Nice to see Universal actually marketing their cartoons after ignoring their archive for so long! Jerry, that still from Abou Been Boogie looks to be an example of their restoration, no??? More please!!!!!!

At least it’s a start! And a great way to clue in the noobs at the same time!

That shot is amazing!
I share Abou Ben Boogie’s reaction in front of this DVD!

cant wait to see them all restored and released.

This is the first time someone’s touched that site in what, eight years?

I can’t wait for word on the official contents list. I’m really really hoping Andy Panda’s “Fish Fry” will be on this set.

Will my fave Swing Symphonies “Jukebox Jamboree”, “The Sliphorn King of Polaroo” and “The Hams That Couldn’t Be Cured” be on the set? Haven’t seen any Lantz cartoons since the late 70’s, this will really be a treat. (I’d like to see “Fish Fry” and “Abou Ben Boogie” again, too).

I second Del’s post, Jerry!

Please give us more screenshots!

Well, while I, personally, cannot appreciate the stills, I will say that this first WOODY WOODPECKER set is perhaps the biggest deal in toon restoration this year because the Lantz output has not been seen *ANYWHERE* for so many years, save for the Columbia House DVD’s, but that wasn’t completely restored; it was just a teaser for what we are about to receive in late July. I am *GIDDY* that Universal is opening up the vaults and the website to possible hits and comments, so fans can show their support and even see how wonderful these cartoons will look.

Columbia House’s WOODY collection gave us a hint of some of the earlier ANDY PANDA titles and I hope that we get a taste of these throughout the series and I know there will be more OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT beyond even this collection. As someone who once owned a few of those Castle Films silents on “LEGEND OF ROCK-A-BYE POINT” and an OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT and WOODY cartoon whose title I don’t recall–one was your average rabbit hunt cartoon, sort of predating the first appearance of BUGS BUNNY cartoons in which the wascally wabbit is being hunted by a slow-witted hound dog, and Woody was explaining to his younger woodpecker kin how he got a bear rug on the floor of their abode–I just can’t wait to own amazing new prints of these wonderfully twisted old cartoons, genuinely restored, no shortcuts!!

It is indeed a “DROOLER’S DELIGHT”!!

Unlike many here, I’ve never seen Abou Ben Boogie in any form except for the short except featured on Thad K’s blog. I’ve never even seen the Columbia house DVDs, and the only Woody Woodpecker cartoons I’ve seen are from the 80s VHS tapes. So seeing this DVD is going to be even more of a new experience.

It’s great to see Universal is actually going to put some effort into marketing this set. The Culhane and Lundy shorts are some of the best ever made. I can’t wait to see them restored and uncut.

Nice!!! Any word of a Popeye preview site?

Gee, I feel kind of ignorant. I’m not really steeped in animation culture. Let me see if I understand this:

Shameless imitation of John K. = bad.

Shameless imitation of Tex Avery = good.

Have I got that right? Did Tex make Abou Ben Boogie? If not, what am I missing here?

Michael Burton - I assume you are referring to the big bulging eyes and are suggesting the person responsible for this was imitating Tex Avery?
Tex Avery may well be best known for this kind of exaggeration (which he really didn’t do THAT often), but he certainly isn’t solely responsible for it.

Burton,
Culhane made “Abou Ben Boogie” as well as “The Greatest Man in Siam” and “The Barber of Seville”, three of the best animated shorts ever made. He was a great director, even if his works are not as celebrated as they should be.

I’m looking forward to this bigtime. Walter Lantz had a lot of very talented directors go thru his studio and as well large parts of his output have not been seen in years. I hung on to my VCR for a long time simply because a few titles I own have never been issued on DVD. Namely a Woody Woodpecker and UPA compliation. IF I have one issue its with the integrity of the packaging some times. I get steamed when It appears to me the artist had limited knowledge of what he is creating the package for. For example - anyone have any Idea why Wally Walrus looks so –well evil ? As I remember him he was a benevolent bumbling good hearted soul hardly as depicted on the cover. Another one that riled me was the packaging for “the Incredible Mr. Limpet” DVD. It indicated Don Knotts in a Diving Bell or submarine or something looking at his fish self underwater. This was hardly the case. Knott’s, as we all know fell of a pier and BECAME a fish so the packaging in my mind misses the point and does not hold true to or reflect the story properly. When I saw this I had visions of some art director saying “It’s something about a guy and a fish - lemme see what you can come up with “. I, like a lot of us hold animation very dear and near too my heart and I like to see it treated with respect down too and including packaging. The Disney Treasures series is a fine example of a job well done. I wish all animation was treated accordingly. Again, anyone have any idea why Wally Walrus looks so damn mad ?