For background information on Tex Avery, please see our review of Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume One.
Warner Archive continues to give animation fans some of their favorites with this second volume of 21 shorts that covers another big chunk of Avery’s time at MGM. This release includes a nice array of classic characters including Droopy Dog and Spike along with a series of fan-favorite futuristic shorts and fantastic array of one-off gems. Compared to the first volume, this collection features work that is slightly less strong, but this is comparing really great to some of the best ever committed to the medium. The very first short on the set Little Rural Riding Hood subverts the typical wolf antics we have gotten in previous shorts and shows what happens when the country collides with the big city (spoiler alert: comedy ensues). Magical Maestro puts the warning of racially insensitive material to the test, but thankfully it is presented uncut where audiences can judge the material for themselves. Doggone Tired is a cute short involving a dog being kept up all night by his prey before his big hunt the next morning which escalates very nicely. All of the Droopy shorts remind you why he is one of the most iconic characters to come from Avery, as shorts such as Dragalong Droopy show the hilarity of the character when he is in conflict. Despite some lesser shorts in this volume, there are no complete duds in this bunch as Avery shows off his inventive mind quite deftly.
Tex Avery Screwball Classics
- Little Rural Riding Hood (1949)
- The Cuckoo Clock (1950)
- Magical Maestro (1952)
- One Cab’s Family (1952)
- The Cat That Hated People (1948)
- Doggone Tired (1949)
- The Flea Circus (1954)
- Field and Scream (1955)
- The First Bad Man (1955)
Droopy
- Out-Foxed (1949)
- Droopy’s Double Trouble (1951)
- The Three Little Pups (1953)
- Drag-a-Long Droopy (1954)
- Homesteader Droopy (1954)
- Dixieland Droopy (1954)
Spike
- The Counterfeit Cat (1949)
- Ventriloquist Cat (1950)
Cartoons of Tomorrow
- The House of Tomorrow (1949)
- The Car of Tomorrow (1951)
- The T.V. of Tomorrow (1953)
- The Farm of Tomorrow (1954)
Video Quality
Warner Archive surprisingly falters a bit with its presentation on Blu-Ray for Volume Two which is a step down from what they accomplished on Volume One and Volume Three. The MGM Tex Avery shorts had their original nitrate negatives destroyed in a fire, but this is not the problem here as Warner Archive has once again collected the best surviving elements and given them a new 4K scan. The reason this particular set is slightly weaker than the other two sets is the apparent use of digital noise reduction which wipes away the beautiful, natural film grain which keeps the animation from looking waxy and overly smooth. There is still grain present on certain shorts, but a good handful of them have almost none intact. There is also some sharpening and contrast boosting that likewise give the shorts an unnatural appearance. Casual viewers may not be bothered by this, but those who are sensitive to these issues will be disappointed that the perfectly lovely core transfers were mucked with. This is far from a disaster and the set still represents a night and day difference from the DVD versions which had an ugly, muted color with noticeable print damage throughout. These shorts still look quite amazing, just not quite to the level of perfection we are used to from Warner Archive.
Audio Quality
The audio quality of the Blu-Ray disc, on the other hand, is just as excellent as ever with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio (mono) track that is pretty much perfect. If you have only seen these tracks on TV with all manner of age-related wear and tear, these tracks will blow you away with the clarity of the dialogue, sound effects and music throughout. Everything is working together in perfect harmony to give you the best listening experience possible. The only minute anomaly is some variances in the volume at certain points, but this is not a persistent issue. This disc also includes optional English (SDH) subtitles during all 21 shorts.
Special Features
- Tex Avery – King Of Cartoons: A fantastic 52-minute 1988 Turner Broadcasting System documentary is included which gives a nice in-depth look at the life and career of Tex Avery with interviews from the likes of Chuck Jones, animators Mike Lah, Ed Love, and Mark Kausler, writer Heck Allen, legendary voice actor June Foray, and author Joe Adamson. This is a truly great addition!
Final Thoughts
Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume Two collects some more terrific cartoons from the great Tex Avery which he created during his brilliant MGM era. These twenty-one shorts provide hearty laughs that you will find yourself enjoying again and again. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a slightly lesser A/V presentation and a lovely documentary to sweeten the package. Animation fans should still be pleased to have these shorts looking as good as they do. Recommended
Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume Two can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
