Chuck Jones Signature Edition (1 Viewer)

[ChrisPearson]

Amazon is listing the following Chuck Jones made-for-TV specials for release on 25 January:

1/25 Rikki Tikki Tavi (Lionsgate) + Yankee Doodle Cricket
1/25 The White Seal (Lionsgate) + A Cricket in Times Square
1/25 Mowgli’s Brothers (Lionsgate) + A Very Merry Cricket

Each disc is 60 mins and around $10. I haven't seen any discussion of these anywhere (they're not even listed at dvdtoons.com) and don't know anything about Lionsgate, the company releasing them – are they likely to be quality releases (in the presentation sense)?

 

[ChrisPearson]

Sorry, wrong forum. Mods: can you move, please?

 

[Joshua Lane]

DVDToons posted a news story about Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, but they haven't added the title to their database yet...

http://www.dvdtoons.com/news/687


I never posted a news story, but did add all three titles to my database a while back...

http://www.animatedbliss.com/DVD/lis...nuary+25,+2005

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

Lion's Gate is the company that released the ALF Season 1 set. They used the syndicated versions of the episodes were missing about 2-3 minutes per episode. (There's a big thread about this fiasco, if you want more details.) So I would read some reviews of these before buying.

 

[ChrisPearson]

Joshua and Jeff, thanks to both of you. I'll definitely wait for the reviews to come in. Chris.

 

[Joshua Lane]

Your best bet (in this regard) is to see how the Amazon customers react to it. Because, honestly, you probably won't be seeing these reviewed by any major DVD site. At least not any time soon. They're minor titles aimed at kids and I don't suspect anyone is going to be getting any screeners from the studio.

 

[Stephen_L]

It may be true that these are not blockbuster titles, but these Chuck Jones directed films are superb retellings of classic children's stories. Rikki Tikki Tavi (story by Rudyard Kipling) and A Cricket in Times Square (George Selden) are both splendid and very true to their source material. Along with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", these thirty minute features are among Chuck Jones best work outside the classic Warner shorts.

 

[Ben_@]

I second that statement, and thanks for posting the info Chris. I definitely wouldn't have known about these otherwise.

 

[ChrisPearson]

Thanks, guys. I may take a chance at these as they're so cheap (just under $6 at DVDPacific). I've seen two of the cricket shows and (years ago, as a child) Rikki Tikki Tavi and agree they are among Chuck's best post-WB work, though very different. They hark back to his early WB shorts in their aim at charm rather than slapstick comedy and IMO succeed very nicely.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Hopefully this bodes well for a release of the Phantom Tollbooth. Any information on other titles in this line?

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

How do these compare both story and animation wise to Chuck's other Seuss adapted television specials and the work commissioned through DePatie-Freleng Studios? I haven't seen any of these television specials and don't remember ever hearing of them growing up, but at least 85% of my DVD collection consists of animated titles.. theatrical shorts and features -- both classics from the golden-age as well as nostalgia purchases from the mid 70's - early 80's and vintage television series released through Warners and Classic Media, along with more obscure independantly released dvd's etc. Normally, I wouldn't ever question a release with Jones' name attached, however the cover art issued which can be seen posted at Amazon is a disaster! I would just like to know if the images from the covers are at all a representation of the quality of the specials contained on disc? Were these specials aimed strictly at young kids, or would animation buffs and fans of Jones' other productions (Gay-Puree, Phantom Tollbooth, DFE Specials, etc) be able to enjoy these as well?

 

[ChrisPearson]

Marco, I haven't seen the specials you mention, but I have seen Rikki Tikki Tavi (year ago, as a child) and, more recently, A Cricket in Times Square and A Very Merry Cricket (again years ago, but as a teenager and lots of times on VHS). They're fully animated in Jones's "cute" seventies style, with many of his usual staff on board. IMO they are a lot better than his Bugs Bunny specials around the same time; Jones seemed more comfortable with "cute and charming" themes than LT-style humour as he got older and these (as far as I remember) have none of the strain and self-consciousness of many of the seventies LT revivals. They compare well to The Phantom Tollbooth IMO.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I requested screeners from LG's but I'm not sure if I'll get them. If I do receive them I'll certainly review them. I'm not familiar with these things so I'll do my best on them. If anyone wants me to look for certain things then they can let me know.

 

[Rodney]

I loved these when I was a kid! I can still hear Orson Welles voice narrating Rikki!
Does anyone know if these three are the only ones Lions Gate is releasing? Their website has no information whatsoever regarding the films.

 

[Art_AD]

Next week There is a Warner Promotion in Barnes & Noble where if you buy on of the Academy Award winning DVD's you get a sampler DVD of Academy Award winning cartoons, sO I am hoping "The Dot & The Line" will be on that. But if not there is still good news as "The Dot and the Lin" will be on the Glass Bottom Boat DVD coming in April (a fun movie that will have several interesting extra included). Now all we need it "The Bear That Wasn't", "The Phantom Tollbooth" and "The Pogo Special"

 

[ChrisPearson]

Sorry, Art, according to the back image the listing for that sampler is:

-Kighty Knight Bugs
-The Cat Concerto
-Johan Mouse
-Tweetie Pie
-Birds Anonymous
-Quiet Please
-The Milky Way

No Dot and the Line. Still, as you say, it will be with us in April.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

Though it's not the work of Chuck Jones, I'd like to see Nelvana's THE DEVIL AND DANIEL MOUSE on DVD one of these days.

 

[Jonathan_Clarke]

I'd like to see The Dot and the Line show up in a Looney Toons Golden Collection someday.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

What's "The Glass Bottom Boat"?

I had heard last year that WB was considering including the short as an extra on an upcoming Phantom Tollbooth release since they are both from the same year, director and studio, etc.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

aw crap.. Ijust looked it up an Amazon... why would WB pair this brilliant short with some second-rate Doris Day flick? I hope they find a better suited release because as much as I want to see this on DVD, I won't purchase that movie. I really hope that gets reworked...