Other Sellers on Amazon
$22.02
FREE Shipping
on orders over $25.00
shipped by Amazon.
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping
within the U.S. when you order $25.00
of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99
. (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
Sold by:
Amazon.com
$22.02
FREE Shipping
on orders over $25.00
shipped by Amazon.
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping
within the U.S. when you order $25.00
of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99
. (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
Sold by:
TTSales
Sold by:
TTSales
(13 ratings)
77% positive
77% positive
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates
and
Return policy
$22.02
FREE Shipping
on orders over $25.00
shipped by Amazon.
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping
within the U.S. when you order $25.00
of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99
. (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
Sold by:
ustrade
Sold by:
ustrade
(35504 ratings)
95% positive over last 12 months
95% positive over last 12 months
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates
and
Return policy
Image Unavailable
Image not available for
Color:
Color:
-
-
-
- Sorry, this item is not available in
- Image not available
- To view this video download Flash Player
Animaniacs: Vol. 1 (DVD)
IMDb7.9/10.0
Amazon's Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.
Amazon's
Choice
for "animaniacs dvd complete series"
| List Price: | $29.98$29.98 Details |
| Price: |
$22.02$22.02
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
&
FREE Returns
Return this item for free
How to return the item?
|
| You Save: | $7.96$7.96 (27%) |
Enhance your purchase
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs: Vol. 1 Three inseparable, crazy siblings have been locked away in the Warner Bros. water tower for a very long time. But they have found a way to escape, and escape they do--every day! Causing chaos and comic confusion, Yakko, Wakko and Dot run loose in the city, turning the world into their very own personal playground in this mix of cartoon shorts, musical numbers, and comedy blackouts.
Amazon.com
As a splendid homage to the legacy of Warner Bros. animation, the Emmy and Peabody award-winning Animaniacs was arguably the most inventive and deliriously entertaining cartoon series of the 1990s. The series' appeal is at least two-fold: kids will enjoy the wacky characters and easy-to-follow comedy, and grownups raised on "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies" cartoons will love the show's knowledgeable movie spoofs, witty satire, and spontaneous lines of dialogue aimed squarely at an older audience with an appreciation for Hollywood history. Cartoon lovers and film buffs will benefit the most from repeated viewings of Animaniacs since the series was conceived by head writer Tom Ruegger (under the supervision of executive producer Steven Spielberg) as an affectionate tribute to the golden age of Hollywood, with its wild and wonderful cast of cartoon characters led by "Warner Brothers" Wakko and Yakko, and their ever-so-cute Warner sister, Dot, a playful trio of indeterminate species who were (fictionally) created in the early 1930s by the overworked animators of "Termite Terrace" (the actual name given to Warner's animation studios) and wreaked havoc on the Warner Bros. backlot until they were caught and captured in the studio's water tower. Every episode begins with their clever escape, leading to wacky adventures involving the entire cast of Animaniacs, a menagerie of colorful characters worthy of cartoon immortality.
This five-DVD set offers 25 beautifully preserved episodes (out of a five-season total of 99), mostly from the first season (1993), when Spielberg was also enjoying the success of Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. Premiering on the Fox Kids network, the series introduced delighted viewers to Pinky and the Brain; Slappy the Squirrel (a curmudgeonly veteran of decades in show-biz); the Goodfeathers (a pigeon-trio spoof of Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas); Rita and Runt (a dog and cat duo often featured in musical spoofs, the former voiced by Bernadette Peters); and a wide variety of peripheral characters who randomly appeared as part of the series' multi-segment format. Some segments are brief and brilliant (including many original songs that qualify as mini-masterpieces of educational entertainment), while others are cartoon-length adventures like the unforgettable "Bumbie's Mom," a riff on Bambi (and Disney animation) that's one of many first-season highlights. Smart, literate, and totally irreverent, Animaniacs benefited from all the prestige that Spielberg's involvement could bring, including a once-in-a-lifetime voice cast (honored here by disc 3's special featurette "Animaniacs Live," hosted by "Annie"-award-winner Maurice "The Brain" LeMarche) and amazing musical scores (many written or supervised by the late, great Richard Stone) that were recorded in the very same Warner studio where the legendary Carl Stalling scored most of the classic Warner Bros. cartoons. With creative and comedic highlights too numerous to mention, Animaniacs is must-see TV for those who missed it the first time around, and a welcome treasure for established fans who will cherish these DVDs for many years to come. --Jeff Shannon
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 7.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches; 9.94 Ounces
- Media Format : Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled
- Run time : 9 hours and 10 minutes
- Release date : June 19, 2007
- Actors : Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, Frank Welker, Nancy Cartwright
- Dubbed: : Portuguese
- Subtitles: : Spanish, French, Portuguese
- Producers : Steven Spielberg, Jean MacCurdy, Tom Ruegger, Rich Arons, Sherri Stoner
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Unqualified, Portuguese (Dolby Digital 1.0)
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- ASIN : B000FA57H6
- Number of discs : 5
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#59,357 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #6,464 in Kids & Family DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
411 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
Animaniacs, Vol. 1
I don't even know what to say. Too many good things about this show to put into simple phrases. There were so many jokes I did not get when I was a kid. And much of the material is still true to today. Animaniacs is everything that today's animated programming is NOT. The musical mastery of Richard Stone; the imagination of Steven Spielberg; the comical excitement Sherri Stoner; all mixed in with the zany, disaster-causing mischief of the Warner brothers, and the Warner sister. Today's kids will take one or two, maybe three looks at this and fall in love with it.
4 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2006
Verified Purchase
The Animaniacs in my opinion are the end to an era. This show was the final chapter in the slapstick yet amazingly intelligent and cultured humor of WB cartoons. The references made in this show to classical art, literature, and historical events has never ceased to amaze me. A few or my personal favorite memories are having Wakko recite every single state of the US including their capitals, Yakko attempting to say every word in the English dictionary, and the Animaniacs helping Abraham Lincoln write the Gettysburg Address.
The other thing that has always amazed me was the ability of the artists and writers to tie in amazing musical numbers into a half an hour show. The amount of work that must have gone into producing these episodes astounds me to no end. My personal favorite being the episode "King Yakko", nothing better than the Anvilanian National Anthem.
I recommend this show to anyone who enjoys classical cartoons at their best.
The other thing that has always amazed me was the ability of the artists and writers to tie in amazing musical numbers into a half an hour show. The amount of work that must have gone into producing these episodes astounds me to no end. My personal favorite being the episode "King Yakko", nothing better than the Anvilanian National Anthem.
I recommend this show to anyone who enjoys classical cartoons at their best.
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2014
Verified Purchase
Purchased this collection for my son (yeah right) It's a show i can sit and watch with him. The best contribution Warner Bros has made to animation since the original Looney Tunes. Some of the familiar participants made it to their own shows (Pinky and the Brain), while others are just found here. The whole cast of crazies Slappy Squirrel, the Good Feathers and Rita and Runt as well as Good Idea/Bad Idea made afternoon cartoons in the 80's fun. The sets are boxed well and closed captioned...packed for safety I would recommend them to anyone who remembers the show (and if you don't you should get them and laugh for the first time now).
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
I purchased this in "used, but good" shape. It was exactly that. It was a little worn around the edges, but other than that, perfect shape. No scratches or wear and tear on the DVD's.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2006
Verified Purchase
Animaniacs was Steven Speilburg's last attempt to ressurect the glory days of the old comedy cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, and aside from those classic cartoons I just mentioned, and maybe the Fairly Oddparents, it was possibly the funniest animated show ever made. Like Looney Tunes, however, it was divided into many different segments, with many different kinds of characters who each did their own style of humor in their own time. All of them had a few things in common, however. They all seem able to survive terrible, crushing punishments except when the plot demands otherwise and all regularly travel to other time periods for sketches involving historical figures like Cleopatra, Pavlov and Beethoven.
To start with, the stars of the show were the Warner Brothers and the Warner Sister (Yakko, Wakko and Dot.) Like the Marx brothers, each of the warners seems assigned a specific style of humor to milk as the cartoon progresses. Yakko is in charge of most of the verbal humor, Wakko the most intense physical humor and Dot pretty much everything else, but especially jokes involving feminine things like outfits, makeup and pets. Together, they traveled all over the world and all throughout history, making appearances in the lives of some of humanity's most snotty historical figures, and attempting, seemingly, to add some fun to their lives. The warners have all the insane, zany, superhuman powers we've come to expect from Bugs Bunny himself, ressurecting such classic cartoon cliches as the anvil, the mallet, the piano, and the painted doorway. They seem to endear themselves to all the stiffest, most deplorable individuals in all of fiction (such as the pirate captain Mel, the accountant Blowski and the grim reaper) and use their ridiculous sense of humor and vast superhuman powers to make their lives miserable by pretending to be their friends. The warners seem not to understand that they're making these poor dopes miserable, or if they do, as I suspect, they hide it well, because their main focus always seems to be on having fun and helping others to have fun, while zipping around with enough energy to power a hundred city blocks. Of course, that's funny enough by itself, but the warners also seem to have an easy time giving viewers the fastest, funniest, wildest mixture of jokes, puns and visual gags and just letting everyone else hang on as best they can. Undoubtedly, they were the backbone of Animaniacs.
Pinky and the Brain was both risky and brilliant simply because nothing like it had ever been tried before. It was a show about two gene-spliced mice who try and fail to take over the world in each episode. When phrased like that, it doesn't sound so great, but not only is physical and nonsense humor implemented better into this show than in an episode of the three stooges, but in the best episodes of the show, (like "Where Rodents Dare,") their failure only occurs because of some X-factor that the Brain couldn't have predicted, in which case the show becomes not merely a joke at the expense of the two mice, but also a joke on the world. A lab mouse with vast intelligence could almost take over our planet if not for our good luck. What a joke on us!
Rita and Runt is a segment that's something of an aquired taste. Strictly speaking, their style of humor is the song parody, and they make their song parodies frequently and well. The problem is that since most of the songs they parody are from classy plays or old musicals, most kids won't have heard them before, and won't get the joke. For example, in "Les Miseranimals," Rita and Runt did an absolutely brilliant parody of "Les Miserables," but when I first saw the episode, I didn't think it was all that funny, because I wasn't cultured enough to appreciate the jokes. Likewise, many of the people who are probably wouldn't watch the cartoon show, or might take offense even if they did. A shame, really.
The Goodfeathers is possibly the single most skippable of all the animaniacs segments, except maybe Chicken Boo. Essentially, it's three pidgeons named Bobby, Squit and Pesto, who live in some unnamed city and struggle to stay on top. The entire show is one big parody of the Goodfellas, with other parodies inserted every so often for added accessibility, but most of the kids who watched these segments enjoyed them for the slapstick, which is more pronounced in this segment than in any of the others (although the Mindy and Buttons segments make it an awfully close fight.) To be honest, I find the characters of the Goodfeathers to be irritating and grating after a while.
Slappy Squirrel, however, is another story. Like Yakko, Wakko and Dot, she uses mallets, anvils and dynamite, although she doesn't do it with the rapid, youthful energy or childlike innocence that the Warner Brothers have (or at least pretend to have.) In fact, she'd cynical, sarcastic and overall crotchety, which is what makes the cartoon so funny for me. Some of her jokes tend to be pretty esoteric, however, so she also is an aquired taste.
Mindy and Buttons was a segment that was probably intended to be a series of chase scenes like the Road Runner and the Coyote. Now, maybe I'm just too idealistic, but I found myself pitying Buttons too much to really enjoy these shows. Basically, Mindy is a cute kid who runs off after something and winds up in a whole lot of danger. Buttons is a dog who chases her and saves her from harm, though he is frequently pounded in the process. The problem is that there's really no character in this segment who's a bad guy, yet there's plenty of pain and suffering for Buttons, which, to be honest, I don't find funny.
The Hip Hippos are a unique style of humor. Essentially, there are two rare, endangered (allegedly) hippoes called Hippopotamus Trendolious, who go by the names of Flavio and Marita. They're allegedly married, although it's not stated directly, and they're big on fresh trends, so they moved their rich estate to the top of a skyscraper in the city, where they live as best they can in a world too small for them. I find that this cartoon really started to get funny when the character of the nature scientist was introduced. She wants to study the hippos and protect them from danger, but of course, since they're both not only extremely heavy and strong, but also virtually invulnerable, she's probably just wasting her time, and she usually gets a pounding in the process. For some reason, I find this funnier than the Mindy and Buttons sketches, probably because the scientist is so foolish and overworried. Many kids have parents like that, myself included, and wouldn't mind seeing them get a smacking for trying too hard to protect us.
Chicken Boo is probably the least funny cartoon segment I've ever seen outside of action cartoons. Basically, he's a man-sized chicken who puts on a human disguise and impersonates a human in man's world. In each cartoon, he's dressed as a different human, but the same thing happens. He dazzles everyone with amazing feats that most humans are incapable of, then something happens and the disguise falls off, and they're all so mad at him, they usually beat him up. I guess it's just that there's nothing funny about racial prejudice, which is really what this cartoon is about, no matter what disguise it wears.
Aside from these, there are also two cartoons in this collection that don't feature any of these characters. One is about a talking flame on a candle in Thomas Jefferson's study when he drafted the Declaration of Independance, and the other about a lovesick flying bug who has to go through some difficult times to win the butterfly of his dreams. Neither of these cartoons are really all that funny, although the bug cartoon has its own charm and the flame has some adorable responses to its situations. In general, one viewing of each is enough.
In addition to these, this collection also contains super-shorts, such as the Randy Beaman Boy, in which a boy appears and tells a silly story about a kid named Randy Beaman's family, Mime Time, which features a mime practicing his art and being clobbered, usually in a funny way (example; throwing an imaginary football gets him tackled by half a dozen burly football players) and my personal favorite; "Good Idea, Bad Idea," featuring Mr. Skullhead, who first does something smart, then something stupid related to it (Stopping to smell the roses-stopping to feel the roses...) You get the idea.
Overall, the Animaniacs is one of the best, funniest, cheeriest cartoons I've ever seen. It's WAY better than what passes for Kid's shows these days, and it was enough to cheer me up when I was feeling down, even now that I'm an adult. What more could I ask of this kind of cartoon?
To start with, the stars of the show were the Warner Brothers and the Warner Sister (Yakko, Wakko and Dot.) Like the Marx brothers, each of the warners seems assigned a specific style of humor to milk as the cartoon progresses. Yakko is in charge of most of the verbal humor, Wakko the most intense physical humor and Dot pretty much everything else, but especially jokes involving feminine things like outfits, makeup and pets. Together, they traveled all over the world and all throughout history, making appearances in the lives of some of humanity's most snotty historical figures, and attempting, seemingly, to add some fun to their lives. The warners have all the insane, zany, superhuman powers we've come to expect from Bugs Bunny himself, ressurecting such classic cartoon cliches as the anvil, the mallet, the piano, and the painted doorway. They seem to endear themselves to all the stiffest, most deplorable individuals in all of fiction (such as the pirate captain Mel, the accountant Blowski and the grim reaper) and use their ridiculous sense of humor and vast superhuman powers to make their lives miserable by pretending to be their friends. The warners seem not to understand that they're making these poor dopes miserable, or if they do, as I suspect, they hide it well, because their main focus always seems to be on having fun and helping others to have fun, while zipping around with enough energy to power a hundred city blocks. Of course, that's funny enough by itself, but the warners also seem to have an easy time giving viewers the fastest, funniest, wildest mixture of jokes, puns and visual gags and just letting everyone else hang on as best they can. Undoubtedly, they were the backbone of Animaniacs.
Pinky and the Brain was both risky and brilliant simply because nothing like it had ever been tried before. It was a show about two gene-spliced mice who try and fail to take over the world in each episode. When phrased like that, it doesn't sound so great, but not only is physical and nonsense humor implemented better into this show than in an episode of the three stooges, but in the best episodes of the show, (like "Where Rodents Dare,") their failure only occurs because of some X-factor that the Brain couldn't have predicted, in which case the show becomes not merely a joke at the expense of the two mice, but also a joke on the world. A lab mouse with vast intelligence could almost take over our planet if not for our good luck. What a joke on us!
Rita and Runt is a segment that's something of an aquired taste. Strictly speaking, their style of humor is the song parody, and they make their song parodies frequently and well. The problem is that since most of the songs they parody are from classy plays or old musicals, most kids won't have heard them before, and won't get the joke. For example, in "Les Miseranimals," Rita and Runt did an absolutely brilliant parody of "Les Miserables," but when I first saw the episode, I didn't think it was all that funny, because I wasn't cultured enough to appreciate the jokes. Likewise, many of the people who are probably wouldn't watch the cartoon show, or might take offense even if they did. A shame, really.
The Goodfeathers is possibly the single most skippable of all the animaniacs segments, except maybe Chicken Boo. Essentially, it's three pidgeons named Bobby, Squit and Pesto, who live in some unnamed city and struggle to stay on top. The entire show is one big parody of the Goodfellas, with other parodies inserted every so often for added accessibility, but most of the kids who watched these segments enjoyed them for the slapstick, which is more pronounced in this segment than in any of the others (although the Mindy and Buttons segments make it an awfully close fight.) To be honest, I find the characters of the Goodfeathers to be irritating and grating after a while.
Slappy Squirrel, however, is another story. Like Yakko, Wakko and Dot, she uses mallets, anvils and dynamite, although she doesn't do it with the rapid, youthful energy or childlike innocence that the Warner Brothers have (or at least pretend to have.) In fact, she'd cynical, sarcastic and overall crotchety, which is what makes the cartoon so funny for me. Some of her jokes tend to be pretty esoteric, however, so she also is an aquired taste.
Mindy and Buttons was a segment that was probably intended to be a series of chase scenes like the Road Runner and the Coyote. Now, maybe I'm just too idealistic, but I found myself pitying Buttons too much to really enjoy these shows. Basically, Mindy is a cute kid who runs off after something and winds up in a whole lot of danger. Buttons is a dog who chases her and saves her from harm, though he is frequently pounded in the process. The problem is that there's really no character in this segment who's a bad guy, yet there's plenty of pain and suffering for Buttons, which, to be honest, I don't find funny.
The Hip Hippos are a unique style of humor. Essentially, there are two rare, endangered (allegedly) hippoes called Hippopotamus Trendolious, who go by the names of Flavio and Marita. They're allegedly married, although it's not stated directly, and they're big on fresh trends, so they moved their rich estate to the top of a skyscraper in the city, where they live as best they can in a world too small for them. I find that this cartoon really started to get funny when the character of the nature scientist was introduced. She wants to study the hippos and protect them from danger, but of course, since they're both not only extremely heavy and strong, but also virtually invulnerable, she's probably just wasting her time, and she usually gets a pounding in the process. For some reason, I find this funnier than the Mindy and Buttons sketches, probably because the scientist is so foolish and overworried. Many kids have parents like that, myself included, and wouldn't mind seeing them get a smacking for trying too hard to protect us.
Chicken Boo is probably the least funny cartoon segment I've ever seen outside of action cartoons. Basically, he's a man-sized chicken who puts on a human disguise and impersonates a human in man's world. In each cartoon, he's dressed as a different human, but the same thing happens. He dazzles everyone with amazing feats that most humans are incapable of, then something happens and the disguise falls off, and they're all so mad at him, they usually beat him up. I guess it's just that there's nothing funny about racial prejudice, which is really what this cartoon is about, no matter what disguise it wears.
Aside from these, there are also two cartoons in this collection that don't feature any of these characters. One is about a talking flame on a candle in Thomas Jefferson's study when he drafted the Declaration of Independance, and the other about a lovesick flying bug who has to go through some difficult times to win the butterfly of his dreams. Neither of these cartoons are really all that funny, although the bug cartoon has its own charm and the flame has some adorable responses to its situations. In general, one viewing of each is enough.
In addition to these, this collection also contains super-shorts, such as the Randy Beaman Boy, in which a boy appears and tells a silly story about a kid named Randy Beaman's family, Mime Time, which features a mime practicing his art and being clobbered, usually in a funny way (example; throwing an imaginary football gets him tackled by half a dozen burly football players) and my personal favorite; "Good Idea, Bad Idea," featuring Mr. Skullhead, who first does something smart, then something stupid related to it (Stopping to smell the roses-stopping to feel the roses...) You get the idea.
Overall, the Animaniacs is one of the best, funniest, cheeriest cartoons I've ever seen. It's WAY better than what passes for Kid's shows these days, and it was enough to cheer me up when I was feeling down, even now that I'm an adult. What more could I ask of this kind of cartoon?
6 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2006
Verified Purchase
This cartoon was the best show since the Disney Afternoon line-up of Gummi bears, Ducktales, Talespin, and Chip N' Dale. I was in elementary school at the time and had grown sick of Tiny Toons. When I first saw Animaniacs, I could not believe a cartoon was this dynamic. I was foolish to originally judge it by the look of the characters and not watch it. But, after one episode, you realize how much good effort has been put into a kid's cartoon. The show was very educational too. And, the writers inserted quirky facts. This show revitalized after-school cartoons! The writing is tops.
Top reviews from other countries
Animated Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Helloooo Nurse!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2010Verified Purchase
Format:
Everything says it's region 1 only (US) but I bought this from the States after reading another reviewer's comment that it runs on region 2 players, too. And, yes, it does - as do Animaniacs volumes 2 and 3 as well!
Humour:
Fabulous fast paced knock about humour which can be very witty, high on parody, both visual and musical with some great songs. The writing for these cartoons is excellent, as is the animation which harks back to the classic Warner shorts of the 40's and 50's in the quality of animation (flowing, full animation, brilliantly timed with the full orchestral music track). Spielberg wanted to make a series which took its cue from the classics and he succeded.
Audience:
Kids, yes, probably best from 5 upwards not only to enjoy the slapstick but a little of the subtlety, too. Adults, certainly, due to the humour, parody, some clever song lyrics, cultural and movie send-ups (including Wakko, Yakko and Dot's help - unwanted in most cases - for Beethoven, Einstein and Lincoln!). Animation fans - if, like me, you enjoyed the likes of Bugs Bunny and crew, you'll enjoy the antics of the Animaniacs and their 'anything goes'.
Characters:
Well realised with their own traits, phrases and style from the Warner brothers (Wakko and Yakko) and Dot (their sister as she continually reminds us); Pinky and the Brain, trying to take over the world; the Good Feathers (pigeons who answer to their supremo - THE GOOD FEATHER - very reminicent of Brando's Godfather); Scrappy Squirrel, the elderly grouch with violent tendencies - but it's all good cartoon fun - Rita and Runt, Chicken Boo and many more, besides. There are occasional guest appearances by, for example, Bugs Bunny, the Road Runner, and so on.
Content:
25 'progammes' of about 22 minutes having up to 4 cartoon sections in each. 550 minutes of craziness.
Quality:
The animation itself is flowing and expression is not only facial but in body poses, too, so pretty full animation, certainly for TV material. This is no 'talking-walking' animation. The music, using the Warner orchestra, is very 'full' and is closely timed and accented to the visuals, adding brilliantly to every pun. There are many musical parodies, too - references to film music and classics such as 'Les Miseranimals' (Les Miserables).
Special Features:
Interviews with creators discussing career and series highlights
Everything says it's region 1 only (US) but I bought this from the States after reading another reviewer's comment that it runs on region 2 players, too. And, yes, it does - as do Animaniacs volumes 2 and 3 as well!
Humour:
Fabulous fast paced knock about humour which can be very witty, high on parody, both visual and musical with some great songs. The writing for these cartoons is excellent, as is the animation which harks back to the classic Warner shorts of the 40's and 50's in the quality of animation (flowing, full animation, brilliantly timed with the full orchestral music track). Spielberg wanted to make a series which took its cue from the classics and he succeded.
Audience:
Kids, yes, probably best from 5 upwards not only to enjoy the slapstick but a little of the subtlety, too. Adults, certainly, due to the humour, parody, some clever song lyrics, cultural and movie send-ups (including Wakko, Yakko and Dot's help - unwanted in most cases - for Beethoven, Einstein and Lincoln!). Animation fans - if, like me, you enjoyed the likes of Bugs Bunny and crew, you'll enjoy the antics of the Animaniacs and their 'anything goes'.
Characters:
Well realised with their own traits, phrases and style from the Warner brothers (Wakko and Yakko) and Dot (their sister as she continually reminds us); Pinky and the Brain, trying to take over the world; the Good Feathers (pigeons who answer to their supremo - THE GOOD FEATHER - very reminicent of Brando's Godfather); Scrappy Squirrel, the elderly grouch with violent tendencies - but it's all good cartoon fun - Rita and Runt, Chicken Boo and many more, besides. There are occasional guest appearances by, for example, Bugs Bunny, the Road Runner, and so on.
Content:
25 'progammes' of about 22 minutes having up to 4 cartoon sections in each. 550 minutes of craziness.
Quality:
The animation itself is flowing and expression is not only facial but in body poses, too, so pretty full animation, certainly for TV material. This is no 'talking-walking' animation. The music, using the Warner orchestra, is very 'full' and is closely timed and accented to the visuals, adding brilliantly to every pun. There are many musical parodies, too - references to film music and classics such as 'Les Miseranimals' (Les Miserables).
Special Features:
Interviews with creators discussing career and series highlights
7 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Thrud Fan
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of them's a genius, the other's insane
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2012Verified Purchase
I've just got to echo what some others have said, my copy also works fine on a region 2 player despite what it says on the box. I remember watching the Animaniacs on Saturdays when I was younger and loving them, having watched them again I still think they are great, with some clever, even educational, songs and witty scripts. Some of the characters are stronger than others I'm not sure if this is to do with the writers or just the characters themselves. I always found the Good Feathers a bit repetitive but loved Pinky and the Brain, maybe I'm not the only one as Pinky and the Brain got there own show.
Kids will love the cartoon slapstick and adults will like the nods made to tv and films. Defiantly worth being in your DVD collection.
Kids will love the cartoon slapstick and adults will like the nods made to tv and films. Defiantly worth being in your DVD collection.
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
Carole
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing stuff
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2009Verified Purchase
If you have never seen the Animaniacs, you are in for a treat.
I was a fan when they were on UK TV back in the 1990s and having the DVDs is great.
The Animaniacs themselves owe something to the Marx Brothers, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons but they have their own anarchic, surreal charm.
The supporting cast are all fabulous characters too and the animation is as good as anything you'll see from the classic cartoon shorts of the 40s and 50s.
Every home needs the Warners Brothers (and the Warner Sister!).
I was a fan when they were on UK TV back in the 1990s and having the DVDs is great.
The Animaniacs themselves owe something to the Marx Brothers, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons but they have their own anarchic, surreal charm.
The supporting cast are all fabulous characters too and the animation is as good as anything you'll see from the classic cartoon shorts of the 40s and 50s.
Every home needs the Warners Brothers (and the Warner Sister!).
4 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Matthew Humphreys
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly entertaining cartoons suitable for both adults and children. ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2018Verified Purchase
Highly entertaining cartoons suitable for both adults and children.Classic cartoon comedy from falling anvils to comic explosions, as well as many references to celebrities and events of the 90's, comparable to the likes of the Simpsons. The breaking of the fourth wall done by the characters adds to the witty humour. These DVD's make up the 99 episodes created by Steven Spielberg and Warner Brothers are an absolute must for anyone and everyone.
Alex C
5.0 out of 5 stars
My life is complete
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2011Verified Purchase
When I got the two later seasons on my trip to Florida, I was aiming to get the first volume to complete my set. When I finally got it, it made me feel complete. Most of my favourite sketches made it this way including: The Nations of the World (sung by Yakko), the time when the Warner Brothers (and Warner Sister) meet Einstein, Beethoven, Lincoln, the works. Of course there are other characters, including Pinky and the Brain, the Goodfeathers, Slappy the Squirrel, and those two hippos whose names I forgot. Many characters have their own sense of personality, and the conflict they come across only makes it more humorous than expected. It's a shame those DVD's are not released in the U.K. and that I have to import the DVD anyway, but the content makes it all worthwhile.
One person found this helpful
Report abuse
