Old is Gold!

Tom and Jerry ,Pink Panther ,Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and the Chipmunks,Pluto, Goofy, Popeye the Sailor Man , Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck. I'm sure these names cause a lot of deja vu! All these adorable cartoon characters have been part and parcel of the childhood days of many. The beauty is , people still love to watch these characters in action irrespective of the age and generation factor. Whenever one sees a grey Tom cat chasing a cute Brown mouse on their television sets , they still have a smile on their face and chuckle at Tom's foolishness and Jerry's adorable tricks. One still loves Pink Panther's unique 'gait' that is highlighted by the trademark Pink Panther background score. Both children and adults bid goodbye to their logic while watching Popeye the Sailor Man and watch his biceps grow bigger as he gulps down that can of Spinach. 



                                


One seems to wonder - What is so special about these cartoons and characters that make them 'evergreen'? How is it that only these cartoons are able to bring out the lost child in a person? The answer to this is quite simple, and it is - simplicity. These cartoons were made at a time when the word 'technology' was still alien and when hand made sketches of the characters were the only means to making these cartoons a success. Today, the cartoons that are aired on channels such as Pogo , Nickelodian , and Cartoon Network lack the simplicity and beauty of the old cartoons and their illustrations. The mantra to instant success for them today is by narrating the tales of mythological characters through cartoons as far as the Indian target audience is concerned. To name a few- Chota Bheem , Tales Of Krishna , Amar Chitra Katha tales and others. 




                              


 In order to 'keep in touch' with the good old cartoons, production houses have also tried bringing back characters such as Tom and Jerry , Mickey Mouse, and Tweety & Sylvester in a modern avatar. However, the new tales of Tom and Jerry fail to create the same impact on the audience due to the simple fact that the sketches of the characters are enhanced by modern day technology and the new sound effects put off the viewer after a point of time. Similarly ,the all new Mickey Mouse and his friends also do not strike a chord with the viewers due to the new animation techniques. In the case of the new bandwagon of cartoons, such as Ben 10, Samurai Jack, Billy and Mandy etc. , the essence of watching a cartoon is lost somewhere as , a cartoon enables the viewer to do away with their sense of practicality and understanding and laugh at the humorous situations . However, these cartoons bring back the need for logic and seriousness and make the audience lose interest in them gradually. 


A few months back I had logged on to my Facebook account and I was pleasantly surprised to see many of my friends (belonging to both my generation as well as the older generation) joining a group that was meant for people who miss the old cartoons and still watched them. That in itself was a major proof of the popularity and success of these cartoons that they managed to garner loyal fans over a span of seven to eight decades! 
This is one of my all-time favourite episodes of Tom and Jerry. Its worth a watch for a trip down the memory lane. Cheers! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X4U9EYAEPg&feature=related