"Magilla Gorilla: The Complete Series" DVD Talkback

[Kolbar]

Today's the day two more Hanna-Barbera classics come to DVD. Let's make sure these sell strong so me get more releases of other cartoons.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.net/graphics/news3/MagillaGorilla.jpg

Magilla Gorilla, is a loveable but clumsy gorilla, who lives in Mr. Peebles' Pet Shop. Mr Peebles repeatedly tries to sell or give away the gorilla with no success. Backing segments include Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse and Rocochet Rabbit & Droop-a-long Coyote. These 23 complete cartoons plus 8 bonus Magilla Gorilla classic Hanna Barbera cartoons are now available for the first time ever on DVD!

Special Features Include:

Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 1.0), French (Dolby Digital 1.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 1.0)
23 episodes on four discs
Magilla theme song, live and unplugged: rare footage of Hoyt Curtin and Bill Hanna at the piano, introduced by series animator Jerry Eisenberg
Mr. Peebles Pet Shop: interactive interview gallery with Magilla Gorilla voice Allan Melvin, series animator Jerry Eisenberg, and animation historian Jerry Beck
Here Comes a Star: archival TV special goes inside Hanna-Barbera Studios to introduce this new simian characterFeel free to discuss both the show and the DVD! And you can hopefully expect my review by the end of the week.

Related Discussion:
"Hong Kong Phooey: The Complete Series" DVD Talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=172112)

[Jon Cooke]

I have posted an early review of the MAGILLA GORILLA DVD set over on GAC: http://reviews.goldenagecartoons.com/magilla/

Go check it out!

[Kolbar]

Excellent review! You make some really good points in there, Jon. That's a shame that they didn't include the original opening and didn't restore the cartoons as well as Huck and Yogi were. Unfortunatley, I have to wait until Tuesday when its released to the public to get my set and review it for HB Shows.com.

[Uncle_Lina]

Very interesting, too bad it's a bit of a dissapointment. I'd like to see one on Hong Kong Phooey too.

[Jon Cooke]

Hey guys, thanks for the comments. :)
Look for a HONG KONG PHOOEY review on GAC in the coming weeks. I'll post here when we have it up!

[JCorey3rd]

Magilla Gorilla has never been one of my favorites. And I was hoping they'd have Sneezly & Breezly on the set. But I'll pick it up because I don't want the folks at Warners to quit putting out non-Scooby sets. Also I like the idea that the voices were Sam the Butcher and Ernest T. Bass.

[Tintin]

I see your review and it's really interesting. I find very bad the treatments of Magilla Gorilla for this box sets.

[Uncle_Lina]

are the pictures all screenshots from the DVD?
If they are, that's just shocking, i've DOWNLOADED episodes like that after all.

[Jon Cooke]

are the pictures all screenshots from the DVD?
If they are, that's just shocking, i've DOWNLOADED episodes like that after all.

Yes, those are all actual screen shots from the DVD. I took them from a bunch of random cartoons so people could see how much the film quality varies throughout the set.

[PeppeRaskell1]

I'd definitely RBYB before plunking any money on it, even for a half-price sale.

[Stuckey]

Maybe I'm alone, in fact I'm sure I am, but not only do I not mind the quality but I kinda like it. I've always liked the worn look on older cartoons.

[PeppeRaskell1]

Maybe I'm alone, in fact I'm sure I am, but not only do I not mind the quality but I kinda like it. I've always liked the worn look on older cartoons.

I guess we've all been spoiled by the words "Digitally Remastered," and we should all be thankful that all these older cartoons are still here--no matter what the quality of the print--and not all crumbled into dust or burned to cinders (the fate of many old movies and cartoons made prior to the 1930's).

[ToonFanForever]

Since Magilla Gorilla was never released on VHS (to my knowledge), I know I
will be buying it--but I will have to wait until it's half-price as I did with the
HUCKLEBERRY HOUND DVD (which I found on eBay for only $22.00). But I am
disappointed to hear that they omitted the opening, closing, and the bridges.
Oh, well. I guess any MAGILLA GORILLA SHOW is better than none.

[The Cartoon]

Here is an article about the Magilla Gorilla Set that comes out tomorrow :D
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=6262
It has a link to the review by Jon Cooke on our own Classic Cartoon forums!

[Kolbar]

The two threads have been merged together into the official talkback thread for "Magilla Gorilla." I plan to pick up my copy along with "Hong Kong Phooey" tomorrow afternoon.

[Brainatra]

I've just rented this collection from the public library...

Magilla was an OK entry, if not as strong a series as Yogi, Huck or Quick Draw. Was glad to see Ricochet Rabbit again, particularly; enjoyed his cartoons as a kid. Mushmouse and Punkin' Puss have their moments, as well.

Biggest nitpick, as noted by others, is the lack of the original opening and closing credits. The absence of the opening's annoying, while the absence of the latter leaves me wondering if it violates some work agreement or something, to not show the original closing credits (with the people who worked on the show's names listed) like that. The original opening, albiet in black and white, is apparently in the extras on the last disc (the half-hour special), complete with the original "Ideal Toys" sponsor tags, but the fact I only found it by accident (by playing the extra) doesn't help much.

-B.

[Jon Cooke]

Here are the Magilla Gorilla opening (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf8rv_the-magilla-gorilla-show) & closing (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xejf6_the-magilla-gorilla-show-end-credit) on DailyMotion. The opening is the version H-B altered after Ideal Toys was no longer the sponser. This is the version that still shows up on Boomerang now and then.