The Art Of Tom And Jerry Laserdisc Archive __hot__ Jun 2026

Inside, the five discs were immaculate. No rot, no scratches. Each came in a thick cardboard sleeve with liner notes in Japanese and English, featuring production cels from the Hanna-Barbera era. Leo carefully slid the first disc— Puss Gets the Boot (1940)—into his vintage Pioneer player.

The archive is divided into three distinct volumes, each focusing on a specific era or artistic shift in the series' production.

“You don’t own these discs. You’re their custodian. When you’re done, pass them to someone who hears the quiet cat.” the art of tom and jerry laserdisc archive

Large-scale prints that showcased the character designs of Fred Quimby and Chuck Jones.

The laserdisc had been mastered from original 35mm nitrate negatives, never transferred to video before. The grain was lush, the blacks deep as ink. Leo watched the famous opening—the MGM lion roar, then the curtain. But instead of the clean, broadcast version, the disc revealed pencil tests . Raw, rough, beautiful. Tom’s design slightly off, Jerry’s ears too large. Scribbled frame numbers in the corner. Hand-drawn timing charts. Inside, the five discs were immaculate

The archive

“You see that smear frame?” Spence’s gravelly voice said. “That’s not a mistake. That’s the action . If you freeze it, you lose the joke. Laserdisc is the only format that keeps the velocity.” Leo carefully slid the first disc— Puss Gets

Each set includes detailed booklet liner notes and bonus material, such as early Hanna-Barbera one-shot cartoons ( Gallopin' Gals , Officer Pooch ), that provide a complete picture of the studio's output.

Disc three was the anomaly. Labeled only “ Yankee Doodle Mouse (Alternate).” No mention in any catalog. Leo loaded it, and the screen showed a version of the 1943 short where Tom, instead of military regalia, wore a newsboy cap. Jerry’s bombs were pillow-shaped. The title card read “ The Peacemaker. ” A wartime propaganda reel that never aired—too gentle, too ambiguous. Tom and Jerry shaking hands at the end. The Hays Office had rejected it. The disc hissed, and a subtitle appeared: “Restored from Joseph Barbera’s personal reel, 1978.”