Directing Animator
Posted:
Nov 12, 2005, 1:17 AM
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"Peace on Earth" on DVD
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Warner Home Video has just released MGM's 1938 production of A Christmas Carol, starring Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart and Terry Kilburn. As an extra feature they have included Hugh Harman's 1939 cartoon, Peace on Earth. The cartoon was released shortly before Christmas that year, just as war had broken out in Europe. In addition to being nominated for an Academy Award in 1940, it was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize that same year because of its pacifist theme. It is the only animated short to date to bear this distinction.
The cartoon had been released on video at least once before in VHS format by Turner and MGM/UA in a compilation of MGM Christmas-themed cartoons that included Tom and Jerry's second short, The Night Before Christmas. The print quality is decent enough, but the soundtrack suffers from a little bit of distortion (wow and flutter and one or two drop-outs) during the opening credits. This is not a reissue print, the original MGM logo used for Technicolor feature films (and used for cartoons up until 1943) is present. Mel Blanc (uncredited) provides the voice of Grandpa Squirrel. In 1955 William Hanna and Joseph Barbera re-made the cartoon, scene by scene, in CinemaScope and re-titled it Good Will To Men.
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"I'd like to cover you with furs and automobiles!"
(This post was edited by STARFOX on Nov 12, 2005, 6:57 PM)
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Jpeg Master
Posted:
Nov 12, 2005, 1:08 PM
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I have this DVD transfer as well, and it's less than desireable. Some restoration is needed, especially for a Nobel Peace Prize nominee!
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BmodeMusic.com
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Directing Animator
Posted:
Nov 12, 2005, 1:17 PM
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Zavkram,
I move your post here, I believe it will do better here - Cheers! 
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ToonRadio! Dog City-Editer:TV.Com! Big Cartoon DataBase!
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Directing Animator
Posted:
Nov 12, 2005, 6:25 PM
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Thanks! I still need hyperlinks to the database synopsis for that title. Could one of you guys show me how to do this so I don't have to keep bugging the other mods for help in the future?
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"I'd like to cover you with furs and automobiles!"
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Directing Animator
Posted:
Nov 12, 2005, 6:43 PM
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This is also just one of a handful of MGM cartoons from the Harman-Ising era to be currently available on DVD. Warner Home Video has been slow to release these cartoons. Usually they have been added as extra features to DVD's of feature films from the MGM film library; and even then they have been inconsistant. For example, their recent Greta Garbo boxed set (that includes her films Anna Christie, Ninotchka, Queen Christina, Anna Karenia, Camille, Flesh and the Devil, and The Temptress) only includes trailers and a few brief documentaries--but no vintage MGM cartoons.
When, oh when, are they ever going to come out with a DVD set that includes cartoons like Bottles, The Calico Dragon, The Little Mole, The Blue Danube, etc., or some of the early Barney Bear cartoons? 
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"I'd like to cover you with furs and automobiles!"
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Intern
Posted:
Jan 27, 2006, 11:54 PM
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It's a shame because this is a fantastic cartoon. I have not seen it in a number of years and I'm waiting for a decent transfer to be available so I can snap it up.
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"Thanks for the sour persimmons cousin."
(This post was edited by huron on Jan 27, 2006, 11:55 PM)
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