It isn’t quite animation but it’s not quite live-action either. Some great 60s theme music and who doesn’t like explosions? Thunderbirds the series is one of the classics of British TV that has stood the test of time pretty darned well. Just don’t mention the terrible movie from a few years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RzCB3VRruE
Supermarionation! Thunderbirds! Read More »
I admit I kinda forgot about it as I hadn’t been in a while, but some time ago, we went to Geppi’s Entertainment Museum right in downtown Baltimore. It’s right by the baseball stadium and I was thoroughly surprised by how full it was of all kinds of memorabilia from the entertainment industry over the years (as well as all the comic books).
There was plenty of old (and new) stuff to be seen. So here is just a few of the more interesting things I came across during our visit.
A Brilliant Entertainment Museum That’s Right on My Doorstep Read More »
Eddie Fitzgerald (whose blog I’m sure you all read on a daily basis) wrote an excellent post the other day on something I had never thought of before. As it turns out, yes, when cartoons changed to colour, there was a subtle shift in the animation style that ensured these new ‘toons were different to those that went before.
It would appear that this is partly a technological thing and can be seen time and time again. When cartoons transitioned to TV, they changed from the innate, quickfire gags of the the Looney Tunes to the more observational humour of the Flintstones.
The same again for films when they moved from traditional to CGI. Suddenly, the animated musical was out the window and a new adult-friendly format came into play.
So the question is: where do we go from here? What will the next technological improvement bring? We’ll just have to wait and see 🙂
When More Than The Colour Changed in Cartoons Read More »
There are plenty of people who collect animation artifacts. I would be one of them if only I had the money (Bob Cowan does, however, because he’s retired. His collection is enormous in its breadth and scope and well worth a peek)
So if you can’t collect actual bits and bobs from animated films, what can you collect? Why original art of course!
The above is another piece in my [miniscule] collection. It’s by Richard Mullins who has done an entire series of similar pieces based on cartoon characters which he has titles Whatever Cartoons. The entire set is up on flickr and can be perused at your leisure.
The likes of deviantArt is stuffed to the gills with original art from people who may or may not have the necessary skills. However, there are plenty of professional and weekend artists who definitely do have the skills, in addition of course, to any animators out there who happen to dabble in art as a hobby on the side.
Animation in itself is art, so it should come as no surprise that animation lends itself so well to a wide variety of artistic styles. Indeed, Banksy is famous (infamous?) for using cartoon characters in his creations. In fact, Amid over at Cartoon Brew dedicated an entire post to the animated characters at MoCA’s “Art in the Streets” exhibition. That’s not to say that ‘street art’ is fine art, just that art can take make forms and that animation lends itself well to any of them.
There is literally tons of great animation art out there, so why not consider supporting an artist by buying some original pieces?
EDIT: I am aware that Cookie Monster isn’t animated, however the remainder of the set is, and I consider the Muppets to be practically animated characters for all intents and purposes anyway.
Yes, Animation Can Make For Fine Art Read More »
In fact, it’s one of my favourites, from Summer of 4 Ft. 2.
What better way to express Lisa’s anger than to have her absolutely stick it to Bart. The almost unnerving reversal of roles is gleeful to watch as Bart is stunned into silence. The grip on his shirt and the way his hair falls back are indicative that he is clearly at her mercy. The fact the she is glowering down at him reinforces the fact that she is in charge.
It’s great to see that Lisa can, on occasion, equal her older brother in terms of menacing behaviour.
Although it’s the subtlety of the scene that makes it so effective. Lisa could have gone off on a rant, shouting and yelling at Bart (and she does in other episodes) however, here, she is much more refined in her approach, which makes it all the more effective as a scene.
The joke of the whole thing is that all of this goes on as Milhouse sits unseen at the other side of the table, completely oblivious to what’s happening right in front of his nose the entire time.
This Classic Shot From The Simpsons Says It All Read More »
The other day, Amy Mebberson (whose praises I’ve sung before) visited Disneyland and tweeted the following:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/amymebberson/status/83681581839028224″]
Here’s what prompted her to post that:
I’m fairly sure Walt’s spinning so fast in his grave he’s halfway to China by now. [sigh]
Should Minnie Mouse Be Hot? Read More »
I’m not quite sure why, but I have an affinity for characters that are somewhat mysterious or secretive. That’s not to say I like characters who are double agents or who conceal themselves for nefarious purposes. Oh no, it’s the shy characters or those who are hiding something out of necessity that I find the most intriguing.
Take for example the poster below:
Via: flickr
Yes, it is Jenny Wakeman (or XJ-9) from the Frederator series My Life as a Teenage Robot. Notice how she is in silhouette, which adds even more mystique to her figure, as if the shadow is concealing something about her character, which of course it is (hint: she’s a robot).
There are plenty of other example throughout the animated universe, too many in fact, to list here. However they inhabit various places in TV shows and films, from protagonists to sidekicks to members of the supporting cast.
They add a lot to any show or film for a simple reason: they make the audience think.
Mysterious characters represent a discord with their surroundings of which other characters may or may not be aware of. In any case, the audience is almost compelled to put the pieces together or to speculate on the reasons behind such circumstances. Much the same as Lisa Simpson mulling over the enigma that is Nelson Muntz and why that make him even remotely attractive.
This is the key to why I find them so interesting, they give me something much more than the performance on-screen and in so doing, increase my enjoyment immensely.
Another great example is Megara from Disney’s Hercules.
A wonderfully complex character who hides a secret from the hero that is hidden for much of the film. we are forced to guess the reason for her connection to Hades for quite a while as we are kept guessing her motives. Only once they are revealed do we see and can appreciate the complete character for who she is.
Initiating thought within the audience is a key way to maximize their enjoyment. Mysterious characters are a superb way of doing that because they allow for the audience to both connect with the and to ponder the character in a way that is outside what is presented on-screen.
Why I’m A Sucker For Mysterious Characters Read More »
Josh Berta (of P*rtty Sh*tty fame) seems to think so in his piece from yesterday over on Observatory.
The article itself is firmly tounge-in-cheek as evidenced by the following quote:
But there are a couple of crucial elements in the design of this world that point not to a human overlord, but an all-powerful Designer with a bad case of motorhead……if one looks closely enough, cloud formations resembling tire tracks can be seen drifting through the sky. Certainly, it’s no mistake that this most befuddling design element is also the most heavenward. There’s something up there, and It won’t be explained. But It does have a name, and we can thank the tractor trailer character Mack for this revelation. Upon finding his lost friend McQueen late in the second act, he exclaims, “Thank the Manufacturer!” Must we?
The entire thing is well worth a read, especially the comments at the end from those who failed to completely grasp the joke.
Has Pixar Aligned With Intelligent Design In the ‘Cars’ Universe? Read More »
As found in the course of reading Digital Barbarism by Mark Helprin:
God grant that I shall be superficially mauled by an alligator at the Snow White Breakfast at Disney World.
The Lawyer’s Prayer Read More »
It’s something I want you to dwell on for right now (I’ll do a full post in a wee bit), but does the fact that there are three networks broadcasting children’s TV shows 24/7 (for the most part) form a contributing factor when it comes to childhood obesity?
I’m not talking about the content or the advertising (although that has long earned the wrath of concerned citizens) I’m talking solely about the fact that children nowadays have unmetered access to content aimed at them.
What are your thoughts? Would limiting the hours of operation of children’s channels make a difference?
Has the Rise of the Children’s Networks Contributed to Obesity in Kids? Read More »
As of this morning (June 22nd), with release just two days away and with 20 of the top critics reporting, Cars 2 is currently sitting at 55% (EDIT: has dropped to 52% as of the afternoon), which is considered ‘rotten’ over a the movie review site, Rotten Tomatoes.
While it is still far too early to judge the films actual performance (there’ll be plenty of time for that in the coming days), it is nonetheless a worrying sign that almost half of the critics who have seen it have given it the thumbs down. Of course, RT ratings have to be taken with a grain of salt; plenty of films I love have gotten a ‘rotten’ rating from the critics but are loved by the fans.
Compare that with Toy Story 3 last year, which was sitting at 100% from the beginning until one critic decided otherwise. If that doesn’t say something about the difference in quality, I don’t know what does.
So we will have to wait and see, but in what I’m sure is a coincidence, Floyd Norman posted yesterday about when a film isn’t going so well, and he gives us this great sentance:
Most can see the wheels coming off the wagon early on, but we dare not say anything because we risk the wrath of those employing us. So we keep smiling as the train goes over the cliff.
The sad part is that Pixar has had us believe that as much creative energy went into Cars 2 as did Toy Story 3.
Cars 2 Currently ‘Rotten’ Read More »
