Dicky Moe (1962) - Tom and Jerry Theatrical Cartoon Series

I actually loved this T&J short. I remember it fondly. I thought it was one of the best of the Gene era. Very creative story. Yes, it is a bit mean spirited, dark & kind of a cruel ending, but so were most of the T&J shorts.

Disturbing. Heavily-inked, greyish backgrounds give this short a dismal, almost decadent feel -- as though inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" or something. Subdued music score punctuated by an overly-loud, discordant hollow knocking sound (the ship captain's peg-leg on the deck) is eerie, creepy and disturbing. Add the decidedly untraiditional character design and the ship captain's vociferous demeanor, and you have an animated audio-visual nightmare that feels grim, desolate and unnerving. Antithetical to the rest of the series.

Absolutely ROCK BOTTOM T@J is reminiscent of the last work of Laurel and Hardy (Atoll K) or Abbott and Costello (Dance with Me, Henry) as the animation team exerts zero effort in script or design as they bury a once proud franchise. Undoubtedly the worst episode in the series and I caught this at the Fabulous Fox Theater before a screening of "20-thousand Leagues" four years ago in front of 5 thousand people!!! This was probably the first exposure to Tom and Jerry for thousands of kids! (GULP) Destroy all existing prints.. Historians can live without it!