In Memory Of Starling Films

[Marty26]

It's quite a shame what happened with Digiview, since they actually had some good DVD compilations. But there's one PD DVD company that will always have a special place in the hearts of cartoon fans: Starling Films (http://www.starlingfilmsdvd.com/prod/default.asp).

For those in the not know, Starling used to release PD compilations in the five to ten dollar price range, but with one notable distinction: they retitled the cartoons (so that they could copyright them as their own) and added "extra features" to them (such as "improved explosions"). Read some of the re-titles on their tapes, and see if you can spot the actual cartoons.

Here are just a couple posts pertaining to them:

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=8358&highlight=Starling

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=8695&highlight=Starling

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=8801&highlight=Starling

Unfortunately, it's not known whether the company is still in business.

[mulroz]

It's so wrong, it's almost worth reissuing

[Steve Stanch]

The nature of the little PD companies is to form, release a bunch of stuff, then fold up. A lot of little companies that manufacture a very specific thing (especially for the dollar market) work just like that... they'll be more, eventually!

[Brandon Panther]

"STOP IT NOW!!!!!!!!"
:p

[Marty26]

"STOP IT NOW!!!!!!!!"
:p

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Ham+Nite/video/x1368w_ham-nite

::Behind the curtain:: BANG!!!

[Marty26]

BTW, for those who don't want to wade through those old posts, here are screenshots of the "enhanced" cartoons they were putting out. The title cards were clearly (poorly) altered in Photoshop:

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1922&d=1169942820

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1923&d=1169942834

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1925&d=1169942870


http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1933&d=1169950158

And yep, something new has indeed been added to these cartoons:

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1932&d=1169943188

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1930&d=1169943174

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1936&d=1170001828

And who could forget the Restoration Featurette?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE4zkgND8Dc

[larriva9/11]

Not when I'm eating, please.

Now I'm having this Starlingesque nightmare of a "Hollywood Daffy" where the Abbott & Costello changerooms are changed to "JWOWW" and "Snooki" and the Ann Sheridan changeroom becomes "Megan Fox"--but Jimmy Durante remains the same...

[Marty26]

Oh yeah? Then howse about Carl W. Stalling being credited as "Carl W. Starling"? Or Rodent To Stardom being retitled "Rodent To Starling"?

[dandu]

LOL MARTY! You're a trip!
Speaking of bad trips, remember this thread I made about Starling Films?
http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=8841

[Brandon Panther]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE4zkgND8Dc
The narrator still sounds like Amanda Bynes to me.

[FishBulb]

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1923&d=1169942834

http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1925&d=1169942870


Genius! How did they ever come up with these titles?!?

And man nothing takes you back to the 40s like a Terminator pun

[Ray Pointer]

Why should we be remembering a company that distorts history and compromises the original integrity of the films? Is this what our collective interest in the "golden age" is all about? If this is supposed to be a joke, why is no one laughing? :confused:

[larriva9/11]

Catharsis.

[Ray Pointer]

Catharsis.

If your intended use of the word "catharsis" is related to a bowel movement, then this subject needs to be flushed down the toilet along with the accompanying stink.:p

[Marty26]

Why should we be remembering a company that distorts history and compromises the original integrity of the films? Is this what our collective interest in the "golden age" is all about? If this is supposed to be a joke, why is no one laughing? :confused:

Starling Films, however, did such a thorough job of it that they just HAVE to be remembered!

[Ray Pointer]

Starling Films, however, did such a thorough job of it that they just HAVE to be remembered!

That's like rewarding someone for declaring that Slavery never existed, that Native Americans were not pushed off their lands, and that the Holicost never happened.

[dandu]

That's like rewarding someone for declaring that Slavery never existed, that Native Americans were not pushed off their lands, and that the Holicost never happened.

Try using spellczech Ray. It is Holocaust. We are having a bit of fun, Ray. Please try to have a sense of humor, man. I respect you and all, but this thread is a joke. It's not like were ENCOURAGING the company to do these things.

[FishBulb]

These alternate titles are all well and good, but what I really wanna see is all the alterations to the actual cartoons they made. Are there any videos online where I can see their "creative juices" in full-flow?

[Ray Pointer]

Try using spellczech Ray. It is Holocaust. We are having a bit of fun, Ray. Please try to have a sense of humor, man. I respect you and all, but this thread is a joke. It's not like were ENCOURAGING the company to do these things.

Oh, "spellczech" as(s) if someone doesn't have a sense of humor. :p Let's try another example. This is like honoring all thos horribly done color remakes. The odd thing is that there is a generation that believes that the color remakes of LOONEY TUNES and POPEYE that you all hold dear were the way they were originally made. Someone recently had no idea of the three-dimensional effects in some of them because he only knew of the color remakes. In other cases, people judged the animation and use of color as poor based on these as well.

While companies like Starling and Genius have not done this, their altering of original titles is just as much of a distortion of history and the original integrity of the cartoons. I's not funny if an unsuspecting public thinks these are the real things. I realize how rediculous it is, but it's so funny, I forget to laugh about it.

[larriva9/11]

That's like rewarding someone for declaring that Slavery never existed, that Native Americans were not pushed off their lands, and that the Holicost never happened.

Though if you take that opposite reflex too far, then we get back to the issue of censoring obsolete depictions of darkies, Injuns, Japs. And as I've declared, there's a certain lump-in-the-throat ugly-archaism "enjoyment" one may get from "Tokio Jokio" now that wouldn't have existed in the first place.

[Ray Pointer]

Though if you take that opposite reflex too far, then we get back to the issue of censoring obsolete depictions of darkies, Injuns, Japs. And as I've declared, there's a certain lump-in-the-throat ugly-archaism "enjoyment" one may get from "Tokio Jokio" now that wouldn't have existed in the first place.

Not showing films with these depictions is yet another form of denial, a wish to assume that the events influencing them never happened. We can agree that hiding these films does not compensate for what happened in the past. And while we should have progressed socially, such films now take on a new meaning that makes them worth seeing within an historical context.

While this could get to be too serious, one can only wonder why at this point in time when we are supposed to be more worldly aware and "politically correct" conscious that we have so much division in the world. This at a time when we have more means of communicating globally with the ability to bring people together more than ever before.

[J. B. Warner]

...So, uh, hey, how 'bout that Starling Films, huh? Pretty crazy, am I right?

[dandu]

...So, uh, hey, how 'bout that Starling Films, huh? Pretty crazy, am I right?

Boy, that Wabbit's Wacky!

[dandu]

This video has the strangest edits.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1368w_ham-nite

[nickramer]

That video is already linked on post 9.

[Marty26]

The Starling-ized Unruly Hare (retitled Wailroad Wabbit) and Floor Flusher (retitled Popeye The Plumber Man) were once posted here, but they've been removed from Youtube. Clips from "Popeye The Plumber Man" can be seen on the Restoration Featurette.

Too bad, because the Unruly Hare edits were actually pretty funny. Including the way Starling (for whatever reason) replaced Bugs's "P-U" sign with "Boo."

[Ray Pointer]

Too bad, because the Unruly Hare edits were actually pretty funny. Including the way Starling (for whatever reason) replaced Bugs's "P-U" sign with "Boo."

While I'd have to see it to appreciate the humor of changing the sign, why do you suppose they did that other than to show that they could?

[BloodyChamp]

I have a feeling that this goofy Starling stuff is going to end up under the cult classic label. It won't to me, but you know how diverse and twisted people get..........

[dandu]

Stop it now!

[Marty26]

While I'd have to see it to appreciate the humor of changing the sign, why do you suppose they did that other than to show that they could?

May be they thought "P-U" seemed impolite? :rolleyes:

[Ray Pointer]

May be they thought "P-U" seemed impolite? :rolleyes:

EEEHHHHH! (The Wrong Answer Buzzer said.) Try again.:p

[Marty26]

I was being sarcastic. ;)

[Ray Pointer]

Sarcasm doesn't count as an answer in this quiz!:p

[Marty26]

Sarcasm doesn't count as an answer in this quiz!:p

No Fair!

[Marty26]

Wait, does there exist a PD company called "Genius"?

[Ray Pointer]

Is the Pope Catholic? What's the next dumb question?:p

[dandu]

Why is the DVD company named Genius? Do they release Baby Geniuses (1999)?

[Marty26]

Is the Pope Catholic? What's the next dumb question?:p

No, seriously. I've never heard of them before.

[nickramer]

Wait, does there exist a PD company called "Genius"?
It used to be a public domain company, but not anymore.

[Ray Pointer]

What's the title of this thread, people?

[dandu]

What's the title of this thread, people?

Lemon curry?

[Studio Toledo]

Please close this thread, I had enough!

[Marty26]

So, did Genius retitle their cartoons? Are any of their videos on Amazon?

[Marty26]

Please close this thread, I had enough!

It wouldn't be so bad if Ray would lighten up a little. This thread is supposed to be a joke. It isn't as if somebody from Starling Films is reading it and thinking, "Hey, because of THIS thread, let's reopen our business!"

[dandu]

Genius did not re-title their cartoons. I do find it funny when their packages say "sound and video enhanced." Especially, when on some sets they use the most faded prints around of the Paramount cartoons.
My favorite Genius disc is "Betty Boop And Friends" with redrawn cartoons instead of the originals! :)

Anyone find any more like that?

[Marty26]

Genius did not re-title their cartoons. I do find it funny when their packages say "sound and video enhanced." Especially, when on some sets they use the most faded prints around of the Paramount cartoons.
My favorite Genius disc is "Betty Boop And Friends" with redrawn cartoons instead of the originals! :)

Anyone find any more like that?

Who was the PD company that took a redrawn cartoon, adjusted the picture so that it would be in Black And White, and then marketed it as the "B&W version"?

[FishBulb]

I think that would be most of them;) Even the very good Republic Betty Boop video set from the mid-90s did that with one or two cartoons, although to be fair that was because the existing prints were in pretty bad shape. Maybe not bad enough to make that the better option, but still there was a logic behind it.

[Ray Pointer]

It wouldn't be so bad if Ray would lighten up a little. This thread is supposed to be a joke. It isn't as if somebody from Starling Films is reading it and thinking, "Hey, because of THIS thread, let's reopen our business!"

Lighten up? Well look who's talking! As the pot said to the kettle, "You black!" But before this thread may die of its own accord, I have the possible answer to Starling's motivation for altering the titles. If you don't appreciate this, I can go elsewhere and let this thread die. Think about it.:tweety:

[dandu]

Enlighten us please, Mr Pointer.

[Ray Pointer]

Hint: Is there are copyright notice on the Starling verisons?

[ThePeterNetwork]

What's the title of this thread, people?

Lemon curry?

Good answer! Good answer!

[Marty26]

Yes, there is. Jon Cooke, in his review (linked on the first page), pointed out that the titles were realtered so that Starling Films could copyright the new versions as their own. The question is: Why would they need to do that if the cartoons are already in the public domain?

[Jon Cooke]

The question is: Why would they need to do that if the cartoons are already in the public domain?

Simple... to prevent other companies from using Starling's "restored" versions on other PD releases.

Of course, that seldom stops other shady PD outfits from doing so anyway (look how many times Bosko Video's versions of the Superman shorts or Goodtime's "stereo surround sound" Famous Popeye shorts have surfaced on other dollar bin releases).

[Marty26]

Simple... to prevent other companies from using Starling's "restored" versions on other PD releases.

Of course, that seldom stops other shady PD outfits from doing so anyway (look how many times Bosko Video's versions of the Superman shorts or Goodtime's "stereo surround sound" Famous Popeye shorts have surfaced on other dollar bin releases).

The difference being that Bosko Video actually puts out quality PD compilations and has SOME (actually, a lot of) knowledge of what they're releasing.

You know, I may actually decide to rent this DVD from Netflix just to see how awful it really is. If I do, I'll post a Cartoon-By-Cartoon rundown on this thread to describe the altered material.

[Jon Cooke]

The difference being that Bosko Video actually puts out quality PD compilations and has SOME (actually, a lot of) knowledge of what they're releasing.

I just wanted to clarify - I certainly wasn't lumping the fine folks at Bosko Video with hacks at companies like Starling and Goodtimes. I was just saying, despite their best efforts to prevent their versions of the Superman shorts from being duplicated on other (non-Bosko) DVDs (by way of windowboxing, superimposing the release year, etc.), there are still shady dollar-store PD DVD factories who have lifted them for their releases anyway.

[Ray Pointer]

Yes, there is. Jon Cooke, in his review (linked on the first page), pointed out that the titles were realtered so that Starling Films could copyright the new versions as their own. The question is: Why would they need to do that if the cartoons are already in the public domain?

You got it! They "altered" them to make them their own. They did this to qualify as a "new version copyright."

[larriva9/11]

http://18.media.tumblr.com/RaAhBBk4Ti3isek5JZWB7XzLo1_500.jpg

[dandu]

http://18.media.tumblr.com/RaAhBBk4Ti3isek5JZWB7XzLo1_500.jpg

Exactly!

[Marty26]

Well, I did it. I added Bugs Bunny: That Wacky Wabbit! to my Netflix queue. (Un)fortunately, the availability was marked "Unknown", so who knows whether it will actually come in the mail.

[Jon Cooke]

Well, I did it. I added Bugs Bunny: That Wacky Wabbit! to my Netflix queue. (Un)fortunately, the availability was marked "Unknown", so who knows whether it will actually come in the mail.

Maybe someone finally put the disc out of its misery. :p

[Marty26]

Maybe someone finally put the disc out of its misery. :p

Or may be that disc is buried deep within the far reaches of Middle Earth, just waiting for somebody to find it and unleash its evil power!

[zavkram]

I was just reading the other Starling Films thread (now closed) a few minutes ago and found Jon's older link to that hilarious "restoration trailer" that Starling Films had made.

After watching it on YouTube I found something (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvCSsB0deJ0&NR=1) that I thought was just as funny...

[Marty26]

Well, as it turns out, I'll never be able to watch this compilation. Netflix was only able to put it under my "Saved DVD's" list, meaning they either no longer carry it, or it's buried so deep within their DVD stack that to dig through and find it would take the entire US Army.

[larriva9/11]

As far as hypothetical Starling concepts go, how about a rendition of "Rabbit Hood" that substitutes a Russell Crowe clip (unauthorized, of course) for Errol Flynn...

[Bugsy-Kun]

Did anyone remember of Starling Films and their re-issues versions of old materials, seriously?

They deserve what they deserve tough. If they can't put moneys to original material in a time we need of serious reflexions to the home video's future and their medias.