Created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Tom Cat and Jerry Mouse are two of the most popular characters in the history of animation. The premise—a little mouse antagonizes a much larger cat—is incredibly simple yet continues to entertain kids and adults alike. Hanna and Barbera produced 114 Tom and Jerry shorts for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1940 to 1957.

After the MGM cartoon studio closed its doors in 1957, it looked like production of any new Tom and Jerry shorts may cease. However, MGM decided to revive the series with Gene Deitch at the helm of an additional 13 Tom and Jerry shorts for Rembrandt Films from 1960 to 1962. Deitch’s style, jagged, and somewhat crude looking, is noticeably different from Hanna and Barbera’s, but nonetheless helped Tom and Jerry overtake Looney Tunes to become the highest grossing animated short film series of all time.

A Czech working in Prague, Deitch had never really been a fan of Tom and Jerry, and most of his animators had never seen the cartoons since they weren’t made available over the Iron Curtain. This meant that the Deitch team were coming from a place of personal imagination more than another American or Western European team likely would have. Critics, I think rightly so, have complained that Tom and Jerry become noticeably more violent during the Deitch era, but still managed to contribute some fascinating work to the Tom and Jerry cannon.

My personal favorites from this collection, “Dicky Moe” is a spoof of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. Tom is kidnapped and forced to work on Captain Ahab’s ship. If that’s not bad enough, Jerry is on board to torture him. In another favorite. “Mouse in Space,” the two adversaries find themselves launched into space. Jerry’s yelps of pain are unforgettable. In “Carmen Get It,” Tom chases Jerry into Lincoln Center, where he hides among the instruments during a concert. Meanwhile, Tom interrupts things by disguising himself as a musician.

While the 13 Deitch cartoons don’t reach the level of Hanna and Barbera and subsequently Chuck Jones, they are not terrible, as some critics suggest. However, these cartoons have none of the romanticism that Tom and Jerry became known for, and the violence has been amped up. It’s understandable, that some people don’t care for this particular set of cartoons, but Tom and Jerry completeists will definitely want to pick up The Gene Deitch Collection.

Here is a full list of the episodes:

  • Switchin’ Kitten
  • Down and Outing
  • It’s Greek to Me-ow!
  • High Steaks
  • Mouse Into Space
  • Landing Stripling
  • Calypso Cat
  • Dicky Moe
  • The Tom & Jerry Cartoon Kit
  • Tall in the Trap
  • Sorry Safari
  • Buddies Thicker Than Water
  • Carmen Get It!

Presented in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, the transfer is solid, bringing out the jagged, crude quality of the original animation.

Dolby Digital mono audio is fine, offering a faithful reproduction of things. The score is excellently orchestrated, and Allen Swift’s voice sounds authoritative.

English, French, Spanish, and Thai subtitles have been included during all 13 shorts but not the extras.

The following extras are available:

  • Tom and Jerry…and Gene (18:07) Deitch explains how he came to produce 13 episodes. He shares several stories about making an American cartoon behind the Iron Curtain in Prague.
  • Much Ado About Tom and Jerry (18:53) A look at the history of the cat and mouse act.