R&TVP Redrawns - Off To The Races (Ups 'N' Downs)

Firstly, apologies for the recent lack of posts, as I've been quite busy recently.

These series of R&TVP posts will come to an end today, partly because of problems with my Windows Movie Maker software, and also because I'm more keen on starting a series of posts about UK cartoon annuals and British versions of Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny, and Barney Bear comic strips. But I will end this series with a true WTF redrawn! I intended to post this as a big, surprising finale. but my uploaded copy was already discovered by a GAC Forum member ( click here! ). That'll teach me to upload it a day early!

Nevertheless, I'll present the most bizarre redrawn ever - Off To The Races.

This is based on Ups 'N' Downs, a 1931 Looney Tune starring Bosko. At first glance, it looks as if it is a better-looking effort compared to some of the others featured on my blog. That is, until the bad guy throws a grenade at Bosko and his mechanical horse, which then explodes. At that point, it gets really, REALLY bizarre - the ending is completely different to the original, with extremely crappy-looking original Korean animation, off-model characters, and, to add insult to injury, the original soundtrack is replaced by terribly-corny music (thankfully, it's quite brief). One may assume that the source material came without its ending, hence the entirely-new one!

For those of you who haven't seen either or both versions, I recommend seeing the original first:

Ups N Downs - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

And if you're brave enough to see this redrawn, here it is:

Ups N Downs - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

That's the end of my R&TVP posts. I hope some of you enjoyed watching them, and to those who are now virtually blind after overdosing on these redrawns, I beg you to accept my sincere apologies (hee! hee! hee!).

Now, on to the annuals...

R&TVP Redrawns - Jack Frost

Jack Frost is a redrawn version of a ComiColor cartoon of the same title (the original was released on Christmas Eve 1934) . It is sourced from a B&W silent print, hence the corny music score added by Radio & Television Packagers.

One bizzare thing about this redrawn is that Jack Frost is coloured Pink/Red, which gives the impression that he is rather hot in the cold winter conditions (either that, or the retracers really believed that the bear is being chased by an elderly nudist!).

Anyway, here's the redrawn. See how it grabs you (and, most importantly, where?):

Jack Frost - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And the far-more-impressive original:

Jack Frost - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - On Duty (One More Time)

On Duty is Radio & Television Packagers' redrawn version of One More Time, the third Merrie Melodie ever made (released 3rd October 1931), and the last to feature Harman-Ising's short-lived character Foxy. This redrawn was sourced from a silent print, so you don't get to hear Frank Marsales' music score performed by Abe Lyman's Brunswick Recording Orchestra to ease the pain of watching it!

However, if you like to watch this version with stock music and sound effects, here it is for your viewing (dis)pleasure (apologies for the sound being out-of-synch):

One More Time - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And here's the original in all its glory:

One More Time - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - The Inventor (Felix Turns The Tide)

Today's post features another redrawn Felix short - Felix Turns The Tide, re-named by famed bootleggers Astra TV as The Inventor (in which Radio & Television Packagers used their version as the source print).

This is one of the most bizarre (and badly executed) redrawns I had the (mis)fortune to witness. Felix is redrawn ORANGE, for starters! And alas, they forgot to include Felix's closing remark.

But anyway, for you redrawns fans out there, here it is:

Felix Turns The Tide - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

Normally I would post a complete original, but would you like to see the Astra TV print instead? Fortunately, Tom Stathes owns a copy, and he specially transferred and uploaded it onto his blog. Click here to read his wonderful article (and watch the vid, of course), and be sure to check out his other Astra TV posts too.

R&TVP Redrawns - The Steadfast Tin Soldier (The Brave Tin Soldier)

Today's post features the R&TVP redrawn The Steadfast Tin Soldier, which is based on the Ub Iwerk's ComiColor short The Brave Tin Soldier (released 7th April 1934). The source material is a B&W silent version, but unlike some of the others already featured on this blog, this one has a fairly decent music score:

The Brave Tin Soldier - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

Of course, the original and best:

The Brave Tin Soldier - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

Still plenty more redrawns to watch out for (if you're brave enough, that is)!

R&TVP Redrawns - Cinderella (Once Upon A Time)

Today's redrawn, Cinderella, was originally a 1936 Techicolor cartoon called Once Upon A Time, produced by Audio Productions for Metropolitan Life Insurance. This cartoon features a charming original song, with music by Edwin E. Ludwig and words by Frank W. Speidell.

This R&TVP cartoon is, IMHO, one of the worst-looking redrawns I've ever seen. Have fun spotting the mistakes when comparing it to the original:

Once Upon A Time - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

Once Upon A Time - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - Ain't Nature Grand

And just when you thought I abandoned the redrawns topic for good...

(cue evil laugh): MWAHAAHAAAHAAAAAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Today's post is the Bosko short "Ain't Nature Grand". It's one of the earliest Bosko cartoons (can't pinpoint the release date, but it was released sometime in 1930-31), and is typical Harman-Ising fare.

Here's the redrawn version (in which the main body is complete and, with the exception of the end music, comes with its original soundtrack):

Ain't Nature Grand - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And if you don't want to watch the redrawn, or if you're looking for a comparison, here's the original (albeit a Sunset/Guild Films print):

Ain't Nature Grand - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - The Dancing Bear

Another redrawn for you to enjoy (or retch)!

The Dancing Bear is a redrawn version of the Farmer Al Falfa Terrytoon of the same name, released 15th Ocrober 1937. As per usual, the technical quality of the redrawn is utter crap. Mind you, the majority of the 1930's Terrytoons were not fantastically animated in the first place.

Voila la redrawn:

The Dancing Bear - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

You will notice that the opening title card (redrawn from a 1950's Astra TV print, the source material used for the above version) on my copy has been partially-obscured (not by me, but by a UK home video company), to avoid showing a trademarked cartoon character. But I've managed to locate a screenshot of the whole "offending" title:



And here's the original (albeit a bootleg TV) version for comparision:


The Dancing Bear - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

Thanks to Tom Stathes for the valuable info!

R&TVP Redrawns - Barnyard Frolics (Moonlight For Two)

Barnyard Frolics is a redrawn version of the WB Merrie Melodie Moonlight For Two, released in 11th June 1932. It is a typical early Harman-Ising cartoon, full of posing, dancing, and singing.

The print used as the basis of this redrawn is a silent version, so expect the corny music and sound effects added on by Radio & Television Packagers (which makes this version so awful it's strangely entertaining). Unfortunately, my copy has the audio a little out of synch. Enjoy (if you dare):

Moonlight For Two - Redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And of course, here's the original for comparison:


Moonlight For Two - Original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - Country Boy Rabbit

As it's now Easter, what's better fitting than posting a cartoon starring some Easter bunnies? Well.....not Easter bunnies to be exact, but this redrawn does star a lot of rabbits!
Country Boy Rabbit is a redrawn version of the two-strip technicolor Merrie Melodie short "Country Boy". The source print used is an edited, possibly damaged B&W print - the charming opening song is incomplete, and it's missing the final end gag!
For your enjoyment (or disgust), I now present the redrawn:

Country Boy - redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And here's the complete original for comparison:

Country Boy - original
Uploaded by ldglover

R&TVP Redrawns - Puss in Boots

Today's post will focus on the R&TVP redrawn cartoon Puss in Boots, which was originally a Ub Iwerk's ComiColor (that's right, the original is in COLOUR - albeit two-strip) cartoon (released 17th May 1934). The source material was obviously a B&W print with piss-poor audio, and the resulting technical quality of this redrawn is really, really crap.
So, if you've done something really naughty today, punish yourself by watching this abomination (or laugh-fest, if you love watching these redrawns):


Puss in Boots - redrawn
Uploaded by ldglover

And to make yourself feel better again, here's the original for comparison:


Puss in Boots - original
Uploaded by ldglover

The Radio & Television Packagers redrawns

During the 1960's, when B&W cartoons were beginning to have little or no commercial value (or so they think), Warner Brothers and NTA decided to commission Fred Ladd's company Color Systems to redraw their respective B&W cartoons (Porky Pig and Betty Boop) in colour. The results may have been impressive at that time, but nowadays (especially in the computer-colourising age which can give much better results in colourising cartoons) one can be appalled by the poor technical quality in the redrawn animation (not every frame is traced, momentary missing limbs etc.), psychedelic colour scheme, and poor film stock.
Of course, we all moan about these redrawns, and we hardcore animation fans prefer to see these cartoons as originally intended. But the sad truth is, these redrawns still kept the spirit of the originals in the public consciousness, and has enabled many fans to seek out the originals, resulting in a big demand to see them on DVD and other media. You could say that the redrawing process was a necessary evil at that time.
There were other companies that commissioned redrawns later on. Turner, in 1986, invited Entecolor Technologies (formerly Color Systems) to redraw their B&W Popeye and Merrie Melodies cartoons, which was a rather strange decision as they were starting to colourise their feature films using a computer process. While the technical quality and colour palette was somewhat better than the redrawn Porky's and Betty's, plenty of mistakes were still made.
But perhaps the worst-looking redrawns of them all were commissioned by Radio & Television Packagers (who I shall refer to as R&TVP). They gave Color Systems a batch of (presumably) home-movie prints of (mostly) public-domain cartoons during the early 70's. Unfortunately, what R&TVP didn't know is that many of the cartoons do exist in their original colour! Also, they failed to realise that some of them were silent versions of sound cartoons (they will later add corny music to those redrawns). On one cartoon, they had the ending redrawn to something completely different!!! The result is a series of redrawns that are sooooooooo bad, they are actually quite entertaining in their own unique way.
Here is a complete list of the 43 R&TVP cartoons, as compiled by Richard Jebe and Pietro Shakarian:

"Toy Shop" – "We're in the Money" (1933), WB
"Ain't Nature Grand?" – 1931 WB of the same name
"Barnyard Frolic" – "Moonlight for Two" (1931), WB
"Bosko's Woodland Daze" – 1932 WB of the same name
"Country Boy Rabbit" – "The Country Boy" (1935), WB (originally color)
"Magazine Rack" – "I Like Mountain Music" (1933), WB
"Off To The Races" – "Ups 'N Downs" (1931), WB
"On Duty" – "One More Time" (1931), WB
"Accidents Won't Happen" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"The Invisible Revenge" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"Where Am I?" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"Mixing In Mexico" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"Oceans Of Trouble" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"Soda Jerks" – 1925 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"When Hell Froze Over" – 1926 Mutt and Jeff of the same name
"The Adventures Of Mutt And Jeff And Bugoff" – "Slick Sleuths" (1926), Mutt and Jeff
"Dog Missing" – "Dog Gone" (1926), Mutt and Jeff
"Egyptian Daze" – "Mummy O' Mine" (1926), Mutt and Jeff
"The Mail Pilot" – 1927 Aesop's Film Fable of the same name
"The Under Dog" – 1929 Aesop's Film Fable of the same name
"Tuning In" – 1929 Van Beuren of the same name
"Love Bugs" – "Fly Hi" (1931), Van Beuren
"Art For Art's Sake" – 1934 Van Beuren of the same name
"The Villian Pursues Her" – "Sinister Stuff" (1934), Van Beuren
"Chinese Lanterns" – "Japanese Lanterns" (1935), Van Beuren (originally color)
"Batter Up" – "Play Ball" (1932), Terrytoons
"Spring Cleaning" – "Kiko's Cleaning Day" (1937), Terrytoons
"The Dancing Bear" – 1937 Terrytoon on the same name
"Lumberjack" - "The Saw Mill Mystery" (1937), Terrytoons
"Music And Charm" - "The Villain Still Pursued Her" (1937), Terrytoons
"The Inventor" – "Felix Turns the Tide" (1922), Sullivan
"Sunken Treasure" – "Felix Braves the Briny" (1926), Sullivan
"Misses His Swiss" – "Felix Misses His Swiss" (1926), Sullivan
"Scoots Through Scotland" – "Felix Scoots Through Scotland" (1926), Sullivan
"Mr. Do–All" – "Jack From All Trades" (1927), Sullivan
"Jack Frost" – 1934 Iwerks of the same name (originally color)
"Puss in Boots" – 1934 Iwerks of the same name (originally color)
"The Steadfast Tin Soldier" – "The Brave Tin Soldier" (1934), Iwerks (originally color)
"Cinderella" - "Once Upon a Time" (circa 1937), Audio Productions
"Big City" – 1947 UK Bubbles and Squeek cartoon of the same name
“Grampus & Scrappy” - The Big Game (1928), Aesop's Fable

Unidentified:
"They Shall Not Pass" – Mutt and Jeff
"Double Performance" - Unknown

In these series of posts (yes, I'll be posting these, so be warned - lol),I shall be posting specially-selected redrawns, along (where possible) with their originals for comparison.
And to start off with, here's a redrawn version of Felix Misses His Swiss, starring the title character as a burgundy-coloured cat!. Unfortunately, I don't have the original to upload, but according to David Gerstein, the final scenes were missing from the original source print, so you will see a fake (clover-shaped???) iris-out before it reaches a satisfying conclusion.

Felix Misses His Swiss
Uploaded by ldglover

Did the re-tracers really believe that Felix was grabbing his gonads at the beginning of the cartoon (lol)?
For this series, as these will mostly be public-domain cartoons, I've decided to abandon imposing a time-limit on their availability.