Tom And Jerry: Classic Collection - Volume 4 [DVD] [2004]

Another excellent collection of Tom & Jerry cartoons from the best era - i.e. those produced by Fred Quimby. After him came Hanna & Barbera, and then things really went downhill when Chuck Jones took over.Any T&J fan will love this volume as it contains some real gems such as Pecos Pest, Posse Cat etc.. This volume isn't QUITE as good as volume 3, but still WELL worth getting - even if you're not already a T&J fan as it contains several of the best T&J cartoons.Pecos Pest ("Froggy went a-courtin' he did ride.... c-c-c-c crambone!") was the last Fred Quimby produced cartoon as far as I can tell, but the other cartoons on here are still pretty good.Definitely recommended!The cartoons on this volume are:Two Little Indians, Life With Tom, Puppy Tale, Posse Cat, Hic-Cup Pup, Little School Mouse, Baby Butch, Mice Follies, Neapolitan Mouse, Downhearted Duckling, Pup On A Picnic, Mouse For Sale, Designs On Jerry, Tom And Cherie, Smarty Cat, Pecos Pest, That's My Mommy, The Flying Sorceress, The Egg And Jerry, Muscle Beach Tom, Down Beat Bear, Blue Cat Blues and Barbecue Brawl.

Although not the technically best 'looking' era for Tom and Jerry due to rising animation costs, this DVD still remains my favorite of the entire collection. Although the first couple of DVD's, spanning the 40's/50's have a grace of their own, this 4th collection from the 1950's is a far more entertaining affair with more "memorable" moments, episodes, and humor.As I said, while the animation doesn't have the detail and texture of the 40's, I actually feel this gives the cartoons a brighter and more vibrant feel, very much of their time. Even the original 'maid' was replaced by a young female (supposedly the mother of the house) who has a body very reminiscent of American 50's advertising. This is typical for much of the 'CinemaScope' episodes too; more abstract body shapes and backgrounds. Some may not like this feel, but I think it's very interesting study, noting how attitudes towards animation changedThe gags are simply the best in this era too. They are far more slap-stick and silly compared to the 'safer' approaches of the previous DVD's. It's also obvious that by this time, the cartoon had developed into more a surreal world were the characters actions defined their characteristics, again unlike the previous era's where they're actions were based more on reality. A good example is "The flying sorceress, which was very ambitious and un-like Tom and Jerry compared to previous episodes.Finally, the episodes themselves are far, far more memorable. "Mouse for sale" is a classic in it's own right; even my family still laugh at Tom licking his wad of money after coming home from Pet store after all these years. "Designs on Jerry" is another perfect example of the episodes becoming more un-conventional as far as settings/plots go, with plenty more to follow. "Mouse Follies" is another classic, based around the kitchen being flooded and frozen to ice skate on. It's fair to that these simpler plots worked much better.Why only 4 Stars? Because of the terrible DVD transfer. While all the others from this collection have been absolutely perfect (apart from silly P.C cuts), this collection has been 'zoomed in' on many episodes due to the original CinemeaScope recording, meaning they were originally recorded ultra-wide for cinemas. The result is that vital actions are missing from the screen on several occasions, especially in the French-set episodes where many of the sword fights leave the mice completely off the T.V, which is ridiculous.I also noted like another reviewer the pitch of music/sound warbling on "Pup on a picnic" - you're not alone! How can such things pass into sale? Never the less, since my VHS recorder has gone, this DVD is a steal!

Always love Tom and Jerry. Purchased this item for watching with young grandchild, always a good laugh and no need for worries over content.

tom and jerry rocks.... we collecting them... love it nothing bad to say about it..buy buy buy xxxxxxx only one has bit weird time period when taken over by other company and the cartoons bit not same original hate that period

Great to have these classics on DVD at last! However, unlike Volume 6, the manufacturers didn't bother printing the image onto the DVD, so the DVD is blank in appearance and virtually impossible to identify without sticking it in the DVD player!

Just the thing to sit and relax to as well as having a chuckle.

Very disappointed stops half way through and then you have to do all the rest singley

The series was in decline at this point, but in my opinion, not as bad as some of the reviews here make out. Many of the cartoons are still very funny, and should appeal to all ages- just not quite of the same consistently high quality as on Volumes 1-3. It is on Volume 5 where the quality drops significantly.I agree with another reviewer's comment that putting the CinemaScope cartoons into pan and scan means you miss a bit of the action- though I don't think it makes much difference overall in most cases. The one notable exception is "Barbecue Brawl", where particularly during the early part of the cartoon, much of the important action is off-screen, which detracts from the cartoon.The last cartoon directed by Fred Quimby was "Pecos Pest" (containing the famous "Crambone" version of Froggy Went A-Courtin') but William Hanna and Joseph Barbera remained the creators of the cartoons right to the end of this DVD.I give this volume 4/5, same as volumes 1-3, because although the cartoons are not quite as good, PC cuts appear non-existent on this volume. Volumes 5 and 6 only get 3/5 from me and are only worth buying in my opinion if you're a Tom & Jerry fan and would like the complete collection.