Hey folks, Valkor here. Welcoming you back to another edition of Aniview, where we showcase some of the best (and sometimes worse) in animation. And thanks to the folks at Warner Home, we're back for another around with that famous cat and mouse duo – Tom and Jerry. This time they're going global, showing off some of their classic hijinks in a brand new DVD titled "Tom and Jerry Around the World".
Tom and Jerry Around the World is a mix bag of classic shorts tossed in with the more recent "Tom and Jerry Tales" episodes, slapped together on a single disc DVD; you'll get 22 specifically themed episodes, showcasing Tom and Jerry as they battle one another anywhere and everywhere on the planet - and off. Highlights include –
Flamenco Fiasco – Tom and Jerry bring down the house – literally, as they duke it out Flamenco style in Old Spain.
Martian Mice – Aliens are seeking chickens to lay eggs, so that they may bake a special cake for their queen. However Tom and Jerry are caught up in their tractor beam and now Tom is the one responsible for the task of laying 2000 eggs.
Neapolitan Mouse (Valkor Favorite) - The duo are off to Naples, Italy where we meet Topo, a mouse who hates it when a large animal picks on a smaller one. When he sees Tom and Jerry going at it, and then Tom being bullied by a dog, he breaks up the party in hopes for peace. Realizing who the famous cartoon characters are, he embraces the duo and shows them the best of Naples. However a gang of dogs are looking for some payback. So the trio bands together to set the pesky mutts straight.
Royal Cat Nap – In France, Tom's head is on the line (literally) as he tries to protect the King's nap from Jerry and his Mouseketeer sidekick. Believe me Jerry won't make this easy.
No additional features available save for a few trailers of newer WB Home animated titles. So that makes things easier to dip right into the TOV Breakdown.
The Good:
You know TOV loves them some Tom and Jerry, as I've gotten my mitts on most of their releases. So I can honestly say that I've seen them all. With that in mind, I actually like this set more than I expected – even with the Tom and Jerry Tales (which makes up the bulk of the set and I'm not always a fan). My favorite in the entire set is Neapolitan Mouse, which is a trifecta of fun featuring new character Topo, him singing that adorable Italian song, and the dynamic duo actually teaming up in the end. It's truly one of the best episodes and I'm glad it was included in the set. There were a couple of episodes that I've seen in previous sets, however if you're new to the themed DVDs, then I'd suggest picking this one up, as it's simply loads of fun.
The Bad:
The Tom and Jerry Tales episodes aren't as well paced as the classic shorts, so things seem to fly by.
The Ugly:
N/A
"Tom and Jerry Around the World" is available now and if you're fan of the cat and mouse duo, or look to become one, then this is one disc that highlights some of their best works that I'm sure you'll enjoy. And out of TOV 5 stars, I give Tom and Jerry Around the World a solid 4. Get your copy today!
