Last night I had a great time catching up with one of my favorite animated features of all time, Max Fleischer’s Gulliver’s Travels (1939). However, it was not to the newly released Koch restored version we mentioned in this post last month.

I started watching the Koch DVD (they sent me a review copy) and I must admit, for a minute or so I was delighted with the crystal clear soundtrack and the brighter picture. But right away, during the opening shipwreck sequence I could tell something was wrong. I pulled out my one-dollar public domain copy to compare — and upon examination here’s what I concluded: #1 The Koch version squeezed the original 1:66 screen ratio to a 1:85 “letterbox” picture. All the picture information is there, but flattened - all the characters are squat, fatter. #2 The Koch restoration removed frames from the animation. The characters move less fluid in the Koch version. This is particularly noticeable in any fast moving action or dancing sequences. Like the Ladd “colorization” shorts, it must have been cheaper to “clean up” less frames, and digitize the movie “on threes” (to keep sync with the soundtrack). #3 The DVNR has softened the picture, particularly blurring the elaborate background paintings.

I don’t have a perfect copy of the film to compare this “restoration” to - but I do have production stills (in black & white). These are photographs of the original cels and backgrounds, released for publicity purposes in 1939. Below (click thumbnails to see enlarged images) compare the black & white still of a cel (center, below) with a color frame (left, below) from the Koch DVD. Note how everything in the color frame is now squat and fuzzy.

If you want to see more frame grabs and the technical specs from the Koch version, head on over to DVDbeaver/HD Sensei, or get a second opinion over at The Blu-Ray Blog. Me - I’ll keep enjoying the copy I bought for a buck, and hope that someday the original neg is restored by the corporation that holds it. In the meantime, while I’m in my Gulliver mood, I’ve taken the occasion to post an excellent four page publicity story from Good Housekeeping (click thumbnails below to read). Enjoy!

The 2D animation renaissance of the 1990s began in the 1980s. Did any one movie or TV show begin it - or was it the combination of the popularity of Mighty Mouse the New Adventures (1987), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), The Little Mermaid (1989), and the introduction of The Simpsons (1987)? Some might credit the Don Bluth/Steven Spielberg An American Tail (1986) as the catalyst.

Certainly the 1979 exodus of Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, John Pomeroy and eleven others from Disney, in protest of the then-deteriorating animation department, could be considered the beginning-of-the-beginning. During the 1970s, Bluth and company - while still employed at Disney - tinkered away at nights and on weekends in a little garage in Culver City on a personal film. The goal was to learn how to make a classically animated film from scratch, and do it all by themselves without studio support.

Banjo The Woodpile Cat was that film - and it emboldened the group to break free of Disney and start making new films on their own. How successful they were, creatively, is a matter of opinion - and as for Banjo itself, no one considers it a classic but it’s always been a sweet little picture. Now Bluth has re-released Banjo on a two-disc DVD that is actually worth owning by any serious student of animation or Disney history.

In addition to a newly remastered version of the film, there is a great audio commentary track by Bluth, Goldman and Pomeroy recounting the making of the short. On the second disc is a 13-part documentary, The Story Behind Banjo, with the trio detailing their time at Disney, how they made on Banjo at night while animating The Rescuers, Pete’s Dragon and The Small One during business hours, what they learned and how it led to their departure from Disney. It’s a fascinating story. There is also a vintage TV newscast from 1980 with behind the scenes footage at Bluth’s newly independent studio, a separate on-camera “conversation” with Don and a collection of trailers for every feature and video game the Bluth studio ever worked on.

It’s a great package of material - and you can buy the DVD from Don himself off Amazon.com. Below is a excerpt from the middle of the short:

The Chuck Jones Tom & Jerry cartoons of the 1960s are a mixed bag. There are a couple of good ones (I really like The Cat Above, The Mouse Below and The Cat’s Me-Ouch for example) and a whole bunch of mediocre ones. But one thing that most agree is that the films themselves look great thanks to Maurice Noble’s layouts, Jones character designs and the first rate professionalism of his crew. MGM/UA released a laser disc boxed set of these back in the 1990s (which was marred by awful DVNR clean-up technology, which essentially ruined the cartoons one redeeming value: the animation). Now Warner Bros. is making up for that with two-disc DVD collection of digitally remastered cartoons. Tom & Jerry: Chuck Jones Collection features 34 Tom & Jerry shorts and two bonus documentaries: Peggy Stern’s Chuck Jones: Memories of A Childhood (which airs March 24th at 8pm on TCM) and an original doc, produced by our friends at New Wave Entertainment: Tom and Jerry… and Chuck. It goes on sale June 23rd.

For more information on Chuck Jones check out the new blog devoted to the director, by his grandson Craig Kausen: Chuck Redux blog

(Thanks, Dave Lambert and Larry Levine)

Steve Stanchfield is back, doing the Lord’s work at Thunderbean Animation, restoring and releasing rare cartoons from the 1930s on DVD. This time it’s Uncensored Animation from the Van Beuren Studio, featuring outrageous pre-code animated cartoons from the obscure New York studio that was Max Fleischer’s biggest east-coast rival. The prints, as always, are from best available 16mm and 35mm sources. In addition to the politically incorrect Laundry Blues, and several classic Aesops Fables and Tom & Jerry cartoons, the highlight of the set (for me) is the inclusion of the only two Amos and Andy cartoons ever made, featuring the voices of the original cast (I even do an audio commentary on one of them)! Milton Knight Jr. drew the cool box art. Support the cause - buy it from Steve directly at Amazon.com.

In conjunction with the March 6th release of Watchmen, Warner Bros. is releasing (on March 24th) a direct-to-video animation of Tales of The Black Freighter. In the original Watchman graphic novel, a Black Freighter comic book story is read and weaved within the main narrative. I’m particularly excited about this project because of the two talented directors helming this adaptation — animator Mike Smith (Tank Girl, 1001 Nights) and designer/filmmaker Daniel DelPurgatorio.

(via Frames Per Second)

Though Max Fleischer’s Gulliver’s Travels in public domain and widely available on several home video formats, the film has never been digitally restored to its full potential. Unfortunetly, the company with access to the original negative and soundtrack elements is not interested in restoring it and making it available on DVD.

However, a company called KOCH Vision is releasing a “digitally restored, re-mastered and enhanced” edition on both Blu-ray and standard DVD versions on March 10th. According to their press release, the DVD will include:

…the complete 77 minute feature film, two “Gabby” cartoons edited from the film’s outtakes and a Fleischer Studios “Making of a Cartoon” documentary.

KOCH Vision attained the original 35mm film and not only restored and re-mastered the film using a state-of-the-art digital process, but also enhanced the picture to a 16×9 aspect ratio. In addition, the DVD allows for three audio options: the restored original soundtrack, enhanced stereo, and 5.1 Dolby digital surround sound. Both bonus cartoons and documentary have also been restored, making the KOCH Vision version of Gulliver’s Travels a must-own for fans of classic animation and children of all ages.

I’ll withhold judgement on whether this release is a good thing or not till I see this dvd myself… but “enhancing” the picture to a wide 16×9 screen ratio, and remixing the track for surround sound, are not my ideas of restoration. To some, this might be a desecration. And the box art, designed to resemble a Disney Platinum Edition, looks like a scam. Someone needs to revive Fleischer’s Gulliver and Mr. Bug, but until the corporation with the ability to do it correctly realizes what they own, this is all we can expect. I applaud KOCH for making an effort. Let’s hope they do justice to this long neglected classic.

Once upon a time, long before home video, the internet, and 24 hour cartoon channels - Saturday mornings were an oasis of animation. Most of it wasn’t very good, but like junk food, it was addicting. For those jonesing for another fix, Warner Home Video will be releasing two double-disc DVD sets on May 19th that collects many of classic Saturday Morning Cartoons we grew up with.

These sets feature the first DVD appearence of many well known characters - including Hanna Barbera’s Quick Draw McGraw, 60s anime Marine Boy and Filmation’s Tarzan.

The 1960s disc features:
Disc #1
TOP CAT - The Tycoon
ATOM ANT/PRECIOUS PUP/HILLBILLY BEARS
THE PETER POTAMUS SHOW (with Breezly & Sneezly, Yippee, Yappee and Yahooney)
SECRET SQUIRREL/SQUIDDLEY DIDDLY/WINSOME WITCH
THE FLINTSTONES - The Happy Household
THE PORKY PIG SHOW - Often An Orphan/Mice Follies/The Super Snooper)
THE QUICK DRAW McGRAW SHOW (with SNOOPER AND BLABBER and AUGIE DOGIE) - Dynamite Fright/Outer Space Case/Growing Growing Gone

Disc #2
THE JETSONS - Rosey The Robot
MARINE BOY - Battle To Save The World
SPACE GHOST/DINO BOY
HERCLULOIDS - The Beaked People / The Raider Apes
FRANKENSTEIN JR. AND THE IMPOSSIBLES - The Shocking Electric Monster / The Bibbler / The Spinner
THE MAGILLA GORILLA SHOW (with PUNKIN PUSS and RICOCHET RABBIT)

Bonus Materials:
THE QUCK DRAW McGRAW SHOW (with SNOOPER AND BLABBER and AUGIE DOGIE) - Dough Nutty / El Kabong Was Wrong / Gem Jam
Bonus Documentaries on QUICK DRAW McGRAW, MAGILLA GORILLA, FRANKENSTEIN JR. and THE IMPOSSIBLES.

The 1970s disc contains:

Disc #1
THE JETSONS - The Space Car
THE BATMAN TARZAN ADVENTURE HOUR
HONG KONG PHOONEY
GOOBER AND THE GHOST CHASERS
SPEED BUGGY
WHEELIE AND THE CHOPPER BUNCH

Disc #2
YOGI’S GANG
AMAZING CHAN AND THE CHAN CLAN
ROMAN HOLIDAYS
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS
THE NEW SCOOBY DOO MOVIES
FUNKY PHANTOM

Bonus Documentaries on THE FUNKY PHANTOM, JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS and THE CHAN CLAN.

$26.99 is the official retail price per set. Amazon has it on pre-order for $18.99.

If you are reading this blog and didn’t purchase Volume 1 of Woody Woodpecker and Friends last year… well shame on you! You still can still order it here. If cost was an issue, or if Walter Lantz cartunes aren’t your thing, I urge you to seek out this special “spotlight collection”, Woody Woodpecker Favorites (box art above center) which goes on sale March 10th, 2009.

The disc contains 15 Woody Woodpecker Cartoons (Knock Knock, Pantry Panic, The Barber of Seville, Ski for Two, Chew-Chew Baby, The Dippy Diplomat, The Loose Nut, Who’s Cookin’ Who?, Bathing Buddies, Fair Weather Fiends, Musical Moments from Chopin, Banquet Busters, Wet Blanket Policy, Sleep Happy, The Redwood Sap), plus bonus cartoons: Fish Fry with Andy Panda, Pied Piper of Basin Street a Swing Symphony, and these Tex Avery classics: The Legend of Rockabye Point (with Chilly Willy), Sh-h-h-h-h-h and Crazy Mixed Up Pup. If that isn’t enough, the disc includes two bonus episodes of The Woody Woodpecker Show: Episode #53 (Featuring Kiddie League, Charlie’s Mother-in-Law, The Bird Who Came to Dinner, Fish & Chips) and Episode #56 (Featuring Billion Dollar Boner, Coming Out Party, Romp in a Swamp, Pest of Show).

Sounds like a bargain at $19.98 (it’s going for $13.99 on Amazon.com). Now you have no excuse not to try some classic cartoon goodness from Universal Pictures.