2014 Ending With a Blu-Ray Bang

Cartoon Roots Finds Fun In Animation Past

A Blu-Ray first, cartoons from the beginning brought together by noted historian/collector Tom Stathes, and scored by music masters Robert Israel and Ben Model. Much of Cartoon Roots has been unseen since dawn of animating. Stathes has been tireless gatherer of rarities since childhood. He spreads the cartoon gospel through presentations on 16mm. Tom knows his audience and has limned Cartoon Roots to entertain as deftly as it informs. A phalanx of fun is here, fifteen shorts plus "archival" extras (horn of plenty for your purchase, believe me). There's Lightning Sketches (1907) as toured in vaudeville, wraiths of easel past Col. Heeza Liar, Bobby Bumps, "Jerry On The Job," Dinky Doodle, Toby The Pup ... all from drawing's senior class. Quality breaks fuzz barrier too many associate w/ pre-talk relics, much derived off 35mm nitrate rescued by Stathes. These Cartoon Roots were dug before rules were set and conventions observed. Things happen that you'll only believe by seeing. Watch and come away with diploma in Animahistory (have I invented a new term?), joy had that you'll want to repeat. Content leaps to life on High-Def, film restoration by Thunderbean's Steve Stanchfield, so we're assured tech work is aces. Tom Stathes pledges this to be but first in a Blu-Ray series. That for me is topper for whole of cartoon headlines for 2014. Animation has been focal of best disc releases this year, Greenbriar idea of heroes those like Stathes and Stanchfield that flush out buried treasure and get it out to fans who'll enjoy it best.