8mm Forum: Heavenly Puss!! (Tom and Jerry)

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 13, 2006, 01:47 PM:

I usually review features, mostly optical, but I also love the short subject cartoons, and in this case I would like to review a film which is commonly heralded as the greatest Tom and Jerry Cartoon :

HEAVENLY PUSS!!

This cartoon came out at the high point of the production on Tom and Jerry films. It was directed by the excellent team of William Hanna and Joseph barbera, who would later form "Hanna-Barbera productions" (responsible for Yogi Bear, Flintstones" ect.) The team won a total of 8 oscars for the Tom and Jerry films alone, from 1942 to 1953.

Heavenly Puss was made in 1949, during this peak period, and this cartoon could only work with such well established characters. The Tom and Jerry cartoons were long on Character. You knew exactly how these characters would re-act in any given situation, which made this cartoon memorable.

The cartoon begins with Tom chasing Jerry as usual. He manages to get a piano toppled on top of him. He DIES. he goes up the pearly gates, and is informed at the gates, that he can't be let in, due to his terrible treatment of Jerry mouse. This makes the devil, (a bulldog, obviously) pleased as punch.

"Send im down, let me have im!"

The angel informs Tom that the only way he can get into heaven is by Jerry signing a pardon. Tom is sent back down and goes thru incredible lengths to get Jerry to sign the pardon. Jerry is obviously skeptical, and Tom has a hard time getting Jerry convinced. With every minute that passes, Tom gets closer to defeat and you can see the real terror in Tom's eyes.

He finally gets Jerry to sigh the pardon, but a split second too late and he tumbles into hell, to be tortured by the Bulldog. We then find out that Tom has only been having a nightmare, being woke up by a coal from the fire. He realizes that he is alright. he immediately runs to Jerrys hole, pulls him out and smothers Jerry with kisses, which confounds Jerry to the max, as he shrugs at the audience, bewildered. iris out!

This cartoon treads the fine line of humour and terror quite affectively, we really feel Tom's fear as the clock ticks closer and closer. You really couldn't see a Bug's Bunny or Woody Woodpecker working as well in the same situation. This is a cartoon perfectly written for the characters.

What's amazing is that this cartoon never won an oscar! Lesser Tom and Jerry's won oscars, but then the oscars never really made sense most of the time when it came to what cartoons won oscars. "What's Opera Doc" (1957 Warner Bros.) commonly called the greatest Bug's Bunny, didn't win either, nor was it even nominated, as is the case with Heavenly Puss.

I'd have to look at Derann's catalogue, but I believe that this one is available from them, and if so, then it's bound to be an excellent print. It's certianly a must for any Tom and Jerry collection and I highly reccommend it, dear super 8 nuts!!

cordially,

OSI

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on March 13, 2006, 04:41 PM:

when the long gone walton films done the t&j cartoons they used to be edited from a few seconds up to a full minute.i just wonder if heavenly puss is complete?.that comment is for the uk;i dont know who done them for the rest of the world back then.andy.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 22, 2006, 11:49 AM:

My copy isn't Walton, (I believe, I actually haven't looked at it for awhile, though I wanted to do the review).

Your right though, Walton did edit they're releases. The funny thing is that many of the Waltons have held up extrememly well, color wise. The MGM releases of thier own cartoons, while complete, are on Eastamn film stock, and are subject to the ravages of fade. I have a number of Waltons on fuji film, and the color is pristine, (though my copy of "posse Cat" is a little on the fuzzy side) Since were on the subject of Walton films, how long was Walton around? I ask as I thought "Fuji film" was a 80's super 8 thing?

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on March 23, 2006, 12:42 AM:

walton were around for 30 years.they stopped trading in 1983.andy

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 23, 2006, 11:58 AM:

That probably accounts for the excellent film stock that I have recieved on most of my Tom and Jerrys. Of course, the Derann releases will have excellent color for longer than we'll live!

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on March 23, 2006, 12:12 PM:

hello huys are the Derann T/J titles edited?

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on March 24, 2006, 07:24 AM:

Derann bought up the Walton negs and release rights so they are probably the same cut as the Waltons. This they also did with the UK Disney releases.

Kev.

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on March 25, 2006, 10:59 AM:

One of my wife's uncles is named Walton. For his age, he's still got a pretty healthy skin color.

[Big Grin]

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