Jerry...as per my posting on the Tom and Jerry DVD set topic, is there any chance that WB will release any of the "questionable" cartoon titles (like Coal Black) as part of any of the future DVD releases?

If you can't speak to this for legal reasons, I can certainly understand.

Thanks!

I cannot speak about this because I signed a confidentality agreement. However, I will say there is always a chance that "questionable" cartoons could be released.

However, none are planned for Volume 2.

I guess WB wants to continue hiding there Black cartoons. Thank God Disney has growned some balls and released politically incorrect material. When is WB going to grow some? I think WB is really missing out on a great marketing opportunity by banning Coal Black. Black people would buy tons of merchandise featuring So White. The only classic cartoon that really bothered me is Scrub me Momma.

I've said this before, but I took a History of Animation class six years ago in a screening room with about 50 other people. There was a class day where we all saw politically incorrect (re: racist) cartoons -- 2 of which were "Coal Black" and "Scrub Me Mama with a Bugle Beat."

It wasn't so much that "Scrub Me Mama" was an inherently more offensive cartoon (frankly none of the Black film students raised a fuss about either film) but that it was so inferior in animation and lacking in any real entertainment value. "Coal Black" was at least 50 times funnier and none of the humor fell flat in the short. Far superior animation and great music in the WB short for sure.

There's no question which short I've watched more... "Coal Black" all the way. Much, much better and frankly not the big deal that the WB suits seem to think it is. There's been more offensive material filmed for live-action than any cartoon I've ever seen.

It would be kinda neat if Warner Bors. actually grew some balls, and released this cartoon, but somehow, i doubt it. What they could do is release a collection of rare cartoons, and have Leonard Maltin explain their intent like in the "Disney Treasure" sets. Looking back at how well they put together the "Looney Tunes Gold Collection", one would assume that it's a good sign of things to come. Here's hoping that Warners will aim higher in the future.

Ironically...this was released on a DVD titled "The Complete Weird Cartoons" that was released a short time ago. Maybe this will open the door a crack...we'll see.

A Canadian distribution company called Cascadia Entertainment just recently issued a series of cheap DVDs called 'Cartoons R Fun', filled with crappy film transfers of public domain cartoons. One of them has 'Scrub Me Mama' on it!

You can bet there's no Maltin disclaimer on that one...I was rather shocked to see it at London Drugs amongst all the other kid-friendly DVDs, as I'm sure some unsuspecting parents would be buying it for their children, not knowing that this rather racist cartoon is on there. Oh well, should be an interesting history lesson, or lawsuit, depending on who buys it.

I didn't buy that particular volume since I already had most of the toons on it, including 'Scrub me Mama', but I bought 3 others out of curiosity. The cartoons are mostly good but they're hard to watch cuz of the bad quality.

Warners might release their banned cartoons on a set after they get a few more Looney Tunes sets under their belt. It would be best if they could release a collection under the Adult Swim banner to semi-alert parents that these are for the grown ups.

Supposedly they are about to release the NC-17 version of Eyes Wide Shut - so there's always a chance.

Sorry, but I think that would be a bad idea. I don't want any Looney Tunes to be associated with Teen swim trash.


I have the Weird cartoon DVD and there is no warning for Scrub Me momma.

The blurb on the back cover of "Completely Weird Cartoons" notes that it is a collection of "perverse," "twisted," and "shocking" cartoons, so I'm sure they're not targeting kids with this. Individual warnings on the cartoons themselves would be a little over the top. It's ironic that the collection also includes Ub Iwerks "Little Black Sambo," which the back cover cites as an example of racism. "Sambo" is downright tame compared to "Scrub Me Mama." The watermelon eating scene in the latter really made me wince!

- Mike

If you think Scrub Me Mamma was bad, you should see Lantz's Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B. Lantz was a pretty big offender in this department.

If Disney was really honest and bold enough, they would have included THE CASTAWAY (1931), a.k.a. ROBINSON CRUSOE MICKEY and MICKEY IN ARABIA (1932) in the B/W set. These had much more than blackface gags. These had black human stereotype caricatures.

As for the black face "Mammy" gags, these seem to take on another dimension, as they underscore the grotesqueness and contorversy of Al Jolson. Most people of my generation have been puzzled by the acceptance of such an image, and the cartoon references really become more of a critcal comment on this politically incorrect irony.

I believe they may be planned for the next Disney Treasures dvd collection... but you didn't hear that from me.

Didn't you mean MIckey's Man Friday? I don't believe The Castaway had any blackface natives in it.

Seeing a disclaimer like that doesn't shock me. Moreso they're trying to drive home the statement that these cartoons don't get seen anymore because of the depictions and other things that do happen in them.

Though such a mention like that might fit in well with a usual "Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation" compilation. ^_^

Heh, there's also another Walt Lantz film "Voodoo in Harlem", where ink blobs come out of the inkwell and wreck havoc at the animation studio during the night, only to end with a black made who comes in pick up all the wasted pieces of animation paper on the floor and throw them into the incinerator.

Heh, I found a few of those Jolson 78's in my mom's record collection! When you don't think of the blackface bit at all, he's still a decent singer (at least I take the time to revel in the irrelevent past).

Well, at least you can't watch Jolson in blackface on the records.