‘Tom and Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology 1940–1958’ Blu-ray Review
At the beginning of 2025, the Warner Archive Collection delighted physical-media fans with the Blu-ray release of Tom and Jerry: The CinemaScope Collection – a welcome treat for anyone with a love of classic animation. But it turns out that was only the opening act.
As the year draws to a close, Warner Archive Collection is going even bigger with a deluxe Blu-ray release that feels like the definitive celebration of the iconic duo. Tom and Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology 1940–1958 arrives as a lavish six-disc set, bringing together the cartoons that defined the series’ most beloved period, and it’s available now.
The Complete Collection of Hanna Barbera’s Oscar Winning Masterpieces At Last! Every lit stick of dynamite. Every fur-flying chase. Every back-firing mouse trap. Restored. Complete. Uncut. The ultimate compilation of animation’s favorite feuding duo — Tom & Jerry. All 114 theatrical cartoon shorts, the entire series, as originally released to theaters by MGM during the Golden Age of Hollywood. For the first time ever, all in one set – they are now all yours.
Warner Archive Collection have transferred these Tom and Jerry shorts to Blu-Ray in 1080p in their original theatrical aspect ratios of 1.37:1 before 1954 and 2.35:1 in the years after. The audio track is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There are also English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Warner Archive has gone the extra mile with these restorations, and the results are genuinely stunning. The cartoons have never looked so crisp or so clean. I grew up watching Tom and Jerry, but seeing them presented like this feels almost like experiencing them for the very first time. Across five discs, the set houses the restored shorts themselves, while a sixth disc is dedicated entirely to bonus features – rounding out the collection with plenty for longtime fans and animation enthusiasts to dig into, including:
Special Features:
- 20 Audio Commentaries
- Lady of the House: The Story of Mammy Two Shoes
- Animal Hijinks: The Friends and Foes of Tom and Jerry
- The Midnight Snack Pencil Test
- Cat and Mouse: The Tale of Tom and Jerry
- Tom and Jerry: Behind The Tunes
- Animators As Actors
- Excerpt from “Dangerous When Wet”
- How Bill and Joe Met Tom and Jerry
- Vaudeville, Slapstick and Tom and Jerry
- The Comedy Styling of Tom and Jerry
- The Worry Song from “Anchors Aweigh”
- The three bonus shorts from Tom and Jerry The Complete Cinemascope Collection: Good Will To Men, Give & Tyke, and Scat Cats
It’s genuinely fantastic to see Warner Archive port all of these bonus features over to such a super-deluxe Blu-ray release. On top of the extensive on-disc extras, the set also includes a booklet insert packed with original sketches from The Golden Era, adding a lovely archival touch for collectors. And to really seal the deal, the entire package comes housed in a glossy slipcover – a small but satisfying finishing touch that makes this release feel even more special.
***** 5/5
For me, the best era for Tom and Jerry was The Golden Era, and to see all 114 cartoons beautifully restored and released in HD on this 6 Disc deluxe set makes the kid in me leap for joy. If you love Tom and Jerry as much as I do, head over to Amazon and order your copy of Tom and Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology 1940–1958 today.
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