Roderick Gauci
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2002
- Messages
- 165
I have just finished watching the 2-Disc Limited Edition of WALT DISNEY TREASURES: SILLY SYMPHONIES.
Strangely enough, the second disc gave me quite a few recurring (if slight) problems on my Pioneer DV-535K player. On several occasions the player stuck while searching for the next short, causing me to have to stop the player and reactivate the menu screen. Then at the very start of the Richard Sherman supplement, the picture froze and broke up into pixels. Once again, I had to stop the player and restart the interview. Luckily, everything went smoothly the second time around. Although I won’t be returning my set as faulty, I would still like to know if anybody of you encountered similar problems with your copies and if these “deficiencies” effect the MICKEY MOUSE set as well.
Actually, the only other time in which a disc of mine froze and pixilated was during the playback of most of VCI’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, but that was due (as I later found out) to player incompatibility. I have since been supplied with a new corrected pressing of this superb disc by VCI’s President himself!
Although I am an admirer of classic animated movies, this is the first time that I have ordered any animated shorts on home video. This I did after I read the heaps of praise which were accorded to this and the MICKEY MOUSE IN LIVING COLOR set on this and other online forums.
Actually I had also ordered the MICKEY MOUSE set along with the SILLY SYMPHONIES one, but my supplier later told me he would not be able to get hold of a copy for me. Fortunately, Amazon still has 4 in stock and in fact I ordered it from them yesterday!
To be honest, these two releases only came to my attention about a month ago. These were practically blind purchases for me (not the first as a matter of fact, but perhaps the most “adventurous”), but judging from my viewing experience of the SILLY SYMPHONIES set, I do not regret it one bit. In fact, now I am looking forward to the MICKEY MOUSE set even more!
Although I enjoyed practically all of the 37 SILLY SYMPHONIES cartoons (most of which I had never previously watched), there were some “fillers” to be sure and several of them did strike me as overly childish and corny, particularly the early black-and-white stuff (in fact, these cartoons are comparable to the ones Max and Dave Fleischer were making over at Paramount at the same time; it would be nice if we could have some of these on DVD as well). However, the very best of the bunch can be considered peaks of the art of animation and their entertainment value is undeniable. Among the highlights I would mention: THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE, THE COUNTRY COUSIN, THE FLYING MOUSE, THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS, THE OLD MILL, FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES, THE UGLY DUCKING (1939), FLOWERS AND TREES and THE SKELETON DANCE.
Also, it is interesting to note that several of these cartoons were later refashioned for other animated characters outside of the Disney studios (the Tom & Jerry/Tex Avery cartoons at MGM and the “Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes” over at Warners, in particular), which goes to show how influential they were - not to mention some of Disney’s own animated features, like FANTASIA and DUMBO.
By the way, does anybody have any idea when the next batch of WALT DISNEY TREASURES DVDs will be released? I am particularly keen on getting the MICKEY MOUSE IN BLACK AND WHITE, THE COMPLETE GOOFY and WARTIME CARTOONS sets. Have anymore specific details emerged about these sets lately? And when will Donald Duck have his own collection of shorts put out on DVD?
However, Warners would really make my day were they to release complete sets of Tex Avery, Tom & Jerry (the classic Fred Quimby period) and “Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes” cartoons on DVD!!
Strangely enough, the second disc gave me quite a few recurring (if slight) problems on my Pioneer DV-535K player. On several occasions the player stuck while searching for the next short, causing me to have to stop the player and reactivate the menu screen. Then at the very start of the Richard Sherman supplement, the picture froze and broke up into pixels. Once again, I had to stop the player and restart the interview. Luckily, everything went smoothly the second time around. Although I won’t be returning my set as faulty, I would still like to know if anybody of you encountered similar problems with your copies and if these “deficiencies” effect the MICKEY MOUSE set as well.
Actually, the only other time in which a disc of mine froze and pixilated was during the playback of most of VCI’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, but that was due (as I later found out) to player incompatibility. I have since been supplied with a new corrected pressing of this superb disc by VCI’s President himself!
Although I am an admirer of classic animated movies, this is the first time that I have ordered any animated shorts on home video. This I did after I read the heaps of praise which were accorded to this and the MICKEY MOUSE IN LIVING COLOR set on this and other online forums.
Actually I had also ordered the MICKEY MOUSE set along with the SILLY SYMPHONIES one, but my supplier later told me he would not be able to get hold of a copy for me. Fortunately, Amazon still has 4 in stock and in fact I ordered it from them yesterday!
To be honest, these two releases only came to my attention about a month ago. These were practically blind purchases for me (not the first as a matter of fact, but perhaps the most “adventurous”), but judging from my viewing experience of the SILLY SYMPHONIES set, I do not regret it one bit. In fact, now I am looking forward to the MICKEY MOUSE set even more!
Although I enjoyed practically all of the 37 SILLY SYMPHONIES cartoons (most of which I had never previously watched), there were some “fillers” to be sure and several of them did strike me as overly childish and corny, particularly the early black-and-white stuff (in fact, these cartoons are comparable to the ones Max and Dave Fleischer were making over at Paramount at the same time; it would be nice if we could have some of these on DVD as well). However, the very best of the bunch can be considered peaks of the art of animation and their entertainment value is undeniable. Among the highlights I would mention: THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE, THE COUNTRY COUSIN, THE FLYING MOUSE, THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS, THE OLD MILL, FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES, THE UGLY DUCKING (1939), FLOWERS AND TREES and THE SKELETON DANCE.
Also, it is interesting to note that several of these cartoons were later refashioned for other animated characters outside of the Disney studios (the Tom & Jerry/Tex Avery cartoons at MGM and the “Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes” over at Warners, in particular), which goes to show how influential they were - not to mention some of Disney’s own animated features, like FANTASIA and DUMBO.
By the way, does anybody have any idea when the next batch of WALT DISNEY TREASURES DVDs will be released? I am particularly keen on getting the MICKEY MOUSE IN BLACK AND WHITE, THE COMPLETE GOOFY and WARTIME CARTOONS sets. Have anymore specific details emerged about these sets lately? And when will Donald Duck have his own collection of shorts put out on DVD?
However, Warners would really make my day were they to release complete sets of Tex Avery, Tom & Jerry (the classic Fred Quimby period) and “Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes” cartoons on DVD!!
