Re: Warner Home Video Tom & Jerry Replacement Program (UPDATE 1/30/07 POST #134)
Hi folks,
I'm sorry that I've been out of touch here for the past week -- after reading a few things here a little while earlier, I wish I could have been here to comment -- but unfortunately my laptop was damaged and out for repair, plus we were having our house repiped.
(The Tragic Tale: One of our cats somehow managed to send the laptop flying like a frisbee, landing several feet away from it's normal resting spot where it smacked into our hardwood floor... precisely on that little power connecter which plugs into the laptop. The connector end was twisted beyond all recognition, as was the interior of the DC plug inside the laptop. Oh, and the center "plug part" broke off and went through the back of the laptop plug and into the DC board, which apparently is what shorted it out. Apple wanted $810 to repair a $50 part… for those of you with Mac, be aware that this is their new 2007 "flat fee" repair rate for any phyiscal damage, be it a broken key on the keyboard, or a damaged LCD which averages $1000+. Thankfully, Apple provided us with a little sheet of paper with three local authorized repair center that could repair my laptop for far less... actual part cost + minimal labor charge. *Whew*).
First off, as you all obviously already know, the corrected uncensored
Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection Vol. 1 replacement Disc 1 is available and shipping. I really wanted to pass on this good news last week, but obviously was unable to. The remastered discs were received at the fulfillment house on (or just before) January 29, and they began shipping out on January 31.
The first shipments are being sent out to those people who had received that initial incorrect two-disc replacement set -- i.e., you are automatically being "reserviced with the correct uncensored disc" as my contact promised,
without the need for calling in.
My replacement disc was shipped out automatically on January 31 as well, and I received it the very next day, February 1. Several other friends also received their replacements on Feb. 2 or 3, as did several folks here.
I also really wanted to let you know that the newly-shipping disc was 100% fixed, corrected, uncensored, and uncut. The previously-censored footage has been reinstated to both
The Milky Way and
The Truce Hurts, and
The Little Orphan is now featured in its original version (rather than a censorship cut, the offending material was instead re-animated). And as BrianP already stated, the remastered edition contains a new "forced" pre-show notice regarding the racial content on the disc.
I normally hate to say things like "
I told you so," but in this case I'll make a rare exception for those disbelivers out there. I'm not sure how much clearer I could have stated it, but I told you that the problem would be rectified as soon as is possible, that there was NO need to call in, and that EVERYONE would be reserviced with the correct uncensored disc as soon as it was available. These were the facts -- not assumptions -- as provided to me by someone directly in charge of resolving this issue. (Although I did have some additional information which I was asked to keep private, I was allowed to pass on some very specific information regarding this replacement-of-the-replacements program.)
* * *
Which in turn brings me to that rather strange Warner "Press Release" that circulated around to several websites and forums, including this one. I'm not sure who wrote this Press Release, or which Warner department circulated it, but the specific information regarding the replacement/exchange process is completely incorrect. The replacement/exchange process had already been determined a week prior to the writing of this "PR" -- automatic reservicing of ALL consumers, NO need to call in, NO need to return discs prior to reservicing. Further, the fulfillment house already had the discs in-stock, packaged with an explanatory letter, and ready to ship out -- THE SAME DAY this "PR" was written and circulated, which "suggested" that the discs wouldn't even be available for at least a month.
Again, I don't know who wrote that "PR," but it's recommended that you ignore the exchange process that's listed (which is completely opposite the actual process). If you did receive the initial incorrect two-disc replacement, you should automatically receive the proper uncensored Disc 1 shortly. However, if you DON'T receive your uncensored disc within a reasonable amount of time (say… by the end of the month), only then should you give them a call so they can resend it.
* * *
Personally, I find the entire progression of this
Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection Vol. 1 Replacement Program rather interesting, "from a certain point of view" that is.
I find it interesting that Warner sends out an inaccurate PR regarding the replacement-of-the-incorrect-replacement disc... yet they never bothered to announce the initial
Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection Vol. 1 Replacement Program, which officially began January 2.
I also find it interesting that I am the only one who announced the Replacement Program even existed. Frankly, it was purely by chance that, during a completely unrelated conversion, I asked the right person the right question -- "Are we ever going to see this remastered?" -- only to be told "Call the regular replacement line on Monday…" (and I thought he was just joking around with me). Needless to say, I was overjoyed at the news, and pleased that I was allowed to spread the word here on the HTF (and elsewhere) that this Replacement Program did indeed exist!
And lastly, I also find it interesting that when there is an unfortunately supply error with an incorrect disc, some people will completely ignore and/or disbelieve the specific 100% correct "insider" information on how the replacements will be handled. (Not so much here on the forum, but I got several really… ummm… peculiar emails.)
It's a weird world, folks!
* * *
But in the end, all I can really say is that I'm just very, very pleased to see this long 26-month journey come to a close, as we all finally have our two uncensored volumes of
Tom and Jerry shorts.
This will happily suffice until such a time that George Feltenstein is able to finally gain control over all the classic cartoons… and can release a complete uncut set of T&J shorts, newly transferred and fully restored.
.
..
...
Oh, and before I forget, there were some people wondering (again, a couple people here, but several more emails I received) if there were any problems with the
Tom and Jerry: Volume 2 replacement program -- i.e., was the fulfillment house sending out the "wrong discs" or somesuch. The answer is… there are NO problems with the
Tom and Jerry: Volume 2 replacement discs. The fulfillment house only has the properly remastered discs featuring the reinstated original audio tracks.
And with that, I'll be off. I wish everyone a slightly-late Happy Groundhog Day, and hope that you are enjoying (or soon will enjoy) Tom and Jerry in all their uncensored glory!
Regards to all…
