Tom And Jerry the Movie review

[zoombie]

I watched the 1993 feature film Tom and Jerry Movie recentely, a movie I have not seen in years. Here is my thoughts on it.

1) Tom and Jerry talking. It is very contraversal. I didn't to much of a problem with it, it was a way to get people to see the movie, by promoting that for the first time hear Tom and Jerry. Even though they have talked in the past, but never had a non musical conversation.

They have some random words and sentences, and they are some musical shorts in which they sing out diologue. Because Tom and Jerry being mute it not 100% rule. It is okay by me. But I prefer them being mute, because it leaves to the imagination of what they are thinking, and what voices they have.

2) Tom and Jerry as allies? Same thing as them talking, while it is rare, it has happened a few times in the classic cartoons. Most noteably the the cartoons when they watch over a baby because of a neglitful babysitter Baby Buddies and Tot Watchers. I remember one cartoon when they are friends at the beginning, Tom's owner discovers Jerry, and forces Tom to get Jerry.

This one I have more of a problem with than them talking, but they don't have to be enemies to be entertainers. Baby Buddies and Tot Watchers are two of my favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons, I like them being allies, it is a nice change of pace. As long as they are two lovey dubbey with each other.

3) The lack of supporting characters. This movie was suppose to be a celebration of Tom and Jerry, and I was very upset that they didn't have any of the classic supporting characters. There was no Spike, Taffy, Butch, Quacker, etc. They should have made cameos.

4) The overal movie, there was nothing special about it. The plot was predictable, and I have seen these stories many times.

But one thing I loved about the movie, is they didn't villianfy Tom. He got to be the hero (along with Jerry), and got some glory. Oppose to the Nutcraker movie, when Tom was protrayed as evil when IMO he was also a very sympathic character. I also thought Jerry was the real villain in those classic cartoons.

Now feel free to post your own review.

[Eric B]

Still have never seen that one, after all these years.

Who was "Cracker"?

[zoombie]

Still have never seen that one, after all these years.

Who was "Cracker"?

Quacker was a bird, who often Jerry protected from Tom. He talked in a Donald Duck like voice. My appologies for typing his name wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quacker_%28Tom_and_Jerry%29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quacker_%28Tom_and_Jerry%29)

I think the Tom and Jerry Movie was released the same year, the Simpsons had an episode in which the Itchy And Scratchy movie was released.

[J. B. Warner]

Tom and Jerry: The Movie is the perfect example of how not to do a movie based on a classic cartoon. Really, the only way it could have been further from its source material would be if it had been done in live action.

What really astonishes me is that this movie was done while Will Hanna and Joe Barbera were still alive, and they actually approved of it.

[DarthGonzo]

1) Tom and Jerry talking. It is very contraversal. I didn't to much of a problem with it, it was a way to get people to see the movie, by promoting that for the first time hear Tom and Jerry. Even though they have talked in the past, but never had a non musical conversation.

Don't forget the cartoon The Lonesome Mouse. They actually have a pair of conversations in that one. :)

Jerry: Hey, we're still kiddin' ain't we?
Tom: Sure!
Jerry: Okay den!

[Blackstar]

I think that, at bottom, the main reason why Tom & Jerry: the Movie failed at the box office is because T&J are characters designed for shorts, not features. Like the Looney Tunes characters, Tom & Jerry simply don't have deep enough personalities to sustain a story line or an audiences attention for over an hour.

[stargirl]

I hadn't seen this in many years, either. Until I watched it on YouTube weeks ago, I had completely forgotten that they spoke.

On the subject of T&J speaking for the first time, while I was on YouTube watching it, I thought of a funny scenario, sort of like a mock-flashback...
It was 1993. The cinemas were packed with people. Everybody was watching this very movie, and the minute they heard those lines being said: "I'm Tom." "I'm Jerry." "YOU TALKED!!!" Gasps flying throughout the whole room like you've never seen before, followed by dead silence the rest of the movie. Imagine that...

But I didn't seem to mind the voices much (the New York accent was suited for Tom, IMO). What bothered me was the use of too many new characters. (You see those alley cats only once in the whole movie! Though I liked "What Do We Care" and all the other songs.

That's my random opinion...

[zoombie]

I think that, at bottom, the main reason why Tom & Jerry: the Movie failed at the box office is because T&J are characters designed for shorts, not features. Like the Looney Tunes characters, Tom & Jerry simply don't have deep enough personalities to sustain a story line or an audiences attention for over an hour.

I see your point, but I don't know if I totally agree, it depends on the script, because I actully thought some of the DTV movies were very good. The Magic Ring and The Fast And The Furry were very good. But that is just my opinoin. The writers of the DTV movies understood the characters and spirit of Tom and Jerry, better than the writers for the feature movie. They got it right.

[Joe]

Here's what Siskel & Ebert had to say about the film

http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/index2.html?sec=1&subsec=942

[zoombie]

But I didn't seem to mind the voices much (the New York accent was suited for Tom, IMO). What bothered me was the use of too many new characters. (You see those alley cats only once in the whole movie! Though I liked "What Do We Care" and all the other songs.

Actully his voice in the movie doesn't sound too different from Tom's speaking voice in the cartoon Mucho Mouse (BTW voiced by the great Daws Butler) So I agree with you there.

I watched the Siskel and Ebert clip, I agree with them. I loved the comment about the Roadrunner and the Coyotte. Even though they didn't get their facts right saying this is the first time Tom and Jerry spoke. They have spoken before, but it was so rare that it happened up to that time, that is understandable for someone not to know that.

The plot of the movie was more suited for Disney than for T&J. T&J are not suppose to cute and mussey, they are the opposite of that. While a typical Disney movie is suppose to tearful, be mussey and about love. T&J is not about love, it is about hate. They tried to make it to political correct, T&J are not political correct at least in the modern era of what is political correct. It is like having Richard Pryer or Sam Kinisen star in a family sitcom.

[stargirl]

Don't forget the cartoon The Lonesome Mouse. They actually have a pair of conversations in that one. :)

Jerry: Hey, we're still kiddin' ain't we?
Tom: Sure!
Jerry: Okay den!

Plus, there's also that episode of Tom & Jerry Tales ("Kitty Hawked") where Tom and Jerry (as elders) share very minimal dialogue.

[zoombie]

On the subject of T&J speaking for the first time, while I was on YouTube watching it, I thought of a funny scenario, sort of like a mock-flashback...
It was 1993. The cinemas were packed with people. Everybody was watching this very movie, and the minute they heard those lines being said: "I'm Tom." "I'm Jerry." "YOU TALKED!!!" Gasps flying throughout the whole room like you've never seen before, followed by dead silence the rest of the movie. Imagine that...


That is funny. I do think the T&J fans that went to see the movie, were expecting T&J to be trying to kill each other for 90 minutes, especially when they saw the opening credits, and not what we saw in the movie.

I could imagine the people screaming, "Come on Tom and Jerry attack each other, fight, try to blow up each other." Just like in Poochie's debut on Itchy and Scratchy, Millhouse said tearful "When are they going to get to the fireworks factory?"

One thing that could have made it worse, is if T&J tried to rap and be all street. Actully that could be funny, as long as it was intended of a joke, and not be taken serious.

[Baltofan]

Many animated movies from that time are hard to find now, including this Tom & Jerry movie.

I think it's an OK movie, and I would had loved to see Spike too.

[JordanS.]

You saw "Tom and Jerry: The Movie"? where? when?

JSCARTOONFAN

[Silverstar]

I thought Richard Kind and Dana Hill's voices fit T&J well (especially Kind, who was Tom, IMO), but that's about the highest compliment I can pay this movie.

[kaseykockroach]

Tom and Jerry: The Movie is the perfect example of how not to do a movie based on a classic cartoon. Really, the only way it could have been further from its source material would be if it had been done in live action.

What really astonishes me is that this movie was done while Will Hanna and Joe Barbera were still alive, and they actually approved of it.
Noone could've stated my own thoughts on this horror better than that. Well said. :)

[kaseykockroach]

I think that, at bottom, the main reason why Tom & Jerry: the Movie failed at the box office is because T&J are characters designed for shorts, not features. Like the Looney Tunes characters, Tom & Jerry simply don't have deep enough personalities to sustain a story line or an audiences attention for over an hour.
That makes sense, but we can't judge that from what's been done with those characters recently by (forgive me) talentless folks :sweat:.After all, how would Chuck Jones,Tex Avery, or Bob Clampett make a Bugs Bunny feature?

[Darklordavaitor]

What really astonishes me is that this movie was done while Will Hanna and Joe Barbera were still alive, and they actually approved of it.
Eh, Bill & Joe would pretty much approve of anything involving their characters, no matter how awful they be.

I remember how even as a kid, how cheesed off I was that Tom & Jerry were going to talk, AND be friends. That pretty much assures that a rewatch from me isn't gonig to happen anytime soon.

[Dr.Pepper]

I remember when I was little I liked the movie. Even though it has been years from what I can recall it was very shallow.

[J. B. Warner]

That makes sense, but we can't judge that from what's been done with those characters recently by (forgive me) talentless folks :sweat:.After all, how would Chuck Jones,Tex Avery, or Bob Clampett make a Bugs Bunny feature?

Apparently by stitching samples from the classic cartoons together with 20 minutes' worth of new linking footage. That's what Jones and Freleng did throughout the 1970s and 1980s, anyway, with productions like The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, Friz Freleng's Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie, Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales, and Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island. Although, ironically, it was Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, the one compilation feature that the classic directors had no hand in, that turned out the best - Greg Ford and Terry Lennon actually sought to build a plot instead of just doing tangentally connected vignettes.

I don't think the same approach would have worked for this feature, though. By 1993, compilation features were pretty much passé - the Disney renaissance of the late 1980s/early 1990s had encouraged every studio to create features that focused more heavily on narrative and character development. Unfortunately, Tom and Jerry really don't embody either of those qualities.

[Speedy Boris]

All I can think of when listening to Jerry's voice is Charles from Duckman and Max from Goof Troop.

[Baltofan]

I saw the movie in the cinema back in 1993, and I had the poster too.

[Silverstar]

I saw the movie in the cinema back in 1993, and I had the poster too.

M'kay. Now tell us what you actually thought of the movie. (Though if you bought the poster, that should be some indication...)

[JordanS.]

I know don't why the classic cartoon channel doesn't want to air "Tom and Jerry: the Movie"? Not even CN and HBO, I can't stand the magic ring one. I want to tape the 1993 film in a DVD-R. There I said it.

And do not ask me to buy the DVD it, because there are scene that I don't wish to have and I don't want the shorts from the 40s and 50s.

I'm Sorry I said that, but it's the truth.

JSCARTOONFAN

[kaseykockroach]

I know don't why the classic cartoon channel doesn't want to air "Tom and Jerry: the Movie"? Not even CN and HBO, I can't stand the magic ring one. I want to tape the 1993 film in a DVD-R. There I said it.

And do not ask me to buy the DVD it, because there are scene that I don't wish to have and I don't want the shorts from the 40s and 50s.

I'm Sorry I said that, but it's the truth.

JSCARTOONFAN
Ooooookaaayyy.... :confused:

[Dudley]

I remember the movie. I didn't see it in theaters, but I got it on video, and watched it a lot. I liked then, but I don't now.
Because once you think about it, the movie's not really about them, it's about Robyn, and as soon as she appears, they take the role as comedy relief characters.
Though I don't like the other Tom and Jerry movies, this one is kind of more flawed than the others.

[Silverstar]

Because once you think about it, the movie's not really about them, it's about Robyn, and as soon as she appears, they take the role as comedy relief characters.

Yeah, that was the biggest stumbling block of the film (IMO); that T&J were reduced to supporting roles in what was supposed to be their movie.

[zoombie]

The plot was a big problem, it is not geared toward the T&J audience. A heart warming Disney story, there is nothing wrong with that. But not for T&J, that is not their style. Their style is the opposite. Actully a mussey heart warming animated movie, I like some of them, but I don't want that from T&J. It is like going to a pizzarea for a burger, it is just out of place.

No one watched Tom and Jerry to get mussy heart warming stories. They came for mindless violence, and slap stick comedy.

Tom and Jerry were also out of character in my opinion. Since when did they care about other people, much less each other. Love them or hate them, but Tom and Jerry has always been selfish characters, that only looked out for them selfs. Sure once in a while Jerry would protect other small animals from Tom, but he had the motive of tweaking Tom. And they did team up to protect a baby in Busy Buddies and Tot Watchers , but that is a rare exception. Not to mention if something happened to that baby, Tom was going to get it from the babies parents.

[DrTooth]

Yeah, that was the biggest stumbling block of the film (IMO); that T&J were reduced to supporting roles in what was supposed to be their movie.


Same thing that bugged me about Muppet Christmas Carol. Basically it seemed like every single cliche in a Disney movie, a knock off of the Rescuers, with Tom and Jerry tossed in, and Droopy appearing as a narrator or something. Pretty much a useless film. I'd even rather have seen a soul-less compilation film than that. And I saw it on Television years ago. Terrible, cheap film.

[JordanS.]

Because once you think about it, the movie's not really about them, it's about Robyn, and as soon as she appears, they take the role as comedy relief characters.

Well, Robyn is the leading lady of the movie and my favorite character. I guess that's the real reason why I loved this film.

Though I don't like the other Tom and Jerry movies, this one is kind of more flawed than the others.

I know how you feel, I don't like the other movies of Tom and Jerry from 2000 either. I wish that HBO or Starz would have "Tom and Jerry: The Movie." I would like to tape it and skip some scenes that I don't like.

JordanS.

[Silverstar]

Well, Robyn is the leading lady of the movie

...Which would have been fine if it had been billed as The Robyn Movie. But when you put cartoon legends like Tom and Jerry in the movie and name it after them, people are naturally going to expect T&J to take center stage, not play 2nd bananas to someone else. If the movie was meant to be a star vehicle for Robyn, they didn't have to stick Tom & Jerry in it at all.

[zoombie]

...Which would have been fine if it had been billed as The Robyn Movie. But when you put cartoon legends like Tom and Jerry in the movie and name it after them, people are naturally going to expect T&J to take center stage, not play 2nd bananas to someone else. If the movie was meant to be a star vehicle for Robyn, they didn't have to stick Tom & Jerry in it at all.

Hmm I think I understand. The people who wrote this script had two original animals intended, but the studio decided to put Tom and Jerry in it. That could very likely have happened.

[Eric B]

It could have just been like another "Anchors Aweigh" or that later ocean movie with them, where they are simply cameos.

[stargirl]

I wonder if this movie was a team-up project between different studios...

[Debbie]

According to Joe Barbera in his biography, "Tom and Jerry the Movie" was supposed to be a new project for Tom and Jerry. It was originally going to be produced at Hanna-Barbera, but at the time, he and William Hanna weren't active producers at HB, and the people who were running the studio told him "We don't want to do the Tom and Jerry movie." He eventually had it produced at Film Roman. At one point, Michael Jackson was going to have done songs for the film, but nothing came out of it.

[Kentaro Doe]

Yesterday I contacted Youtube's The Nostalgia Critic, asking him if he could review this film. He said he'll consider it.

[Road to Gotham]

It could have just been like another "Anchors Aweigh" or that later ocean movie with them, where they are simply cameos.


That Ocean movie is called "Neptune's Daughter" with Esther Williams.
I just happen to watch it a couple of days ago.
I like the whole movie very much. B+

There is a Tom and Jerry cartoon bonus on the that DVD.
"Cat and the Mermouse", I believe is the name.

[DarthGonzo]

That Ocean movie is called "Neptune's Daughter" with Esther Williams.

Not quite.

It's called Dangerous When Wet. Neptune's Daughter is a completely different movie and doesn't include Tom and Jerry at all.

[zoombie]

According to Joe Barbera in his biography, "Tom and Jerry the Movie" was supposed to be a new project for Tom and Jerry. It was originally going to be produced at Hanna-Barbera, but at the time, he and William Hanna weren't active producers at HB, and the people who were running the studio told him "We don't want to do the Tom and Jerry movie." He eventually had it produced at Film Roman. At one point, Michael Jackson was going to have done songs for the film, but nothing came out of it.

That is ironic, in the fictional world Michael Jackson did do a guest voice in the fictional Itchy and Scatchy movie. Not really, but in the fictional world he did.

[DrTooth]

Still, the movie feels like someone wanted to make a generic animated film, and they shoved Tom and Jerry as a franchise name in front of it. With the plot, it seemed that it was a better fit for Charlie and Itchy, from All Dogs go to Heaven. It just felt like a cheap knockoff of that film somehow.

[Racattack!Force]

...Which would have been fine if it had been billed as The Robyn Movie. But when you put cartoon legends like Tom and Jerry in the movie and name it after them, people are naturally going to expect T&J to take center stage, not play 2nd bananas to someone else.

If called the The Robyn Movie, I doubt many people would see it since they wouldn't know who this Robyn is. If they kept T&J, people would see the movie because of them. Anyway, the movie is okay I guess. I've seen about half of it so far, but it's a little dull.

[Road to Gotham]

Not quite.

It's called Dangerous When Wet. Neptune's Daughter is a completely different movie and doesn't include Tom and Jerry at all.

You're Right.
I get these Esther Williams water movies mixed up.

[Eric B]

I had forgotten both the actress and the exact title, but while the name I recognized, I knew I had never heard the title "Neptune's Daughter".
Thanks.

[Steve Carras]

Actully his voice in the movie doesn't sound too different from Tom's speaking voice in the cartoon Mucho Mouse (BTW voiced by the great Daws Butler) So I agree with you there.

I watched the Siskel and Ebert clip, I agree with them. I loved the comment about the Roadrunner and the Coyotte. Even though they didn't get their facts right saying this is the first time Tom and Jerry spoke. They have spoken before, but it was so rare that it happened up to that time, that is understandable for someone not to know that.

The plot of the movie was more suited for Disney than for T&J. T&J are not suppose to cute and mussey, they are the opposite of that. While a typical Disney movie is suppose to tearful, be mussey and about love. T&J is not about love, it is about hate. They tried to make it to political correct, T&J are not political correct at least in the modern era of what is political correct. It is like having Richard Pryer or Sam Kinisen star in a family sitcom.

LOL! Henry Mancini's last project being this must've made him sad before his death in 1994...btw on GAC Forums (as I posted) there is the little girl who did Nibbles'Tuffy's voice who posted (Just spreading the word, sorry if I did anything WRONG).

[Steve Carras]

According to Joe Barbera in his biography, "Tom and Jerry the Movie" was supposed to be a new project for Tom and Jerry. It was originally going to be produced at Hanna-Barbera, but at the time, he and William Hanna weren't active producers at HB, and the people who were running the studio told him "We don't want to do the Tom and Jerry movie." He eventually had it produced at Film Roman. At one point, Michael Jackson was going to have done songs for the film, but nothing came out of it.
UGH!...at the time he was accused for his child molestation (found not guilty over ten later, of course..) Thank god.

[girdude94]

:jerry: When they talked, I stared at the T.V. speechless. It's an awsome movie, but they should've kept them on mute (plus it was more about Robyn than Tom and Jerry):tomcat:

[Ickis]

Yesterday I contacted Youtube's The Nostalgia Critic, asking him if he could review this film. He said he'll consider it. Didn't he review Tom and Jerry on his website or are you reffering to an NC knock\rip-off? I've seen and MST3K'd the Tom and Jerry film and its decent though theres just too many songs in my opinion, its less Tom and Jerry and more The Rescuers meets West Side Story meets an oddly designed Flea.

[Jave]

Didn't he review Tom and Jerry on his website or are you reffering to an NC knock\rip-off?You know, you are replying to a year-old post.