For a change of pace (namely positivity), what is sure to be the classic animation release of the year is Steve Stanchfield’s Thunderbean Animation collection of Private Snafu cartoons. Steve has practically moved heaven and earth to make sure that these things look as great as they possibly can, using mostly 35mm negative source material. I bought a copy of the preview disc he offered for sale at the GAC Forums, and I can safely say that these things look as good as the black-and-white restorations on Warner Home Video’s Golden Collections. I believe that the final disc will contain all of the Snafu shorts produced at Schlesinger’s/Warners, minus Secrets of the Caribbean, which remains lost. (Steve, correct me if I’m wrong.)
Along with just looking excellent, this collection will arguably have the most re-watchability out of all the Thunderbean releases because of its sheer entertainment value. These are not second-rate shorts cranked out for the Army, nor are they strictly educational bluster (well, a rare few are). They are hilarious, beautifully animated cartoons by the greatest studio during what was their most innovative period, and are just as successful comedies as anything they were doing for general exhibition.* Ted Geisel, the head writer of the shorts, was a perfect match for the Termite Terrace boys, and we can be grateful Disney was too greedy for its own good in bidding for the Snafu series (they wanted to own the character outright, and any merchandising rights), so history was not denied this pairing.
I’d go as far as to argue that Chuck Jones’s Spies and Bob Clampett’s Fighting Tools rank as some of the studio’s best work ever. Friz Freleng’s Rumors is probably the wildest film he ever did, and Frank Tashlin has the gall to tease even military boys with camera angles to obscure women’s breasts. What I’d really like to see discovered now are more of the Seaman Hook cartoons Warners did for the Navy, as only three (by Jones, Clampett, and McKimson in his directorial debut) are known to exist now. (There has to be at least one Freleng one, and a Tashlin one existing is not unlikely.) Who knows, researchers (okay, who the hell am I kidding, a researcher) have been more successful in finding animation artifacts in the last five years than thirty.
I’m not sure of a final release date, but once Steve gives the say-so, I’ll post it here. Below is an alright copy of the aforementioned Fighting Tools. Top-notch direction from Clampett and his animators at in excellent form. There’s even a gay mouse too (animated by Virgil Ross).
* – Though I can verify at least one Snafu, Tashlin’s The Home Front, was released theatrically, because I had seen a print at one time that was clearly identified as a theatrical print. The word “nuts” in the phrase, “freeze the nuts off a jeep”, was muted.
The frames are absolutely stunning. It’s even more stunning that a caring individual such as Steve S. can do as good of a job (or better) as a huge corporation in the cartoon DVD business. Considering various complaints about some of the Golden Collection discs, SNAFU may be an apt description of the operations at WHV.
Certainly the principal message of this short — that one’s equipment should be properly maintained — is quite correct. But the notion that American troops were being furnished with the finest practicable equipment was just rubbish. Indeed, one of the reasons that maintenance of American rifles was so important was because of their unnecessarily low tolerances. And the infamous American reluctance to fire as oftne as they might was because money was saved by not issuing “smokeless” rounds, which would not betray the position of the shooter.
I hope this new release isn’t too expensive. I seriously wanna own at least one Thunderbean DVD like this. “Fighting Tools” is one hell of a cartoon, as with the other Snafu cartoons.
These cartoons are pure propaganda. But they were entertaining propaganda. This is the first time I’ve ever purchased from Thunderbean, and I’d say it’s worth it. These are probably the best transfers I’ve ever seen of Snafu cartoons.
Wow, never thought I’d hear some straight talking, Two-Fisted factoids about combat on this site, but I find Daniel’s comment very interesting and refreshing compared to the usual cartoon banter, e.g. “…Oh yeah, that’s Biff Smithey, the boy cel polisher who ate a ham on rye for lunch on November 12, 1939, during the production of Willie’s Nilly” et cetera.
Thanks for the heads up, Thad. :)
As soon as Steve has this available to purchase, I’ll be amongst the first to get hold of this set.
Thank you for letting us know. I will keep a head’s up to see the release date. I cannot wait to see this new DVD set. I love these cartoons so much. They’re so funny, and very entertaining. This is great news indeed.
Virgil Ross on a SNAFU cartoon?
I thougt he switched out from Clampett right after ‘Coal Black’.
I believe Ross’s last Clampett cartoon was A Corny Concerto, but I could be wrong.
Happy news indeed! These cartoons are finally getting the treatment they deserve. “Fighting Tools” is probably my favorite of the series; I especially like the use of the “limerick” rhyme-scheme for the dialogue.
Has anyone been able to find any contemporary “reviews” of these cartoons, how the soldiers who saw them thought about them? Were they seen as genuinely funny, or corny, or useful in making a point by the men who were the intended audience?
It’s about time the SNAFU cartoons got restored!
I think Fighting Tools and Booby Traps were the best ones in this series. It’s interesting that both were directed by Bob Clampett and they’re the only two SNAFU cartoons he ever directed.