Customer Reviews

Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 2

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

 

 

I just purchased the second volume from the Saturday Morning Cartoons 70's collection. Let me just say that I am quite pleased with this collection. I watched many of these cartoons during the 70's and it brings back many happy memories from childhood. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show and the Banana Splits were the primary reasons of my purchase. The bridging sequences including the introduction to both Bugs Bunny/Road Runner and Banana Splits were not restored. However, I can't complain too much. I am unable to get the Cartoon Network Boomerang channel where I live and have been wanting to watch many of these cartoons for such a long time. I hope Warner Brothers continues to release more collections in the near feature. More Bugs Bunny/Road Runner and Banana Splits please! Also, would like to see the New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with Michael Shea (Huck) and Lu Ann Haslam (Becky Thatcher); really campy but from part of the Banana Splits series. Thanks again Amazon!

I loved this collection, mostly for its variety. The '70s version of Tom & Jerry provided a counter balance for the MGM shorts and I would, honestly, not recommend it to diehard fans of the original but it provided a nice counter balance in characters just the same.

Many of the cartoons in this and the '60s collections were on Cartoon Network perioically during its heyday of airing actual classics and can now occassionally be seen on Boomerang by a much more limited audience, so this collection provides a great trip into the past for these cartoons; some of which have seen DVD releases (Batman), some who have earned DVD releases (Bannana Splits, Shazzan, Sealab 2020, etc.) and some which, quite frankly, might never be heard from again for obvious reasons (Gilligan, HB T&J, etc.)

Again, Warner Brothers gets an A for effort in this compilation. Unfortunately, before some of these 'toons get their individually packaged DVD releases, some clean up must be done. The Gilligan episode is almost watchable save for a very brief clip where the soundtrack is sped up, putting Gilligan on par, verbally, with the Chipmunks (I think he says "YouknowthatnewalarmsystemwebuiltforMr.Howelltokeepouttheintruders?" but I'm not positive). Later, the "Arabian Knights" and "3 Musketeers" segments of the Bannana Splits Adventure Hour are, regrettably, barely watchable beneath the tracking lines. This is unfortunate as the Bannana Splits have stood the test of time to earn their own DVD if the studios would find suitable production material (these shows are still aired on Boomerang quite often, so I know that, with additional effort, Warners could have found episodes in better condition). Also, Shazaan is missing its classic opening though the closing credits and the between episode bumper are still intact.

Again, this was a worthy second attempt by Warner and I hope to see more in the future. But the quality of the material found fell rather short of the first attempt by Warner.

My favorite edition of Saturday Morning Cartoons for sure. So, if you don't have Boomerang, or had enough of watching horrid quality internet movies -this is GOLD. At this point though, I'd like to see a proper release with all the episodes of say Shazzan! Grape Ape and Hair Bear Bunch. If there was no market, they wouldn't put it in Cartoon Network programming. Shazzan! is the least seen of all these classics, so what's the point of holding them back to dvd or even download only? The plus is they picked strong episodes here.

Nonetheless, how can this compilation not get five stars? Arrested development accomplished! What would make this better (not that I hold this against anyone) is adding a couple timepiece commercials between the breaks...I'm thinking Happy Meal and bad teeth fall out of your mouth cereal commercials. Exit, Stage Right.

Okay, literally speaking this is not just a seventies set (Shazzan & the Banana Splits are from the late 60s), but if you were born between about 1960 to 1973, you'll really get mellow over this. Much of this has since been forgotten or ignored by pop culture, but since those of us who fondly loved these as children as only children can are now in position to get them back, then let the games begin!

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show inlcuded here will bring on the warm and fuzzies for the generation that immediately followed the baby boomers. The fondly recalled tune "On With the Show" with Bugs & Daffy and the Road Runner theme songs will make those who remember this show smile with a warm glow.

"Shazzan" was the first cartoon I actually remember watching on television. The adventures of two kids with the flying genie is a good example of the wholesome but FUN adventure-type toon that ruled the Sat. morning airwaves until the Shiny Happy People brigade of Politically Correct killjoys nearly destroyed the genre by imposing sissified Barney-style New Zoo Revue fruit loop slop that was long on morals but short on entertainment. "Yogi's Gang" (1973) is a sad example of this. The once great HB stable is reduced to a nauseating tale of the beloved Yogi, misled by an Archbunker type, touting the superiority of bears and dismissing the others as "animal lovers." Mess like this should have been lost in a fire like "London After Midnight". Oh Pepto-Bismol, where is thy sting? Bring back Ranger Smith and the pic-i-nic baskets!

You had to be there to really dig "The Great Grape Ape," the adventures of a 40 ft. purple ape (Magilla's cousin?) and his canine sidekick Beagly Beagly, but it remains amusing to a point and I'm glad to see it again after 30 years. The 1970s defanged Tom & Jerry (for reasons stated in the above paragraph) are no comparison-poor cousins to the violent but hilarious original classics. Best of all for late 60s/early 70s kids is the funny and funky BANANA SPLITS-Hanna Barbera meets Sly Stone-that is fondly remembered by our age group. I particularly enjoyed DANGER ISLAND with it's Batman-style tounge in cheek adventures, and you'll be VERY pleased to see it here. (Everbody sing "Tra la La, La la la la!")

Overall, this will make people of our age group VERY happy and is a good rendidtion of what we enjoyed in the pre-DVD, Internet, and video game days. Most of these will also be enjoyed by the current tot set, so it's a worthwhile family purchase.

Semi-restored, disclaimer says some elements no longer exist in pristine condition. No restoration attempts were made for The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, that is from an ancient 2" video tape with occasional glitches & break-up. I know the show was quickly cut up into half-hours in the mid '70s, but some film segment elements should still survive. Another Disappointment is the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show, it is the short-run Prime Time half-hour version that ran in the summer of 1976 on CBS, not the hour long saturday morning version.

NOTE: Authoring error: if you chose 'Play All' The Living Island cartoon from Shazzan will not play! You must select this individually.

Disc 1
HELP! IT'S THE HAIR BEAR BUNCH (1971): Keep Your Keeper
NEW ADVENTURES OF GILLIGAN (1974): Off Limits
SEA LAB 2020 (1972): Deep Threat
AMAZING CHAN AND THE CHAN CLAN (1972): The Mardi Gras Caper (Episode 12)
SHAZZAN (1967): The Living Island / Master of the Thieves ***watch 'Thieves' first, it has the open titles, then 'Island' second, it has the end credits.***
YOGI'S GANG (1973): Mr. Bigot

Disc 2
BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER SHOW (1976): For Scent-Imental Reasons/Stop, Look and Hasten, Hare-Way to the Stars/Duck! Rabbit, Duck!
VALLEY OF THE DINOSAURS (1974): Forbidden Fruit
TOM & JERRY/GRAPE APE SHOW (1976): Ep.#1 - No Way Stowaway / That Was No Idol, That Was My Ape / The Ski Bunny / The All American Ape / Stay Awake Or Else
BANANA SPLITS ADVENTURE HOUR (1968): Joning the Knights/The littlest Musketeer/"Danger Island"
INCH HIGH PRIVATE EYE (1973): Diamonds are a Crook's Best Friend
NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN (1977): Sweet Joke on Gotham City

---O.K., few real classics here. But if you grew up on Saturday Morning cartoons in the 1970's this sampling will bring a smile to your face.

HELP IT'S THE HAIR BEAR BUNCH stands out from the rest of the comedies, it is kind of like an updated Yogi Bear cartoon now set in a zoo. There is even a zoo keeper who reminds me of the old park ranger. The stories are a bit more flushed out to fit the half hour format, and frankly I think it is better than Yogi Bear.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF GILLIGAN is also much better that you would expect, but the story line of the episode selected for inclusion here is a remake of the original live action series: The Howell's create their own exclusive country club on the island. I have not seen much of this series since it first aired, so I wonder how many episodes were just remakes?

SEALAB 2020, THE AMAZING CHAN & THE CHAN CLAN, & VALLEY OF THE DINOSAURS are probably the highlights here for me. These reminded me of my favorite Saturday Morning adventure cartoons of the late 1960's & seemed to be a refuge from the ultra-silly cartoons of the 1970's that required laughtracks to remind you that it is funny. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy comedy cartoons, but some of the 1970's comedy cartoons were pitiful. Just compare THE PEBBLES & BAMM BAMM SHOW to the classic FLINTSTONES of the 1960's.

One thing that puzzles me is the inclusion of some 1960's cartoons. I don't remember SHAZZAN (1967) ever airing on Saturday Mornings in the 1970's. Maybe somebody confused it with 1974's SHAZAM, a totally different show spelled with one "Z" and a "M". THE BANANA SPLITS ADVENTURE HOUR (1968) did technically run until the end of summer 1970 and then went into syndication, even though only one season was produced. THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER SHOW started as an hour show in 1968, but this is the CBS summer of 1976 PRIME TIME half-hour version.

Unlike THE BUGS BUNNY/ROAD RUNNER SHOW, the TOM & JERRY/GRAPE APE SHOW will not feature classic theatrical cartoons, these will be the cheaply made Hanna Barbera TV cartoons from the 1970's. This show is probably the weakest in the bunch, and it is the full hour version! I dare you to sit through the entire show without pushing the fast-forward button.

It is great to finally see THE BANANA SPLITS ADVENTURE HOUR again in its hour format, but this sampling will just leave you wanting more as some of the stories are serialized. The glitches in the picture indicate it is probably taken from an air-check tape recorded off of the original broadcast. This leads me to guess that the original negatives were cut up for the half-hour syndication package.

INCH HIGH PRIVATE EYE is still fun to watch, but NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN AND ROBIN does not hold up to today's BATMAN cartoons.

I love this collection:My Sams Club Had the first volume for 12.67 and I hope they get the second one in also for that price.I defiately would love to see a complete dvd of all the Shazzan episodes and also a complete dvd collection Of the Banana Splits.When I was little they came to the JM Fields store down here in Turnersville and My mom took a picture of me with all of them and I still love that picture.Its funny as the world just keeps getting worse and worse we are very fortunate to be able to go back to these wonderful cartoons,and relive a time when we could go outiside and play Cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians.The kids today are so misfortuned to not be able to know how to actually be a child.We did not need a cell phone or any texting and we knew how to communicate with each other one on one something the kids today have no idea how to do.

This is a great classic cartoon collection! They don't make them like this anymore! A great dvd for those of us who were born in the 60's or early 70's!!

I didn't buy the first 70's set because there just seemed to be too much on it that I never watched. This set, however, was full of things I remembered. I appreciate seeing them no matter what condition the prints are in, but there are a few odd things about the set. First, there are two adventures with Shazzan, but if you select "play all" you only get to see one. You have to go back to the menu to select the other episode. Also, the main titles from Shazzan are missing. Secondly, what was supposed to be the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour seems to be an episode from the five-week 1/2 hour evening run that the show did on CBS in the mid-seventies one summer. There are only four cartoons and since they used restored prints for this set and not the original edited-for-violence versions, the show lasts 28 minutes, which would be too long for the original 1/2 hour length and too short for the hour-long version. Finally - what's up with the menus and chapter stops on these sets? I wish you could select just the show you wanted and it would play the whole thing. The way it is, if you select Banana Splits from the menu you have to watch part of the show, then it goes back to the menu where you have to select the next part of the show. Of course, you canjust hit "play all" and skip to the show you want, so I guess it's OK. Overall, I love this set (except for "Yogi's Gang" for reasons mentioned by another reviewer) and look forward to more.

It seems like Warners used up the best cartoons for Volume 1. I would really love to see the old Tom & Jerry Show from Saturday mornings. It had the best theme song and was a lot of fun. Since I grew up with that cartoon, it took me years to warm up to the classic ones where they chased each other. Of course all the Looney Tunes are incredible, but I have most of them on DVD already. Shazan is ok I guess. I loved Banana Splits as a kid, though find it hard to watch on Boomerang now. I can't say there is any other selling point here for me other than the Tom & Jerry Show.

1970s vol 2,great quality and sound,Magnif memories,Shazzan,Hair Bear Bunch, Tom and Jerry,and many more,true classic cartoons from a great era.