What's the best version of Tom and Jerry?

[Mavericker]

The cartoons that came out in the 1940s?
The ones Hanna and Barbara produced in the 1950s?
The ones Chuck Jones produced?
The ones Gene Deitch produced?

Or:

The ones H-B later produced for TV in the '70s and '80s?

[Galaxy 9000]

The first ones made.

[YogiBR123]

The first ones ever made, also.

In the later ones, Tom & Jerry look like babies.

[Fool's Gil]

Gene Deitch was a genius when it came to Tom and Jerry. I never seen more emotion and off wall things in a cat and mouse than in that era.

[Deadman]

the originals.

[Steve Carras]

The first ones ever made, also.

In the later ones, Tom & Jerry look like babies.
I third that emotion! [BTW only the `990 revival was the baby one.]

[Ace Goodheart]

I third that emotion! [BTW only the `990 revival was the baby one.]


I think he mean's that in the 50's era shorts T&J look more "softer" and "friendlier", and they they were drawn simpler as well. Regardless I like the 50's shorts as well.........never fond of the Deitch shorts. They seem so obviously late '50s/'60's now and feel dated. I liked the Chuck Jones shorts though.

[Doz Hewson]

The best version of Tom & Jerry will always be that perpetrated from April (or May)1939 (the earliest known production date for Puss Gets The Boot) to 1957. I also like the Gene Deitch and Chuck Jones versions,and a T&J version I know damn well y'all know exists, though you,for various reasons,wish not to know it exists: that by Filmation Associates, in The Tom & Jerry Comedy Show (CBS:1980-81).

[AarHan3]

The cartoons that came out in the 1940s?
The ones Hanna and Barbara produced in the 1950s?
The ones Chuck Jones produced?
The ones Gene Deitch produced?

Or:

The ones H-B later produced for TV in the '70s and '80s?

Well, I guess the answer's pretty obvious, ain't it? :D

Definitely the 1975 H-B made-for-TV T&Js! (Hence my avatar and webpage (http://www.1975tomjerry.50megs.com/)!) :cool:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2267/hbtomjerryshowgp4.jpg

[Eric B]

I think he mean's that in the 50's era shorts T&J look more "softer" and "friendlier", and they they were drawn simpler as well. Regardless I like the 50's shorts as well.........never fond of the Deitch shorts. They seem so obviously late '50s/'60's now and feel dated. I liked the Chuck Jones shorts though.
This basically was the missing link to the 1975 version. That basically picked up where 1957 left off, especially in design (one site said it looked like Chuck Jones' version, but except for Jerry's bow tie, they look pretty much like the version that appeared when HB took over production of the MGM unit). So seeing them team up on occasion, it was not really that far out for them to be friends in the 1957 series, even though to others, it was the low point.

So I would say the best series is the original; and it's the most recent TV series, and some of the movies that came closest to restoring the look of the original.

Then, you have the Chuck Jones version, which as far as character design, is verry awkward, but the interplay of characters is classic Tom & Jerry, and more closely continued the old series.

Filmation is notable for restoring the supporting characters and chase, and in a way that was acceptable to the network. So HB had overreacted in making them friends only, or the standards had been eased in the five years inbetween. The problem is the overuse a a handful of score cues, and to some extent, the animation, but it is done in a stylish and funny way.

The HB series, again, was good in being by the original creators, and continued the character look from the end of the original, though as Patrick Brion says, it could have been played by any three characters.

The Tom & Jerry Kids series to me messed it up, but making Tom & Jerry kids, but keeping all the canines the same age, then as time went on showing Spike less, but adding all of these other characters to help out Jerry. They should have just taken Nibbles, Tyke and the little grey kitten, dubbed them the "next generation", and the grownup characters would make appearances at times, just like they did so nicely in Tiny Toons, and you would still have Droopy, Dripple, the wolf and the redhead. They even messed up the possibility of simply designating the pair as Nibbles and the kitten, by actually having Nibbbles come and aid the young Jerry in at least one episode!:ack:

The Gene Deitch series was a more natural progression in character design than the Jones series (though it was like a step back from the late 50's, and could look awkward at times). Also, the weird sound effects. It's almost like a different cartoon. The Filmation series would be similar, but again, they at least brought back the other characters, and it was American music and sound effects.

[hobbyfan]

I actually like the Chuck Jones shorts more than any other "era". The earlier shorts by Hanna & Barbera are true classics, and Jones added to the legacy. I just never got into the Gene Deitch shorts. They didn't resonate with me (neither did Deitch's work on Popeye, but that's for another time). The 1975 H-B TV series was during an era where violence became verboten (thanks to uppity soccer moms like Peggy Charren), and the chase, the whole raison d'etre of the series, was MIA. Friendly competition became the norm. Thankfully, the characters remained silent.

Filmation's effort 5 years later restored the chase, but the violence was still watered down, same as Mighty Mouse & Heckle & Jeckle under Filmation's watch a year prior.

Now, imagine if H-B had let Tex Avery direct a couple of those early classics......!;)

[stargirl]

The originals, of course! Nothing can top the originals!

Although there is something about Filmation's version that kinda gets a kick outta me. =)

[ap75021]

There are no Tom & Jerry cartoons that match the pacing of the 40s and early 50s MGM shorts...Chuck Jones was a genius and I will always look up to him for his Warner Brothers work...his take on Tom & Jerry was different but very interesting and no less a work of genius than anything else he's done. The gene Deitch cartoons to me are totally unwatchable, they just look cheaply done and have a foreign feel to them, not to take anything away from foreign animation, but they just feel wrong in comparison to even the Hanna-Barbera-directed ones in the mid 50s. The Filmation and later hanna Barbera series in the 70s were a complete waste of time...so watered down from what they once were. Give me the fred Quimby directed shorts of the 40s and 50s...and while we're at it, Droopy deserves plenty of respect in that era too!

[DarthGonzo]

How is this even up for discussion??

The original (1940-1958) series, obviously.

[tb4000]

Detail wise, the 1940s beats every other era hands down. I still laugh at the scene from the 1944 short The Bodyguard where Spike has Tom by the throat and is basically spitting while he's threatening Tom and subtly Tom wipes the spittle from his eye while he's still talking to him.

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

There are no Tom & Jerry cartoons that match the pacing of the 40s and early 50s MGM shorts...Chuck Jones was a genius and I will always look up to him for his Warner Brothers work...his take on Tom & Jerry was different but very interesting and no less a work of genius than anything else he's done. The gene Deitch cartoons to me are totally unwatchable, they just look cheaply done and have a foreign feel to them, not to take anything away from foreign animation, but they just feel wrong in comparison to even the Hanna-Barbera-directed ones in the mid 50s. The Filmation and later hanna Barbera series in the 70s were a complete waste of time...so watered down from what they once were. Give me the fred Quimby directed shorts of the 40s and 50s...and while we're at it, Droopy deserves plenty of respect in that era too!

Totally agree!

Although, I always did like the Gene Deitch "Dicky Moe" episode.

[CelesteK]

I loved the H-B produced Tom and Jerry Cartoons. I don't like anything made later than that, Tom and Jerry Kids, and Tom and Jerry Tales, because the animation is bad and the concepts are even worse.:confused: Tom and Jerry Tales made me think "what the hell were the writers smoking when they thought of this?"?

[nakak]

The originals, obviously.

In fairness re: Gene Deitch shorts, Deitch admitted in his bio that he was never a big fan of T&J in the first place and only got the gig because Bill Snyder in New York convinced MGM that he was the man. That, and the Czech animators Deitch had have never seen a single T&J short in their lives. MGM had to send a bunch of films for them to use as a guide.