Warner Archive Classic Animation

[Leviathan]

Can I just say that Warner Archive has a real blindspot when it comes to classic animation and it's super frustrating?

Even now that the pandemic is over, we're only getting one disc of shorts a year, even now that the pandemic is over. With the latest Looney Tunes discs, they're even dumping off-the-shelf copies onto a disc, unaltered, and that's still not giving them cause to pick up the pace.

Their live-action releases are almost without variable flawless, and whatever issues exist are dealt with. But over and over again, they botch classic animation.

[Nailwraps]

It's like no studio cares about (Golden Age) animation, I agree.

Studios, Warner or Disney, should keep releasing classic animation, the boutique labels too through their licenses.

[Leviathan]

'there is Thunderbean. At long last, we're going to see the fruits of Steve S's labors.

This thread is to avoid contaminating that thread.

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

'there is Thunderbean. At long last, we're going to see the fruits of Steve S's labors.

This thread is to avoid contaminating that thread.

If only that were true...

[Dragon78]

Well Hollywood in general have always looked down on animation and many companies just don't care at all about the ones they own.

[bigshot]

When Disney and Warners first started releasing their animation on DVD in the wake of Roger Rabbit, there was huge interest in classic cartoons. They released just about everything on DVD and saturated the market. Today, there isn't a lot of demand for it because it isn't "locked up in the vault" special any more. When classic cartoons air on cable, viewers have the attitude that "I can watch the old stuff any time, I don't have to watch it now." Also because kids are more interested in adventure than wacky, they gravitate to anime because that reflects their interests better. Classic Hollywood animation is a niche market with a very enthusiastic following, but the viewership numbers aren't what they used to be. Thankfully, that doesn't mean that animation is on the skids. It's just as popular as it ever was... It's just a different kind of animation today.

[Leviathan]

One could say the same thing about silent films, or Judy Garland musicals, or any of the even more niche product WAC gives the deluxe treatment, and spends untold sums of money restoring properly.

You can't seriously tell me a pre-code film from 1933 has more sales potential than Looney Tunes. And those releases turn out to be almost invariably flawless. With WAC, animation releases are screwed up because WAC knows they can get away with it.

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

One could say the same thing about silent films, or Judy Garland musicals, or any of the even more niche product WAC gives the deluxe treatment, and spends untold sums of money restoring properly.

You can't seriously tell me a pre-code film from 1933 has more sales potential than Looney Tunes. And those releases turn out to be almost invariably flawless. With WAC, animation releases are screwed up because WAC knows they can get away with it.

Okay. Thanks.

[Hammerlover]

Oh good, your own personal kvetching thread.

[bigshot]

Silent films and MGM musicals appeal to niche audiences too. Old movies are great, but aside from a few big titles they just don't attract a mainstream audience. Warner Archive is a great label and has released some excellent discs, but interest is waning except among their small enthusiastic band of regular customers.

I suspect that a lot of the titles on Warner Archive are released because they've been systematically digitizing the film archive, and they figure if they have a digitized copy, it's no skin off their nose to release it. But they won't go to great expense to do digital restoration for home video release, or commission new scores for silent films. If it's there on the shelf, they'll release it. But they won't invest a lot of money in doing that. Universal has done a lot of restoration, but those are the Crown Jewels... Hitchcock and the monster movies.

[Leviathan]

If George Feltenstein really does read message boards like these, like he said he does, I hope he see this.

[Areyakiddin]

Originally Posted by bigshot

Silent films and MGM musicals appeal to niche audiences too. Old movies are great, but aside from a few big titles they just don't attract a mainstream audience. Warner Archive is a great label and has released some excellent discs, but interest is waning except among their small enthusiastic band of regular customers.

I suspect that a lot of the titles on Warner Archive are released because they've been systematically digitizing the film archive, and they figure if they have a digitized copy, it's no skin off their nose to release it. But they won't go to great expense to do digital restoration for home video release, or commission new scores for silent films. If it's there on the shelf, they'll release it. But they won't invest a lot of money in doing that. Universal has done a lot of restoration, but those are the Crown Jewels... Hitchcock and the monster movies.

Everything they've released through the Archive in the past few years (except for the modern TV show releases) has received a digital restoration. They don't release raw scans.

[Leviathan]

The latest Looney Tunes is might be the first time George Feltenstein went on podcasts, saying that a new WAC disc would be new transfers, only for the actual disc to be old transfers pulled off the show.

You gotta admit that's just a little bit messed up. That would never happen to a live-action disc of theirs.

[Dragon78]

Wouldn't this be a good place to list every animated movie/show/special(that is older then the 2000's) from the WB that has a blu ray release?!

[Egbert Souse]

The irony of the lack of major studio classic theatrical shorts is that Warner has actually released more than anyone else so far (Kino Lorber's MGM-licensed DePatie-Freleng collections are second place and complete) and there's still quite a lot to be released. We're almost at 1/4 of the classic Warner cartoons on Blu-ray, while there's roughly 60-65% on DVD.

Warner, MGM, and Fleischer combined, I think Warner has managed to release just under 400 theatrical shorts as part of collections in mainline and Archive. Compared to 23 from Disney, 25 from Universal, 12 from Sony, and zero from Paramount (besides the 49 Betty Boops licensed to Olive Films).

[Leviathan]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

The irony of the lack of major studio classic theatrical shorts is that Warner has actually released more than anyone else so far (Kino Lorber's MGM-licensed DePatie-Freleng collections are second place and complete) and there's still quite a lot to be released. We're almost at 1/4 of the classic Warner cartoons on Blu-ray, while there's roughly 60-65% on DVD.

Warner, MGM, and Fleischer combined, I think Warner has managed to release just under 400 theatrical shorts as part of collections in mainline and Archive. Compared to 23 from Disney, 25 from Universal, 12 from Sony, and zero from Paramount (besides the 49 Betty Boops licensed to Olive Films).

But is that any good when they're constantly putting out discs with major issues?

If a Thin Man sequel can get a flawless restoration from Feltenstein's team, why do releases of Looney Tunes have to suffer?

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by Areyakiddin

Everything they've released through the Archive in the past few years (except for the modern TV show releases) has received a digital restoration. They don't release raw scans.

They don't do extensive restoration on everything. Most of it gets a quick pass of automated cleaning and stabilization and a little contrast grading. You have to remember most of the titles in Warner Archive are DVDs, not blu-rays.

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

The irony of the lack of major studio classic theatrical shorts is that Warner has actually released more than anyone else so far (Kino Lorber's MGM-licensed DePatie-Freleng collections are second place and complete) and there's still quite a lot to be released. We're almost at 1/4 of the classic Warner cartoons on Blu-ray, while there's roughly 60-65% on DVD.

Warner, MGM, and Fleischer combined, I think Warner has managed to release just under 400 theatrical shorts as part of collections in mainline and Archive. Compared to 23 from Disney, 25 from Universal, 12 from Sony, and zero from Paramount (besides the 49 Betty Boops licensed to Olive Films).

Yes, though they have still to release a few of my favorites, I really can't complain about what WAC have released so far. Looney Tunes discs are my favorite Blu-rays. I get so much enjoyment from them.

[Kinard717]

Really hoping The Zeta Project and Static Shock get releases on BD soon. That way we can have the entire DCAU in HD.

[Wummyhulk]

Still waiting for Police Academy the Animated series volume 2 on DVD.