Mark Mayerson has posted a great news clip he found from a CBC news story from 1961. In the clip, we see Joe Barbera and William Hanna walk the reporter through the stages of production from the initial layout to the final audio mix. One interesting note is that even though the news clip (and the cartoons at the time) were broadcast in black & white, the cartoons were all produced in color. Joe mentions that when everyone gets to see the cartoons in color, it will be really exciting. I would have to agree.
This morning’s New York Times has an article about the Disney “lifestyle brand” which highlights couture clothing, chandeliers, and $1200 fountains pens–with many of the products totally devoid of Disney cartoon characters or even abstract Mickey ears. Dresses are inspired by the colors in Fantasia; pens are modeled after the “window architecture” in Alice in Wonderland.
As a fan of Mid-Century modern design, I do covet some pieces in the Walt Disney Signature Furniture Collection by Drexel, with names like “Storytellers Sofa” and “Scriptwriter Ottoman”. There’s a “Studio Martini Table” perhaps inspired by our hard-drinking animation heroes of the past. I’m not naming names.
After the jump, some Disney-inspired products not officially sanctioned. (Found among the endless listing on a certain crafty online marketplace site.) [Read more…]
Maybe there’s hope yet for Hank Hill. Variety is reporting that ABC may pick up “King of the Hill”, now that Fox has decided not to order any new episodes of the series. According to Variety:
Fox’s decision not to order any new episodes of “King of the Hill,” meanwhile, came just three days before the animated laffer posted its best ratings in a year, averaging a 4.3 rating/10 share in adults 18-49 on Sunday night.
So I’m a bit late on posting the October Cartoon of the Month winner, but this one is worth the wait. We had 5 episodes that ran in September, making them eligible for the October prize.
The October Cartoon of the Month prize comes from episode 145 and goes to the cartoon Hot Town by Fabian Dores Pais! Hot Town is a fabulous example of how simple, yet creative and well executed animation can take the cake. I had the chance to ask Fab a few questions about his cartoon and animation in general. Check out his answers below!
What inspired you to create “Hot Town”?
I was inspired by the music called “Hot Town” by Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra. I wanted to work in the same way as the old cartoons based on the rhythm. I only listened to the music and some ideas appears in my mind.What techniques did you use to create it, and about how long did it take? [Read more…]
In the vein of classic zombie films like “Night of the Living Dead”, “Dawn of the Dead”, or anything George Romero, the upcoming survival horror game “Left 4 Dead” would look right at home on the screen of a late night drive in movie. It looks as though EA, Valve, and Turtle Rock have done everything right. This opening cinematic does a great job of showing the character types and their interaction as they just try to survive.
With areas to explore like an old railroad bridge, a hospitol, and even an expansive forest, you have many ways to have your own zombie experience. The voice acting and animation seem to be top notch. I think a feature in this style of this caliber could do well.
This 1977 educational film tries to be helpful, but I think they turned a little witch into a klansman in Part One. The party in Part Two is Felliniesque. It’s worth watching until the end for the Borscht Belt joke-telling stylings of these little scoundrels.
Okay, so there’s no animation in it. But here’s another one from 1985 with a talking pumpkin! “Getting my insides scooped out tickles me…” Speak for yourself, squash.
In Disney’s 1929 Silly Symphony “The Skeleton Dance”, we see several skeletons dancing around in a graveyard. This cartoon was quite popular, and was the first cartoon to use non-post-sync sound.
The cartoon was so well received that ten years later, Mickey Mouse was trapped in a haunted house, playing music for a group of dancing skeletons. This cartoon was “Haunted House”. It reused many bits from “The Skeleton Dance”, many of which were the exact same drawings, frame for frame.
