

desertcart.com One of the most innovative studios in the history of American animation, the Fleischer brothers' offered an alternative vision to the increasingly dominant Disney style during the '30s. A well-chosen collection of Fleischer cartoons is long overdue; unfortunately, this collection offers examples of their second-rate work. Betty Boop is represented by the uninspired "Ker-Choo" and two late films, when the cartoon flapper had been turned into a hausfrau. Two "Out of the Inkwell" shorts taken from badly faded prints lack the visual imagination that made the series popular. The saccharine and dreary "Small Fry," "Ants in the Plants," and "It's a Hap Hap Happy Day" exemplify the work the studio did when the Fleischers were under pressure from Paramount to imitate Disney's "Silly Symphonies." The two-reel color "Aladdin" (1939) with Popeye in the title role is a genuine rarity, although it's weaker than the earlier "Sinbad" and "Ali Baba." Despite the blurb on the cover, the first 20-minute "Popeye" film (which was released in 1936, not 1935) was not "the first long form cartoon" by almost 20 years--it wasn't even the first long film from the Fleischers. Winstar needs more careful writers and researchers. Not rated; suitable for all ages; contains minor cartoon violence. --Charles Solomon Review: SAVE YOUR MONEY - The people have WinStar have done it again. Have they NO shame? Once more, they've dubbed in LOUD, obtrusive sound effects that RUIN the experience of watching great cartoons. And you can't turn 'em off; you are stuck with the sound of a mallet hitting a board every time Popeye takes a step. This collection is a disgrace and should be pulled from the market until somebody with RESPECT for the original animated treasures releases them. I will NEVER purchase another WinStar DVD release. Review: An excellent collection of the old masters of animation - I have quite a few of these Winstar cartoon collections, so I pretty much know what to expect when I buy one. The cartoons are the real showcase, and I am just happy to have them available. This DVD, however, really took me by suprise. First, the disk offers three sound options to listen to, so you don't HAVE to listen to the "Feel the Sound" version. (I personally like that version, but I know many people do not.) The animated menus are nice, and there is a short little essay on Fleischer Studios history that I found interesting. There is a nice cross-section of Fleischer cartoons, with no duplicates from other collections. It starts out with two "Out of the Inkwell" silent cartoons, "Tantalizing Fly" and "Bubbles," featuring their first character Koko the Clown. These are excellent early examples of rotoscoping and cartoon/live action hybridization. Betty Boop rears her oddly shaped head, first as the girlfriend of Koko in "Ker-Choo" and "More Pep," then stealing the show and bringing in Grampy for "Grampy's Indoor Outing." Popeye's evolution is shown first in a black and white classic, "Little Swee' Pea," and then in the fantastic color cartoon "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp." (my favorite of the disk.) The Fleisher animals fly arond in "Song of the Birds," "Ants in the Plants," and "Small Fry," and Gabby shows up in "It's a Hap Hap Happy Day." A grand total of 90 minutes of cartoons. Superman is noticably absent, which I thought was fine as he is already well represented on other DVDs. I really hope this DVD represents the future of the Winstar classic cartoon series.
| ASIN | B00004TJJH |
| Actors | Great Animation Studios |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.33:1 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #267,190 in Movies & TV ( See Top 100 in Movies & TV ) #16,652 in Kids & Family DVDs |
| Customer Reviews | 2.4 2.4 out of 5 stars (9) |
| Dubbed: | English |
| Language | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), English (Dolby Digital 5.1) |
| MPAA rating | NR (Not Rated) |
| Media Format | Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC |
| Number of discs | 1 |
| Package Dimensions | 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches; 4 ounces |
| Release date | September 5, 2000 |
| Run time | 1 hour and 30 minutes |
| Studio | Winstar |
L**Y
SAVE YOUR MONEY
The people have WinStar have done it again. Have they NO shame? Once more, they've dubbed in LOUD, obtrusive sound effects that RUIN the experience of watching great cartoons. And you can't turn 'em off; you are stuck with the sound of a mallet hitting a board every time Popeye takes a step. This collection is a disgrace and should be pulled from the market until somebody with RESPECT for the original animated treasures releases them. I will NEVER purchase another WinStar DVD release.
Z**N
An excellent collection of the old masters of animation
I have quite a few of these Winstar cartoon collections, so I pretty much know what to expect when I buy one. The cartoons are the real showcase, and I am just happy to have them available. This DVD, however, really took me by suprise. First, the disk offers three sound options to listen to, so you don't HAVE to listen to the "Feel the Sound" version. (I personally like that version, but I know many people do not.) The animated menus are nice, and there is a short little essay on Fleischer Studios history that I found interesting. There is a nice cross-section of Fleischer cartoons, with no duplicates from other collections. It starts out with two "Out of the Inkwell" silent cartoons, "Tantalizing Fly" and "Bubbles," featuring their first character Koko the Clown. These are excellent early examples of rotoscoping and cartoon/live action hybridization. Betty Boop rears her oddly shaped head, first as the girlfriend of Koko in "Ker-Choo" and "More Pep," then stealing the show and bringing in Grampy for "Grampy's Indoor Outing." Popeye's evolution is shown first in a black and white classic, "Little Swee' Pea," and then in the fantastic color cartoon "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp." (my favorite of the disk.) The Fleisher animals fly arond in "Song of the Birds," "Ants in the Plants," and "Small Fry," and Gabby shows up in "It's a Hap Hap Happy Day." A grand total of 90 minutes of cartoons. Superman is noticably absent, which I thought was fine as he is already well represented on other DVDs. I really hope this DVD represents the future of the Winstar classic cartoon series.
E**Y
The Great Animation Studios - Fleischer Studios
If you love the old cartoons, this is for you.
R**R
Great Animation Studios--Fleischer Studio
Customers, BEWARE! The ugly packaging should be a warning sign of the quality of this DVD. First the transfers are inconsistant, and do not look like first rate orignals. Second, why did the packagers find it necessary to tamper with the original soundtracks? Their amateurish attempts to "enhance" the sound only muffles it, and is mostly out of sync! Although a noble idea to give tribute to this great animation pioneer, the selection of films was not done with much thought or careful research....
G**Y
Great Fleischer Collection, Audio Galaxy does it again!!!
A great DVD from Winstar/Audio Galaxy that shows the work of the big titan, Fleischer Studios. There are some fabulous gems on this disc, from the early Ko-Ko the Clown shorts of the silent era, to the later Gabby shorts of the 1940's, this is a great treasure trove of classic cartoons from one of the world's top animation houses of the Golden Age. The picture quality is great for these once neglected shorts and the audio is even better, the history provided on the disc was astounding and blew my mind, and gave me better respect for the Brothers Fleischer. Do yourself a favor and track down a copy of this wonderful collection. Tell 'em Uncle Max sent ya.
P**R
I returned this to the store! There are other, better, releases.
This looks horrible! If you want to see Max Fleischer cartoons I re-direct you to the following sources: Koko & Inkwell cartoons: "Out of the Inkwell" DVD from Inkwell Images. Betty Boop cartoons: "The Betty Boop Collection" (out of print) VHS & Laserdisc from Republic Home Video. Popeye cartoons: to be restored & released by Warner Home Video on DVD in 2007. Color Classic's cartoons: "Dancing On The Moon" DVD from VCI Home Video.
M**O
all about bypassing public domain
these are basically reworked with cheezy new soundtracks etc so that they don't fall into the public domain, as they should. get the originals in a decent format instead!
S**S
The Fleischers Deserve Better
Once again, the folks at Winstar have desecrated the classic works of Max and Dave Fleischer by providing obtrusive "stereophonic" sound effects and variable print quality. Avoid this video and buy Republic's "Cartoon Madness."
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