# Classic Cartoons! do they exist this way? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2000, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-cartoons-do-they-exist-this-way/31155 "2000-08-29T05:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-cartoons-do-they-exist-this-way/31155/1 "2000-08-29T05:59:52Z")
Does anyone know if classic cartoons are available uncut in widescreen aka letterbox format on DVD or some other medium? I was watching an old Tom & Jerry cartoon on tv the other night. They showed all of the opening credits in letterbox, to fit the credits and tile on screen, but then went to pan & scan immediately after the credits. The title screen was 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Bye-bye to 50% of the picture. I am confident that all of the old Warner Brothers, MGM, and Disney shorts were originally shown in the theaters in 2:35:1 or at least 1:85:1 ratio from the early 50’s thru the late 60’s and possibly later. I think it would be interesting to see the toons this way. Gotta love those toons. ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-cartoons-do-they-exist-this-way/31155/2 "2000-08-29T06:52:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MagicalSilverKey \* > **Does anyone know if classic cartoons are available uncut in widescreen aka letterbox format on DVD or some other medium?** Yep, film. If you go and check out E-Bay you’ll find a lot of old cartoons for sale on film; they are originals, of course. Original 35mm might be hard to come by, as they are fairly expensive. 16mm is much easier, and a lot cheaper. Actually, I own several cartoons on film that I won in a raffle. Though you probably haven’t heard of them. Cartoons did originally play in theaters, as a short before a feature, in a collection of shorts, or maybe with a few others and a few news reels. I have looked through those at my university (I’m a film student) and it is indeed interesting to see them in their original format. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2000, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-cartoons-do-they-exist-this-way/31155/3 "2000-08-29T08:06:02Z")
Yo, Silent Rob my man, thanks for the info, however I was more geared toward a contemporary film transfer medium such as DVD, VHS, LD, CDrom etcetera. So you are a fil student eh? Got access to uncut toons eh? I heard (on SD column from Unca Cece) that the infamous old Tex Avery toon, “Red Hot Riding Hood” originally had some naughty stuff in it that very few have ever seen. If you have seen the uncensored version, do tell! (For those who might not know, this is the cartoon that the Cameron Diaz eye-popping, jaw-dropping, tongue-lashing, wolf-howling, nightclub scene in Jim Carrey’s The Mask was based on.) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-cartoons-do-they-exist-this-way/31155/4 "2000-08-30T11:02:57Z")
I have a friend who collects laserdiscs, and he says that MGM did release some 50s Tom & Jerry cartoons in letterboxed (1.85) format. Since the format seems to be dying out, it may be easy for you to find a used version on sale…