Animaniacs: When? (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Porter]

I know Warner hasn't really jumped on gung-ho on the TV on DVD bandwagon thus far (at least not nearly to the extent of Fox and Paramount) but I loved these cartoons. They were incredibly smart and funny and the songs were fantastic. I'd buy it. Does anyone know a guy who knows a guy who knows the guy who would know if we can ever expect these gems in the future? I'd buy them

 

[Lynda-Marie]

Gord Lacey seems to be the guy to whom to direct the questions. Don't use his name directly for thread titles. Apparently, it creeps him out.

Wonder if there is a way we can come up with a thread title to direct inquiries to Gord and other members "In the Know", that are a little less cumbersome than "Pretty Please With Sugar On Top (Insert name here) Could You Ask One Of Your Contacts?"

 

[David Lambert]

Just asking the question without mention of Gord's name, my name, or TSoD itself will usually mean that either Gord or I will see it. We keep a very close eye on this section of the HTF, as you can imagine!


If we fail to answer, then it usually means we have nothing to say. Don't interpret that to mean "we know something but cannot say it"; we rarely if ever are keeping secrets on something (and if so it usually doesn't last long, though there are the odd exceptions like we've known for a couple of months that the theme song for Married...with Children was in jeopardy of being cut from S3; however, if we spoke too soon then last-minute negotiations would have most certainly failed and we didn't want to be the cause of THAT!).


In the case of Animaniacs, this is one of those that I would absolutely adore seeing on DVD, but if it's coming then I just don't know it. Sometimes we find out about stuff waaaay in advance, and other times we find out at the last minute. Night Court is a great example: Warner effectively kept the secret from us all along, and then last Friday we were like !!!

When I saw the word about Night Court, I was dancing around the room naked (that's a long-running joke here at HTF about my chosen form of celebration when a favorite item is announced). If word about Animaniacs came down, I would be doing a nude boogie about a half second later....


I know that Warner is VERY well aware of the public demand for Animaniacs, and related shows like Pinky & The Brain, Tiny Toons, etc. Their resistance is wearing down, and they will be bugging Speilberg and company for help putting these out before long...if they haven't already secretly started!

Keep voting for this stuff at TVShowsOnDVD and keep talking about it here. It makes a difference, I'm sure of it.

 

[Chris Bardon]

I'm guessing there's been no movement on the Animaniacs front?

I know that I'd love to see full episodes/seasons, since the show worked in sort of the same way that Monty Python's Flying Circus was more than tha sum of its sketches. Still, even a best of set, or complete collections by character would be great.

 

[Joshua Lane]

Warner seems to like creating brand collections as they've got the "Hanna Barbera Collection", "DC Comics Collection", "Looney Tunes" and "Cartoon Network" already. So, I have a feeling the same will eventually happen to Animaniacs, Tiny Toons and Pinky & the Brain. When that might happen, I don't know, but it makes sense given their marketing strategy of late.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Note to forum members: Let us band together and do everything in our power to prevent David from ever owning a webcam.

Regards,

 

[Rick P]

.. that's just wrong.... - Cleveland, Family Guy

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

What a coincidence. This thread is bumped up on the day I joined TVshowsonDVD.com just to vote for this show. I hope it's a sign.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Well, I just checked the WB transcript, and it doesn't look like there's anything more on the Animaniacs front. It came up a couple of times, but it was always sandwiched in with a whole pile of other things in a question. Kind of surprised that nobody asked about it exclusively, but I suppose people figure that they'll use their one chance to ask a question to ask what's really about a dozen of them.

Anyhow, I'm guessing that there's more news about Animaniacs on the way?

 

[LisaDoris]

The rep from WBs animation dept wasn't at the chat so much of the cartoon discussion was tabled.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I want Animaniacs and I want to buy David Lambert a webcam.

 

[David Lambert]

No you don't. Think "Captain Kirk" in the 3rd season...but worse.

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

TVShowsOnDVD.com sent me this on November 10, 2005:

 

[Paul Miller]

With them saying they are going to focus their resources on Animaniacs and Pinky & The Brain instead of putting out Quick Draw McGraw & Wally Gator, does that mean that we should expect the first or second set sooner?


Paul

 

[David Lambert]

No, Paul, I'm sure that's not it at all. My full-time, non-TSoD bill-paying job is in an environment where this sort of thing happens all the time. It probably just means that they had people assigned to the HB releases who could be useful in getting the Ani/PatB releases out on time, and in true corporate fashion they just temporarily shelved the one project so that these people could work on the other one. It's just priorities.

I must say, I see folks reading so many sinister plots into that news that it's just beyond me. Warner didn't even announce the Quick Draw or Wally sets, I just rumor'ed them. And then I un-rumor'ed them.

For all you know, I'm making up stuff just to sell newspapers. Except I don't sell anything, but you know what I mean. Having folks get this disappointed over what was non-news to begin with is the danger of what Gord and I do when we decide to post stuff based on "industry sources". This time I think everyone's going a bit 'round the bend in getting upset over the change of plans that never were meant to be made public in the first place.

My fault, my bad for posting that Quick Draw/Wally stuff in the first place.

 

[Paul Miller]

While Animaniacs & Pinky & The Brain will outsell the cLAssic HB Classic Cartoons and they were great shows, there is really a dedicated hardcore base which have enjoyed the old HB stuff and they sort of look at it as the studio favoring recent shows over the older "classic" shows people grew up on.

Even before you reported it, with the releasing of Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear, I sort of expected Quick Draw McGraw to be released this year and I think a lot of others fans did too because after Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw was one of the more memorable HB characters of the three short shows and they still market him as such in the Wacky Wobblers and other merchandise.

Paul

 

[David Lambert]

I think that those of you who are part of that dedicated hardcore base of HB fans should take into consideration the fact that there is a huge base of fans of Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, etc. which has been upset at Warner for the longest time for favoring releases of the old classic shows and ignoring the more "modern classics" that they love so much.

This argument is definately a two-lane highway! Let the fans of the recent shows have their turn to get a release, and don't forget that there ARE other HB releases that are in the works for this year (you WILL get Flintstones S5 and Scooby-Dynomutt next month, and Hong Kong Phooey is still rumored to be coming later this year, probably with at least one unknown-as-of-yet companion HB title IF Warner follows their usual pattern).

I am a fan of both the HB stuff AND of the "modern classics" (esp. Animaniacs, which I've been jonesing for a DVD release of since I got my player in '99), and frankly I think I'm in the majority group being in that position. I really don't see TOO many folks (outside of this thread and similar ones on this and other message boards, of course) who like one group and dislikes the other. They are both very, very good and worth getting on DVD. And that factor is probably not lost on the studio.

 

[John Pannozzi]

From http://forums.toonzone.net/showthrea...55#post2064955

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

Tom Minton? I was sure that Orson Welles was the inspiration for The Brain. The similarities between the two were obvious, and it seemed to be a clear hint that Welles inspired the character when his production of "War Of The Worlds" was parodied on a Pinky and the Brain episode.

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

I agree with you, David. I am a long time H-B fan and I believe every fan should have their day with their favorite shows or cartoons. Part of the problem for me is that there has been great momentum with the H-B titles being released over the last two years and I am skiddish about seeing it come to an end. In this case, it's probably an "imaginary" end, but because these characters have been so underused for the last twenty to thirty years, I am afraid that the plug will be pulled on the releases because that is what history has shown myself and other fans over the years. There were H-B videos coming out every month in the late 1980's and early 1990's until Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera and then it all came to a screeching halt.

As far as "Animaniacs" go, please bring them on. I've never watched one minute of the show, but friends of mine who have watched it absolutely love it. I think every show deserves a chance to be out on DVD. I hope it is very successful and that all the episodes will be released over the course of time. I hope that other newer WB titles are released as well. However, I also want to see the Hanna-Barbera titles continuing to show up on the store shelves as well.