Seth MacFarlane and Martin Scorsese probably isn’t a combination anyone saw coming, but the two apparently share a common interest: Preserving old cartoons.
The Family Guy creator and the legendary director have reportedly spearheaded a joint collaboration with their respective foundations to fund the “first-ever, curated restoration of historically significant animated shorts.” The collection will include works from classic cartoonists Max and Dave Fleischer as well as George Pal and Paul Terry.
Via Deadline:
“I’m so grateful to Seth MacFarlane for his enthusiasm and his support on these restorations,” said Martin Scorsese in a statement. “What an astonishing experience, to see these remarkable pictures that I experienced for the first time as a child brought back to their full glory. Imagine the reactions of children today! Because the films now seem as fresh as they did when they were newly made.”
“The work Martin Scorsese and his Film Foundation have been doing is essential cinematic preservation,” MacFarlane added. “I’m honored to partner with them in restoring their first-ever collection of storied animation.”
Nine restorations of animated shorts from the 1920s to the 1940s will be shown at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival this Saturday, April 20. MacFarlane will personally be on hand to present the titles, which include Koko’s Tattoo (1928), Little Nobody (1935), The Little Stranger (1936), Greedy Humpty Dumpty (1936), Peeping Penguins (1937), The Fresh Vegetable Mystery (1939), So Does An Automobile (1939), The Three Bears (1939), and Two-Gun Rusty (1944).
(Via Deadline)