Official Woody Woodpecker & Friends DVD Talkback Thread [Archive]

Jon Cooke

07-19-2007, 05:55 AM

Welcome to the official GAC talkback thread for The Woody Woodpecker & Friends Classic Cartoon Collection DVD set which will be released on Tuesday, July 24, 2007. All discussion and talkback relating to this DVD set may be posted here. (Please note - previous discussion threads about this set have been closed, please use this thread instead). :woody: :andy: :chilly: :rabbit:

http://store.goldenagecartoons.com/dvd/images/other/woodycover.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=B000PC1PAW/theunofficlooneyA/)

CLICK HERE TO ORDER "WOODY WOODPECKER & FRIENDS" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=B000PC1PAW/theunofficlooneyA/)

Jon Cooke

07-19-2007, 05:59 AM

Previous Woody threads:

Thad K's DVD Review (http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9563)

Screen Shots from Michael Nusair's & Duck Dodgers' Blog (http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9553)s

Screen Shots from Thad K's Blog (http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9551)

Woody DVD found early at Costco in CA (http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9580)

Amazon Woes (http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9591)

Full DVD Contents ( "http://forums.goldenagecartoons.com/showthread.php?t=9442")

CyberFox

07-19-2007, 07:10 AM

To be honest, I believe most of these fellers on this forum are seriously paranoid
They must learn to have patience when it comes to their delievery via orderin' online (Amazon.com in particular)

In order to wait for said DVD or DS/PSP game
They do not need to panic
They should do the following: Watch the Toon DVDs they already have, Watch videos on YouTube, Watch some TV and Play a Video Game or two

MF TOON

07-19-2007, 07:13 AM

Are you a Nintendo spambot?

CyberFox

07-19-2007, 07:16 AM

Are you a Nintendo spambot?
No, Not really

I love classic cartoons, I really do
but, I am also a member of the Dual Screen Radio community

The issue of you fellers being panicy over Amazon.com's shipping is getting me concened a bit

BloodyChamp

07-19-2007, 05:53 PM

http://bp1.blogger.com/_iugexeWqLbs/RpivEYxG9hI/AAAAAAAAB3k/cBE6UUL-VXQ/s1600-h/woody04.jpg

Ok...the one in the left is the CH version and the one on the right is the Universal one, right? That would be my left, like I'm in from of the computer screen, correct? I ask this absurd question because I don't how the devil that the right image is better than the left image. The right image is grainier than my oatmeal. Am I alone here? I think people just don't want to admit the terror among us.

I'm not EVEN looking to start rouble here. I wanted this set as bad as anybody but I'm very very disappointed by what I've seen so far.

MF TOON

07-19-2007, 07:30 PM

BloodyChamp

07-19-2007, 09:22 PM

If by natural you mean evident after a dumb machine sucks half of the drawing away then yeah...but as for me I'm pretty ticked about this.

MF TOON

07-19-2007, 09:55 PM

Film grain and DVNR are completely seperate things and do not relate to one another at all.

What is just as bad if not worse, is when these "dumb machines" strip down and eliminate all organic properties of the original film print and what we're left with is flat, compressed, overprocessed, dull, artifact-ridden, digitized looking, poorly mastered transfers of what once was a rich and striking 35mm reel.

There's no excuse for the DVNR process on this or any release. No argument there. It has no place in modern restoration and only serves to demonstrate the lack of capability and proficiency of the mastering technicians. However, in the screen grab you cited above, I see no evidence of the process anywhere, so it's sort of irrelevant to your outspoken issues with the above frame. At least so far as I can tell.

I'm not forgiving the DVNR. I'm just disagreeing with your asessment in comparing the above two screen captions. I maintain that the new transfer from Universal is indeed significantly improved in every regard.

As for the issues of DVNR, I'll be the first to speak out against it and dissaprove of the studio's application of the process for this and any release...

I refused to purchase the Droopy collection for this very reason alone as I would have felt like a hypocrite otherwise, and spending any ammount of money towards it would have gone against my principals of supporting only products evident of quality and diligence. However in every other regard, I think this box set (unlike the Droopy collection) fits those standards and I am just as excited and enthusiastic about it's release.

That's just my 0.02¢ though...

BloodyChamp

07-19-2007, 10:14 PM

Well then why are those grains there in one pic and not in the other? Know what those grains like, seriously? Like an unshaved female leg :scrooge:

MF TOON

07-19-2007, 10:31 PM

Nothing to do with DVNR, which I don't believe was even present in the Columbia House DVD's...

The simple answer is that they were mastered from completely seperate sources.

The CH releases being straight (unrestored) transfers from taped generation old syndicated television packages which were cut & spliced frankensteined versions of theatrical shorts, heavily edited for length and content and released in the context of television broadcast.

And the Universal set, newly mastered direct from original film elements. Hence the evidence of film grain; an intrinsic quality/property of the photographic medium.

Notice also what appears to be a completely washed out and dull looking color faded stock (video based) transfer. As compared to the reasonably restored frame on the right. In which the skin tones are more dynamic with varying shades and tones and color seperation, as opposed to the bland lackluster appearance of the CH frame. A sharper overall image resulting from original source elements.

MF TOON

07-19-2007, 11:08 PM

Two more quick points:

I am not insisting that the new transfers are breathtakingly gorgeous and landmarks in classic cartoon restoration! Without having actually watched any of the content, and judging strictly on screen caps, the impression that I get is that they're quite decent, minimal and quite satisfactory (save for the DVNR) as far as I'm concerned.

I think it's extremely difficult to accurately judge anything by a single frame capture. It doesn't offer a balanced and representational sense of context and quality of the cartoons for a myriad of obvious reasons.

BloodyChamp

07-19-2007, 11:35 PM

Jon Cooke

07-20-2007, 06:42 AM

No, Not really

I love classic cartoons, I really do
but, I am also a member of the Dual Screen Radio community

The issue of you fellers being panicy over Amazon.com's shipping is getting me concened a bit

Geez, nobody is "panicking". Calm down, buddy. :rolleyes:

I am more concerned about you spamming the board with the same message over and over. If I read that same "Have patience, play a video game" rant one more time, I'm-a hittin' the ban button. :ysam:

Duck Dodgers

07-20-2007, 07:47 AM

Nothing to do with DVNR, which I don't believe was even present in the Columbia House DVD's...

Sadly, DVNR was present and it's horrible. Luckily it can be found only in some 50s/60s cartoons, like "Flea for Two", "Salmon Yeggs" and "Freeloading Feline".
I don't remember it was used in anyone of the 30s/40s cartoons.

The Universal set is terrific but if you are the kind of fan that loves to watch the cartoons frame by frame this set can disappoint you.
Look at the following shots. The second picture come from the Univeral set. It is pretty difficult to see the details in Woody's crazy expression.
However, this set, men, contains "Abou Ben Boogie", "The Greatest Man in Siam" and "Pass the Bisuits, Mirandy" in cool copies and DVNR is a trouble only if you watch frame by frame (if you don't do this it can be spotted only by crazy fans like me and someone else here:D ;) ).

P.S.: The different size of the pics is the result of the use of two different tools to make the shots.

CyberFox

07-20-2007, 08:45 AM

Geez, nobody is "panicking". Calm down, buddy. :rolleyes:

I am more concerned about you spamming the board with the same message over and over. If I read that same "Have patience, play a video game" rant one more time, I'm-a hittin' the ban button. :ysam:

cool your jets
I won't do it again
as for the "play a video game" bit, It's one of the things this forum's community should be doing to occupy themselves with until their toon DVD gets delivered

MF TOON

07-20-2007, 09:21 AM

Duck Dodgers,

I have all of the Columbia House DVD's, I remember signing up for the video club when they were first announced and the trials and tribulations I went through to actually get them shipped!

Luckily for me, I am not a fan of the later 50's and 60's Lantz cartoons so I guess I never payed enough attention to notice the DVNR present on the discs. I'm not sure I even made it all the way through the last couple of releases actually. It's been months since I've viewed them, but I didn't recall seeing any issues of DVNR on the early volumes, so if they're present on the later 'toons, that doesn't bother me too much.

Anyways, the set looks fantastic and I can't wait 'till Tuesday!

I'll be outside my local retailer bright & early, waiting for the doors to open...

Duck Dodgers

07-20-2007, 09:37 AM

Duck Dodgers

07-20-2007, 09:42 AM

as for the "play a video game" bit, It's one of the things this forum's community should be doing to occupy themselves with until their toon DVD gets delivered

It seems as you want to grew an army of losers that live with video games and DVDs. There's something else in life. And as Jon said I don't see anyone "panicking".
I have to say that Amazon delivered my LTGC 4 MONTHS after the release. As now I suggest to try, when you have to order no more than 2-3 DVDs at the same time, DVDPacific. It works swell for me. I got the Droopy set 3 days after the release.
When you have to order something like 7-10 DVDs all at the same time, I still suggest Amazon.

MF TOON

07-20-2007, 10:00 AM

Yep, it was pretty problematic to find all the volumes.
I'm glad you got all of them.
By the way, I suggest you to watch the Doc cartoons. They are pretty good, mostly for Paul Frees voice characterization;)

The Doc toons are not bad. Some are better than others, but like all Lantz material of this period they're mostly flawed. I do enjoy some of the Maw and Paw shorts, surprisingly. I know those have garnered a bad reputation amongst classic cartoon connaisseurs, but I find at least the first few to be fairly enjoyable. And there were still a handfull of Woody cartoons into the mid-50's that I think hold up fairly well. I at least find the human character designs interesting. I prefer the more stylized one-shot shorts that were being produced during this time at the studio. Though few and far between, I think they are probably the most fun to watch of the latter days of the Lantz studio output.. at least among the myriad of second rate Alex Love and Paul Smith pairings with Woody's repellant nephews and bland western setting themes. Come the 1960's though, I pretty much lose interest in the studio. Though I'd like to see the Jack Hannah directed shorts which carry a morbid fascination. I've never seen his Lantz work, but I imagine I'm probably not missing much..

Duck Dodgers

07-20-2007, 10:30 AM

Though I'd like to see the Jack Hannah directed shorts which carry a morbid fascination. I've never seen his Lantz work, but I imagine I'm probably not missing much..

I like his Lantz cartoons. Expecially the ones with Gabby Gator.

MF TOON

07-20-2007, 11:27 AM

Oops - I take that back, I forgot about his Gabby shorts!

I guess I've seen a couple afterall considering he dir. Gabby's Diner, Southern Fried Hospitality and Voo-Doo Boo-Boo and possibly a couple more.

Can't say I'm a huge fan of these cartoons, but they're not bad and definitely have their moments. I'd welcome their inclusion on any possible follow-up sets...

Chow Hound

07-20-2007, 12:46 PM

gdX

07-20-2007, 03:40 PM

as for the "play a video game" bit, It's one of the things this forum's community should be doing to occupy themselves with until their toon DVD gets deliveredJeezizzz.

I'd rather have root canal work done.

gdX

07-20-2007, 03:48 PM

The image on the right looks 100% better than that on the left, which appears dull and murky.

Natural grain is an inherent quality of film and part of the photographic process. The colors are much more accurate and realistic and overall a more authentic representation of the original film elements.

I'll take film grain over digital artifacts any day of the week.I generally agree with all of that.

But regarding grain and these particular images... the Universal one seems so grainy I wonder if it – and/or possibly others have been taken from 16mm source prints, perhaps in the absence of a better source?

Not complaining – this is a must-have set... just wondering out loud how thoroughly the Lantz catalog has been archived over the years.

:chilly:

BloodyChamp

07-20-2007, 07:02 PM

I generally agree with all of that.

But regarding grain and these particular images... the Universal one seems so grainy I wonder if it – and/or possibly others have been taken from 16mm source prints, perhaps in the absence of a better source?

Not complaining – this is a must-have set... just wondering out loud how thoroughly the Lantz catalog has been archived over the years.

:chilly:

I actually did choose the worst looking shot I could find fwiw. Little imperfections just drive me nuts...........

Leviathan

07-20-2007, 07:15 PM

Hello, GAC. It's me, Leviathan, reporting from Caguas, Puerto Rico (home of my forefathers. Literally, since i'm typing this from the house my late grandfather built for himself decades ago).

Back on Topic, If i'm not mistaken, some of the Pre-48's on the Golden Collections (Baby Bottleneck and The Stupid Cupid in particular) were very grainy, so the Woodys being grainy wouldn't surprise me.

gilligan fanati

07-22-2007, 10:17 PM

I know the other thread is closed, but found this and just thought I would throw in another review.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2007/07/mini-dvd-review-woody-woodpecker-and.html

lonesome-lenny

07-23-2007, 02:02 PM

Just for fun, over the weekend I called a Seattle-area Costco--to see if they had put the Woody set out prematurely, as has been reported elsewhere in the country.

After 20-odd minutes of being put on hold (four times, by four different employees) I learned the following:

a) they have the Woody sets in the store
b) they're not hitting the shelves until the release date

I mentioned that other Costcos, in other cities, had put them out early. The employee clucked her tongue, in shock, and said, "we NEVER do that in the Seattle stores."

She would not quote me a price for the Woody set over the phone. I think I'll go to Best Buy tomorrow to get my set. It's a shorter trip.

Jon Cooke

07-23-2007, 02:26 PM

As of 2:20pm on 7/23, the Woody set is at #61 on Amazon's Top 100 bestselling DVDs! :woody: :andy: :chilly:

Chooch

07-23-2007, 09:10 PM

Amazon says that mine will be delivered tomorrow! ha :woody: ha :woody: ha :woody: haw :woody: ha!!

Duck Dodgers

07-24-2007, 10:14 AM

As of 2:20pm on 7/23, the Woody set is at #61 on Amazon's Top 100 bestselling DVDs! :woody: :andy: :chilly:

Now it's 60:p .
Come on, folks, do your duty! Only if sales will be good we will have a volume 2. There's more Lantz stuff that deserve a DVD release!!

Cartman

07-24-2007, 11:19 AM

I'll be picking mine up tonight. If not then, sometime this week.

Jon Cooke

07-24-2007, 11:54 AM

Now it's 60:p .
Come on, folks, do your duty! Only if sales will be good we will have a volume 2. There's more Lantz stuff that deserve a DVD release!!

It's #54 now as of 11:54am. ;) :cool:

mikematei

07-24-2007, 12:45 PM

I bought my copy today. I'm really happy with it so far. Watching these cartoons in this quality is very gratifying. I never thought I'd see lantz oswald shorts that look like this. Hope we get a volume 2. Great work to the team who put this together.

:woody:

Gossamer

07-24-2007, 03:43 PM

I got notice that it shipped yesterday.

I hope sales are strong enough that they do more sets in the near future.

May this find you happy and healthy.

Robert Reynolds
Tucson AZ

Duck Dodgers

07-24-2007, 03:52 PM

It's #54 now as of 11:54am. ;) :cool:

Still 54? Nope! 45 as now!:cool: :cool:

indy mike

07-24-2007, 04:24 PM

Picked up a copy at Best Buy for $30 - my 6 year old hasn't seen any of these and he's laughing pretty hard while watching Disc 1. His comment - "Man, he's craaaaazy!" :D

BloodyChamp

07-24-2007, 05:12 PM

Prove me wrong about my grain comments asap! Like I said, I'll gladly eat those words! In other words, I haven't got mine yet. I will sometime next week though.

JPox

07-24-2007, 05:59 PM

Got my copy today! I also had my hands on the Popeye set as well, but Future Shop wouldn't sell it to me yet because it was put out a week early. A salesperson said she would put a hold on it for me though.

I've only had a chance to watch a few cartoons, "Barber of Seville" "Knock Knock", "Hell's Heels" and "Abou Ben Boogie". They all look great so far!

A funny thing about my set though, disc 1 and 2 are labelled vice versa.
I popped in Disc 1 and was greeted with Disc 2's menu.

Gordan

07-24-2007, 06:03 PM

A funny thing about my set though, disc 1 and 2 are labelled vice versa.
I popped in Disc 1 and was greeted with Disc 2's menu.

Typical Universal boo-boo. The same thing happened to me. Disc 1 is disc 2, while disc 2 is disc 1.

I want to replace it, but I might get the same thing again.

Anyone else has mislabeled DVDs?

lonesome-lenny

07-24-2007, 06:21 PM

I hit my local Best Buy at 11:30 this morning--just in time to snag the last copy of the Woody set! "We shoulda ordered more of 'em," said the clerk who helped me find the final one they had on hand.

Thus, I guess this set is something a lot of people have been waiting for. I hope sales are as good elsewhere.

I just got done watching contents of the set from discs 1 and 2. I watched about 20 cartoons, and most of them look quite good.

I could see some visible DVNR here and there. Some of the prints are indeed grainy, worn and weak-looking. In "The Beach Nut" there is some extreme quality variance. Some shots look like they came from a 3rd generation dupe, and some look sharp as a tack.

"Pied Piper of Basin Street" has really weak color in spots. It looks pretty much like the TV syndication print I remember from 25-ish years ago.

The dozen or so Woodys I viewed look really good, with vivid colors and general sharpness. Aside from being aware of the occasional DVNR intrusion, they're pretty easy on the eyes.

A real revelation, for me, are the two 1930 Oswalds, "Hell's Heels" and "Spooks." Those are some wild cartoons. I love the sketchy, scruffy look to the backgrounds, and the outrageous, Van Beuren-esque slant to many of the gags. I hope that future volumes in this series will delve deeper into the Bill Nolan-era Oswalds.

The highlight of the set are the 16 Shamus Culhane-directed cartoons. Two of his masterpieces, "The Greatest Man In Siam" and "Pass The Biscuits, Mirandy," are worth the price of admission.

In addition to being genuinely great, well-written and funny cartoons, they have superb timing and cutting-edge animation techniques. I can finally see what happened to "the fastest man in Siam"-- in my 16mm IB Tech print, there is missing footage after he's struck by lightning. That weird "he's all burnt out" gag was unknown to me, even tho' I must have watched that cartoon 50 times or so.

I'm looking forward to taking a deeper dip into this set later tonight. My discs, by the way, are correctly labeled. Disc 1 is, indeed, Disc 1, etc.

CyberFox

07-24-2007, 06:29 PM

I pre-ordered both the Woody Woodpecker DVD and Brain Age 2
The Irony is they will be shipped to me basically sometime in August

Sean Gaffney

07-24-2007, 06:44 PM

Got my copy today. Watched Knock Knock and Woody Woodpecker. The remastering is OK. It won't be compared to the LT and Popeye sets, but the cartoons are uncut (mostly) with original titles (mostly) and are fairly clear and sharp. More to the point, they're AVAILABLE. Love the humor in KK. Everyone should get this set.

Chow Hound

07-24-2007, 07:03 PM

the cartoons are uncut (mostly)How so? What's been cut besides "Toyland Premiere"?

Nelson

07-24-2007, 07:21 PM

Just bought the Woody Woodpecker collection this morning and plan to watch the first disc right after the Mets game is over tonight and I gotta say that I like the dvd package design, as it has a 3-D look to it, as well it conmtains a very beautiful inside along with complete release dates.There are many great Lantz classics(Hell's Heels, Confidence, Fish Fry, etc, etc)on this collection and I would love to thank Universal for putting together(long overdue)such an amazing set.

I know I may start a fiery debate here, but I think this first Lantz collection may be better than all of the LTGC dvds put together, because of the "certain" selection of shorts that are featured on the collection.I'm still a little confused on why Universal released "Toyland Premiere" edited?Could it be that the studio does not have a complete print of this title?Who knows!Tomorrow, I will add my thoughts on this special collection, as I'm in toon heaven right about now.

The Best Buy store in Manhattan had only three copies left and one of the clerks said that the set has been hard to keep on shelves today.

BTW:Has any of our members who ordered the collection on Amazon, received their copy today?

Bimbo

07-24-2007, 07:32 PM

#38 on Amazon now; awesome! :woody: Mine shipped today apparantly - it'll be a long week or so before it reaches British shores, that's for sure...

J. A. Boschen

07-24-2007, 07:34 PM

I'm still a little confused on why Universal released "Toyland Premiere" edited?Could it be that the studio does not have a complete print of this title?Who knows!Tomorrow, I will add my thoughts on this special collection, as I'm in toon heaven right about now.

If you notice, Toyland Premier is a re-issue print. It is possible that the edit (if there even was any) was made when the cartoon was re-issued.

-Not to get off-topic but the whole edit could be a similar situation as to the porky Pig cartoon "Baby Bottle Neck", where part of the film was edited out before the film was released/theatrically re-issued

Sean Gaffney

07-24-2007, 07:40 PM

How so? What's been cut besides "Toyland Premiere"?

Toyland Premiere is what I meant.

Jon Cooke

07-24-2007, 08:32 PM

AcmeCoyote

07-24-2007, 09:11 PM

Just watched disc 1 and so far I am satisfied. (and yes, my discs are labelled correctly. Strange to hear that other people are having problems).

The image quality does vary quite a bit but I'm not complaining. This really is the dvd set of the year, simply because I never thought that Universal would ever let these films see the light of day.

It was great to see Oswald and it is getting me geared up for the Disney Treasures later this year.

With the good sales that people are mentioning, hopefully volume 2 is not out of the question.

Studio Toledo

07-24-2007, 10:58 PM

Much to my surprise, I got my Woody set from Amazon earlier today!!! I haven't watched any of it yet (except to check to make sure Disc 1 was indeed Disc 1 :p ) and I must say I am really impressed with the packaging! I wasn't expecting much, but it really is quite nicely put together and informative (though the use of the modern, clip art-y looking artwork is debatable). After so many sets with cheap-o packaging and overlapping discs (Harveytoons, Warner's recent Hanna-Barbera sets), this was really nice.

I am also excited to see it selling so well at Best Buy and Amazon. I hope Universal's home video dept. takes notice!
My Best Buy still had a lot of copies when I went there at around 2PM today. Couldn't help but notice how the sides of the box cover resemble a VHS cover the way the bottom has that curved-in look (pretty much also acts like one the way it took some effort to get the fold-out case out).

Still need to watch each one personally, but as some had said here before, it's no where near what has been expected of the LT or Disney efforts in the past, it has more of the look of freshly-processed 16mm prints as I put it from the screengrabs. The only thing I noticed that was a tad annoying is the windowboxing of not only the opening credits, but elsewhere there is the need for captions or other writing on the screen that uses a very thick windowbox than usual. We now live in an era where most TV sets coming out don't have the need for things to be properly matted for the cut-off ratios. Just seemed a little overdoing it on Universal's part to ensure we can still see this on a 20+ year old analog TV set.

Cartman

07-24-2007, 11:27 PM

I just picked mine up from Barnes and Noble tonight. I watched some cartoons on Disc 3, including the Woody Woodpecker special SPOOK-A-NANNY. So far, the set is great. I'm looking forward to watching the other discs sometime this week.

Tom Stathes

07-25-2007, 12:25 AM

I'm really mostly excited by everything I'm hearing...I'll be picking up the set when Popeye comes out.

Cool, it's now #38 on amazon.

Dave Mackey

07-25-2007, 08:00 AM

It seems as you want to grew an army of losers that live with video games and DVDs. There's something else in life. And as Jon said I don't see anyone "panicking".

I'm sure not panicking. I ordered Batfink, Space Ghost, Birdman, Woody and Popeye all at the same time. The first three all came a day or two after release date. Was I hacked off? No. I haven't even gotten a notification that Woody has shipped yet. Thus, I don't have my Woody yet. Am I hacked off? No. I cut my grass and went grocery shopping yesterday.

Patience, grasshoppers.

rex racer

07-25-2007, 11:30 AM

Well, got mine from Amazon on the date of release, and screened much of it last night. Overall, I'm very satisfied. The transfers look to be from HQ D1 or D2 video-tape sources, probably made in the 90's. Yes, they still show their film origins, but the color values are honest, not amped up through reprocessing. DVNR is used with a light hand, you really have to look to see it, casual viewers probably won't even notice.

We should all be very thankful of getting this collection, considering how seldom Universal does anything with their animation archives. And I have to thank Jerry Beck for the title selections. For instance, Toyland Premiere was the only commonly seen 1934-35 Cartune Classic not to appear on the Columbia House set. Now there's only "Springtime Serenade" to find, which will be tough, as it didn't circulate in the TV era. Some really elusive Swing Symphonies are here, and I'l echo Andrea's sentiments, the collection is worth it's price just to have "Abou Ben Boogie" and "The Greatest Man in Siam" from good quality masters. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" same message!!

I know not everyone will be thrilled with the Oswald cartoons, they can be an aquired taste, but "Hell's Heels" and "SPOOKS" are extremely rare to view, they were never a part of the 16mm Guild print series, made for television broadcast in the mid 1950's. "Grandma's Pet" is pretty surreal, quite imaginative actually, though Oswald is really the least interesting character in the film. Oddly the end card segment is missing. (Or was that on "the Merry Old Soul", can't remember now) But the real value is having all the prime Woody titles in their original theatrical versions, not a poorly edited TV print to be found! :)

del

Nelson

07-25-2007, 01:56 PM

Just watched the first disc(and disc one is correct)and I'm blown away by what i've seen thus far.The prints look amazing and the sound quality is excellent and I really didn't notice any(just a couple)DVNR on the set.Some of the Woody shorts I haven't seen in years, while the Oswalds were great selections for the collection.I believe the each disc runs somewhere around three hours and there's still plenty of toon watching to do tonight.I do hope that Universal/MCA home video is taking notice on how great the sales have been thus far and the collection is at 38 right now on Amazon?Great!!!!!!

I give the Woody Woodpecker Collection :woody: :woody: :woody: :woody: woodepckers!

Nelson

07-25-2007, 02:08 PM

Since 2007 is the year for Oswald and for fans that have never seen an Oswald(Disney, Winkler, Lantz)then you are in for a special treat this year.

Get ready, Oswald is making a comeback gang!:rabbit: :rabbit: :rabbit:

Jon Cooke

07-25-2007, 10:28 PM

I had a blast making my way through Disc 1 earlier today. I watched all the Woodys through "The Loan Stranger" with a couple of the misc. shorts in-between to mix things up a bit. I can't wait to watch some more in the morning. I noticed some DVNR, but it was no where near as distracting as it was on the Droopy set. The Oswald I watched looked amazing, for years I have only seen Lantz Oswalds on generations-old, blurry VHS dubs with time codes and horrid sound. They never impressed me much. I was surprised how much I enjoyed "Hells Heels". Talk about a cartoon just as insane, cartoony, and musical as the best of Flesicher's. Looking forward to watching the rest. I also watched "Hysterical High Spots in American History" which I had NEVER seen before (sadly, I didn't find it very "hysterical", but the gag with Columbus being disgusted that the movie theater he discovers wasn't showing any cartoons was pretty funny).

The early Woodys were just as funny as ever. I can't wait to dive in some more. I still can't believe this set even exists. Great job, Jerry & Universal. Bring on Volume 2!

AcmeCoyote

07-25-2007, 11:06 PM

I watched all of disc 2 tonight. This just keeps looking better! Yes, I saw a bit of DVNR on one of the Woody cartoons, but I never really notice that kind of thing unless it hits me like a sledgehammer, such as on the Droopy set. I didn't notice any on disc 1 last night, like Jon mentioned he saw. So I can say that, for me, it is not distracting or really noticeable. On to disc 3 tomorrow!

Cartman

07-25-2007, 11:13 PM

I watched some of disc two last night. It was great seeing PASS THE BISCUITS MIRANDY restored and timecode free.

Today, I watched some of Disc 1 and saw HELL'S HEELS in excellent condition, timecode free. The CARTOONLAND MYSTERIES feature was quite interesting.

J. B. Warner

07-26-2007, 12:11 AM

I haven't bought it yet, but I did go price-comparing today. My local FYE and Wal-Mart don't have it in yet, but I found it at Best Buy for $29.99. Seems like a good deal to me - I do believe I shall go back and buy it tomorrow...

MF TOON

07-26-2007, 05:33 AM

Snowpeck II

07-26-2007, 05:42 AM

Have only seen a little of the set so far, but what I've seen has been great! I can definitely overlook the DVNR for these shorts in this quality. I don't understand why so many people have had problems with mislabelled discs... mine were correct.

Greg

Gordan

07-26-2007, 07:46 AM

I just screened a few shorts yesterday evening, and like others, my Disc Two turned out to be Disc One and vice versa.

I'm not sure whehter I should bother returning the set and exchanging it for another (I'm not even certain I still have the receipt) or if I'll likely get the same problem again? I wonder if I should contact Universal directly about this?

MF TOON,

I bought the first set with wrongly labelled discs at a Best Buy store in Gatineau, QC. I exchanged it for another set at a Best Buy in Ottawa, ON. Still the same problem. Disc One is Disc Two and vice versa. I wonder if that has something to do with Canadian sets...Is there a batch code on your DVD box? Mine is 00117C.

MF TOON

07-26-2007, 07:51 AM

Same code as mine Gordan.

Picked my set up yesterday at Metro Video in downtown Mtl. I'll scan the shelves on my next visit this week, for alternate prod. codes which might indicate different pressings.

I guess it'd just be easier at this point to switch the discs & cases... but with my DVD collection nearing the thousands, it's difficult enough to keep track and organized of everything! Slightly frustrating, but not nearly as bad as some of the past quality control issues we've encountered.

:rolleyes:

Sean Gaffney

07-26-2007, 07:52 AM

My friend in British Columbia had similar problems, but mine are fine. Perhaps this is a Canada-only issue?

MF TOON

07-26-2007, 07:53 AM

Is it only Canadian consumers who've experienced this problem?

MarkTheShark

07-26-2007, 09:03 AM

I have had a chance to watch several cartoons and "spot-check" everything else, and overall I say this is a job well done! Given that Universal was reluctant to release any of their cartoons at all, this is a Class A job. The Lantz cartoons are probably more "manageable" than the Warner Bros. (given that there are over 1000 Warner Bros. cartoons) so the chronological approach to Woody makes sense...I like how other characters are spotlighted with a selection of cartooons in their own sections. I'm hoping for another volume down the road.

One thing about "Spook-A-Nanny," though. I had a compilation VHS tape from one of those collector/dealer guys that had a segment of this show in color from 16mm. (I think it was just the opening and/or closing segment, certainly not the whole show.) I note the majority of footage in the DVD version is B/W. I guess it's possibly a situation like the Bugs Bunny shows. (Sigh.) Good to see this, anyway. It's nice having the various other segments from the Woody Woodpecker show as extras...I never got any of the Columbia House releases (I tried to sign up for it but got a "rejection letter," stating that they could not approve my subscription "at this time," kind of odd because I'd gotten a couple of other series from them...I wonder if that was when they were starting to go down). Can someone clarify for me just what those Columbia House shows were? I read they were syndicated shows...that doesn't mean those "Program Exchange" ones from the late 1980s, does it? When Woody aired in Chicago in the 1970s-1980s, what I was seeing was a selection of individual cartoons mixed and matched from 16mm. But don't the CH tapes have the Lantz segments? Pardon my ignorance here...I guess what I'd really like to know is, is there more of that stuff out there?

Interesting how Lantz switched his distribution to United Artists for a couple of years there (late 1940s), yet Universal still ultimately ended up with the whole canon.

Jon Cooke

07-26-2007, 09:40 AM

Can someone clarify for me just what those Columbia House shows were? I read they were syndicated shows...that doesn't mean those "Program Exchange" ones from the late 1980s, does it? When Woody aired in Chicago in the 1970s-1980s, what I was seeing was a selection of individual cartoons mixed and matched from 16mm. But don't the CH tapes have the Lantz segments? Pardon my ignorance here...I guess what I'd really like to know is, is there more of that stuff out there?

The Columbia House set used a 1976 syndication package that had the Lantz segments ("A Moment With Water Lantz", "Woody's Newsreel") mixed with cartoons from various sources (some cartoons were unedited with full original titles, others with television titles with edits and new narration bits by Woody). It was a real grab bag, but it wasn't the Program Exchange package from the late 1980s.

Studio Toledo

07-26-2007, 11:02 PM

The Columbia House set used a 1976 syndication package that had the Lantz segments ("A Moment With Water Lantz", "Woody's Newsreel") mixed with cartoons from various sources (some cartoons were unedited with full original titles, others with television titles with edits and new narration bits by Woody). It was a real grab bag, but it wasn't the Program Exchange package from the late 1980s.
I remember the Program Exchange package vividly and would agree here too (glad I never saw the '76 package at all if that was how they treated the cartoons then).

Eugene the Jeep

07-27-2007, 01:41 AM

I'm glad they put this out, and I'm glad I have it, but this DVNR really is annoying and very noticeable in spots. It's really frustrating because there is no excuse for this. Grandma's Pet is particularly bad.

Barb Herholzer

07-27-2007, 07:55 AM

Got mine yesterday, great stuff! HELL'S HEELS is one wierd cartoon! Interesting how they put the Universal logo at the end of the cartoon. Also watched SKI FOR TWO, BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY, BORN TO PECK, the Averys, and some of the bonus stuff, among other things. The DVNR is pretty bad in some places. I guess this problem will always be present in (almost) any cartoon collection. Too bad.

sumnernor

07-27-2007, 08:33 AM

I can't comment on the Woody yet - it will be sent at the sametime as Popeye and Amazon estimates that I will get them in mid-August.

One dumb question - a number of people have stated "timecode free." What does that mean?http://www.goldenagecartoons.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

Eugene the Jeep

07-27-2007, 08:56 AM

This (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h8a5_a-lamb-in-a-jam_shortfilms) is an example of a cartoon with a time code.

Eugene the Jeep

07-27-2007, 09:05 AM

Got mine yesterday, great stuff! HELL'S HEELS is one wierd cartoon! Yeah, those early Oswalds were really good. It's too bad the series degenerated to the point that the made garbage like CONFIDENCE a few years later. :(

JPox

07-27-2007, 10:29 AM

Yeah, those early Oswalds were really good.
Yeah! I really liked those surreal black and whites! Can't wait for the Oswald set from Disney!
I am really happy with the set so far! I never really watched a whole lot of Walter Lantz growing up, so I approached these with fresh eyes. A lot of great stuff on this set! Some of those late 40's Woodys have a Warner Bros style mixed with a little Tex Avery-MGM style, I like it!
Some of those Cartune Classics are great as well. I watched "Mother Goose on the Loose" last night, I was hilariously surprised by all the innuendo in that cartoon, great stuff!

nickramer

07-27-2007, 10:30 AM

Yeah, those early Oswalds were really good. It's too bad the series degenerated to the point that the made garbage like CONFIDENCE a few years later. :(

Hey! I thought that was a great anti-Depression film.

Cartman

07-27-2007, 02:16 PM

Hey! I thought that was a great anti-Depression film.
As did I.

I actually enjoy most of the Oswald shorts up until his redesign in 1935.:rabbit:

MarkTheShark

07-27-2007, 05:03 PM

The Columbia House set used a 1976 syndication package that had the Lantz segments ("A Moment With Water Lantz", "Woody's Newsreel") mixed with cartoons from various sources (some cartoons were unedited with full original titles, others with television titles with edits and new narration bits by Woody). It was a real grab bag, but it wasn't the Program Exchange package from the late 1980s.

NBC was running a Woody Woodpecker show in 1976...about a year later, Woody showed up in syndication in the Chicago area on Channel 32. I barely remember the NBC 1976 airings...I only recall tuning in once briefly, so I have no recollection of what was in there. I wonder if that version was the basis for the CH tapes then? Weird.

sumnernor

07-27-2007, 06:42 PM

This (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h8a5_a-lamb-in-a-jam_shortfilms) is an example of a cartoon with a time code.

I can't view that on my slow , old computer. Could you please explain!

Cartman

07-27-2007, 06:59 PM

I can't view that on my slow , old computer. Could you please explain!
Here are some screenshots of cartoons with timecodes. They were put there on certain negatives of the films so the film editors could know at what point to splice the film.

http://lantz.goldenagecartoons.com/1920s/perwave05.jpg http://columbia.goldenagecartoons.com/screenshots/crow09.jpg

Jack G.

07-27-2007, 07:19 PM

I can't comment on the Woody yet - it will be sent at the sametime as Popeye and Amazon estimates that I will get them in mid-August.Same here.
But I think mine will probably show up a couple days after Popeye is released.

ThePeterNetwork

07-27-2007, 07:43 PM

lonesome-lenny

07-27-2007, 08:05 PM

GRANDMA'S PET has a really abrupt jump-cut from the end of the title sequence to the first shot in the cartoon. It also has the end titles missing. The cartoon just ***ends*** and goes to black.

Is this a flaw on my copy of the set, or has anyone else noticed these weird blips in the cartoon? It's happened twice, so I'm assuming it's what's on the disc, and not some glitch from my DVD player...

I hope to see more pre-'35 Oswalds on future Woody sets.

Bobby Bickert

07-27-2007, 09:17 PM

NBC was running a Woody Woodpecker show in 1976...about a year later, Woody showed up in syndication in the Chicago area on Channel 32. I barely remember the NBC 1976 airings...I only recall tuning in once briefly, so I have no recollection of what was in there. I wonder if that version was the basis for the CH tapes then? Weird.

I don't think they showed any Woodys earlier than the 1950's, because I never saw the earlier versions of Woody until WGN was added to our cable lineup in 1979. (The first Woody I saw on WGN was "Woody Woodpecker", which was quite a shock to me.) But for some reason I clearly remember that a clip from "Andy Panda's Victory Garden" was used in either a bumper or introduction for the NBC version, so I guess the selection may have included non-Woody cartunes earlier than the 1950's.

captchucky

07-27-2007, 10:45 PM

AcmeCoyote

07-27-2007, 11:52 PM

I watched disc 3 tonight. They all looked really great to me. I actually felt a bit sad watching the final cartoons ever directed by Tex Avery. I've seen them before but it just kind of hit me this time.

Anyway, bring on vol. 2!

Debbie

07-28-2007, 01:44 AM

It's funny, just when I think that I'm over Golden age animation, something like "The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection" shows up, and as much as I try to resist, I end up buying it. (Although unlike a lot of people here, the Popeye set will be easier for me to resist, as he's not my cup of tea. He's my brother's favorite, though.)

I just picked this set up tonight, and while I've only watched a little bit of disc one, it really is interesting watching the Woody Woodpecker shorts in chronological order, seeing Woody go from a scene stealing one-shot character to a star of his own series. Shorts like "Woody Woodpecker" and "Pantry Panic" really stand out, while films like "The Screwdriver" and "The Hollywood Matador" show the writers trying to find interesting ideas for this new character without really having a handle on who he is just yet. I also watched the short film about Walter Lantz and at least one of the Oswald shorts, "Confidence". which is quite a fascinating film for it's time. I haven't seen Woody in a long time, and it really is a lot of fun seeing these cartoons again. :woody:

Nelson

07-28-2007, 01:57 PM

Nelson

07-28-2007, 02:02 PM

What's the latest rank for the collection on Amazon?

David Gerstein

07-28-2007, 02:19 PM

GRANDMA'S PET has a really abrupt jump-cut from the end of the title sequence to the first shot in the cartoon. It also has the end titles missing.Dunno about the end titles—seemingly a modern-day blooper—but a lot of Oswalds from the period (other example: A WET KNIGHT) were really released with that jump-cut at the beginning. We just cut straight from the titles into Scene 1 of the cartoon with no fades, irises-in, or what-have-you.
The earlier Lantz Oswalds used an opening curtain, an interesting conceit.

lonesome-lenny

07-28-2007, 02:35 PM

Dunno about the end titles—seemingly a modern-day blooper—but a lot of Oswalds from the period (other example: A WET KNIGHT) were really released with that jump-cut at the beginning. We just cut straight from the titles into Scene 1 of the cartoon with no fades, irises-in, or what-have-you.
The earlier Lantz Oswalds used an opening curtain, an interesting conceit.

Thanks, David. Having seen so few of these early Lantz Oswalds, I didn't know about the jump-cut being intentional.

I love the curtain effect on the earlier ones. I'm extremely fond of both HELL'S HEELS and SPOOKS. I'd love to see more of these pre-Code Oswalds, so I hope Universal will stuff future WW sets with plenty of them.

BloodyChamp

07-28-2007, 02:47 PM

Out of all the cartoons on this set, "KING KLUNK" by far has the "weirdest" ending ever made in a cartoon, but this film could easily become a cult classic with modern day viewers.Overall, each disc is amazing and special thanks to Jerry and Universal for making this collection a reality with cartoon fans.

Weirder than "Fish Fry?" That one weird heap of stuff right there lol, even moreso in my case since I had a screwy dream about it once.

I still plan on getting my set when sometime later this week :D

Chow Hound

07-28-2007, 05:56 PM

Is this DVD going to be at Best Buy still or has it completely sold out already? I know deep down I want to get this, but I also want to get a new computer. Money has to come from somewhere. :( :scrooge:Here's somethig to think about: The prices of classic cartoon DVDs are slow to come down, if they come down at all. The prices of PCs on the other hand have always come down rather rapidly. So the longer you wait to buy a PC, you more money you save OR spend the same amount and get a better system, your choice (don't know if this holds true for Apple though). Waiting to buy the cartoon DVDs doesn't usually get you a better or cheaper DVD. If your computer is on the fritz though, you may not really have any choice.

Treadwell

07-28-2007, 09:20 PM

Here are some screenshots of cartoons with timecodes. They were put there on certain negatives of the films so the film editors could know at what point to splice the film.

Close, but they're done to video transfers on tape, not film. But you're right, they are made for reference purposes, so a producer can make notes for the editor.

Why would finished, existing cartoons be edited? Oh, come now! ;)
This could've been for a syndication package, or some other compilation.

ThePeterNetwork

07-28-2007, 09:25 PM

Well, I bought my copy. Watching Disc 1 now. I remember some of these from TV, actually, but getting to see "Knock Knock" for the first time was a treat, as is seeing the Oswald cartoons (wasn't he back with Disney though)

Still watching as I write. More thoughts later. In the meantime, here's a question that I have: In "Ski For Two", what is the song that Woody sings as he's skiing through the countryside, and what language is it?

Pietro

07-28-2007, 09:36 PM

I'm still waiting for Amazon to ship my DVD. :rolleyes:

Judging by the screen shots I've seen and the new, official Woody Woodpecker website, it looks like I won't be disappointed.

I don't even have this set yet and I already can't wait for volume 2!

-Pietro:daffy:

Jeff

07-28-2007, 10:42 PM

Alright - this thread has convinced me that I need to pick up this set. I was thinking Popeye came out today but discovered that it comes out Tuesday. This should fill in my waiting time quite nicely!

BloodyChamp

07-28-2007, 10:51 PM

The only convincing I needed was to not perform a terrorist act on Universal's offices lol for the years they didn't release this stuff lol! I can't wait for mine!

FleischerFan

07-29-2007, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by ThePeterNetwork
Is this DVD going to be at Best Buy still or has it completely sold out already? I don't know about any other area, but I purchased mine at the Fort Myers, Fla. Best Buy yesterday. It appeared to be the last copy in stock. It may have been the only copy in stock as I hadn't shopped the store this week until Saturday.

BTW, as is so typical of some of the hit-or-miss shelving decisions they make at Best Buy "Woody Woodpecker and Friends" was in the TV Show section and not in the section with the other cartoons (Just as the "Tom & Jerry Spotlight Collection" was - although the other T&J DVDs were over in the cartoon section).

lonesome-lenny

07-29-2007, 11:04 AM

Here's a question that I have: In "Ski For Two", what is the song that Woody sings as he's skiing through the countryside, and what language is it?

It's a song called "The Sleigh," according to Shamus Culhane, in his invaluable memoir, TALKING ANIMALS AND OTHER PEOPLE. Amusing story: they picked the song, in part, because it was believed to be in the public domain. As the cartoon neared completion, it was learned that the song was still under copyright.

For a moment, everyone involved contemplated putting another song in its place. But with the cartoon's razor-sharp timing, keyed to "The Sleigh" and its (I'm guessing) Russian/gibberish faux-Russian feeling, that would have been impossible to do.

Thus, Walter Lantz pulled off an effective bacon-saving ruse. He wrote the song's publishing firm with a lowball 50-dollar offer for the rights. The publishers wrote back, irate, and said they wouldn't take a penny less than 100 bucks for its use. Lantz got a bargain, and a classic cartoon was left intact.

Studio Toledo

07-29-2007, 01:33 PM

Thus, Walter Lantz pulled off an effective bacon-saving ruse. He wrote the song's publishing firm with a lowball 50-dollar offer for the rights. The publishers wrote back, irate, and said they wouldn't take a penny less than 100 bucks for its use. Lantz got a bargain, and a classic cartoon was left intact.
Only to get released on a crappy Kids Klassics VHS tape using the Castle Films retitled, "Woody Plays Santa Claus". (I'll never forget that) :D

Bugsy-Kun

07-29-2007, 04:20 PM

Chooch

07-29-2007, 05:39 PM

I got my copy today and i wonder if you had the same problem than me, but when i want to watch the disc 1 it's the disc 2 content and vice versa. Just the disc 3 look correct. Did you falling at this problem?

Yes, that problem has been reported with the Canadian pressings of the DVD.

Daffysleftfoot

07-29-2007, 06:52 PM

I got my copy today and i wonder if you had the same problem than me, but when i want to watch the disc 1 it's the disc 2 content and vice versa. Just the disc 3 look correct. Did you falling at this problem?

Yep, my copy is like that too. I paniced for a second. But when I saw that all the contents were present, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Bugsy-Kun

07-29-2007, 07:08 PM

Yes, that problem has been reported with the Canadian pressings of the DVD.

Thanks so much Chooch

lonesome-lenny

07-29-2007, 09:46 PM

Y'know, technically speaking, this set has 78 cartoons on it. The 1964 WOODY WOODPECKER SHOW Halloween special has nice color versions of UNDER THE COUNTER SPY, the Dick Lundy Andy Panda short PLAYFUL PELICAN, and then that mondo-bizarro "Spook-a-nanny" thing, with primitive latter-day versions of Andy Panda, Homer Pigeon, Cuddles, Sugarfoot, and Space Mouse... and a vague Beatles reference, to boot!

This special must mark one of the last (if not THE last) animated appearances of Andy Panda, and certainly of also-ran Homer Pigeon, who was always a bigger deal in the Dell NEW FUNNIES comic book than on the silver screen...

Der Captain

07-29-2007, 10:22 PM

Picked it up yesterday. The wife and I watched a good amount of it last night, with "Chew Chew Baby" and "Woody Dines Out" getting the biggest laughs. She was quick to observe, during "Confidence", that FDR's office was in the Capitol Building.

I can't think of any other cartoon from that time that featured an FDR caricature.

Kudos to Jerry and company for making this DVD happen, although since it contains all the best Woody's from the golden age, in addition to all four of the Tex Avery's, you have to believe that Volume Two will be a whole lot less impressive.

Chow Hound

07-30-2007, 01:46 PM

Just got mine in the mail today. I had preordered it and Amazon shipped it out on the release date. Not bad for free shipping. So far I've only watched the Avery shorts. I was a little bit disappointed with the condition of the prints (only a little), but it's great to have them at all. I guess the LTGCs and earlier WDTs have spoiled me.

MF TOON

07-30-2007, 02:01 PM

although since it contains all the best Woody's from the golden age, in addition to all four of the Tex Avery's, you have to believe that Volume Two will be a whole lot less impressive.

Not at all considering the sheer ammount of Andy Panda cartoons that are left to be released. And in my personal opinion, the early Cartune Classics and Swing Symphony series were the best films to come out of the Lantz studio, so these yet unissued films will be much welcomed in future volumes.

Lee Glover

07-30-2007, 03:38 PM

I received my set on Friday (bought it from PlayUSA.com), and my copy is the affected Canadian edition, but as it's a simple case of swapping the first two discs, it's not a huge problem. ;)

So far, I watched the first 15 Woody cartoons plus the Disc 1 bonus features. Despite them appearing to be DVNR'ed "off-the-shelf" copies, I'm still pleased to have these gems on DVD. Looking forward to seeing the Oswald cartoons and "Pass The Biscuits Mirandy" without the distracting timecodes. :rabbit:

A perfect companion to my 15 Columbia House DVD. More please Universal, and thanks! :woody:

lonesome-lenny

07-30-2007, 07:05 PM

Having watched all the early '50s Woodys on disc 3 of this set, I have some observations.

It's weird that Woody doesn't speak in most of these cartoons... in fact, in the first several from this period, there's no dialogue of significance from any of the characters.

Given that Woody was quite a chatty character in the '40s cartoons, his silence is baffling. Wasn't Lantz's wife, Grace, doing Woody's voice by this time? If so, why was this speechless version prevalent for so long?

There are some brief bursts of dialogue in the last couple of cartoons on this set, but in many cases, where the '40s Woody woulda been gabbing away, this version of the character just gestures and pantomimes.

It couldn't have been a case of the animators not being up to the task of drawing dialogue. The animation in these early '50s shorts is quite good. Don Patterson, Ray Abrams and Verne Harding were all in fine form on these cartoons.

I recalled, from watching these in syndication, some 25 years ago, that there were several "mute" Woodys from the early '50s, but I'm surprised to see how long the character remained mostly silent.

Was there some contractural problem that kept the woodpecker mostly silent in the early '50s?

Chooch

07-30-2007, 07:18 PM

Was there some contractural problem that kept the woodpecker mostly silent in the early '50s?

A marriage contract? On some days, perhaps Mrs. Lantz just "didn't feel like it." ;)

Jack G.

07-30-2007, 07:52 PM

I recalled, from watching these in syndication, some 25 years ago, that there were several "mute" Woodys from the early '50s, but I'm surprised to see how long the character remained mostly silent.One of my animation books says that Lantz made an attemt to have Woody be a patomime character during this period.
Maybe it was an attemt to keep the budget low.

Matt the Y

07-30-2007, 07:55 PM

As my understanding is, when Lantz finally re-opened his studio in the early 1950's, he had a VERY limited budget to work with so he had to do all in his power to keep costs as low as he could until he could muster up enough money with his first few new films to expand his studio and its' staff to a normal size again. Thus, it would be cheaper to make "silent" pantomine cartoons without dialogue (i.e. no money to pay to voice actors and no money to waste on dialogue tracks) so Lantz probably decided that this would be his best bet (plus, pantomine sight gags can sometimes be oh-so-funny:D ).

GarudaBoy!

07-30-2007, 08:25 PM

Got mine from Target last Tuesday. From what I can tell, the Woody shorts on Disc 1 are new transfers, Disc 2 is a hodge-podge of old and new, and Disc 3 contains all old transfers.

The bonus cartoons seem similarly mixed. Must be a budget thing.

I could complain about DVNR, contrasting, the use of the reissue version of "Banquet Busters" even though the original United Artists version was included on an earleir Woody VHS tape...but sometimes you just have to be thankful for what you do have rather than complaining about what you don't. Two years ago, I'd never have believed Universal would actually release a Woody Woodpecker DVD.

I'm step-framing through a lot of the Dick Lundy-directed cartoons. SOme great animation in there.

GarudaBoy!

07-30-2007, 08:28 PM

Thus, it would be cheaper to make "silent" pantomine cartoons without dialogue (i.e. no money to pay to voice actors and no money to waste on dialogue tracks) so Lantz probably decided that this would be his best bet

I'm inclined to agree. No paying voice actors, vocal recording engineers, track readers, no preparring x-sheets for lip-sync, foriegn language translation issues, etc. = money saved.

lonesome-lenny

07-31-2007, 10:32 AM

Matt the Y

07-31-2007, 12:36 PM

That Woody was silent to save $$$ makes the most sense to me. Too bad... it really makes some of the 1950-52 cartoons seem a bit malnourished. At least there aren't tons of Ben Hardaway puns, but part of what I love about the '40s Woody is his chattiness... it really helps define his nutty, sociopathic character.

But Lantz had to do what he did to keep going. Believe me, I can understand...

Lonesome-Lenny.....

I recommend you seek out the brief animation segment (featuring Woody) from George Pal's feature "Destination Moon". It's about five minutes long and Woody actually speaks (it's the first time he's voiced by Grace Stafford, although they apparently forgot to speed up the voice track because Woody actually sounds like a woman in this segment!:eek: ). It was released in 1950 so it actually pre-dates the 1951-52 cartoons by about a year or so (actually being produced as a sort of "pilot" or trial run for the Lantz studio's re-opening at the time).

Dave Mackey

07-31-2007, 12:37 PM

I could complain about DVNR, contrasting, the use of the reissue version of "Banquet Busters" even though the original United Artists version was included on an earleir Woody VHS tape...but sometimes you just have to be thankful for what you do have rather than complaining about what you don't. Two years ago, I'd never have believed Universal would actually release a Woody Woodpecker DVD.
I think "Banquet Busters" was the only UA cartoon on the set to have the reissue U-I titles. Everything else looked original.

It's a nice set and I can't wait for Vol. 2.

Sogturtle

07-31-2007, 04:30 PM

David Gerstein

07-31-2007, 04:42 PM

What did he say "way back when," then? And how do you know?
(Like nobody was going to ask this?)

BloodyChamp

07-31-2007, 11:02 PM

Sogturtle

08-01-2007, 02:01 AM

What did he say "way back when," then? And how do you know?
(Like nobody was going to ask this?)

David Gerstein~

I tried sending you a PM, buuuuut it appears that either you didn't get it or you didn't open it, yet... [Sent it at about 4pm my time].

Matt the Y

08-01-2007, 08:21 AM

David Gerstein~

I tried sending you a PM, buuuuut it appears that either you didn't get it or you didn't open it, yet... [Sent it at about 4pm my time].

Why did you just send the answer to him personally? Just because he was the only person who asked about it doesn't mean he is the only person here who wants to know the answer.

lonesome-lenny

08-01-2007, 12:46 PM

Some of those cartoons in question are actually pretty dang great...just thought I should mention that at this point :D "Stage Hoax" is one of my favorites. The disregard of dialogue here actually makes this cartoon so great. It allows for more depth elsewhere, with the whole 3 way feud type thing they had going on in that one. It was also very fast paced. Talking would have just bogged things down. I'd take these over the cheesy Woody's towards the end when he said things like HEY...I THINK HE'S THE BAD GUY! Duhhhhhhh really Woody?

No argument here- I'll take STAGE HOAX over any Paul Smith cartoon.

I do think that some other "silent" cartoons, especially BORN TO PECK, would have benefitted greatly from some of the terse, witty dialogue of the Culhane/Lundy era. Shamus Culhane's Woody is, to me, the best example of the character. In Culhane's hands, Woody's dialogue enhances his character.

To wit: in THE DIPPY DIPLOMAT, the business with the ping-pong ball and the eggs... dialogue is beautifully used to enhance Woody's irritant factor. He's bothering Wally with his actions and speech. It works very well.

Or, Woody's rants in Lundy's BATHING BUDDIES (which plays very much like a Culhane short). His "can't do this, can't do that" speech is a gem. Sure, he could have conveyed this with an irritated look and a shrug of the shoulders... but that little rant really defines Woody's anti-social character. Not a word is wasted.

One of the "silent" Lantz-directed cartoons, WOODPECKER IN THE ROUGH, quite resembles a Culhane short, right down to the resemblance of the heavy to the poor cement-layer in Culhane's THE LOOSE NUT. It's a classic situation, and Woody has a genuine antagonist. There is some dialogue, but the cartoon still feels unfinished.

I do like these "silent" Woodys, but they are unusual cartoons, and some of them seem a bit wanting without some well-chosen words of dialogue... not the time-filling yammering of the dreadful Smith-era fodder.

BloodyChamp

08-01-2007, 04:02 PM

Not a word is wasted.

One of the "silent" Lantz-directed cartoons, WOODPECKER IN THE ROUGH, quite resembles a Culhane short, right down to the resemblance of the heavy to the poor cement-layer in Culhane's THE LOOSE NUT. It's a classic situation, and Woody has a genuine antagonist. There is some dialogue, but the cartoon still feels unfinished.

I agree with this. I couldn't put my finger on it before in such a nutshell but the best way to use dialogue in a cartoon is when no word is wasted. This might seem odd but a favorite bit of that of mine is the opening convo is "The Screwdriver."

Sloppy Moe

08-01-2007, 04:33 PM

KING KLUNK (great cartoon!) and SPOOKS (ditto!) aren't the only Oswald cartoons in the set that are film parodies; so is HELLS HEELS, which is a bizarro cartoon version of the 1930 Universal western, HELL'S HEROES. The same story was remade twice, in 1936 and 1948, as THREE GODFATHERS (the latter version starring John Wayne). TCM airs HELL'S HEROES every so often.

Mac

08-01-2007, 05:19 PM

My copy arrived today! I started with King Klunk and a few of the Oswalds because I've wanted to see them for so long, then watched the first two Woodys, Barber of Seville and Scrambled Eggs before watching a couple more Oswalds. I've enjoyed all the cartoons I've watched so far and I can't wait to watch more. However some of the DVNR is pretty bad, certainly worse than I expected. I don't know how some people can say they don't notice it or that it doesn't matter. I'm watching these cartoons at normal speed, just for the sake of enjoying them (I'm not sitting there waiting to complain that my viewing experience has been ruined!), but there are spots where the clarity of the animation has been very noticably diminished by dvnr.

Larry T

08-01-2007, 06:56 PM

OK, so I'm on sensory overload here- I just got my Amazon order here with Droopy, Popeye, and Woody- only had time to watch a few but I am impressed...!

My only SLIGHT complaint is the quality of most of these... what's up with the contrasts on them? Some of them are so bright that you can't see the lines dividing Woody's fingers.

First thing I went to right away was the Swing Symphonies and watched every one of them. Magnificent....! These are no doubt some of the best cartoons ever made. There's some fantastic animation in those- and the swing music is full of energy.

I can't wait to get into the rest of the set....!

I will say it once again... you don't pick up this set, you can't possibly like fantastic animation....!

Pietro

08-01-2007, 08:08 PM

I just got the set today and it's great. I never thought that I'd see any black and white shorts on a Lantz cartoon compilation issued by Universal. The prints were fantastic. It was especially nice seeing "Hells Heels," etc. without those annoying onscreen counters. Of course, the same goes for "Abou Ben Boogie" and "Pass the Biscuits Mirandy".

A lot have made a big deal over DVNR, but I ignore it. I'm just glad that these cartoons even made it to DVD.

Nice work, Universal! I can't wait for volume two.

-Pietro:daffy:

gdX

08-01-2007, 08:21 PM

Another never-thought-it would-happen classic cartoon bonanza.

Just a tremendous collection of cartoons... all the psychotic Woody's in one box... rare Oswald's, thoughtfully (accidentally?) anticipating Disney's release later this year... all 4 Avery's... and those magnificent Swing Symphonies.

I will (quietly) criticize the DVNR as a matter of documentation... I'm not one to go looking for it, but it is easily discerned in several titles... maybe there will be enough negative feedback about this in time to convince the idiot kids that work mastering facilities to actually follow their clients' instructions to not employ DVNR, regardless of how expertly they feel they can do this... a subscription to WIRED magazine does not make one an expert in the handling of archival cinema.

Digital noise reduction degrades audio and video files... period.

Supplemental materials are OK, but I've seen them before over the years.

It's the cartoons that count, and these are crazy-good... get 'em and help secure a second box... there are still plenty of good Lantz cartoons left to fill one up – lotsa Andy's, Oswald's, Swing Symphonies, King of Jazz, Take Heed Mr Tojo, Scrub Me Mama...a fair number of serviceable Woody's to the mid-50s... and don't forget Baby-Face Mouse!

:andy:

Treadwell

08-01-2007, 09:55 PM

maybe there will be enough negative feedback about this in time to convince the idiot kids that work mastering facilities to actually follow their clients' instructions to not employ DVNR, regardless of how expertly they feel they can do this.

Indeed. I can understand why it happens, though. I work in a post production house (never on anything as fun as this) and sometimes you do have to give the client what he needs rather than what he asks for, due to an obvious ignorance on his behalf.

But I don't believe this to be one of those times where that is appropriate.

What I don't get is why DVNR is applied on the fly during the initial transfer. Why aren't films transferred to tape first, THEN DVNR applied on another pass? That way, if there's a problem, there's still a clean copy to work with.

Hell, they could do several passes at different settings with the best portions of each edited together: opening and closing credit art cards with no movement at a high DVNR setting, action on ones at a low (or zero) setting, etc.

AcmeCoyote

08-01-2007, 11:31 PM

I know a lot of people have beat me to it in the screenshot department, but if anyone is still undecided about this dvd set, you will find screenshots of the Woody cartoons over at my blog during the next few weeks, starting today.

Eugene the Jeep

08-02-2007, 12:14 AM

Mac

08-02-2007, 04:36 AM

I honestly don't know if I would have bought the set if I knew there would be this much DVNR. I pre-ordered it well in advance, since Jerry promised there wouldn't be any. I really don't like excessive nitpicking, but it really does effect the enjoyablility for me.

The DVNR is not enough to make me regret buying the set, but it does spoil it a bit for me. I don't think it's nitpicking to be somewhat disppointed when you're watching animation and bits of it keep disappearing. Are you sure Jerry promised it would have no DVNR? I thought he said he'd advised them not to use it, it's not his fault if they didn't listen. The only set I know Jerry said wouldn't have DVNR is the new Popeye one.

Jon Cooke

08-02-2007, 04:46 AM

The DVNR is not enough to make me regret buying the set, but it does spoil it a bit for me. I don't think it's nitpicking to be somewhat disppointed when you're watching animation and bits of it keep disappearing. Are you sure Jerry promised it would have no DVNR? I thought he said he'd advised them not to use it, it's not his fault if they didn't listen. The only set I know Jerry said wouldn't have DVNR is the new Popeye one.

Cartoon Brew April 10, 2007 (http://www.cartoonbrew.com/classic/woody-woodpecker-on-dvd):

This new DVD collection includes three discs containing 75 theatrical cartoons, completely uncut and restored from the original Universal Pictures master negatives (and I promise, no DVNR). It’ll retail at $39.98.

I hate feeling like I am picking on Jerry, he's a great guy and I have a ton of respect for him and I realize it's out of his control... but it's always kind of a let-down when we get all excited about releases like Popeye and Woody, only to find they do have DVNR (or other problems) after all.

I am also not saying I regret buying either of these sets, I still think they are both excellent! They were just built-up to be more than what was delivered.

wundermild

08-03-2007, 03:52 PM

The DVDs start trickling in in the rest of the world: I got mine today, and what I've seen so far left me breathless. What a fine selection of cartoons! Thanks for making it possible (after all and all quibbles aside: making it possible is what really counts, doesn't it?).

Bugsy-Kun

08-04-2007, 10:17 AM

I buy this set last sunday and i was surprised to the quality print of each cartoons. Okay, the restoration is not like Looney Tunes or Walt Disney Treasures (or even some MGM DVD releases) but it's lookin better and more original than the TV releases. I'm happy to see a unedited version of Destination: Meatball after have a print that a scene was chopped (The scene when the rich pig is ruining by Buzz was cut in my copy) and what a nice enjoyment to watch Stage Hoax. I think just show the first minutes of this cartoon in 1995 but it's great to include the first 45 Woody shorts and the special features are a bit minimal but great. I hope we had a Volume 2 with new special features materials. :woody: :chilly: :rabbit: :andy:

Jack G.

08-04-2007, 01:44 PM

Got my set.

Watched the first 15 Woodys and the Oswalds.
The earliest Woodys look very good. I like the the backgrounds on the first 5.
The backgrounds on the Beach Nut and others around this period are very flat.

This might seem odd but a favorite bit of that of mine is the opening convo is "The Screwdriver."I'm lookin' for speeders.:D

Hell's Heels has sketchy Krazy Kat-like backgrounds.

I had a big smile on my face watching first 15 Woodys and, to my suprise, I've actually seem them all before.

My only complaint would be that the restoration should be much better.

Still I very happy to have these cartoons.

Again, thanks to Jerry for helping make this happen.

J Lee

08-04-2007, 01:52 PM

Got my set.

Watched the first 15 Woodys and the Oswalds.
The earliest Woodys look very good. I like the the backgrounds on the first 5?
The backgrounds on the Beach Nut and others around this period are very flat.

Culhane took a lot out of his brief stint at Warners. As Thad mentioned, his Woodys have camera angles similar to Tashlin, while his Swing Symphonies have character movement similar to Jones' style, and his background on both mirror the work Jones was using when Culhane was animating for him over there.

Bugsy-Kun

08-04-2007, 08:18 PM

I wonder why in some cartoons like "Confidence" and "The Great Who-Dood-It", they have a annoying window-boxing during the cartoon. It does the same in the LTGC3 with Rocket Squad.

Matt the Y

08-04-2007, 09:19 PM

I wonder why in some cartoons like "Confidence" and "The Great Who-Dood-It", they have a annoying window-boxing during the cartoon. It does the same in the LTGC3 with Rocket Squad.

To answer your question, annoying or not, that "window-boxing" effect is put there for a very good reason.

You see, the tv-screen we watch the cartoons on on our DVD players is considerably smaller than the large theater screen the cartoons were originally shown for. Therefore, the screen occasionally has to be "cropped" (i.e. window-boxed) for scenes in which the entire action has to be shown to be read or seen coherently (i.e. scenes in which a sign, message, or lettering is shown, for example).

I agree, it is kind of a nuisance but such is the casualty of having to "adjust" the sceen ratio to fit its' appropriate screen, for better or for worse.

Bugsy-Kun

08-04-2007, 09:22 PM

To answer your question, annoying or not, that "window-boxing" effect is put there for a very good reason.

You see, the tv-screen we watch the cartoons on on our DVD players is considerably smaller than the large theater screen the cartoons were originally shown for. Therefore, the screen occasionally has to be "cropped" (i.e. window-boxed) for scenes in which the entire action has to be shown to be read or seen coherently (i.e. scenes in which a sign, message, or lettering is shown, for example).

I agree, it is kind of a nuisance but such is the casualty of having to "adjust" the sceen ratio to fit its' appropriate screen, for better or for worse.

Thanks so much Matt. That's helped me so much to being clear.

frizfrelengfan

08-04-2007, 09:27 PM

I picked up the set on the Saturday after it was released. Target had a space for it on the "New Releases" rack, but there were no sets there. I found a set at Best Buy for $29.99.

I'm making my way through it. I started with the four Averys (which are great), then watched a couple of the Swing Symphonies (also great), now I'm watching Woodys and Oswalds depending on my mood. I have never seen the Oswalds, and these are enjoyable (I like Fleischer- and Scrappy-style cartoons from the '30's), although they seem to end abruptly. (Note regarding historical accuracy: FDR walks in "Confidence," while in real life he couldn't without assistance due to polio. This fact was cleverly concealed from the public at the time.)

As for Woody, the cartoons don't ring any bells in my memory, which makes them all the more enjoyable - It's like watching brand new cartoons! I grew up watching the kiddie packages on local TV, and while Woodys were shown on network TV, I don't recall kiddie packages along the lines of Looney Tunes, Harveytoons or Popeye.

I won't get into DVNR discussion.

A Lantz set is the last that I would have expected from Big Entertainment, but I'm glad it happened. Thanks Jerry and everyone else who made it possible.

JPox

08-05-2007, 12:11 AM

[QUOTE=Matt the Y]You see, the tv-screen we watch the cartoons on on our DVD players is considerably smaller than the large theater screen the cartoons were originally shown for. Therefore, the screen occasionally has to be "cropped" (i.e. window-boxed) for scenes in which the entire action has to be shown to be read or seen coherently (i.e. scenes in which a sign, message, or lettering is shown, for example).
QUOTE]

I didn't notice the "window-boxing" on "Bugle Boy" until I played it on the computer. It goes unnoticed on a TV screen.
I've noticed in other cartoons, other studios etc, where signs or captions are cut-off. The "cropping" makes a world of difference. I first noticed this on "Wakiki Wabbit" years ago.

Cartman

08-05-2007, 10:56 AM

Just a bit of trivia:

In the cartoon SOLID IVORY, after Woody grabs his white pool ball from the hen's nest, he walks past a poster for COCA CURLA.:p:woody:

Nelson

08-05-2007, 02:55 PM

Treadwell

08-06-2007, 01:09 AM

To clarify, a standard definition TV screen is 4x3, which is close to, but not the same as the Academy ratio of 1:1.33. This results in the film-to-tape transfer having some cropping that is usually of no consequence. But sometimes it does result in titles spilling off the sides of the TV screen, especially when "overscan" comes into play, in which your TV is not showing the video frame all the way out to the sides. Hence windowboxing. (Windowboxing is the shrinking of the entire image on all four sides...letterboxing just has bands at the top and bottom.)

I used to campaign for a mild degree of windowboxing be used on every cartoon for releases such as this, but it was pointed out that when standard definition DVDs are viewed on a 16x9 screen, overscan is not an issue. Within a few years we will all have such a screen, so...

On another note, why does Woody's voice sometimes change in a middle of a cartoon? In KNOCK KNOCK, his "guess who" is a deeper voice, and one line in THE SCREWDRIVER is also like this. The voice is nothing like his regular voice. It's like they didn't get around to replacing part of a temp track or something.

Fredrik

08-06-2007, 07:04 AM

To clarify, a standard definition TV screen is 4x3, which is close to, but not the same as the Academy ratio of 1:1.33.

Small correction: The Academy ratio is 1.37:1.

But the difference between that and 4:3 is so tiny it is really of no consequence. There are other issues that cause a lot more loss of picture information. Overscan, when using a normal TV set, is perhaps the biggest.

Treadwell

08-06-2007, 05:00 PM

Whoops, thanks for the correction!

Leviathan

08-07-2007, 04:33 PM

I just got the set and did a marathon viewing of 60-something shorts (everything except the 1950's Woodys)

The best transfers on here look every bit as good as the restored Disney and WB cartoons, and only a few are maybe a degree brighter or darker than that. Overall, these transfers are excellent, and I'm not complaining.

I found DVNR to be even less of an issue than I expected (I only real noticed it on one four-second scene in Grandma's Pet, and even then it was minor and not a big screaming deal). Again, not complaining.

If Toyland Premiere was cut for anything, it probably wasn't because of a racial gag (look at who appears earlier in the cartoon). And the cut itself is very neatly done. Since Universal restored other previously rare scenes in other cartoons (like Pigeon Patrol and The Reckless Driver), the notion of the cut being done of the 40's reissue hold a little more weight.

Overally, I'm very happy. I've seen maybe a dozen of the cartoon on this set before, and enoyed those and pretty much everything else.

Bugsmer

08-07-2007, 07:03 PM

I just got the set and did a marathon viewing of 60-something shorts (everything except the 1950's Woodys)

You're insane! That's about seven hours straight! How can you enjoy them all at that speed? Personally, I plan to take a month or more to digest these, most of which I've never seen before. I'm alternating between the Popeyes and Woodys, so as to get a healthy dose of each.

The best transfers on here look every bit as good as the restored Disney and WB cartoons, and only a few are maybe a degree brighter or darker than that. Overall, these transfers are excellent, and I'm not complaining.

I noticed that and I can't understand why. I thought that these weren't restored. Why do the colours look so great? In any case, I've never seen some of these cartoons look so good. Hopefully Woody and his pals will reach a lot of new people who don't remember, or were never introduced to, the fellow.

Jack G.

08-10-2007, 04:51 PM

You're insane! That's about seven hours straight! How can you enjoy them all at that speed?I'm taking my time, too.
I find watching about 7 or 8 cartoon shorts at a time is enough.
After that, I start to glaze over and not take in or enjoy the cartoons fully.

Noisejunkie

08-11-2007, 02:43 PM

J. J. Hunsecker

08-11-2007, 05:58 PM

Looks like someone posted a negative review of this set. For those who care, it's at:

www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?=29585 (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?=29585)

Just thought I'd pass it along.
I had trouble finding the review, so to make it easier for others just go here (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=29585) instead.

rkish

08-11-2007, 07:49 PM

I have the same philosophy as Bugsmer and Masked Stinker. I've been trying to watch both the Woody and Popeye collections at a pace of five cartoons at a time (trying to savor them slowly).

As to the Jamie Rich review on DVD Talk...I think this is more a case of "I'm an adult and those things that made me laugh as a child, I no longer find funny", than "This DVD sucks!". That said, this is a pretty lame excuse for a review...time to grow up and rate this DVD based on content and presentation.

Rich

Bobby Bickert

08-11-2007, 08:48 PM

Looks like someone posted a negative review of this set. For those who care, it's at:

www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?=29585 (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?=29585)

Just thought I'd pass it along.

The same website gave Showgirls a rating of "Recommended".:rolleyes:

captchucky

08-11-2007, 11:06 PM

Mark Kausler's blog gave it a good review. I'll agree with him.

http://www.itsthecat.com/blog/

Scroll down a little.

nickramer

08-11-2007, 11:53 PM

I noticed that Mark said on his post about the DVD that Paul J. Smith was indeed blind by the early 1970s. However, one member here said that they were kidding about it. I'm confused.:confused:

GarudaBoy!

08-12-2007, 12:34 AM

I noticed that Mark said on his post about the DVD that Paul J. Smith was indeed blind by the early 1970s. However, one member here said that they were kidding about it. I'm confused.:confused:

AFAIK, Paul J. Smith was *legally* blind by the 1970s, and his daughter did his x-sheets for him.

Noisejunkie

08-12-2007, 02:12 PM

Mark Kausler's blog gave it a good review. I'll agree with him.

http://www.itsthecat.com/blog/

Scroll down a little.

So will I. I only posted that DVD Talk review just to see what the reaction would be. I disagree completely with it.

Matt the Y

08-12-2007, 02:30 PM

So will I. I only posted that DVD Talk review just to see what the reaction would be. I disagree completely with it.

As do I. I mean, I get so sick of hearing that Woody's main decline in quality was after the 1940's ended but this guy is so anal, he doesn't even wait THAT long to start nit-picking at the little red-headed guy's films. He thinks that films like "The Reckless Driver", "Smoked Hams", and "The Loose Nut" are of poor quality????? He's trying NOT to recommend this DVD set to other people and is trying to discourage people from seeking out the long-forgotten and overlooked Lantz shorts; something this very forum has been ENCOURAGING fans of cartoons to do for years and years now and something this wonderful DVD collection is finally giving people a chance to do?????!!!!! And this guy basically just says, "Forget about it! It's lousy!"?????!!!!!

In the woids of Jimmy Durante, "It's disgustipating! Dat's what it is! Umbriago!!!!!" :mad:

Thad

08-12-2007, 08:23 PM

The same website gave Showgirls a rating of "Recommended".:rolleyes:

Female nudity tends to gets that result. And the same reviewer highly recommended "Hairspray".

Leviathan

08-12-2007, 09:13 PM

That's nothing. The two best-of discs of Casper cartoons were both given votes of "Highly Recommended".

I think part of the problem with the review is that the reviewer for the most part doesn't really judge the Lantz cartoons on their own merits, but on how he feels they fall short of the Warner and MGM cartoons. He dismisses Woody as not being as good a character as Bugs or Daffy, and the Lantz studio for not being able to make cartoons as accessable to adults as Warner or MGM.

However, to his credit, he notes the increasing slickness of Woody's design starting in 1944 (without knowing about Emery Hawkins), or a change in the Woody cartoons in 1947 (without knowing about Shamus Culhane or Dick Lundy, and the differences in how they directed Woody), so at the very least he's perceptive of GAC-type things even without knowing all the details.

Der Captain

08-19-2007, 10:11 AM

Does anyone know who wrote the liner notes on the Woody DVD. Was it Jerry Beck?

Jeffitarian

08-19-2007, 10:50 PM

I'm taking my time, too.
I find watching about 7 or 8 cartoon shorts at a time is enough.
After that, I start to glaze over and not take in or enjoy the cartoons fully.

I'm the same way. After 7 or so cartoon shorts, I need a break. This is why it's taking such a long time for me to get through the Harveytoons set...one more two sided disc to go!

frizfrelengfan

08-20-2007, 04:22 PM

I've had the set since July 21 and I just completed it today including the extras. That's almost exactly one month. I'm leaving for a vacation tomorrow and I wanted to make sure it had no defects in it.

Unlike the LTGC's, in which I'm familiar with the cartoons, most of these were fresh to me, like watching brand new cartoons. I like most of the Woodys but the real treats were the Averys and the Oswalds.

BloodyChamp

08-26-2007, 01:36 AM

I've been watching my set for the first time this evening. The b/w ones look spectacular. The others have a bad spot or 2 but all in all my biggest fear, the condition of the cartoons, has been put to rest.

These cartoons are great. I still don't understand what they were thinking sometimes though. Woody was the perfect good guy in a cartoon like "Woodpecker in the Rough." He even had his cutesy voice for this cartoon in particular. The real villian in this cartoon bullied a baby bird who was just trying to sing and he was mean to the other golfers. Woody goes on to avenge the baby bird and let the other golfers do as they please. What does he get in return? He gets his face planted into the dirt. WT$?

FleischerFan

08-26-2007, 09:03 AM

Count me as one of those who are working their way through the set slowly (after all, I have Popeye and the replacement discs for More Silly Symphonies to watch - as well as the live action stuff I've purchased).

It's funny how memory plays tricks on you. Having grown up with the Woody Woodpecker TV show, I could have sworn the wild, obnoxious Woody was only around briefly. Thank goodness this set proves me wrong. Although in many of the cartoons Woody is so obnoxious, it's hard to root for him (the "Screwy Squirrel Syndrome").

I have two questions. They may have ben answered previously. I have been trying to catch up on this thread and have scanned the last dozen pages or so. If I am repeating information, I apologize.

First, who provided the voice for Woody in between Mel Blanc and Grace Stafford? While the earliest Woodys definitely sound like Blanc - the voice changes before we even get to the end of Disc 1.

Second, there is a rather noticeable drop-off in print quality for "THE BEACH NUT" on Disc 1. Obviously, there is no DVNR because the print is loaded with specks and such. The colors also seemed a bit more faded than the surrounding cartoons from the same period.

Is this a cartoon for which the master negative has been lost? Anybody have any information - or do I simply need to get my eyes checked because the print looks great on your disc?

This is not a complaint. Overall, I am loving this set - especially for the real care that went into assembling the non-Woody shorts. This is one set that is a must-have for any fan of Hollywood cartoons.

Matt the Y

08-26-2007, 09:37 AM

First, who provided the voice for Woody in between Mel Blanc and Grace Stafford? While the earliest Woodys definitely sound like Blanc - the voice changes before we even get to the end of Disc 1.

That question I can definitely answer... It's none other than 1940's Lantz writer/storyman Ben Hardaway providing Woody's voice during this time! A friend of mine personally doesn't care for Hardaway's rendition of Woody and likes to poke fun at it. He finds Hardaway's delivery wooden (sounds kinda like he's just reciting or reading the dialogue script, not "acting" or performing per se) and the screwiness of his voice, while entertaining, is so brazen, nasal, vibratic, and obnoxious, it almost sounds like he's having a stroke. :D :p

Treadwell

08-26-2007, 09:49 PM

reposting a question:

On another note, why does Woody's voice sometimes change in a middle of a cartoon? In KNOCK KNOCK, his "guess who" is a deeper voice, and one line in THE SCREWDRIVER is also like this. The voice is nothing like his regular voice. It's like they didn't get around to replacing part of a temp track, or perhaps didn't speed it up.

Jack G.

08-27-2007, 08:23 PM

...He finds Hardaway's delivery wooden (sounds kinda like he's just reciting or reading the dialogue script, not "acting" or performing per se) and the screwiness of his voice, while entertaining, is so brazen, nasal, vibratic, and obnoxious, it almost sounds like he's having a stroke. :D :pHardaway is alright. He's no Mel Blanc, though.
They used Blanc's laugh, probably because Hardaway couldn't do it.
I like that other laugh Ben came up with, though.
I have mixed feelings about Grace Stafford. I don't like her 60's & 70's work at all.

WoodpeckerWoody

08-28-2007, 09:07 AM

It is a great set

CyberFox

08-28-2007, 03:51 PM

I just got it yesterday along with Brain Age 2
(Woody Woodpecker DVD - July 24th, Brain Age 2 - August 20th)
Like i said, I preordered both of them at Amazon.com, meaning it took a month and a half to get them shipped to my house

I seen 2 discs of the set so far, and It looks fantastic plus it has toons i never saw before

I'm already on the final disc and i'm currently lookin' at the "Spook-A-Nanny" special, I'll let the B&W problem slide... probably NBC Universal didn't have the whole color print

EDIT: I've seen the final disc, It's a great DVD set, A Must buy --- but, my score and reason still stands

I'm givin' it 9 and a half fox paw prints out of 10 due to a minor cut on the "Toyland Premiere" cartoon