Herman & Katnip

[CliffordWeimer]

Well, I have the new Vivendi "Complete Collection" DVD, and since they didn't tell you what's on it, I will!

Apparently, Herman had been around for years in Paramount cartoons before Katnip was introduced into the animation mix; like Laurel & Hardy's first films, Herman & Katnip then became an "unofficial team" before their official teaming. There are four Herman & Katnip cartoons from the Paramount/Famous Studios Noveltoons period:

Mice Meeting You (1950, Katnip's film debut)
Mice Paradise (1951)
Cat Tamale (1951)
Cat Carson Rides Again (1952)

There are two 1952 cartoons that feature Katnip without Herman, City Kitty and Feast and Furious.

Then, there's the complete set of Herman & Katnip cartoons:

1952
Mice-Capades

1953
Of Mice And Magic
Herman The CAToonist
Drinks On The Mouse
Northwest Mousie

1954
Surf And Sound
Of Mice And Menace
Ship A-Hooey
Rail-Rodents

1955
Robin Rodenthood
A Bicep Built For Two
Mouse Trapeze
Mousieur Herman

1956
Mouseum
Will Do Mousework
Mousetro Herman
Hide And Peak

1957
Cat In The Act
Sky Scrappers
From Mad To Worse
One Funny Knight

1958
Frighty Cat
You Said A Mouseful

1959
Owly To Bed
Felineous Assault
Fun On Furlough
Katnip's Big Day

I have no way of telling if the cartoons are uncut; a couple have what looks like original openings, but mostly they just have the "Herman and Katnip" title cards. The disc is 208 minutes long.

[FrankFay]

Even as a kid I found most of those cartoons to be creepy and mean-spirited. They're like Itchy and Scratchy without the irony.

[rollot24]

Were they the direct influence for Itchy and Scratchy?

[FrankFay]

They were, combined with Tom and Jerry and rich cartoon tradition of Cat-Mouse violence.

[rollot24]

Yeah - but H & K (not Harold and Kumar) always seemed to push the envelope as far as violence.

[Paul Penna]

For what it's worth, Jerry Beck's announcement on Cartoon Brew said "They will be presented as originally shown in theaters and on television: in full-screen 1.33:1 video format and with English mono audio."

[CliffordWeimer]

Well, yes... they certainly are in full-screen 1.33:1 video format and with English mono audio. But they're NOT restored theatrical versions (the opening titles are the TV prints, not the theatrical originals) and again, I'm not certain if any of them are edited. I enjoy them anyway, and yes, they're dizzily violent.

Sorry, I corrected this above... that word "NOT" should've really been in there!!!!

[moviepas]

Well whatever they are like(I have yet to receive mine yet as it is International posting), this cheap edition got even cheaper when Amazon sent me a couple bucks for an even lower price since shipping. Cost me less than $6 all up. I like those kind of prices. I can buy more then!!!!

[FilmGauge]

At least one of the cartoons, DRINKS ON THE MOUSE, is edited. There are NO original titles from theatrical release or 16mm TV prints; just quickly edited title cards with a short piece of music behind them. End fade out with no END titles either. However, the DVD is priced low, and the quality is excellent, made from clean 35mm material.

[Marr&Colton]

As most of the other Famous Studios' cartoons, does anyone know if these are public domain?

[CliffordWeimer]

No idea if they're public domain.

"Feast and Furious" doesn't begin with the title card, for one.