10 best Tom & Jerry cartoons - Never Forgotten: a Foster's Home Community

Ccook50 · 11-06-2007, 02:13 PM

During their theatrical animated careers with MGM (1940-1966), Tom & Jerry was nominated for fifteen Academy Awards and won seven of them. The following is the usual completely unscientific and arbitrary list of what I think are the ten best Tom & Jerry cartoons:

1. Million Dollar Cat (1944). Tom inherits $1 million but stands to forfeit it all if he harms anything--even a mouse. Jerry uses this to yank Tom's chain throughout the cartoon until the end when Tom gets even (Says Tom, with a voice by Bill Hanna himself: "Gee...I'm t'rowin' away a million dollars...BUT I'M HAPPY!!!!") Hilarious character animation of Tom.

2. Tom And Cherie (1955, in CinemaScope). Mouse Musketeer-in-training Nibbles is sent to deliver love notes to Jerry's girlfriend, and has to contend with Tom. Splendid set pieces (especially of Nibbles getting a peek at one of the notes), and an irresistible voice of Nibbles (furnished by a 6-year-old little French girl).

3. Cat Concerto (1946). The year's Oscar winner and the first of two consecutive cartoons with a mouse disrupting a recital of Franz Liszt's second rhapsody. As inept as Tom is at catching Jerry, he proves himself to be a very accomplished pianist.

4. Little School Mouse (1954). An essential role reversal with Jerry trying to teach Nibbles how to outwit cats and getting the bejeezus knocked out of him in the process.

5. The Night Before Christmas (1941). Oscar nominee; atypical T&J battle until Tom kicks Jerry out into the snow and then repents after hearing the cold winds howl. The chemistry of Tom and Jerry takes full hold here with a beautiful ending.

6. Heavenly Puss (1949). Tom apparently buys the farm, but he can't get into Heaven unless he can get Jerry to sign a certificate of forgiveness. Outstandingly laid out, written and animated.

7. The Zoot Cat (1944). In order to impress a girl cat, Tom designs a zoot suit. No longer screened on Cartoon Network because of its characters' depictions of black couture and slang and Tom smoking a cigar (Boomerang still shows it), it's still nevertheless a very funny cartoon.

8. Johann Mouse (1953). Oscar winner again shows off Tom's prowess at the eighty-eights; Jerry is moved to dance when Johann Strauss plays. When Strauss takes a sabbatical, Tom takes up piano to lure Jerry out and catch him, unaware that they've attracted an audience. Jakob Gimpel, who did the piano work for Cat Concerto (as well as the Bugs Bunny film Rhapsody Rabbit) provides Tom's performance.

9. The Missing Mouse (1953). A white lab mouse has swallowed explosives, according to radio reports. Jerry goes white and makes Tom age a few years in the process.

10. Duel Personality (1966). The best of the Chuck Jones T&J cartoons; Jerry challenges Tom to a duel, and each successive event is a draw. The two beat each other senseless with their own weapons.

Medikor · 11-06-2007, 07:39 PM

I've never been a fan of Tom & Jerry. But then again, I've never seen any of the cartoons from before the 70's. I'm sure the golden oldies are heads and tails above the T&J stuff now.

montitech · 11-07-2007, 07:29 PM

Tom and Jerry are one of my Big Favorites,

My two favorites from the top ten list are:
Cat Concerto and Johann Mouse

My other three favorites were:
the one where Jerrys Western Cousin comes by and keeps breaking his guitar string.
The one where they were in the Rotating space station that was swiss cheese by the end.
The Episode where Jerry was a secret agent Mouse, (it had kind of a Get Smart Intro and like all Tom and Jerry Great Music)

Monty

frankie_fan · 11-07-2007, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montitech

The Episode where Jerry was a secret agent Mouse, (it had kind of a Get Smart Intro and like all Tom and Jerry Great Music)

Monty

I think that one was called The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R.

montitech · 11-07-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankie_fan

I think that one was called The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R.

Most likely that sounds familiar.

Monty

Ccook50 · 11-08-2007, 12:53 PM

It was indeed The Mouse From H.U.N.G.E.R. (a play on the name of the TV show The Man From U.N.C.L.E., which was, like T&J, made by MGM.)

The other two were Jerry's Cousin and Advance And Be Mechanized.

11-06-2007, 02:13 PM	#1
Ccook50 Foster's Legend Don't forget to turn left at Greenland Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 510	10 best Tom & Jerry cartoons During their theatrical animated careers with MGM (1940-1966), Tom & Jerry was nominated for fifteen Academy Awards and won seven of them. The following is the usual completely unscientific and arbitrary list of what I think are the ten best Tom & Jerry cartoons: 1. Million Dollar Cat (1944). Tom inherits $1 million but stands to forfeit it all if he harms anything--even a mouse. Jerry uses this to yank Tom's chain throughout the cartoon until the end when Tom gets even (Says Tom, with a voice by Bill Hanna himself: "Gee...I'm t'rowin' away a million dollars...BUT I'M HAPPY!!!!") Hilarious character animation of Tom. 2. Tom And Cherie (1955, in CinemaScope). Mouse Musketeer-in-training Nibbles is sent to deliver love notes to Jerry's girlfriend, and has to contend with Tom. Splendid set pieces (especially of Nibbles getting a peek at one of the notes), and an irresistible voice of Nibbles (furnished by a 6-year-old little French girl). 3. Cat Concerto (1946). The year's Oscar winner and the first of two consecutive cartoons with a mouse disrupting a recital of Franz Liszt's second rhapsody. As inept as Tom is at catching Jerry, he proves himself to be a very accomplished pianist. 4. Little School Mouse (1954). An essential role reversal with Jerry trying to teach Nibbles how to outwit cats and getting the bejeezus knocked out of him in the process. 5. The Night Before Christmas (1941). Oscar nominee; atypical T&J battle until Tom kicks Jerry out into the snow and then repents after hearing the cold winds howl. The chemistry of Tom and Jerry takes full hold here with a beautiful ending. 6. Heavenly Puss (1949). Tom apparently buys the farm, but he can't get into Heaven unless he can get Jerry to sign a certificate of forgiveness. Outstandingly laid out, written and animated. 7. The Zoot Cat (1944). In order to impress a girl cat, Tom designs a zoot suit. No longer screened on Cartoon Network because of its characters' depictions of black couture and slang and Tom smoking a cigar (Boomerang still shows it), it's still nevertheless a very funny cartoon. 8. Johann Mouse (1953). Oscar winner again shows off Tom's prowess at the eighty-eights; Jerry is moved to dance when Johann Strauss plays. When Strauss takes a sabbatical, Tom takes up piano to lure Jerry out and catch him, unaware that they've attracted an audience. Jakob Gimpel, who did the piano work for Cat Concerto (as well as the Bugs Bunny film Rhapsody Rabbit) provides Tom's performance. 9. The Missing Mouse (1953). A white lab mouse has swallowed explosives, according to radio reports. Jerry goes white and makes Tom age a few years in the process. 10. Duel Personality (1966). The best of the Chuck Jones T&J cartoons; Jerry challenges Tom to a duel, and each successive event is a draw. The two beat each other senseless with their own weapons. __________________ "God forgot to make stupidity painful." --Ivan Stang (Church of the SubGenius) Last edited by Ccook50; 11-06-2007 at 02:13 PM.

11-06-2007, 07:39 PM	#2
Medikor Robot Master I'm a bubble man! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 1,428	I've never been a fan of Tom & Jerry. But then again, I've never seen any of the cartoons from before the 70's. I'm sure the golden oldies are heads and tails above the T&J stuff now. __________________

11-08-2007, 12:53 PM	#6
Ccook50 Foster's Legend Don't forget to turn left at Greenland Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 510	It was indeed The Mouse From H.U.N.G.E.R. (a play on the name of the TV show The Man From U.N.C.L.E., which was, like T&J, made by MGM.) The other two were Jerry's Cousin and Advance And Be Mechanized. __________________ "God forgot to make stupidity painful." --Ivan Stang (Church of the SubGenius)

11-07-2007, 07:29 PM	#3
montitech Foster's Legend Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ny Posts: 752	Tom and Jerry are one of my Big Favorites, My two favorites from the top ten list are: **Cat Concerto and Johann Mouse** My other three favorites were: the one where Jerrys Western Cousin comes by and keeps breaking his guitar string. The one where they were in the Rotating space station that was swiss cheese by the end. The Episode where Jerry was a secret agent Mouse, (it had kind of a Get Smart Intro and like all Tom and Jerry Great Music) Monty