Tom & Jerry: Spotlight Collection announced (1 Viewer)

[Jaime_Weinman]

Yes.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

While I also would hope for a recall, at least WB is willing to do something about it which as someone else already mentioned is more than we can say for Paramount.

I'm still on the fense about this one though, as I wasn't the biggest fan of Tom and Jerry but I love animation and its history and they certainly are a large part of that.

 

[James Reader]

According to the 4th post in this thread
http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/...read.php?t=824
Warner have known for "a few weeks". Surley a recall before the street date would be in order?

 

[Christian Preischl]

Recalls apparently only happen when there's a slight error on the cover (Star Trek fans know what I'm talking about). F*&%ed-up content on the other hand seemingly does not warrant a recall.

Chris

 

[Eric Peterson]

This is very disappointing. Thank God, I didn't order this set yet and didn't sell my LD sets either.

I was planning on picking up this set tomorrow, but until I hear definitively that there will be an exchange program, my money will stay in my wallet.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I'm very disappointed. I guess I'll leave mine shrinkwrapped until I hear whether or not there is really going to be a recall or not (sounds like wishful thinking rather than fact to me).

If true, then this "mail-in exchange" sounds like a cunning plan for WB to release the politically-correct versions, advertise them as uncut, hope the general public doesn't notice (or care) and then do an exchange for the few of us to do care. That way, the majority of the people buying this set won't ever know their stuff was "edited" and won't have to (shock, horror) look at the "racial" content.

I wonder if the same thing will "accidentally" happen when/if we ever get the early cartoons with Mammy in them.

The blackflace stuff in the cartoons on this first set is very tame compared to really questionable stuff, such as those old George Pal "Jasper" Puppetoons.

 

[Mark J Crawford]

Andy: I agree with your reasoned argument regarding release policy. They could very well do that.

I'm still going to pick mine up at Target as they have a very good price for that, but like you Andy, I'm going to leave mine shrink wrapped and keep the receipt.

[sigh] I hate historical revisionism.

My DVD Collection

 

[Richard Gilmore]

So they only have to release a limited number of discs for people who specifically request them. Very suspicious that this was their plan all along. This gives them a very big CYA - projected quote: "we only issued non-politically correct discs to those who specifically asked for them."

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

I thought of this theory, but I really doubt it. I have a copy (which I rented from a store that breaks street date on rentals), and most of the prints seem to be taken from previous DVD masterings. It seems very likely to me that WB just threw the old DVD masterings onto the disc without realizing that they were cut. If they had known that these cartoons contained blackface gags, I find it very likely that they wouldn't have included them in the set in the first place, which means that ironically the screw-up is the only reason we'll be getting some of these gags.

The three CinemaScope cartoons, which I think were specially mastered for this set, look much better than most of the others. It really seems like WB tried to do this one on the cheap, and as so often, it's going to cost them more money (because now they have to do an exchange program and go back and create new DVD transfers of the three cut shorts).

 

[LorenzoL]

Has WB confirmed that they will be giving replacement discs with the uncut scenes and if they are going to be limited to a certain number?

It pains me to see that WB has screwed up this release after giving us a near flawless release for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection set. I hope this is not an example of things to come from them specially the Looney Tunes Golden Collection 2 set.

 

[Iain Jackson]

So where does this leave those of us in other countries who are intending to import the boxset? I want my episodes uncut but I'm sure that I won't be able to get the replacement disc sent all the way over to the UK.

Does anyone know if there are any plans to release this boxset in R2?

 

[James Reader]

The supplements have been passed by the BBFC with the tagline "Spotlight Collection". Odd really, Warner UK has only just finished releasing all the Tom and Jerry cartoons (bar one) to DVD!

 

[Patrick McCart]

The 2nd GC shouldn't have the problem since Warner would have a more difficult time switching masters. Except for the Turner "dubbed versions" the existing masters for most of the Looney Tunes are of extremely poor quality (just watch the "bonus" cartoons on the Warner Legends DVD's, save for the two remastered '42 cartoons).

We'll probably have to see now, though. Although, it looks like unlike the T&J cartoons, the Looney Tunes have always had uncut masters for VHS and LD. Tom & Jerry have all sorts of alternate versions made for TV distribution in the 1960's and theatrical re-issues.

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

Since WB is remastering the Looney Tunes from the original negatives, the only way they can include cut versions is if they actively cut stuff out. So I don't think we need to worry about what happened with T&J (the use of DVD masters that were already cut).

Of course, "I don't think we need to worry" are seven of the most famous last words ever, but...

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

This conspiracy theory would only hold up if the non-PC content were snipped from all of the shorts, which appears not to be the case.

Very annoying situation, though.

Regards,

 

[Nick Eden]

This is very disappointing. My set turned up today but I don't whether I will open it or return it. Very disappointing.
I got the impression that a considerable amount of work was being done on these cartoons and we could expect magnificent results. Had these cartoons been sourced from the original elements, would I be right in thinking that they would have been uncut? It seems to me by using existing masters rather than striking new ones, someone has been caught out.
It was suggested at goldenagecartoons forum, that WB should include the 3 uncut cartoons on the 2nd set. They should announce this now and I believe that this would show their determination to release all future cartoons as uncut.

 

[Chris*W]

A recall would just waste time, and then we would have to wait longer for the set to be released. WB is going to offer a exchange program, so I don't understand what everybody is complaining about. I would have loved to have been able to pick up the set completely uncut as well, but unfortunately thats not an option now, so I would rather get the set now then have to wait more time to get the set at all. I for one would not like to have another "Ed Wood" situation on our hands.

About the cartoons being sourced from the original elements; the original prints were destroyed in a fire years ago, so I guessing that they have uncut copies in their vaults. However, other people have said that the transfers on this DVD aren't as good as the Looney Tunes GC. So I guess they're relying on old copies that might have not been marked whether or not they're uncut. I'm not going to provide an excuse for laziness and incompetence, because that's what this is, plain and simple. But I'm just glad that WB is going to offer a replacement disc with the uncut cartoons. That's more than they offered with "Greatest Chases". IMHO I think some people are making a mountain out of a molehill with this problem.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I don't believe that anyone has posted anything definitive about a replacement program. Do you have new information. Everything posted to date is purely speculative unless I missed something.

 

[John Whittle]

Jerry Beck posted on his animation forum that he "couldn't talk about this yet".

I suppose that when it get sorted out, it'll be like the Kiss Me Kate "re-frame" issue and only those that return their discs will get the corrected versions.

I'm only guessing, but I doubt that WB will recall and re-issue these for this issue.

John

 

[Douglas R]

Pleased to say that "Touche Pussy Cat" is not only in anamorphic widescreen but is also in stereo. All the others, including the two other widescreen titles, are mono.