Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Misterjaw Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 8, 2018

Following their work on “The Dogfather,” DePatie-Freleng elected to try their luck again in the world of movie parodies, unleashing 1976’s “Misterjaw” on audiences still fired up over “Jaws” mania from the previous summer. There’s not much here that delivers on Spielbergian monkey business, with the production keeping to the basics with this mild Looney Tunes riff, creating a Road Runner vs. Coyote dynamic for the titular character and a tiny fish he’s determined to consume, despite getting smashed, crashed, and humiliated along the way. In the overall DePatie-Freleng oeuvre, “Misterjaw” ranks fairly low, as repetition and a general absence of thought over to what to do with a comedic shark makes 34 episodes of this series wearying at times. There’s a sound-alike “Jaws” theme that opens every short, but overall, the material tends to be more about physical comedy and chases than a robust pantsing of a movie phenomenon.

“Misterjaw” details the daily misadventures of a great white shark (voiced by Arte Johnson) who’s determined the rule the ocean and fill his belly, but spends most of his time scaring people with his catchphrase, “Heegotcha!” He’s joined by Catfish (Arnold Stang), who acts as an assistant for the shark, feeding Misterjaw ideas on how to catch prey and fulfill his dreams of acting, which is a surprising character quest explored over a few episodes. The action in “Misterjaw” is mostly contained to the water, watching the shark pursue Harry Halibut (Bob Ogle), his prized catch of the day, but there are dry land excursions as well, permitting the production a chance to explore other environments with their habitually jesting shark. Perhaps Misterjaw wouldn’t be so unbelievably hungry if he ate people instead of a scaring them, but hey, this is a cartoon, and DePatie- Freleng isn’t known for their exquisite plotting.

Episodes:

Disc 1

“To Catch a Halibut” (6:01)
Hungry and searching for tasty prey, Misterjaw takes Catfish’s advice and pursues Harry Halibut throughout the deep, using increasingly ridiculous methods to catch up to his potential lunch.

“Flying Fool” (6:03)
Searching for a way to attack his prey more effectively, Misterjaw takes inspiration from a pelican, ordering Catfish to come up with ways to help him fly.

“Shopping Spree” (6:04)
Frustrated with his inability to catch fish, Catfish offers an idea for Misterjaw that has him visiting a local supermarket, feasting on canned fish.

“Showbiz Shark” (6:04)
Looking for a little glory, Misterjaw applies for work at a nearby sea life park, facing stiff competition from a gifted dolphin.

“Monster of the Deep” (6:03)
Chasing Harry Halibut into a sunken pirate ship, Misterjaw and Catfish come into contact with a ghost who’s eager to terrify the trespassers.

“Beach Resort” (6:04)
Frightening away vacationers from a local beach, Misterjaw and Catfish enjoy some leisure time under the sun, soon confronted by the wrath of Fearless Freddy, a cantankerous shark hunter.

“Aladdin’s Lump” (6:02)
Taking control of Aladdin’s golden lamp, Catfish and Misterjaw release the genie inside, taking advantage of their special wishes to visit Monte Carlo, order dessert, and ride a camel.

“Little Red Riding Halibut” (6:03)
When Catfish discovers Harry Halibut on his way to his grandmother’s house, he calls on Misterjaw to interrupt the reunion, trying to scare away the elderly fish and disguise himself as the welcoming relative. “The Codfather” (6:03)
After scaring away a deep sea diver, Misterjaw and Catfish discover a map to a sunken ship carrying tons of canned tuna. Guarding the treasure is the Codfather, a tough fish who’s not going to let the explorers dine on his discovery.

“Davey Jone’s Locker” (6:03)
Fearing he’s lost his intimidation factor, Misterjaw chases Harry Halibut to a junkyard in the deep end of the ocean, soon playing a game of pool with Minnesota Max for possession of the fish.

“Flying Saucer” (6:03)
When aliens arrive on the ocean, they collect Misterjaw and Catfish as specimens for study, curious about these strange looking Earthlings. Soon assuming control of the spaceship, Misterjaw and Catfish take the flying saucer on a joyride through the galaxy.

“The Shape of Things” (6:03)
When Harry Halibut can’t shake Misterjaw during a chase, he takes the pursuit to dry land, with the shark unable to keep up. New trouble arises with a pair of cats who want to dine on the visiting fish.

“Caught in the Act”(6:03)
Trying to get away from Misterjaw, Harry Halibut takes refuge with mermaid Granny, who fiercely defends her new friend from the hungry shark.

“Merry Sharkman Merry Sharkman” (6:03)
Fearless Freddy is called into duty to catch Misterjaw, who, joined by Catfish, masterminds various plans to thwart Freddy’s plans, driving him crazy in the process.

“Sea Chase” (6:03)
Once again feeling the heat from Fearless Freddy, Misterjaw and Catfish search for shelter to get away from the shark hunter and his increasingly crazed ways, ending up on an island.

“Aloha, Hah Hah!” (6:03)
A pirate on a quest to retrieve his buried treasure on a tiny island encounters Misterjaw, setting out to find a way to his prize and avoid the shark.

“Never Shake Hands with a Piranha” (6:01)
Looking for a safe haven away from predators, Harry Halibut travels to South America, only to find Misterjaw and Catfish have followed, taking their chase to the Amazon River.

Disc 2

“Stand-In Room Only” (6:03)
Reading about a cattle call casting announcement for a shark movie, Misterjaw swims to Hollywood for his big starring role, only to suffer the indignities of film production.

“Transistorized Shark” (6:03)
During his hunting rounds, Misterjaw swallows a radio, requiring him to seek help on dry land, frightening humans everywhere. Fearless Freddy is called in to capture the shark.

“The Fishy Time Machine” (6:02)
Professor Hargett has built a time machine in his house, but takes off when Misterjaw scares him. Taking a spin in the machine, Misterjaw and Catfish visit Ancient Egypt, Rome, and the Revolutionary War.

“The $6.95 Bionic Shark” (6:03)
Encountering a mechanical shark created by the Soviet Union, Misterjaw finds a rival in need of control.

“Moulin Rogues” (6:04)
Searching for new people to frighten, Misterjaw and Catfish make their way to Paris, terrorizing the locals on land and sea, soon pursued by the police.

“Holiday in Venice” (6:02)
Continuing their world tour, Misterjaw and Catfish swim their way to Venice, preying on the locals, enjoying a gondola ride, and battle two menacing cats.

“The Aquanuts” (6:02)
Captured by the Dix Sealand park, Misterjaw and Catfish are dumped into a display tank. Finding their way out, the pair is chased by security, requiring some quick thinking to return to ocean.

“Shark and the Beanstalk” (6:03)
Frightening Jack, forcing him to drop his magic beans into the water, Misterjaw and Catfish climb the enormous beanstalks, meeting a particularly obese giant looking to start a fish-only diet.

“Cannery Caper” (6:03)
Lacking enough prey in the ocean, Misterjaw and Catfish visit a nearby cannery to complain about overfishing. Making himself president of the company, Misterjaw learns the ins and out of corporate fishing.

“Fish Anonymous” (6:02)
Misterjaw has a problem with impulsive eating, inspiring a seaweed diet that drives the shark crazy, testing his resolve as he visits dry land to buy fast food fish.

“Maguiness Book of Records” (6:03)
Learning about the legend of Jack Sharky, Misterjaw sets out to topple all of his rival’s records, enduring tests of strength and endurance to make a name for himself.

“Deep Sea Rodeo” (6:03)
Disrupting the hierarchy of the ocean is Seaweed the Seahorse, putting Misterjaw on the hunt to capture his foe. However, the shark isn’t nearly as a fast as the seahorse, necessitating crazy traps to collect his enemy.

“Cool Shark” (6:02)
On the hunt for a spray paint-wielding octopus, Misterjaw and Catfish are lured to the arctic, taking to the snow and ice to keep up with their target.

“Mama” (6:03)
Coming across a giant egg bound for the Brooklyn Museum, Misterjaw tries to crack open his finding, only to find a monster inside who thinks the shark is his parent.

“Easy Come Easy Go” (6:03)
Learning that a cat has inherited a fortune, Misterjaw endeavors to become a pet for the rich, giving him a shot at the high life.

“Sweat Hog Shark” (6:03)
Scaring away a biker on a beach, Misterjaw puts on his helmet, soon mistaken for a rider by two motorcyclists. Taking to the open road with Catfish, Misterjaw faces the horrors of two-wheeled travel.

“No Man’s Halibut” (6:01)
A castaway on the deserted island has grown tired of coconut consumption, soon competing with Misterjaw for a chance to eat Harry Halibut.

Misterjaw Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.34:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers a consistent look at the limited scope of "Misterjaw," preserving the animated offering's simplistic look. Primaries are bold, delivering lively oceanic blues and greens, and more varied hues are found on clothing and dry land visits, giving the production a chance to do something more with color. Detail is generally agreeable, perhaps too strong at times, exposing animation shortcuts, including spotty character movement and shifting features. Textured artistry is open for inspection. Delineation is satisfactory. Source showcases speckling.

Misterjaw Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Well, the bad news is that "Misterjaw" retains a laugh track that's crudely stamped over all the shorts. It's not intrusive, at times barely audible, but for purists, this could be cause for concern. The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mixes aren't otherwise problematic, keeping in line with previous DePatie-Freleng releases, handling dialogue exchanges with relatively decent clarity, securing outrageous accents and shouted threats. Scoring is also capable, retaining period sound and a supportive position, never intruding on the action. Sound effects are snappy, with passable definition.

Misterjaw Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentaries: (Disc 1) feature filmmaker Greg Ford ("To Catch a Halibut," "Little Red Riding Halibut," and "Never Shake Hands with a Piranha"), author Mark Arnold ("Flying Fool," "Shopping Spree," and "Beach Resort"), historian Jerry Beck ("Showbiz Shark"), and cartoon writer William Hohauser ("The Codfather"). -- (Disc 2) features Ford ("Cannery Caper"), Beck ("Stand-In Room Only"), and Hohauser ("Mama").

• "Chips off the old Blockbusters" (23:12, HD) takes a look at the creation of "The Dogfather" and "Misterjaw," gathering interviews from author Jerry Beck, director Art Leonardi, artist Barbara Donatelli, director John R. Dilworth (interviewed while wearing snorkeling gear), author Mark Arnold, artist Martin Strudler, and music supervisor Doug Goodwin. For "The Dogfather," a simple case of replication is inspected, with DePatie-Freleng happily lifting from Looney Tunes shorts to find plots for their "Godfather" parody. The voice work of animation legend Daws Butler is highlighted, and the interviewees share favorite episodes and creative highlights, with "Misterjaw" viewed as more of an esteemed accomplishment. Closing out the featurette is a short tribute to animation director Robert McKimson, who worked on "Misterjaw" and actually passed away while having lunch with David D. DePatie and Friz Freleng.

• "Tales of Production and Production Overload" (30:41, HD) returns to the interviewees to explore the machine of DePatie- Freleng during the 1960s and especially the '70s, where the animation house exploded with work, masterminding specials, shorts, commercials, and shows in a short amount of time. Also explored is the technical effort behind the project, focusing on the speedy process, which involved a production line (located in windowless rooms) to keep pumping out the work. War stories are shared, including drinking, tennis, fires, and parking woes, creating quite the image of daily life at DePatie-Freleng.

Misterjaw Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Misterjaw" doesn't contain any substantial laughs, and the recycling of plots grows tedious in a hurry (this is not a title that's meant to be binge- watched), with the production clearing straining to come up with things for the shark to do. Titles assigned to the shorts promise premiere pop culture riffing, but the scripts aren't up for the challenge. What's positive here is the voice work, with Johnson and Stang putting in some effort to make their characters memorable, giving the series some personality. There's cartoon madness to enjoy as well, giving fans a healthy dose of manic action. But the assembly of 34 shorts is far too much for the creators to handle, finding "Misterjaw" missing a great deal of invention, along with a sharper sense of humor. It's a blunt instrument, and not a particularly amusing one.