Cue Ball Cat

This is the first time I've seen Jerry get all this physical abuse, at least for the first three minutes of the cartoon. Why he chose to live inside a pool table in a pool hall in the first place is puzzling. What happened to his normal "house" inside the wall the house where he and Tom live?

Whatever, he starts taking a pounding the first time a billiard ball goes into a pocket and winds up crashing on top of his little bed. When he comes out of the corner pocket, Tom spots him and really abuses him, even using him at the end of his pool cue. He takes a number of beating from the balls on the table. It's brutal but rare to see the mouse get it like this.

However, enough is enough and he starts to fight back At that point, Tom gets brutalized but Jerry still gets it, too.

This might be the most violent Tom and Jerry cartoon I've seen. Being a fan of this series, I am used to it and know it's only cartoon and much of the slapstick- violence is funny. However, some of things here are unbelievable, like Tom getting the entire cue shoved down his throat and Jerry getting an eight-ball rammed into his butt. For anyone who is a little leery of too much violence in cartoons, for either them or their kids, you are forewarned.

Tom is in a pool hall after hours practising his game when he accidentally disturbs Jerry's sleep, the stupid mouse having unwisely set up home in one of the pool table's pockets. Jerry isn't very happy at being woken up, and starts causing the cat trouble. This simple set-up allows for loads of pool-related high jinks, the animators going all out with the violence in their quest for laughs.

With a cool setting that allows for lots of inventive gags, decent pacing, great animation (love the bit where Tom runs around all of the pool tables), and both characters experiencing their fair share of extreme pain, this Tom and Jerry caper is among my favourites. Funniest moments include Tom getting an 8-ball embedded in his face, a massive and very sharp pin in the backside, and a cue catapulted down his throat (I take it back: Tom seems to get the worst of it!).

Tom is playing a round of pool, and cheating if I might add, not knowing that Jerry is sleeping in one of the pockets, when Tom sinks a ball into said pocket crushing Jerry, a game of hilarious cat and mouse antics begin once again. This animated short has a great setup, funny gags, and a superb ending. What more could one really ask for from the comedic duo? Highly recommended for fans of Tom and Jerry both old and new. You are sure to be delighted by the wacky hijinks. I guarantee it. This cartoon can be found on disc two of the Spotlight collection DVD of "Tom & Jerry"

My Grade: A

Tom is playing pool in a pool hall, not realising that Jerry is sleeping in the depths of the table he is playing on, and the little mouse gets up to his usual tricks in turning the tables on Tom.

This cartoon is hugely entertaining and very funny! Oh, how I laughed when I first watched it!

I really like Cue Ball Cat. The violence admittedly is excessive, that I am used to, but there are one or two parts that are rather unbelievable. Yes I am talking about Jerry getting an 8 ball rammed into his bottom(ouch!). Still it is hugely enjoyable, thanks to the fast delivery of the gags, the beautiful animation and the fun music, three elements that I expect to make a Tom and Jerry cartoon work.

Tom is funny, there have been cartoons where he is a little stupid but I love him for it, and Jerry is sweet, dastardly yes but sweet. The cartoon is delivered at a breakneck pace, that can be a problem sometimes but I didn't mind it that much here.

Overall, violent but as I have said, very well done. 9/10 Bethany Cox