Puppetoons Blu-ray to be released!

[Randall]

http://b2mp.net/products/the-puppetoon-movie-blu-ray/

I posted the news to the front page tonight, something I rarely have time to do, because I was so excited to hear the news. B2MP is putting out The Puppetoon Movie in a 2-disc set in October, along with copious George Pal-related bonus features. While this replicates a lot of what is already available on DVD, there are several new-to-disc Puppetoon shorts included in HD, the most anticipated of which may be two based on works by Dr. Seuss! This, to me, is the best animation-on-DVD news in at least a couple of years. Very exciting release.

This can only be orderd directly from B2MP, and is lmited to 3000 copies so act quickly. I ordered mine immediately. It's expensive, yes, but what a set!

[droosan]

I'd ordered my own copy immediately upon reading the news last evening.

I'm especially jazzed by the inclusion of The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins; I've wanted to see that for many years..!

The only real downside to the set (IMO) is that the bonus Puppetoon shorts 'carried-over' from the previous DVD release will be in standard definition.

[Randall]

Yep, the set falls a little short of perfect, but overall this is a really terrific package. I also had mine ordered about 90 seconds after seeing the Facebook post.

[Ben]

Well, we get Rupert in HD too, plus all the extras from the Image set. Just ordered mine (don't know if it was a catalog code or how many they sold in their 3000 run, but my order was numbered 136).

Pretty fairdinkum deal! Nice one, Rand - thanks for sharing as I would have never seen this (still need to get that TCM Archives UPA set too!)

[Randall]

I'm wondering if we'll see all the extras from the documentary disc (including Doc Savage-related stuff), so I'm holding on to my Image set for now. But so far, this looks to be my pick for release of the year, unless Warner has a big announcement to make.

[droosan]

I think that must be a catalogue code, Ben; my order says 0136, as well.

[Ben]

Yeah...just a guess.

Hold on to your Image set, Rand...I think any extra extras would be listed in their comprehensive contents description. Looks like we get the main programs from the Image set, sans their own discs' supplements - the "unseen" interview footage looks to be the only "new" elements.

Still VERY cool tho...I was a Puppetoon fan before I knew who George Pal was...then started to love the 50s Pal movies, and thought it was super-cool when I finally found out (some years ago, natch) that the person that made both was one and the same. Big Pal fan, and have pretty much all his stuff, so this disc is a no-brainer from the off!

As for WB...no signs of a new Looney Tunes yet, and even that Tom & Jerry set seems to have been indefinitely delayed (but will more than likely at least contain the two "missing" cartoons when it finally gets announced again).

[droosan]

Merely 'semi-related' ..

.. but Steve Stanchfield (of Thunderbean -- purveyors of high-quality 'public domain' animated home-video releases) is currently hard-at-work cleaning up an HD transfer (from a 35mm print) of Fleischer's Gulliver's Travels for an upcoming Blu-ray release!



.. more impressive-looking stills and some info on the transfer can be found in Steve's post today on the Cartoon Research blog .. along with a link to a 'pre-release' sale of the Blu-ray!

Note that the 'pre-release' sale is available on Amazon.com for this week, only. However, this will not be a limited-edition release, as with The Puppetoon Movie; the 'pre-sales' are merely intended to help fund the completion of the HD transfer's cleanup.

Note also that there is not a firm release date set for this title .. but please know that Stanchfield is completely trustworthy, and sincere in his quest to provide the highest-quality product possible!

[Ben]

Freakin' EXCELLENT!!!!!

[Randall]

This shall put the previous BD to shame. Most excellent news.

[droosan]

I'd received my Blu-ray of The Puppetoon Movie in the mail, last week .. but only just got the chance to sit down and savor it.

The picture quality / mastering is very well-done; not too 'noisy', but still retaining a pleasing hint of 'film grain'. Some scratches & pops are present (inherent to the film print) .. but not an obtrusive amount. Certainly, this is the best TPM has ever looked, on home video. The quality of the bonus 'High-Definition' Puppetoon shorts -- and The Great Rupert (on a separate bonus disc) -- is equally-impressive.

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Rather unfortunatey, I was unable to get any of the 'Standard Definition' Puppetoons to play; the screen simply remained 'black', until I gave up and pressed the 'root menu' button .. for every SD Puppetoon. Hopefully, this is just a problem inherent with my particular model of Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S3100); I haven't yet tested the disc in another device.

It's not a major issue for me -- considering that I have all of those shorts on the previous DVD edition, anyway -- but it was still a slight disappointment.

I had a similar problem with the trailer for George Pal's Destination Moon, on the bonus disc. Again, IMO: no big loss .. it's just a trailer (for a movie that's not even part of the set).

Everything else I'd played on both discs worked flawlessly.

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The Dr. Seuss adaptations are the highlights of this set, IMO .. especially And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street -- which, to my surprise, I actually enjoyed more than The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins -- even though 500 Hats is my personal favorite of Dr. Seuss' books..!

[Randall]

Mine arrived yesterday, but I haven't been to the TV yet to watch it. I'll keep an eye out for those issues. Can't wait to check out the Seuss shorts!

[Ben]

While I'm with Droo that I have the previous Image DVD set, I would still insist that whatever is said to be in this new set should be there and actually play. My copy is on the way...let's compare and see if this is a general issue - if it is then the distributor is better off knowing about it than just letting it slip. I'd much rather, for instance, be able to retire my Image set and just have everything more to hand on the new BD than have to swap back over for the differently formatted content.

[Randall]

Good news, everyone!

I had none of the issues that droo reported, using my PS3. All shorts, whether HD or SD, played just fine. (Same with the DM trailer.) The HD shorts range from pleasing to smashing, and the SD shorts ain't too bad, either. I'd say that this is my pick for disc of the year. I'll have to try to get a full review up on the site, unless Ben is planning to.

[droosan]

The only other device I've tried my discs in, so far -- the BD-ROM drive in my Sony Vaio laptop -- won't play either disc, at all; but it's often proved to be pretty 'finicky' with pre-recorded BD movies, in general (gotta love that HDMI 'security').

Unfortunately, I'd sold my PS3 awhile back (since I never used it for games, anyway). The dedicated Sony Blu-ray player I'd replaced it with has actually been 'faster-loading' than the PS3 was, and overall has been 'problem-free' (aside from the minor issues with this BD set).

However, it is good to hear that you didn't encounter the same problems..!

I'd figured it might be a 'player error' of some sort .. might be time to seek/apply an update, and see if that fixes it for me. If not .. as I'd said, I have those SD Puppetoons on the previous DVD release, anyway ..