The company releasing Popeye: Original Classics and Attack of the 30's Characters is NOT the original compiler of these DVDs. (Unless Thunderbean and Mackinaw are the same company.)
Thunderbean, a small label produced out of Michigan by an animation fan/collector, is the ORIGINAL producer of these DVDs.
I guess Thunderbean got contacted by another company that wants to do these DVDs on a larger, national scale? (Again, supposition. Mackinaw and Thunderbean may be one and the same.)
Anyhow, the Popeye DVD Thunderbean produced was probably the best one on the market to date. It was ALL Fleischers with the EXACT SAME EXTRAS that are on the DVD mentioned on the front page news of this site.
The Popeye shorts on the "new" DVD are NOT necessarily all the best Popeye Fleischer shorts. They're just the shorts that happened to fall into public domain because the company that owned the shorts failed to renew their copyrights in time. They're the shorts you see on every public domain DVD out there. What sets the Thunderbean DVD and its successor (the EXACT SAME DVD coming out by another company) is the quality of the prints and extras put onto the Popeye DVD. It's far better than the VCI disc that came out a year or two ago.
Attack of the 30's Characters IS a Thunderbean DVD that I DO own. I haven't watched it yet, but again, it's another compilation of public domain shorts. They're pretty much all black-and-white with more than few famous faces showing up. Another little caveat is that the Mickey Mouse short on this collection is the ONLY Disney Mickey short that's in public domain. What sets it apart from the B & W collection (Disney Treasures) volume version is that the Thunderbean/Mackinaw DVD has the Mickey short with its original release titles!
What typically happens with changes in distributors and copyright transfers is that the original release titles/distributor titles get CUT OUT of releases. With animation, most companies go further and often DELETE the original animation artwork in titles that lists the directors of the shorts!
That's why many Looney Tunes and Popeye shorts were aired on TV for many years with Associated Artists Productions titles. AAP was the name of the TV syndicator that bought the rights to AIR the theatrical shorts on TV. In more than a few cases, the ORIGINAL NEGATIVES of these shorts were cut into and the original releases titles were thrown away...
Popeye the Sailor Man
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Thunderbean founder and compiler of the DVDs, Steve Stanchfield, has been looking for a "mainstream" distributor for his titles for a while now.
The first step was getting his discs up on Amazon, and now it looks as if Mackinaw has taken the plunge on these two higher profile titles.
The discs will be the exact same transfers, the packaging only slightly modified. The main difference will be that these will be pressed discs as opposed to DVD-R burns.
The first step was getting his discs up on Amazon, and now it looks as if Mackinaw has taken the plunge on these two higher profile titles.
The discs will be the exact same transfers, the packaging only slightly modified. The main difference will be that these will be pressed discs as opposed to DVD-R burns.
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See, Eisner was messing with the Mouse House even before 1984 (a fact many people don't seem to link).
In fact, Disney and Paramount have always had fairly close links, from that two-picture deal in the early 80s (Popeye and Dragonslayer) to many co-pros over the years (Alive, The Hours, etc).
And any surprise that Eisner's son Breck's first feature was Sahara for...Paramount? (They obviously wouldn't have gotten away with that under Mickey's watch, right?)
In fact, Disney and Paramount have always had fairly close links, from that two-picture deal in the early 80s (Popeye and Dragonslayer) to many co-pros over the years (Alive, The Hours, etc).
And any surprise that Eisner's son Breck's first feature was Sahara for...Paramount? (They obviously wouldn't have gotten away with that under Mickey's watch, right?)
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This might sound kinda crazy but wasn't Breck Eisner supposed to have a deal to direct a film for, uh...DreamWorks? Yeah, it sure is weird with the guy running it being his dad's arch-enemy and all that, (supposadly anyway 
) but I could have sworn I read articles that all said Breck had a deal with DW. What the heck happened there?? 
) but I could have sworn I read articles that all said Breck had a deal with DW. What the heck happened there?? You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!
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Popeye the Sailor Man
Jerry Beck at Cartoon Brew has announced that Warner Bros. Home Video will be releasing all 231 POPEYE theatrical shorts (from both the Fleischer and Famous Studios) on DVD, starting next year! In addition, the various television cartoon series featuring Popeye will see a DVD release, as well.
He further states that the POPEYE cartoons will be packaged in their original release order (!) .. the cartoons will also be restored using the best prints available. The WBHV press release has further details.
I'm SO looking forward to having these cartoons in my collection .. more so now, than in all the 25+ years I've waited so far!
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The HTF Animation Chat - POPEYE ON DVD!
Not wishing to step on any Digital Bits or Home Theater Forum toes, but they recently held their annual chat with folks from the TV & Animation catalog unit at Warner Home Video:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/ ... fchat.html
You DVD aficionados out there will probably already know the big news, but among the many titles requested and remarked upon, here's what I personally got out of the chat...
The Fleischer POPEYE CARTOONS are finally and officially coming to DVD in 2007. This includes the entire theatrical cartoons from 1933 to 1957 as well as all TV cartoons from the 60s, 70s and 80s. They'll will receive the same treatment as, and will be released chronologically, staggered with Looney Tunes releases (Spring and Fall). The early ones will be geared towards the collector, the later Hanna Barbera TV shows towards kids and families.
LOONEY TUNES - Golden Collection Vol 2, Disc 4 replacement disc program. The discs were incorrectly manufactured with some cartoons interlaced rather than progressive. Info forthcoming (perhaps someone will be able to help with this as I doubt they will ship direct to the UK)...
WARTIME CARTOONS (Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips/Coal Black And De Sebben Dwarfs) - we LaserDisc collectors have most of these, but WB are eager to restore and release them on DVD and plan to handle them in a very special way in the not too distant future.
TEX AVERY'S MGM SHORTS - again a LaserDisc staple, but a DVD set would require a full restoration which will be "very, very" expensive. WB is trying to find the financing within the various divisions of the company to justify this undertaking.
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. - confirmed as being WB product (not Anchor Bay as was announced) and with demand known, they are looking at it for the future.
SUPERBOY - sales of season 1 will determine if we get sets 2-4.
SUPERMAN - all 17 of the Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoons have been remastered and WILL be released later this year in the ULTIMATE SUPERMAN COLLECTION. No need to jump for that recent VCI release.
ON THE RADAR: Freakazoid, DC Filmation cartoons, the Ruby Spears Superman version from the 80s, All New Superfriends Hour...possibly for 2007. TWICE UPON A TIME was requested and the participants said they would pass it on to the theatrical catalog group.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/ ... fchat.html
You DVD aficionados out there will probably already know the big news, but among the many titles requested and remarked upon, here's what I personally got out of the chat...
The Fleischer POPEYE CARTOONS are finally and officially coming to DVD in 2007. This includes the entire theatrical cartoons from 1933 to 1957 as well as all TV cartoons from the 60s, 70s and 80s. They'll will receive the same treatment as, and will be released chronologically, staggered with Looney Tunes releases (Spring and Fall). The early ones will be geared towards the collector, the later Hanna Barbera TV shows towards kids and families.
LOONEY TUNES - Golden Collection Vol 2, Disc 4 replacement disc program. The discs were incorrectly manufactured with some cartoons interlaced rather than progressive. Info forthcoming (perhaps someone will be able to help with this as I doubt they will ship direct to the UK)...
WARTIME CARTOONS (Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips/Coal Black And De Sebben Dwarfs) - we LaserDisc collectors have most of these, but WB are eager to restore and release them on DVD and plan to handle them in a very special way in the not too distant future.
TEX AVERY'S MGM SHORTS - again a LaserDisc staple, but a DVD set would require a full restoration which will be "very, very" expensive. WB is trying to find the financing within the various divisions of the company to justify this undertaking.
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. - confirmed as being WB product (not Anchor Bay as was announced) and with demand known, they are looking at it for the future.
SUPERBOY - sales of season 1 will determine if we get sets 2-4.
SUPERMAN - all 17 of the Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoons have been remastered and WILL be released later this year in the ULTIMATE SUPERMAN COLLECTION. No need to jump for that recent VCI release.
ON THE RADAR: Freakazoid, DC Filmation cartoons, the Ruby Spears Superman version from the 80s, All New Superfriends Hour...possibly for 2007. TWICE UPON A TIME was requested and the participants said they would pass it on to the theatrical catalog group.
New info and Fleischer Supermans and "sensitive" W
From http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/ ... 1206b.html
Barry Maxwell wrote in his Classic Coming Attractions column:
" All 17 Max Fleischer Superman cartoons have been remastered and will be released later in 2006 in the Ultimate Superman Collection.
Some of the more sensitive Looney Tunes titles (Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips, Coal Black, etc.) are still in Warners' radar and they hope to have good news for enthusiasts soon."
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This probably means you have to buy the boxset of Superman films to get the restored Fleischer Shorts.
In other news reported previously at the Digital Bits, there's also going to be an exchange program for all the defective discs from the Tom & Jerry and Golden Age of Looney Tunes sets. These discs include both improperly mastered and censored versions of theatrical shorts.
Barry Maxwell wrote in his Classic Coming Attractions column:
" All 17 Max Fleischer Superman cartoons have been remastered and will be released later in 2006 in the Ultimate Superman Collection.
Some of the more sensitive Looney Tunes titles (Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips, Coal Black, etc.) are still in Warners' radar and they hope to have good news for enthusiasts soon."
*************************************************
This probably means you have to buy the boxset of Superman films to get the restored Fleischer Shorts.
In other news reported previously at the Digital Bits, there's also going to be an exchange program for all the defective discs from the Tom & Jerry and Golden Age of Looney Tunes sets. These discs include both improperly mastered and censored versions of theatrical shorts.
Y Blow Me Down! Popeye sounds worth getting!
Chronological order, even!
Fleischer Shorts FIRST,
THEN the rest!
Yep, this is how it should be done, I think!
Fleischer Shorts FIRST,
THEN the rest!
Yep, this is how it should be done, I think!