Warner Archive is getting ready to release a big cartoon DVD collection that stars Porky Pig. Here's EVERYTHING you need to know about this set other than it comes out September 19th and only available online through Warner Archive.
1. It took 5 years to come into reality
This was one of many ideas that Warner Archive had for classic cartoons. Unfortunately, many fell through to make way for cheaper alternatives (crappy Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 70's and 80's), but this one seems to have survived. All 99 Porky Pig black and white cartoons (plus two color cartoons) make up Porky Pig 101. Each cartoon had to be cleared for release.
2. The cartoons are not remastered, but are brand new transfers
While WB has unlimited budgets and showed that in previous collections, Warner Archive has a smaller budget. Therefore, they could not restore any of the cartoons per say. However, George Feltenstein who runs Warner Archive really cares about the library, so they went through the vaults of the best prints they have of the cartoons and make new transfers for them (they have the negatives, but they never went to the negatives in this case). Therefore, they won't be stunning, but they will look very good and well curated as if someone really and truly cared.
3. You will see (and hear)....."Things......"
What are these "things" you may ask?? Well, the cartoons were the product of the times. On some occasions, they may depict some racial and ethnic stereotypes. It's not just limited to black people; Native Americans, Arabs, all kinds of groups you can think of. One cartoon uses a "Black Beauty" gag. Another has Porky using a word referring to the Indians as a term used in Washington's NFL team (I don't like using that term). Now these jokes were wrong then and they are certainly wrong today, but removing these scenes and keeping them locked away in the vaults is just the same as saying "they never existed". This is not for moms and kids; it's for those looking to watch Looney Tunes in an appreciative way (there are a few great cartoons on here that kids may enjoy though).
4. ALL Public Domain Porkys are on here (the redrawn colorized cartoons are dead)
You may have seen some of these cartoons before on cheap VHS and DVD companies which used these versions of the cartoons:
If you remember them being crappy, it's not the cartoon, it's the version. They were redrawn colorized in the 60's and the great animation was gone. Of course when they aired on Nickelodeon they were then computer colorized, but these versions were the norm for specific cartoons like Get Rich Quick Porky. Well no more! Original versions will be used.
5. Expect more to come if this sells
If Warner Archive can make a profit with Porky Pig 101, more collections will come similar. Not just the Looney Tunes, WB also owns the MGM cartoon library (Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Barney Bear), the theatrical Popeye cartoons, and the HB cartoons (although they have been playing with those already). The possibilities could be endless, and we need to get a move on in preserving the entire cartoon library. So go online and order Porky Pig 101 at Warner Archive NOW
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