Submitted for your approval: the trailer for A SCANNER DARKLY

Here’s a work by Bay Area animation veteran Charlie Canfield called HIDE & SEEK. Download it HERE (23mb). It’s a light minute-and-a-half short about a young wolf cub interacting with different forest animals, set to Chopin’s MINUTE WALTZ. ASIFA-San Francisco prez Karl Cohen, who sent me the link, described it as “charming,” and that’s a nice way of putting it. Though the technique is overtly digital, employing After Effects or some similar software, the film feels like cut-out animation because of the segmented parts used to construct the characters and minimal use of squash-and-stretch. It’s nicely designed and has its own distinctive aesthetic. Charming, indeed. See more of Canfield’s work at CharlieCanfield.com.

One more time. Tonight at 7:30pm at the Nuart Theater (11272 Santa Monica Boulevard) is another screening of the new 2005 ANIMATION SHOW and afterwards I’ll be doing a little Q-&-A with the legendary Bill Plympton, director of this year’s Oscar nominated GUARD DOG, which is playing in the show.

Brew reader Bob Foster found a trio of dvds that compile the best of the industrial and advertising films produced between the 1930s & 1960s. These collections contain mostly the work of the Jam Handy Corporation and John Sutherland’s studio, and - although you can download most of these for free at Archive.org - they seem like a good deal for a dvd hardcopy. Check out the contents of the 1930s-40s disc, the 1940-50s disc and the 1950s-60s disc.

As if LOONATICS wasn’t enough, Eddie Mort of MUCHA LUCHA! fame has the lowdown on yet another new WB animation project called LOONATEENS!

Just a reminder…tonight, at the Nuart Theater (11272 Santa Monica Boulevard) is the premiere of THE ANIMATION SHOW. I’ll be moderating the Q-&-A with Don Hertzfeldt at the 7:30pm screening (definitely), and again at the 9:50pm screening (probably).

Also worth mentioning, at this Sunday’s 7:30pm screening of THE ANIMATION SHOW (same theater), there’ll be a Q-&-A with Bill Plympton, whose film in the program, GUARD DOG, is nominated for an Oscar this year. Bill’s visiting from New York for the Oscars, and will be stopping in only for this screening. I think I’ll be moderating the Plympton chat as well.

We’re giving away our final limited edition ANIMATION SHOW poster today. Here’s a very easy Hertzfeldt-related question: “Which of Don Hertzfeldt’s short films was nominated for a Best Animated Short Oscar?” First person (North America only) to answer at amid (at) animationblast (dot) com will win today’s poster.

TODAY’S WINNER: Man, people are fast. Four people responded with the correct answer in the first three minutes. Daisy Church is the winner for today. The correct answer was REJECTED. That’s all the posters. Thanks to all who participated.

Unlike Amid (see commentary below), I’m not against the idea of reviving classic cartoon characters. For me, it’s all about how they are revived. There is a right way and a wrong way.We’ve seen disasters (The New Jonny Quest) and we’ve seen successes (Bakshi’s Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures). As long as a character’s name has market value, the corporations that own them are going to try to pump life into these franchises - hence the live action/CG GARFIELD, CASPER, and ROCKY & BULLWINKLE films (not to mention the strictly live action feature fiasco’s MR. MAGOO, INSPECTOR GADGET, and DUDLEY DO-RIGHT). It’s a fact of life, and we better get used to it.It’s a good business decision for them - evergreen characters (i.e. Winnie The Pooh & Scooby-Doo) are worth billions to these companies. Attempting to continue a cartoon star with a proven track record is seen as low risk. If the original creators, artists, voice actors are gone - the less strings attached - the potential for profits are even higher. The company can now control every creative aspect of the revival initiative. No fussy creative types to kowtow to. In an era of creator-driven cartoons, a corporate-owned property is the safest bet they can place.But with or without their original creators, reviving popular characters is always risky. When classic characters are beloved, reinvention can be (and usually are) disastrous. Think back to the talking Pink Panther series or talking Tom & Jerry movie; anyone remember the “new” Speed Racer series or the American Godzilla flick? These changes were made to achieve certain short-term marketing goals, to capitalize on exploitational buzz, and to make a fast buck. There was no attempt to build on the already existing “pre-sold” audience. And the pre-sold crowd was totally burned by the “new” aspects being foist on their favorite characters. New viewers never had any interest in these ill-concieved ideas in the first place. The results: everyone loses - a failed project for all parties involved.Even if the character can be revived semi-successfully (one’s I’ve liked include Cartoon Network’s FLINTSTONES ON THE ROCKS, Kricfalusi’s BEANY & CECIL and YOGI BEAR, Hanna-Barbera’s SUPER SECRET SECRET SQUIRREL, Carbunkle’s BABY HUEY, Universal’s WOODY WOODPECKER) there is no guarantee it’ll catch on with the public in any meaningful way. It’s clearly a gamble - but no more so than originals like CATDOG, DAVE THE BARBARIAN and KENNY THE SHARK. I see nothing wrong with reviving a well known, but flawed, cartoon character (why not Heckle & Jeckle, Herman & Katnip, Chilly Willy, and heck… even The Ant & The Aardvark has possibilities). The right take, with the right people enthused about making funny cartoons - not just in getting a temporary paycheck - can possibly yield a terrific show. Corporate executives can’t will a success into being. It takes a passionate crew, who understand the characters, the proper context - and are dedicated to restoring the property’s original appeal.I agree with Amid - leave the classics alone. Mickey Mouse has seen better days (and you can see them on Disney’s Treasures dvds) and nobody can do Popeye better than the Fleischer studio. But I also feel that if Genndy Tartakovsky wants to revive Atom Ant or if John K. gets his mitts on Deputy Dawg, I’ll be the first in line to watch.