Preston Blair

Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 3

The third ring offers a whimsical glimpse into the future - or at least a future from the POV of the mid-20th century - with a plethora of zany postwar inventions. While none of the cartoons "of tomorrow" foresaw smartphones or DVD players, these far-fetched contraptions, gadgets, houses and farms, televisions, and various modes of transportation could only come from the madcap mind of Avery and his M-G-M crew. Uncut, restored and remastered in High Definition for the first time, Tex Avery Screwball Classics Collection Volume 3 is another must-own collection from the master of hand-drawn mayhem.

Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 2

The third ring offers a whimsical glimpse into the future - or at least a future from the POV of the mid-20th century - with a plethora of zany postwar inventions. While none of the cartoons "of tomorrow" foresaw smartphones or DVD players, these far-fetched contraptions, gadgets, houses and farms, televisions, and various modes of transportation could only come from the madcap mind of Avery and his M-G-M crew. Uncut, restored and remastered in High Definition for the first time, Tex Avery Screwball Classics Collection Volume 2 is another must-own collection from the master of hand-drawn mayhem.

Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 1

At long last a beautifully restored and mastered selection of a number of cartoon king Tex Avery’s brilliant, innovative and (most of all) hilarious MGM shorts comes to Blu-ray via the Warner Archive, with the implied promise of more volumes to come. Some of his greatest cartoons are included, and many of these shorts have likely not looked and sounded so good since their original theatrical release. This is a virtual godsend for the director’s legion of fans, and a worthwhile introduction for those yet unfamiliar with Avery’s uniquely zany oeuvre.

Tex Avery's Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection

Frederick "Tex" Avery directed some of the funniest cartoons ever made, but he relied primarily on situations and moving graphics, rather than on the personalities of familiar characters. Droopy, the phlegmatic basset hound, was one of the few characters Avery used regularly: His low-key presence was the perfect counter to the extreme takes, fast cuts, frenetic action, and general mayhem going on around him. Avery is also noted for "self-reflexive gags:" the characters know they're in a cartoon and often comment on the fact. In "Dumb-Hounded,"a sprinting wolf cuts a corner too sharply, skids past the sprocket holes at the edge of the film, and onto the blank screen. Droopy frequently turns to the camera and comments, "You now what? I'm happy."

Bad Luck Blackie

A kitten who is being tormented by a bulldog finds a savior in a black cat (from the "Black Cat Bad Luck Company") who merely has to cross the dog's path for something very unlucky to happen to the bully.

Goggle Fishing Bear

Barney has a dive mask and swim fins to help with his pursuit of fish. First, though, he needs to get the anchor set, despite an overly helpful little seal. The seal acts like an inept hunting dog, leading Barney to a cave with an angry lobster, then an unfortunate encounter with a shark.

Why Play Leap Frog?

Cold War-era cartoon aimed at convincing workers that increased productivity brings about greater purchasing power.

Lucky Ducky

It's hunting season, and all the ducks are wisely staying undercover - apart from this freshly-hatched little duckling, who turns out to be more than a match for two inept would-be hunters....

The Bear and the Hare

Barney Bear hunts a snowshoe rabbit, whose white fur makes him impossible to see in the snow and whose wiliness makes him impossible to catch.

The Bear and the Bean

An anthropomorphic jumping bean from Mexico causes Barney Bear no end of trouble.

Uncle Tom's Cabana

Uncle Tom tells the blood curdling story of how the evil Simon Legree tried to foreclose on Tom's simple log cabin. (Uncle Tom's Cabaña is a 1947 American animated short film directed by Tex Avery. The short is a parody of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and is Avery's second parody of the novel, the first being Uncle Tom's Bungalow in 1937 while at Warner Bros. Cartoons)

Henpecked Hoboes

George and Junior are two hungry bears who try to make a meal out of a not too bright barnyard chicken.

Jerky Turkey

A dopey Pilgrim goes hunting a turkey who speaks in a Jimmy Durante impersonation and runs the local black market. War and rationing gags abound (Pilgrims line up behind a sign reading "Ye Cigarettes Today"), as well as a running gag featuring a bear wearing an "Eat at Joe's" sandwich sign. The turkey harnesses the power of gags to save himself.

The Screwy Truant

The truant officer is after Screwy Squirrel for not going to school.

One Ham's Family

A hungry wolf with ham in the shape of a pig kid stands in for Santa Claus.

Who Killed Who?

A murder has occurred at Gruesome Gables, and the dog detective trying to find the killer has to deal with some suspicious suspects and a haunted house.

Red Hot Riding Hood

Tired of always playing the same roles, Little Red Riding Hood, her grandmother and the Wolf demand a new version of the tale. The story then plays out in a more contemporary urban environment, with Little Red Riding Hood working as a pin-up girl in a night club.

The Early Bird Dood It!

The early worm barely escapes the bird, again. In search of a way to get rid of the bird, he enlists the help of a cat, but the bird is too smart for the cat.

Blitz Wolf

Yet another variation on the Three Little Pigs theme, this time told as WW2 anti-German propaganda (the US had just entered the war), with the wolf as a thinly-disguised Hitler.

Bambi

Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.

Donald's Dog Laundry

With a rubber bone as a lure, Donald Duck tries to entice Pluto to try his mechanical dog washer. When the bone gives Pluto trouble, Donald tries a toy cat as a lure only to unexpectedly fall into the washer himself, get scrubbed and then hung out on the line to dry.

Pinocchio

A little wooden puppet yearns to become a real boy.

The Pointer

Mickey and Pluto go hunting for quail. Pluto scares away the first ones they see; Mickey scolds him, then relents. He shows Pluto how to be a pointer, and they set off after another quail, but Mickey accidentally jumps on a bear's nose, and thinks it's Pluto. Meanwhile, Pluto finds the quail and points. The babies climb on board and start picking at his hairs, but Pluto's been told not to move. Mickey finally comes across Pluto, who by now is covered by small animals, and realizes he's being followed by a bear. Mickey tries to reason with the bear, and backs off a cliff, onto Pluto.

Sea Scouts

Donald is an admiral on a seagoing voyage with his nephews in which they encounter a ravenous shark.

Beach Picnic

Donald Duck is at the beach and tries to ride a rubber horse. He notices Pluto sleeping at the shore and decides to have some fun with him by sending the rubber horse over to Pluto which completely mesmerizes him. Meanwhile, a tribe of ants abduct Donald's picnic lunch. Donald lays out fly paper to stop the ants. Pluto follows one of the ants and, of course, he and later Donald become enmeshed in the fly paper

Donald's Golf Game

Donald Duck tries to exhibit his golfing ability to his nephews only to have them tease him with sneezes, noises and "trick" clubs. Finally, they put a grasshopper in a ball and it "jumps" all over.

The Whalers

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are crewing a whaling ship. Their mishaps include Donald fighting off some hungry birds, Mickey and a bucket of water that keeps doing a boomerang impression, and Goofy firing the cannon and getting stuck high in the air, and ultimately inside a whale. And when he lands the whale well, let's just say they're gonna need a bigger boat.

Krazy Spooks

On a stormy, windy night, Krazy's car breaks down so he and Kitty must seek refuge in an eerie old house. Happy the pup finds a skeleton, but the really scary resident is a huge, violent gorilla that runs off with Kitty, and Krazy must rescue her.

Light House Keeping

Krazy Kat runs his own lighthouse and when rough seas take over, he has to save a damsel in distress.

Hot-Toe Mollie

This jazzy short was one of two efforts in the very brief "Binko the Bear Cub" series. Completed in 1930 yet never exhibited in theaters. Created by a team of future animation stars including Preston Blair and brothers Bob and Tom McKimson, this fragmentary short of Binko haunting a run-down Mexican cantina whizzes along with funky, freaky visuals and fluid movement.