Today, to coincide with the 80th Academy Awards and the 85th anniversary of Warner Bros., Warner Home Video will release WARNER BROS. HOME ENT. PRESENTS: ACADEMY AWARD ANIMATION COLLECTION 15 WINNERS ~ 26 NOMINEES on DVD ($44.98 SRP).
In addition to the three-disc set, WHV will also release a DVD featuring the 15 winning cartoons only. Titled WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS: ACADEMY AWARD ANIMATION COLLECTION 15 WINNERS, this DVD will retail for $19.98 SRP.
Some of animation's most popular characters will be spotlighted, including Superman, Popeye, Bugs Bunny, Droopy, Tom, Jerry, Speedy Gonzalez as well as Dot, Line & Squiggle. In fact, this is the first time Warner Bros. is featuring cartoon characters from various franchises, including Merrie Melodies, Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Max Fleischer, Warner Bros. and others in one release.
Academy Award-winning shorts featured on the DVDs include THE MILKY WAY, YANKEE DOODLE MOUSE, MOUSE TROUBLE, QUIET PLEASE, THE CAT CONCERTO, TWEETIE PIE, THE LITTLE ORPHAN, FOR SCENT-IMENTAL REASONS, SO MUCH FOR SO LITTLE, TWO MOUSEKETEERS, JOHANN MOUSE, SPEEDY GONZALES, BIRDS ANONYMOUS, KNIGHTY-KNIGHT BUGS and THE DOT AND THE LINE.
The three-disc set will also include such special features as "Drawn for Glory: Animation's Triumph At The Oscars," which focuses on the history of the Academy Awards animation short subject category.
"These titles will be a real treat for anyone who appreciates animated theatrical classics," commented Amit Desai, WHV VP, Family, Animation and Sports Marketing. "Many of the featured shorts are legendary cartoons that are not often seen on television and we think animation fans will be really excited to know they can finally own the very best of them in one collection. What makes these DVDs unique is that this is the first time we've released a classic animation title featuring characters from different franchises. We made it our goal to truly showcase some of the finest cartoons ever made."
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Ent. Co., commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Ent., Castle Rock Ent., HBO Home Video and New Line Home Ent.
Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB. Since then, Warner Bros. Animation's characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home entertainment and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studio's rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation also oversees the creative use of, and production of animated programming based on classic animated characters from the Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics libraries. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of six Academy Awards, 35 Emmy Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents' Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
DC Comics (www.dccomics.com), a Warner Bros. Ent. Co., is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations.
King Features Syndicate is a member of Hearst Ent. and Syndication Group, which combines The Hearst Corp's's cable network partnerships, television programming activities and newspaper syndication and merchandise licensing operations. King Features are the world's premier distributor of comics, columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games, distributing some 150 features to nearly 5,000 newspapers around the globe. Among its most beloved and successful classic characters are Popeye, Betty Boop, Blondie, Dennis the Menace and Flash Gordon.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
