Making its DVD debut uncut and digitally re-mastered is a Walter Lantz treasure trove: THE WOODY WOODPECKER AND FRIENDS CLASSIC CARTOON COLLECTION (Universal Studios Home Ent., $39.98), which lands on store shelves July 24, 2007. The three-disc collection features 75 zany adventures, including eight Academy Award-nominated shorts, and offers more than an one hour of vintage bonus materials, such as the doc "Walter, Woody and the World of Animation," behind-the-scenes footage and a full episode of THE WOODY WOODPECKER SHOW.
Woody's exploits include encounters with other well-known animated players from the renowned Walter Lantz Studio, including Chilly Willy, Andy Panda, Wally Walrus and Buzz Buzzard. As a special bonus, the collection also offers rare cartoons from Walter Lantz archive, including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Cartune Classic and Swing Symphony cartoons.
Woody has been going strong for more than 65 years. He has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and appeared in nearly 200 theatrical shorts, since his original film appearance in 1940s KNOCK KNOCK. He also made a cameo appearance in 1988's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? and is currently the mascot for the Universal Studios Theme Parks.
Universal Studios Home Ent. is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Ent., NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
