Some great news on the DFE cartoon releases from Mark Arnold himself (who's birthday is today!); no laugh tracks on any of the shorts except for Crazy Legs Crane and Misterjaw (which is clearly understandable). 😃

Yep, I knew there was something odd about the earlier announcement. The Kino-Lorber spokesman that was linked to earlier did not claim that some of the theatricals might be laugh-tracked; he gave the impression that all of the cartoons would still be laugh-tracked. It makes sense for the Misterjaw and Crazylegs cartoons, though, and I'm glad Mark Arnold took the time to clarify. (And happy birthday to him!)

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Now they've been delayed to April 26th:
http://forum.blu-ray.com...38357&postcount=6227 

It better be worth the wait.

HTF claims 28th April:
http://www.hometheaterfo...ad-guidelines/?p=4190212 

"28th" is probably a typo.

Kino Lorber has posted cover art for the first 3 volumes on thier Facebook and Twitter. All boast reversible cover art sketches by Art Leonardi, other bonus features TBA. Release date is in fact the 26th.

Extras revealed!:
http://forum.blu-ray.com...66167&postcount=6273 

"The Inspector (2-Discs) | The Ant and the Aardvark | Crazylegs Crane

Special Features:
• Documentary #1: "Goodbye Warner Bros. Hello DePatie-Freleng"
• Documentary #2: "Of Aardvarks, Ants, Inspectors and Cranes."
Note: Both documentaries will appear on all three releases. The documentaries include interviews with Friz Freleng, filmmaker Greg Ford, animator/director Art Leonardi, ink & print artist Barbara Donatelli, historian Jerry Beck and critic Will Friedwald.
• Audio Commentaries by Friz Freleng, Filmmaker Greg Ford, Author Mark Arnold, and Historian Jerry Beck.
Note: The Freleng commentaries are compiled from archival interviews
• Reversible Blu-ray Art - New sketches by the original animator/designer Art Leonardi

Coming April 26th on DVD and Blu-ray!
All cartoon will be presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.33:1"

Also, in case you haven't seen them yet, here are the covers:
http://forum.blu-ray.com...42851&postcount=6234 

http://forum.blu-ray.com...42895&postcount=6235 

http://forum.blu-ray.com...42927&postcount=6237 


UPDATE: Amazon pre-orders!!:
The Ant and The Aardvark:

http://www.amazon.com/Th...rk-Blu-ray/dp/B01AWWUBXG 
http://www.amazon.com/An...ohn-Byner/dp/B01AWWUDIO/ 

The Inspector:

http://www.amazon.com/Th...or-Blu-ray/dp/B01AWWUCA8 
http://www.amazon.com/In...ns-2-Discs/dp/B01AWWUCCQ 

Crazy Legs Crane:

http://www.amazon.com/Cr...ne-Blu-ray/dp/B01AWWUBYA 
http://www.amazon.com/Cr...Larry-Mann/dp/B01AWWUCZ8 

Just posted on Facebook: 

Coming June 28th on DVD and Blu-ray!
Brand New 2016 HD Masters!

Tijuana Toads (1969-1972) - 17 Cartoons
Roland and Rattfink (1968-1971) - 17 Cartoons

First review for The Ant and The Aardvark! The bad news; The Ant and The Aardvark, Never Bug an Ant, Don't Hussle an Ant with Muscle, and Scratch a Tiger still have laugh tracks.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/r...nt-and-the-aardvark-the/ 

Mark said that Greg tried, so fine.

But good news is that Kino has announced the extras for the next batch!!! From Facebook!:

"Coming June 28th on DVD and Blu-ray!
Brand New 2016 HD Restorations!
First Time on Home Video!

Roland and Rattfink (1968-1971) - 17 Animated Short Features
• Two documentaries by Greg Ford and William Hohauser: “DePatie-Freleng’s Odd Couples” and “DePatie-Freleng’s Music and Sound Mix-ologists,” featuring Jerry Beck, Barbara Donatelli, Will Friedwald, Doug Goodwin, Art Leonardi, and Joe Siracusa.
• Audio commentaries for selected films, by author Mark Arnold, historian Jerry Beck, filmmaker Greg Ford, and cartoon writer William Hohauser.
• Reversible Blu-ray Art - New sketches by the original animator/designer Art Leonardi.

Tijuana Toads (1969-1972) - 17 Animated Short Features
• Two documentaries by Greg Ford and William Hohauser: “DePatie-Freleng’s Odd Couples” and “Music and Sound Mix-ologists,” featuring Jerry Beck, Barbara Donatelli, Will Friedwald, Doug Goodwin, Art Leonardi, and Joe Siracusa.
• Audio commentaries for selected films, by author Mark Arnold, historian Jerry Beck, filmmaker Greg Ford, and cartoon writer William Hohauser.
• “Go for Croak” featuring an alternate “Texas Toads” soundtrack
• Reversible Blu-ray Art - New sketches by the original animator/designer Art Leonardi"

Mark Arnold gives some interesting insight in the comments re: aspect ratio. I'd rather trust what he has to say rather than some fan's bullish claim that they were "ORIGINAL FULL SCREEN!!!" without backing up with any actual evidence other than a vague supposition that it was "how they were made".

"These cartoons were not made in widescreen as TV airing was planned in a few years. Very few theatrical shorts were actually made in widescreen. Most had the tops and bottoms chopped off for the theaters.

As far as the laugh tracks go, Greg tried."

Crazy Legs Crane review!:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/r...s/70487/crazylegs-crane/ 

Frankly, it's quite telling that Mark Arnold and Jerry Beck made it clear that they aren't very fond of these awful Crazylegs cartoons...

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The Inspector Blu-ray.com review!!!:
http://www.blu-ray.com/m...r-Blu-ray/133755/#Review 

Bad news; Napoleon Blown-Aparte and Ape Suzette still have laugh tracks. The good news; Sicque! Sicque! Sicque! and Bomb Voyage are now laugh track free!

UPDATE 4/4: Turns out the reviewer made a mistake. Sicque! Sicque! Sicque! and Bomb Voyage still have laugh tracks. We're back to square one. :(

On a lighter note, here are Blu-ray.com reviews for the other 2 releases:

http://www.blu-ray.com/m...k-Blu-ray/133754/#Review 

http://www.blu-ray.com/m...e-Blu-ray/133756/#Review 

The remaining 2 waves of Kino/MGM's DePatie-Freleng Collection revealed by Mark Arnold!!!

https://www.facebook.com...2090457/650139225139397/ 

Wow, Kino really wants to bring out almost every United Artists/DePatie-Freleng cartoon on DVD and Blu Ray for collectors who are fans of these cartoons.

Even if they have flaws on the laugh tracks still remaining on the prints they have on certain cartoons.[scrooge] [sam]

Wow, Kino really wants to bring out almost every United Artists/DePatie-Freleng cartoon on DVD and Blu Ray for collectors who are fans of these cartoons.

And this can open the door for animation from Kino via their subliscensers. ;)

Even if they have flaws on the laugh tracks still remaining on the prints they have on certain cartoons.[scrooge] [sam]

Greg tried according to Mark. But you think non-laugh track prints would have surfaced by now.

OK, I got all 3 releases on both formats tonight! But, listening to The Inspector on DVD and Blu-ray and have noticed the alternate renditions of the opening theme and closing theme heard in Napoleon Blown-Aparte and Cock-A-Doodle Deux Deux (both different) have been replaced with the original opening theme on the Kino release.

Surprisingly, the commentary for Cock-A-Doodle Deux Deux still has its exclusive opening rendition of the theme

Also, not that it's a big deal since it was on the MGM DVD release too, but the closing Fonos card on Reuax, Reaux, Reaux Your Boat has the closing theme from the Pink Panther Show.

At any rate, I informed Kino on the matter as well as the fact there's a VHS tape containing non-laugh track versions of Ape Suzette and Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!

UPDATE 4/27: OK, so here's what I got from the Kino thread:

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showth...hp?t=241616&page=398 

So it seems to be a fault on MGM's end. I'm still going to fight that a replacement program be done, but if all else fails, I'll always have my 2008 MGM DVD.

First review for Tijuana Toads on Blu-ray!!!:
http://www.blu-ray.com/m...s-Blu-ray/149060/#Review 

UPDATE: Roland and Rattfink review:
http://www.blu-ray.com/m...k-Blu-ray/149061/#Review 

Wow! Talk about an improvement! I compared the MGM and Kino releases of Roland and Rattfink the other day and the new transfers are spectacular (there's some minor DNR, but not severe).

Anyway, Kino on Facebook has stated that they're currently planning to release Hoot Kloot and The Blue Racer in December with The Dogfather and Misterjaw rounding off the line in Spring 2017.

At long last, Kino has announced that The Blue Racer and Hoot Kloot will arrive on Blu-ray/DVD. From Facebook:

"Coming 2/21/17! First Time on DVD and Blu-ray!
Brand New 2016 HD Masters!

The Blue Racer (1972-1974) - 17 Cartoons
Sheriff Hoot Kloot (1973-1974) - 17 Cartoons

Will included historian commentaries and featurettes!"