DVD Spotlight: "Tom and Jerry: Tricks & Treats"

 

Believe it or not, it is almost time for Halloween again! If you are like me and cannot get enough of the spooky holiday, then start your celebration early with the recently released "Tom and Jerry: Tricks & Treats" DVD from Warner Home Video. The DVD contains 20 Halloween related animated shorts, as well as two bonus shorts. Tom and Jerry encounter aliens, an enchanted forest, vampires, witches, ghosts, magicians, dragons, mummies and werewolves in various adventures. They also explore a fun house, haunted houses, cemeteries and even dress up as Robin Hood and Musketeers. In other words, they are definitely in the Halloween spirit.

 

The twenty plus shorts are a mixture of older and newer Tom and Jerry cartoons, with the more contemporary entries outnumbering their older counterparts. Among the older efforts, "The Flying Sorceress" is the best of the bunch. After Tom tires of being berated by his owner, he decides to answer a job ad, complete with a new home. However, the person who placed the ad is a witch who lives in a haunted house and flies on a broomstick. Tom is reluctant to stay, especially since he must sleep in a small, coffin shaped bed, but he also sees an opportunity to learn to fly on a broomstick, which has its advantages.

 

The stand out among the newer entries is "Bats What I Like About The South," which finds the duo in a southern Gothic plantation style home that may be haunted. Tom and Jerry fight as usual, but Jerry has a secret weapon - a bat who looks just like him. Of course, Jerry is nothing if not resourceful. When he needs assistance, he calls upon family members, including his cousin Muscles, in "Jerry's Cousin," for help in dealing with the pesky Tom. In addition, Jerry receives help from a doppelganger in "Haunted Mouse," who also happens to be a magician, complete with a hat, cloak and a cane, which can wield magic, causing Tom a great deal of grief.  While I am usually partial to the older Tom and Jerry cartoons, there are a few stand outs among the newer offerings, including "Invasion of the Body Slammers" and the aforementioned "Bats What I Like About the South."

 

One of the great things about watching Tom and Jerry is that they are familiar to multiple generations and can be enjoyed by older and younger viewers alike. They also have the ability to bring back memories or create new ones, depending on the individual. For those who enjoy Tom and Jerry and Halloween, this DVD is a great way to celebrate your love of both.

 

"Tom and Jerry: Tricks & Treats" was released on September 4 and is now available.

 

Watch a clip below.