Customer Reviews

Betty Boop (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This set is perhaps the best way to get most of the public domain Betty Boop cartoons. The prints and transfers are nicer than most PD collections, and unlike the Good Times DVD's, they don't add extra sound effects to the films. While the famous films featuring Cab Calloway aren't included in this collection, there are still a few of the classic era Betty Boop cartoons with Bimbo and Koko the Clown, like "Is My Palm Read?" and "Betty Boop's Kerchoo". Also included is Betty's color debut, "Poor Cinderella" (in which Betty is a redhead!) Most of the films here are from the post-code era, though, featuring Pudgy and Grampy. At their best, these later shorts are charming and fun to watch. One shot films featured characters from then-popular comic strips, such as Little Jimmy, the Little King and "Henry, the Funniest Living American", as well as a strange Fleisher original, Wiffle Piffle, in "The Hot Air Salesman". Overall, this is a fun collection showcasing one of the most iconic 1930's cartoon characters. The keychain is nice too, made of a high-quality rubber-like material.

First I'll say that I have the "Lunchbox" version of this Echo Bridge release, but the discs are the same.

I was impressed when I first played the discs. The transfer quality is crisp & clear, from 35mm masters. I suspect the classic LASERDISC set from Republic Home Video may have been the source material.

On the down side, only 6 of the cartoons are from the "Pre-code" era. The other 36 cartoons are from the toned-down Hayes Office era. Fans watching these for the first time will wonder what was so risque about Betty, seen wearing a stylish house-dress in the majority of these. Some of these later cartoons are still enjoyable & creative. Betty's friend Grampy is always clever with his inventions & musically happy about them. They are the highlight of Hayes Office era.

Then there are the "Pudgy" Betty Boop cartoons. Pudgy was Betty's equivilant to Pluto. With a lesson to learn, thay are sappy cute & rarely funny. There are just too many of these produced by the Fleischers, and most are here.

The cartoons are not in chronological order, so you will have to play both discs to see all 6 classic pre-code cartoons.

Until CBS/Paramount home video releases a true complete Betty Boop set from Republic's 35mm masters, this may be the best quality DVD you will get of Betty Boop.

Keep those Lasterdisc (or lesser quality VHS tape) sets released by Republic Home Video.

General rule: GRAMPY = fun, PUDGY = hit the 'next' button on your remote. Hayes office starts in 1934.

DISC 1

BE HUMAN (1936) - Grampy

BETTY BOOP & GRAMPY (1935) - Grampy

BETTY BOOP & LITLE JIMMY (1936)

BETTY BOOP & THE LITTLE KING (1936)

BETTY BOOP'S RISE TO FAME (1934 **pre-code**) with Max & Dave Fleischer in person (Dave plays the reporter).

BETTY BOOP IN BLUNDERLAND (1934 **pre-code**) spoof of Alice In Wonderland

HAPPY YOU & MERRY ME (1936) - Pudgy

HOUSE CLEANING BLUES (1937) - Grampy

THE IMPRACTICAL JOKER (1937) - Grampy

MUSICAL MOUNTAINEERS (1939)

NOT NOW (1936) - Pudgy

STOP THAT NOISE (1935)

SWAT THE FLY (1935) - Pudgy

BABY BE GOOD (1935) - Pudgy

BETTY BOOP & HENRY, THE FUNNIEST LIVING AMERICAN (1935) - Talk about a mis-named cartoon! This has to be the LEAST funniest in this set!

DISC 2-side A

BETTY BOOP'S CRAZY INVENTIONS (1933 ***pre-code***)

CANDID CANDIDATE (1937) - Grampy

DING DONG DOGGIE (1937) - Pudgy

HOT AIR SALESMAN (1937) - Wiffle Piffle (almsot as goofy as Grampy)

IS MY PALM READ? (1933 ***pre-code***)

JUDGE FOR A DAY (1935)

A LANGUAGE ALL MY OWN (1935)

A LITTLE SOAP & WATER (1935) - Pudgy

RHYTHM ON THE RESERVATION (1939) - last true Betty Boop cartoon

TRAINING PIGEONS (1936) - Pudgy

WE DID IT (1936) - Pudgy

BETTY BOOP'S KER-CHOO (1933 ***pre-code***)

GRAMPY'S INDOOR OUTING (1936) - Grampy

LITTLE NOBODY (1935) - Pudgy

MAKING FRIENDS (1936) - Pudgy

DISC 2 side B

MAKING STARS (1935)

MORE PEP (1936) - Pudgy

MY FRIEND THE MONKEY (1939)

NO! NO! A THOUSAND TIMES NO! (1935) - Fearless Fred melodrama spoof.

POOR CINDERELLA (1934 ***pre-code***) COLOR Classic with Betty Boop.

PUDGY PICKS A FIGHT (1937) - Pudgy

PUDGY TAKES A BOW-WOW (1937) - Pudgy

THE SCARED CROWS (1939)

SO DOES AN AUTOMOBILE (1939)

A SONG A DAY (1936) - Grampy

TAKING THE BLAME (1935) - Pudgy

YOU'RE NOT BUILT THAT WAY (1936) - Pudgy

Even though the picture looks great, the price is low, and you get 42 cartoons. This other set has a better selection of pre-code Betty Boop Cartoons:

Betty Boop - The Vintage Collection [Remastered] (2-DVD Set)

I agree with Ms. Anne, Messrs. Mular and Johnson and the other positive reviewers in general - this set is currently (Apr. 2011) the best DVD set available. The Echo Bridge release has the most episodes in an excellent quality (excepting, of course, the Republic Pictures release on VHS/Laserdisc). Don't bother with any other DVD collection.

I've did a quick speadsheet comparing what the more common DVD collections have for Betty Boop. The only titles that are NOT in the Echo Bridge collection but ARE present in the other DVD collections (e.g.: Delta, Platinum Disc, A2Z CDS, Big D Films, and Triad Productions) are:

On with the New (1938)

Wiffle Piffle in Whoops! I'm a Cowboy (1937)

Betty Boop's Prize Show (1934)

She Wronged Him Right (1934)

Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1934)

I Heard (1933)

Morning, Noon & Night (1933)

The Old Man of the Mountain (1933)

Betty Boop's Big Boss (1933)

Snow-White (1933)

I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You (1932)

Betty Boop's Bamboo Isle (1932)

Chess-Nuts (1932)

Minnie the Moocher (1932)

(I have the Republic VHS release; and it has all the above, the ones in the Echo Bridge set, plus almost all of the remaining cartoons.)

Responding to Messrs. "Paul J. Mular" & "pig doctor", who doth protest too much about Pudgy, my 5 year old grand-daughter absolutely adores both Betty AND Pudgy! (And me, too.) But I have to admit, she does prefer me to skip "Minnie the Moocher" - she's says, "It'sh too scary, Boompa!" Nevertheless (just like anything our little ones are exposed today in the media), talking with them about some of the content (including the non-PC stuff) is very helpful. Most kids are smarter than we think, and understand a good deal when we explain things in the right way, including racism.

Old cartoons like Talkartoons and Merry Melodies' (WB), when handled carefully re. some of their content for the especially young, are also one of the best ways to introduce kids to jazz and swing music!

Lastly, although the ealier ones aren't necessarily "better" (yet some are, in my opinion), they're just different than the later ones after the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code (the "Hays Code") started to be enforced in 1934. And like the "Ginger vs. Mary Ann" question: I'd want to date the pre-'34 naughty Betty and marry the later version!

This collection of Betty Boop cartoons is the best set available. The Sound and picture quality are also the best available. It's well worth the price. It's also the largest collection of Betty Boop cartoons available to date. I love classic cartoons. As far as classic old black & White cartoons go, none are better than Betty Boop cartoons. I've read many of the other reviewers complaining about not having many of the earlier racier cartoons available. In my opinion the early cartoons although fun, are not really better. Just less kid friendly. Many of them are just plain odd and don't really make any sense. They just showcased jazz music from the era. There is nothing wrong with Pudgy either! lol - Kids will love him, and so do I. How could anyone not enjoy the adventure of Betty & her cute little dog? lol - The bottom line is, there are no cartoons being done today that come close to the greatness of these classics. You owe it to yourself and to your children, to expose them to this great film history and art form.

Fleischer Studios were Disney's most prevalent rivals in the 1930s, and these cartoons prove why. Betty Boop is the most surreal comedy cartoon available, all hinging on beautifully fluid animation. Although some of the comedy is subtly sexual and sadly racist, you can still view it objectively as a product of its time. For animation of this high a caliber to come out this early on is a miracle. Every episode is paneled upon underlying swing and jazz music, so everything flows and has a steady rhythm to it. The comedy is crazy and hilarious, utilizing slapstick to its full potential. This collection collects the bulk of what you can find of Betty Boop cartoons (over 40 cartoons).

Just note the ones starring Pudgy are pretty boring, so you might need to skip them.

This item arrived in a very fast manner, way quicker than I anticipated. The packaging protected the item and it arrived in perfect shape. It came with an added bonus a free key chain as well. Kinda a bonus right?

This 2 DVD disk treasure came with a Betty Boop key chain. It was well worth the price. Fun to watch.

It was not clear on the advertisement that the cartoons were the original ones, ie, black and white. I thought they were colored. Anyay, my daughter enjoyed them.

I bought this collector's edition for my mom who is a big Betty Boop fan. She got them for Christmas and has already sat down to watch them all! She loved them.

I got this DVD for my kids because they didn't know who Betty Boop was!! They love it!