Tom and Jerry-Classic Collection-Volume 6 (1952)

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General		Extras
Category	Animation	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1952
Running Time	88:02 (Case: 87)
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4,5	Directed By	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Studio Distributor	Warner Home Video	Starring	Daws Butler June Foray William Denby Hanna Wes Harrison Lillian Randolph
Case	?
RPI	$19.95	Music	Scott Bradley

This DVD release contains the following Tom and Jerry cartoons of The Hanna-Barbera Era (1940 – 1958) which were produced at MGM Studios. The cartoons are in chronological order:

• The Two Mouseketeers (7:05) 15 Mar 1952 *Recipient of the Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Short Subject: Cartoons.

• Smitten Kitten (7:20) 12 Apr 1952

• Triplet Trouble (6:53) 19 Apr 1952

• Little Runaway (6:45) 14 June 1952

• Fit to Be Tied (6:38) 26 July 1952

• Push-Button Kitty (6:23) 6 Sept 1952

• Cruise Cat (6:49) 18 Oct 1952

• The Dog House (5:46) 29 Nov 1952

• The Missing Mouse (6.15) 10 Jan 1953

• Jerry and Jumbo (6:50) 21 Feb 1953

• Johann Mouse (7.36) 21 Mar 1953

• That's My Pup (7:04) 21 Apr 1953

• Just Ducky (6:34) 5 Sept 1953

Video

MGM cartoons before 1953 were produced in the standard Academy ratio of 1.37:1. From 1953 to 1956, some cartoons were produced in both 1.37:1 and 2.66:1. On this DVD all the cartoons presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 Full Frame. As expected the source material does contain film artefacts and heavy grain but as the cartoons have been encoded at an average bit rate of 5.23 Mbps the transfer is smooth with average colour definition. There is no indication of MPEG compression artefacting on this single-sided, single-layered DVD release. There is a selection of subtitle options available which appear in small white text.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

The Dolby Digital 1.0 audio track is available in a number of language options. There are no errors apparent on the soundtracks and they remain clear and audible. It is obvious that the dialogue of the character Mammy Two Shoes has been re-recorded for censorship purposes. Dialogue is limited in these animated productions; subsequently much of the comedy is reliant on the musical language of the late Scott Bradley. The composer emplaced a 20 piece orchestra to mimic and emphasise the onscreen action creating a comedic language based on both timing and originality. Unfortunately the soundtrack does not make use of surround sound but nevertheless is suitable in respect to the age of the source material.

Audio Ratings Summary

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Main Menu

Static and practical 16x9 enhanced menu featuring an image of the characters with language, subtitle and episode selection. There are no scene chapters for episodes.

    There is censorship information available for this title. Click here to read it (a new window will open). WARNING: Often these entries contain MAJOR plot spoilers.

There have been various DVD releases of Tom and Jerry cartoons in themed compilations. In terms of the “classic collection” there have been two other major releases:

R1 - Tom and Jerry: Spotlight Collection.

This 2 DISC DVD set contains a selection of 40 cartoons. Various cartoons have been omitted due to censorship, while at least three cartoons on this release have been altered in terms of dialogue and have had visual gags edited out due to being regarded as racially contentious. These cartoons are The Milky Waif, The Truce Hurts and The Little Orphan.

Extras included on this set are:

• Animation historian Jerry Beck providing a commentary on three episodes.

• A 27 minute documentary entitled How Bill and Joe met Tom and Jerry.

• A 17 minute documentary entitled Behind the tunes: the MGM orchestra.

• “Anchors Aweigh”: a dance sequence with Gene Kelly (8:11)

• “Dangerous When Wet”: swimming sequence with Esther Williams (7:46)

This NTSC set includes a English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack and English, French and Spanish subtitles.

R2 – Tom and Jerry: Complete Collector's Edition.

This 6 Disc double-sided DVD collection includes 157 Tom and Jerry cartoons out of the 161 episodes produced. The negative is that 15 episodes have had either audio changed or video edited out. The only soundtrack available is English Mono with no extras.

An excellent visual guide to the censorship implications can be found here

R4 – Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection Volume 1-12

It seems the local release is actually the R2 DVD collection released as single-layer, single-sided DVD releases and as such the censorship still exists on the local release.

Overall, each region unfortunately has become a victim of political correctness and your preference for version will depend on whether the R1 extras are of importance to you or whether you'd rather have the majority of episodes. Also, the R2 release suggests the cartons have been digitally re-mastered but this apparently is not the case.

Tom and Jerry is released on DVD in average fashion.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall