The never ending appeal of Tom and Jerry
355
views
A new animated musical film entitled Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is due to be released on DVD in July 2017. It has been adapted from the 1971 version which had the same name, minus the Tom and Jerry part. Presumably, the characters of Tom and Jerry, who appear in the film, were thought to be such well-loved figures that they would be capable of making it a unique interpretation. They seem merely to be “add-ins” to the story.
Cartoons have a timeless appeal and a language of their own: full of slapstick comedy. Created in 1940, Tom and Jerry was a series of dramatic cartoons revolving around the relationship between a cat and a mouse. Tom repeatedly attempts to chase Jerry, however, this often backfires on him as Jerry’s cleverness outweighs Tom’s physical energy – and is much greater than what one would expect from a simple mouse. Much destruction takes place.
Being easy to understand adds to the universality of cartoons. In fact, Tom and Jerry is almost completely visual, relying on facial expressions and gestures to tell the story. The music was inspired by a mixture of jazz, classical and pop sounds. All these elements combine to set the pace, and to create the required atmosphere and emotion for each scene. The famous Chinese pianist, Lang lang, has stated that watching Tom and Jerry as a child led him to start playing the piano.
loading...
The popularity of the cartoon lies in its simplicity. Whilst it deals with an out of the ordinary situation, it has nonetheless been described as employing an excessive use of violence in parts as Tom and Jerry sometimes try to attack each other using harmful objects.
The cartoon does contain deeper reflections on the conflict. Firstly being a domestic cat, and as part of a comfortable home, Tom has a “duty” to chase mice and a need for Jerry to be out of the way. As a little brown mouse, Jerry’s craftiness makes him victorious in the end despite his small size and this no doubt appeals to viewers in the same way as the concept of the underdog winning. However, this dynamic is subverted further. The destruction that Jerry causes in retaliation leads Tom to be the ultimate victim, when he is actually less crafty than Jerry – and often appears worried when he thinks Jerry might be injured or hurt.
It is said that conflict is at the heart of all drama and this is perhaps the essence of Tom and Jerry’s timeless appeal. This, combined with two cute and likeable characters of course.
Loading...