clueless hands of its Family Division and pass them over to George Feltenstein's team, the people who gave us the Looney Tunes and Popeye sets -- you know, the cartoon collections people LIKE.

If a complete chronological set is deemed unviable, Warner could take a leaf out of Universal's book (yes, you read correctly) and issue a series of Tom and Jerry and Friends sets, along the lines of last month's highly successful Woody Woodpecker and Friends: three discs of remastered T&J shorts, in chronological order, with a selection of remastered Happy Harmonies, Barney Bear and one-shot cartoons to accompany them. Talk to Jerry Beck; he'll know what to do.

So simple, and yet we have this pathetic offering from the Family Division, who think these classic films are children's TV shows and that their audience don't have the sense to put ethnic stereotypes in historical perspective or the taste to expect decent transfers and intelligent extras.

I fear for the Tex Avery set when it finally comes out.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Absolutely impossible my friend.

Only an absolute brainless monkey could suggest that, given that these cartoons are probably tracking right behind the classic Warner Bros. (Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies) shorts in terms of popularity and familiarity.

It's just a case of WHV being stubborn and continuing to neglect these properties, despite their initial PROMISE to deliver the exact opposite of what we've been given.

These films are in horrible shape and these DVD sets are akin to any cheapo public domain cartoon set in terms of the restoration and cleanup that they haven't undergone, thought, organization and features. Not to mention the edited audio tracks which as far as I'm concerned, still have not been properly addresses with the useless replacement discs I've received. These collections are not suitable for anything but the garbage bin.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

That's a gross exaggeration. I, for one, am looking forward at least to seeing all those Cinemascope shorts in their correct ratio at last.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

That's all it's worth buying for, though. TBH I bought the recent Droopy set purely for the Cinemascope cartoons. The rest of the set was the usual unrestored, DVNR-corrupted mess. I'll be giving this one (like the previous T&J set) a very wide berth.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

As good as the rest of Warner is, the Family Division has proven itself woefully inept. Time for a good housecleaning.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I know for a fact that i have given some leeway in this matter, but now we have 2 missing cartoons, and the possibility of not getting another set afterwards, this is a problem, i do have to agree that if they would have taken the time to do these sets like Universal did Woody ( and Yes the did a good job and got it right!) i would be happier, the problem is it is being done by the family division/TV instead of where it should be.

i know that i have stated this before, what they need is a "MGM Golden Age Of Animation Collection"
all Tom and Jerry, theatricals in chronological order, dont say its impossible, they own it; unlike with the Popeye's, who they have an arrangement with

Barney Bear, Screwy Squirrels, Tex Avery one shots, Droopys all in one collection, done by the film division, with the same respect that they treat their own animation. With Bonus Feature that represent what was going on in reference to the Toons themselves. Supplements for adults if they would just let us know that the set would be out that way but would take a year fine. i would rather have it right than quick!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I have to echo most of the sentiments from above. Why can't WB handle these shorts properly? These toons are every bit as important if not moreso than the Looney Tunes, yet they are treated worse than almost anything in their entire cannon. WB goes out of their way to obtain Popeye and make masterful sets (I am not complaining about this in anyway), but they already had a treasure trove of great animation right under their fingertips. Why do they refuse to let these cartoons be handled by the film division? Certainly, nobody can look at these as being different than Looney Tunes or Popeye - can they?

I for one, will not be buying this set and am once again glad that I did not sell off my LDs.

Absolutely ridiculous!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I'd love to see the chronological MGM sets since it would mean there's no immediate double-dip on Tom & Jerry or Droopy. We get new-to-DVD cartoons right off and there will always be a mix of different series. With the exception of Droopy and Goofy, most character-centered sets are too monotonous. This is why I'm glad the Looney Tunes sets are a mixed bag and Universal's Woody Woodpecker set had a lot from other series.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I just want the damn Tom & Jerry films done right and treated with a little respect.

Surely the fans who were promised this much three/four years ago by Warner Bros. are entitled to such a request. These sets are junk and thoughtlessly thrown together without any attempt to clean up the shorts or entice buyers with any worthwhile extras deserving of such classic material. It's a damn shame and as I've mentioned already - the replacement discs that Warners sent out last year were the final slap in the face. I tossed them right into the garbage after viewing the interlaced mess of lines that appeared on my projection screen. The bottom line is that Warner Bros. is completely mishandling and mismanaging this franchise and I don't care what division they fall under - that's no excuse for throwing out poor quality products and expecting that to justify their lack of effort!

"well it's not meant for YOU... it's meant for families and children"

That's enough reason for everyone on this forum to go out of their way to NOT buy and support these releases. It's a completely shameful display imo. And I don't think I'm overreacting because of this was Casblanca or any other renowned Hollywood film of the classic studio era, you'd have Robert Harris and every other HTF mod and people with pull posting in these threads and demanding answers. But since they are cartoons, it's up to the same few of us here who feel passionately about the medium to continually voice our opinions and have them be ignored by WHV.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Can I ask, how is it known that this third volume will be censored, other than two films that might be missing. How do we know it will be riddled with DVNR (Which I'm not sure what it is since I don't have the highest end equipment as of now)

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I never said it will be censored.

I don't care about this third volume one way or the other. I wouldn't spend a dime on it.

My beef is with the entire way they've handled the series...


They promised us complete and chronological, uncut & remastered sets.

The sets (according to this latest p.r.) are not complete.

They are anything but chronological. Apart from a couple of Cinemascope shirts, not a single one of the cartoons has been remastered. They just sourced the same old subpar DVNR'd transfers that have been broadcast on Cartoon Network for the past many years.

Nor were they uncut.

The first two volumes were heavily edited. They substituted many of the original soundtracks for dubbed audio versions and a few cartoons were indeed cut & edited in places.

Than as if it made up for the crappy way they've released these films, WHV promised replacement discs (only after a year and a half of ignoring our complaints and pretending the problems didn't exist).

What did they send us?

Uncut cartoons... in even worse shape than anything originally included!

Everything on the revised discs are incorrectly flagged and the cartoons are wholly unwatchable as any onscreen motion causes line breakup and interlacing errors to register. It's a complete mess.

To top it off, WHV promised (but has yet to make good on their word) to replace a similar disc in the 2nd volume of the LTGC.

Why?

Because of the exact same mastering issues that affect their T&J replacement discs!

How stupid can you really get???

Some of the cartoons in the LT set were interlaced and looked terrible in playback. But NOTHING compared to the T&J replacements!!!

So THIS is what they send us to "fix" their initial errors! As if these sets weren't a shot of mud in the fan's eyes to begin with!

If these issues happen once, or even twice, it can be addressed and forgiven if properly dealt with. But this is an issue that's repeated time and time again. It's becoming a convention with WHV and they have shown absolutely no regard or concern for their customers and adult fans of these animated films.

The MGM Tom & Jerry films ARE the Citizen Kane of 1940's cartoon studio shorts. And WHV has not only exercised the absolute worst quality control of any company I've ever had the displeasure to witness, but absolute disrespect for it's consumers and their handling of the entire film series and release from the get go to their poor and ultimately failed attempts at reconciling the issues at hand, were not only less than satisfactory but insulting, deceitful and irreverent as well!

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Not that it isn't glaringly obvious, but this proves their viability. These animated films are among Warner Bros. most popular and best selling classic theatrical cartoon release and they are absolutely banking off the franchise!

So why not treat it with a little respect and actually give us what we want and have been asking for all these years? How's about delivering what you initially promised?


And you might as well save your money and watch them on TV because, save for a select few shorts, they are the exact same decade old transfers that you'll find broadcast as featured on these thoughtless DVD sets.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I doubt those 200,000+ who bought them even know they're edited and I doubt many of them have a problem with the picture quality. With that in mind, I'd say it's a very small group who has any issue with them.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Oh they know! I have others complain about the all too obvious censorship chop job that has been done to the T&J cartoons.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Very few people shopping in Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City or some Mom and Pop shop know that the cartoons are missing anything. Not everyone loves these shorts as much to where they'd know if a few seconds are missing or if there is one or two shorts being left off. A large portion buying these will be more upset that there are going to be black bars.

I'd be willing to bet my collection that a lot of the folks buying these sets or other cartoon sets don't even know they are theatrical movies and not something made for TV. Not everyone loves these things like we do so if there was really a major backlash at Warner then the previous two sets would have been corrected IMO.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Is that an excuse to issue substandard product, though?

I doubt many of the Wal-Mart shoppers who have bought Singin' in the Rain give a damn about AV quality, edits, DVNR etc, but that doesn't give Warner an excuse to put it out that way -- and they didn't! No, it's just old cartoons that get the shoddy treatment -- because they're kids' stuff, right?

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Ok, Never thought I would state it this way, We who love these gems are at a disadvantage, no I don’t expect it to be treated as if it were Casablanca, what I would love is if these were treated as if they were The Wizard of OZ, or Gone With The Wind, both MGM titles that Warner is so proud of, to have in their Film Library. Those both got Ultra Resolution work done on them. Because of their cinematic importance, well my question is other than Road Runner Cartoons how man WB ones work without any sound. Very few indeed, But other than Mammy Two Shoes personality, you can work your way through almost every Tom and Jerry and still get the joke. That is a rare thing, the sound is cleverly used to enhance.
If WB thinks that a complete restored, remastered, chronological collection wont sale to the masses, then maybe marketing a different way would be a better way to go with this, at least on the first one, take a clue from Universal and release it as an “exclusive” at just one outlet, they already do exclusives at best buy, so why not. Its not like it would be a secret, everyone who is waiting for this is either on here or one of the other sites that discuss this constantly.
This should be done of course by the film division, I can not stress that enough, and done as a set for the adult collector. God love Jerry Beck, and Leonard Maltin for what they are trying to do, the only true champions we have, to voice somewhat, what our opinions to the studios. Wish there was more, to push this issue. But it appears that isn’t always a true solution; Disney Treasures had it own problems.

Make it an “exclusive set” at one retailer
Make it 5 discs a set, per set (315 Classics + 13 Gene Dietch + 34 Chuck Jones) total of 362 To sets with 72 or so per set.
Restore the Toons to the best possible condition, No DVNR issues, and as much as possible use the Negative, (I know the fire causes some issues)
Make it comparable in price to Popeye
Make bonus features that are worth of the Toons themselves.
Make it right the first time, with no flubs on censorship, sound, where you need to send out replacement disk.
Lastly, All Theatrical Tom and Jerry, yes even the Ditech’s, and Jones’ need to be included.


Your own press release quote WB, Live up to it and treat them with the respect they are due.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

It's certainly not an excuse and I hope I'm not coming off like I'm saying studios should do this. However, the majority of shoppers don't go to sites like this and they don't studio anything related to the film they bought. They watch it and it goes on the shelf. I think the majority of people buying these won't know about the later shorts being 2.35:1. I also don't think they know a think about any restoration faults or even edits.

If 200,000 bought this and only 1% know they're edited, that number just isn't big enough to get a recall. Perhaps we'll get a new set in the future though.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Who cares how many people realize that WHV is dealing us junk... the fact remains, that theyre doing it. Whether people are discerning or not, is not singnificant nor does it justify the fact that Warners simply doesn't care about the products in this series that they're attaching their company name to. Nobody is talking about a recall. At this point, I'd be surprised if many of us care about these sets at all anymore... They should have been done properly from the get go. AS PROMISED. And it was promised to us. There were press releases, ads, etc. At this point, it's unfair to rightly say that WHV has taken advantage of or manipulated consumers because we are 3 Vols. in and know what to expect. But that doesn't excuse their rubbish efforts either.

There is nothing that a recall could possibly accomplish in this regard. The only acceptable saving grace would be to remaster the films to their best abilities and within reasonable budget constraints and re-release all of these cartoons, Uncut (from the start!) and in chronological order in one or two comprehensive volumes. Properly mastered without any flagging and interlacing errors and done right the first time around! The quality control dept. that sit behind these releases time and time again allowing discs to be issued with incorrect transfers and soundtracks sourced and glaring mastering errors - should be fired, plain & simple! Somebody isn't doing their job efficiently.

These cartoons need to be handed to the classic film unit to be properly treated and preserved. WHV realizes the sales potential based on the popularity of this franchise. It's right up there with Scooby-Doo and other money makers in TV distro & syndication, home video and merchendising & product marketing. The fct that we don't have a proper collection of the original films themselves though, is simply unacceptable.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

Here's a rough idea of how the entire MGM cartoon library could be split into six 4-disc volumes...

Volume One: 1934-1938 (60 cartoons)
Volume Two: 1939-1942 (56 cartoons)
Volume Three: 1943-1947 (58 cartoons)
Volume Four: 1948-1951 (60 cartoons)
Volume Five: 1952-1955 (63 cartoons)
Volume Six: 1956-1967 (75 cartoons)

One is entirely Happy Harmonies, Captain and the Kids, and Screwloose. Two has The rest of those series, plus the first Tom & Jerry cartoons and the first few Averys. Three, Four, and Five are a usual one-shot, T&J, Barney Bear, and Avery mix. Six is the last 3 years (mostly CinemaScope) plus the Deitch and Jones cartoons. Add commentaries, music-only tracks (if they exist), featurettes, the various miscelleny like clips from Anchors Aweigh, Dangerous When Wet, etc. Maybe even include bonus cartoons like some Flip the Frog and Willie Whopper one volume one, Rhapsody Rabbit to go with The Cat Concerto. Volume Six could even have The Phantom Tollbooth as a bonus disc.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

does anyone actually think T&J well get a re-release? cause I think this will be it no?

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I'm one of the few who do think that, once the "spotlight" collections are through (and this 3rd one is the last), they'll re-release the series the right way. I think they just wanted to make double-profits by doing it this way. They knew we were hungry for product, so we'd buy anything (and did), and got what we got - then got offered the replacement discs. For the thousands out there who had no idea there were replacement discs, they only had to cater to "us." They made good bank by screwing the public, and now that their throats have been slacked with plenty of water, they can re-release the whole MGM series (or just T&J again) the way it was supposed to be released in the first place.

At least, this is what I hope will happen.

I can tell that I will not invest a penny on this third installment. I still have my VCD's in storage which contain the uncut shorts both missing and included from this installment, so I'm in no hurry for them. There's only a few, and I got the majority of the shorts I wanted my son to enjoy on the second installment. I'll hold off from that point forward, until the fabled collection is realized.

Re: WHV Press Release: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Volume 3

I could be wrong but the two year gap between Volume Two and Three doesn't make it seem like Warner Brothers thinks there's that big of a market out there for Tom And Jerry. There's certainly a VERY vocal crowd that complains about every animation release but I don't think WB considers them a particularly large market (especially when a re-release isn't going to do as well as the initial release).