Like how The Zoot Cat (1944) was clearly a product of the 1940's, Rock 'N' Rodent is clearly a product of the 1960's. With the character designs of Jerry's bandmates, the rocking soundtrack and the use of colors, anyone can clearly tell what decade this cartoon was released during.
In this short film, Jerry is jamming with his bad at a hip rodent night club. Unfortunately, Tom is trying to sleep upstairs, and the music isn't letting him.
This is one of the more fun, Tom and Jerrys to be directed by Abe Levitow. Much of this comes for the sheer style of the film. The use of color and lighting in the night club scenes is simply wonderful making this a pure visual treat. Carl Brandt's music is also a pure delight and gives a really fun 1960's energy to this movie. This cartoon also has improvements over some of the usual flaws of Levitow's Tom and Jerry shorts. Perhaps inspired by the fact the film revolves around music, the gags are actually quite well timed here. There is also some strong character animation in a couple scenes, especially when Jerry is getting himself ready in the mirror.
However, the final gag is a bit too predictable and anti-climatic and I wish Tom and Jerry shared more scenes in this cartoon.
The credited animators are Ben Washam, Dick Thompson, Tom Ray, Don Towsley and Ken Harris. Bob Ogle is the credited writer. Carl Brandt receives a music credit. Philip DeGuard is the credited background artist, and Don Morgan is the credited layout artist.
This film is on the DVD sets Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection Volume 6, Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collection, Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures - Volume 1, Tom and Jerry's Musical Mayhem, Tom and Jerry: Mouse Trouble and Tom and Jerry: Chaos Concerto. The cartoon also appears on the VHS sets Tom and Jerry: The Missing Mouse and Vid-ee-oh! Rap Toon Show and the Laserdisc set The Art of Tom & Jerry: Volume III: The Chuck Jones Cartoons. It can also be found as a bonus feature on the Blu-Ray for the Elvis Presley movie, Double Trouble (1967).
This short film appeared on the Toon in with Me episodes All Rhyme, No Reason (2021), Open Mic Night #2 (2021), Fantastic Friday #47 (2022), Making the Band (2023), Hipstery (2024), Reunited... So Good (2025) and Pillow Talk (2026).
-Michael J. Ruhland
