Tom and Jerry Golden Collection

Tom and Jerry Golden Collection is a series of two-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets, produced by Warner Home Video. It was expected to be collecting the 161 theatrical Tom and Jerry cartoon shorts released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from the 1940s through the 1960s.

The first volume was released on October 25, 2011, and features 37 shorts (roughly one-third of the 114 Tom and Jerry shorts directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera from 1940 to 1958).[1] The second volume, containing the next 42 shorts, was initially scheduled to be released on June 11, 2013, but was later postponed indefinitely.[2][3][4]

The first volume Blu-ray was reissued, released this time by Warner Archive Collection, on March 17, 2020, after having been out-of-print for several years.[5]

Differences with Spotlight Collection

Warner Home Video had previously released the majority of the original 114 Hanna-Barbera-directed shorts in the Spotlight Collection over three volumes. The primary differences between the Spotlight Collection and the Golden Collection is that the latter was intended to feature the shorts in chronological order and uncensored. Also, because most of the original pre-1951 MGM cartoon negatives were destroyed in the 1965 MGM vault fire, the Golden Collection features new, restored transfers from CRI negative elements, as opposed to the Turner broadcast television prints previously used. The Golden Collection is being released on both DVD and Blu-ray (the latter restored to HD quality), whereas the Spotlight Collection was only available on DVD.

Lastly, according to animation historian Jerry Beck on his March 2012 appearance on Stu's Show, the Golden Collection series will feature the later, 1960s shorts directed by Gene Deitch and Chuck Jones in addition to the Hanna-Barbera shorts. Although the shorts are presented digitally restored (just like how it was shown in theaters), however, because many of the original pre-1951 MGM cartoon negatives are destroyed in the vault fire in 1965, some of the pre-1951 Tom and Jerry cartoons were restored using their Metrocolor negatives which were their 60's television transfers so some of the cartoons couldn't be presented in pristine condition.

Controversy

It had been announced that Mouse Cleaning would be available on the Tom and Jerry Golden Collection - Volume 2 on DVD and Blu-ray, with the short being presented uncut, uncensored, remastered, and restored from its original nitrate elements that had been recently discovered.[6] The set was originally scheduled to be released on June 11, 2013. However, on February 6, 2013, it was announced by TVShowsOnDVD.com that Mouse Cleaning was not a part of the list of cartoons set to be on the release, as well as the cartoon Casanova Cat, which was also skipped over on the Spotlight Collection, Volume 3 DVD release in 2007 (both cartoons are accused of featuring controversial content, specifically allegedly racial stereotypes of the time in which they were originally produced).[7] Many collectors and fans proceeded to post negative reviews of the product on Amazon and other various websites in protest. In addition His Mouse Friday was also planned to be omitted.

In addition, Jerry Beck, who already wrote liner notes for both shorts for the release, was shocked to hear about the omissions, saying that he wrote notes for both cartoons and that they were supposed to be included on the set.[8] When asked for an interview request, a Warner Bros. spokesperson said “The company felt that certain content would be exceedingly inappropriate for the intended audience and therefore excluded several shorts."[9] However, on April 1, 2013, as a result of the complaints and controversies from fans and collectors, the second set was confirmed to be delayed indefinitely.[10]

Releases

Golden Collection, Vol. 1
DVD release of Volume 1

Volume One was released on October 25, 2011 in the US and in France on November 23, 2011. All of the shorts are shown in their original 1.37:1 aspect ratio.[1]

Disc 1
  1. Puss Gets the Boot#(1940)
  2. The Midnight Snack (1941)
  3. The Night Before Christmas#(1941)
  4. Fraidy Cat (1942)
  5. Dog Trouble (1942)
  6. Puss n' Toots*(1942) CRI
  7. The Bowling Alley Cat*(1942) CRI
  8. Fine Feathered Friend (1942)
  9. Sufferin' Cats!*(1943) CRI
  10. The Lonesome Mouse*(1943) CRI
  11. The Yankee Doodle Mouse#(1943)
  12. Baby Puss (1943)
  13. The Zoot Cat*(1944)CRI
  14. The Million Dollar Cat*(1944) CRI
  15. The Bodyguard (1944)
  16. Puttin' on the Dog*(1944) CRI
  17. Mouse Trouble*#(1944) CRI
  18. The Mouse Comes to Dinner (1945)
  19. Mouse in Manhattan (1945)
  20. Tee for Two (1945)

An asterisk (*) indicates that the cartoon is restored with washed-out colors and grainy picture and has the 1960 MGM Metrocolor logo with Leo the Lion.

A hash (#) indicates that the cartoon has been previously seen on the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection DVD set.

Special features
  • The Midnight Snack pencil test
  • Commentaries by Animators and Historians on five titles [11]
  1. Mark Kausler on Puss Gets the Boot
  2. Nicole Parker and Earl Kress on Puss Gets the Boot
  3. Michael Mallory on The Night Before Christmas
  4. Nicole Parker and Earl Kress on The Night Before Christmas
  5. Michael Mallory on The Yankee Doodle Mouse
  6. Jerry Beck on The Zoot Cat
  7. Michael Mallory on Mouse Trouble

Disc 2
  1. Flirty Birdy (1945)
  2. Quiet Please!*#(1945) CRI
  3. Springtime for Thomas (1946)
  4. The Milky Waif*(1946) CRI
  5. Trap Happy (1946)
  6. Solid Serenade (1946)
  7. Cat Fishin' (1947)
  8. Part Time Pal (1947)
  9. The Cat Concerto#(1947)
  10. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse#(1947)
  11. Salt Water Tabby (1947)
  12. A Mouse in the House (1947)
  13. The Invisible Mouse (1947)
  14. Kitty Foiled (1948)
  15. The Truce Hurts (1948)
  16. Old Rockin' Chair Tom (1948)
  17. Professor Tom (1948)

An asterisk (*) indicates that the cartoon is restored with washed-out colors and grainy picture and has the 1960 MGM Metrocolor logo with Leo the Lion.

A hash (#) indicates that the cartoon has been previously seen on the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection DVD set.

Special features
  • Vaudeville, Slapstick and Tom and Jerry featurette (HD quality) [12]
  • How Bill and Joe Met Tom and Jerry featurette
  • The Comedy Stylings of Tom and Jerry featurette
  • Excerpt from Anchors Aweigh
  • Commentaries by Animators and Historians on four titles [11]
  1. Mark Kausler on Quiet Please!
  2. Eric Goldberg on The Cat Concerto
  3. Michael Mallory on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
  4. Nicole Parker and Earl Kress on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
  5. Jerry Beck on Kitty Foiled


References
  1. TV Shows on DVD Archived October 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, posted by David Lambert on June 28, 2011
  2. "Tom & Jerry: The Golden Collection Volume Two Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  3. Lambert, David. "Tom and Jerry - Blu-ray and DVD Releases Announced for 'Golden Collection Volume 2'". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013.
  4. "Tom and Jerry DVD news: Postponement for Tom and Jerry - Golden Collection Volume 2 - TVShowsOnDVD.com". Archived from the original on June 8, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  5. "WBShop.com Tom & Jerry Golden Collection: Volume 1 (BD) product information". WBShop.com. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 12, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Lambert, David. "Tom and Jerry - Episode List for 'Golden Collection Volume 2'...Guess What's Missing?". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  8. "Blu-ray Forum - View Single Post - Tom & Jerry: The Golden Collection, Vol. 2". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  9. "Image-conscious studios play cat-and-mouse with film history". Star Tribune. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  10. Lambert, David. "Tom and Jerry - Blu-rays, DVDs Postponed for 'Golden Collection Volume 2'". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  11. Brown, Kenneth. "Tom & Jerry: The Golden Collection Volume One Blu-ray Review". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  12. Lambert, David. "Tom and Jerry - Official Press Release for 'Golden Collection Volume 1' on DVD and Blu". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
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