Once upon a time, in early 1987, producer Arnold Leibovit had a private screening for potential distributors for his latest feature production. The film was The Puppetoon Movie. As someone who collected 16mm film prints of classic cartoons – and had my share of U.M.& M./NTA red-as-a-beet copies – I figured that some wise-guy spliced a bunch of likewise old TV prints together. My jaw dropped as the film began. It was in 35mm – and in full color. It had this clever opening tribute (with Gumby and Pokey) to the talents of George Pal. It had sequences of rare (at the time) Puppetoon shorts, from Holland, from Paramount… I lingered after the screening and met Arnold. I had to meet Arnold. I had to know HOW he put this together. We’ve been friends ever since.

This post today is an out-and-out plug for Arnie’s latest disc and his upcoming personal appearances.

Arnie is devoted not only to keeping the memory and spirit of George Pal alive – but has worked tirelessly all this time to preserve and restore the his films – especially the long overlooked Puppetoon shorts. I’ve promoted his three outstanding blu ray compilations here before. These are three absolute must-have collections. Arnie is back this year with his latest: a newly restored Director’s Cut of The Puppetoon Movie, created from a 4K scan of the original 35mm negative, and more than two hours of bonus content – and a 28-page full-color booklet.

Originally produced in collaboration with Mrs. George Pal, the 1987 feature is a heartfelt celebration of the Academy Award-winning Puppetoons — groundbreaking stop-motion animated shorts created by visionary filmmaker George Pal between 1934 and 1947, years before his landmark science-fiction classics The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.

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This restoration reinstates the film’s original opening and closing titles, fully restores key Puppetoon classics including Tulips Shall Grow, Together in the Weather, John Henry and the Inky-Poo, Jasper in a Jam, Tubby the Tuba, added Wilbur the Lion, and upgrades original optical effects and transitions. The film is presented in high definition with newly created DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and LPCM stereo mix, preserving the artistry, music, humor, and visual imagination that defined George Pal’s pioneering “Color Cartoons in Three Dimension.” Additional Puppetoons include The Philips Broadcast of 1938, South Sea Sweethearts, The Sleeping Beauty, Philips Cavalcade, and excerpts from The Little Broadcast and Hoola Boola.

Blending fairy-tale fantasy, satire, big-band music, and technical wizardry, the Puppetoons remain remarkable achievements of handcrafted animation that continue to inspire generations of filmmakers and visual-effects artists worldwide. The feature includes stop-motion host sequences starring Gumby, Pokey, and Arnie the Dinosaur, created by Arnold Leibovit, Gene Warren Jr., and Peter Kleinow, with new music composed by Walt Disney composer Buddy Baker alongside classic musical performances by Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, George Kleinsinger, Jack Hylton, Bert Ambrose Orchestra, Debroy Somers Band, The Charlie Barnet Orchestra and others. Historic contributions represented throughout the collection include the work of Ray Harryhausen, Willis O’Brien, Gene Warren Sr., Wah Chang, Fred Moore and hundreds of Puppetoon artists and craftsmen whose achievements helped shape the history of animation and special effects.

Special features include the new 50-minute documentary The Puppetoon Movie: A Legacy Revisited (2026) which delves into the making of The Puppetoon Movie (1987). It features rare commentary from key figures in animation and filmmaking, such as: Joe Dante (Gremlins), Floyd Norman (Walt Disney animator – Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book), Peter Lord (Aardman Animations – Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit), Dennis Muren (Star Wars, Jurassic Park), Phil Tippett (Star Wars, Starship Troopers), Mick Garris (Critters 2), Bob Kurtz (Animation Director Kurtz & Friends), Art Clokey (Gumby Creator), Dallas McKennon (Actor), Jerry Beck (animation historian) and others. Produced-Directed by Arnold Leibovit. The Blu-ray presentation is mastered in 1080p high definition with original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, region-free dual-layer disc configuration, and a total runtime of 206 minutes. The discs will ship in late April. You may pre-order it from Arnold directly: Click Here.

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Arnie is also planning a series of screenings around the country – Puppetoons and Sci-Fi classics on the big screen – as they were meant to be seen. With Arnie and special guests in person.

Here is info on his very next screening in Southern California :

Saturday, April 18, 2026
The Frida Cinema – Santa Ana
305 E 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701