However, this time I'm actually semi-excited about the idea. Why? Because our pal Linda Simensky (formerly of Nick & Cartoon Network) is now a development exec for PBS Kids - and this move to turn PBS Kids into a profit-making round-the-clock service could provide her with the funds to stimulate some of the more interesting animation creatives, who could ultimately generate some cool new shows for the channel.
"It's actually not a bootleg set, it's distributed by a company named Bo Ying and is packaged fairly nicely. All of the shorts seem to be uncut, except for the fact that the MGM cards at the start of each short has been replaced with a card for the company that distributes the DVD. The image quality's fairly decent (definitely watchable and far better than VHS) and although the package states the set is encoded for Region 6, the versions I received are actually Region 0 and since China uses the NTSC video standard, this means you'll be able to play them in America without any special hardware."
We just missed one on ebay - but methinks this is a bootleg. I'll look into it.
Brew regular David Gerstein asks: "Did you know PIXAR made Shrek II?
"Neither did I, but somebody thinks so: in this review from Oshkosh West
"And doing a Google search shows me that whole squadrons of people
think *Disney* made Shrek. Wow, the great unwashed..."
Brew reader Mike Crandol sends in this sound bite: "Have you heard this new song released by Patterson Hood? The entire song is about what Walt would think of what's become of his company."
The question is has Roy heard it yet? Lyrics include: "When they thaw out Uncle Disney, gonna be some changes made. Pointing fingers, asking questions. Forty years of decisions made..."
Listen to the song here.
This industrial short was animated by surrealist stop-motion master Charley Bowers (Pop & Mom In Wild Oysters) and is also available on the incredible, must-have, CHARLEY BOWERS DVD from Image Entertainment.
Image is on a roll - while I'm at it, I might as well give another plug to their WINSOR McCAY: THE MASTER EDITION dvd collection which goes on sale next week. Wall to wall Canemaker commentary, rare still gallery, and every piece of Winsor McCay animation all in one place! Great stuff!
A couple other brief notes. AnimationBlast.com hasn't been updated since the launch of this website, but it will be soon. Interviews from out-of-print editions of ANIMATION BLAST, as well as other long-form material, will be posted on the site. The first piece, which will be on-line within the next few days, is in honor of the recently departed Pete Alvarado. It is an extended version of the interview I conducted with him in BLAST #2. The interview originally appeared in the fall 1999 issue of ANIMATION JOURNAL.
Also, I'm heading out to the Annecy Animation Festival next week. It'll be my first time in Annecy and I'm really looking forward to checking out some great animation, not to mention the city itself, which I'm told is quite beautiful. If my laptop cooperates, I plan on posting regular updates from Annecy. If you want to get together at the festival, you can email me at amid_at_animationblast_dot_com.
Recreating great moments in art history with animated ducks was an obsession with Ward Kimball and Chuck Jones. This gallery, with eight rooms of art and a catalog, is the most extensive collection yet.
Artist and animation art conservationist Ron Barbagallo has written a nice page about the film, with quotes from the filmmakers on the techniques used.
Also check out the rest of Ron's Animation Art Conservation website, where Ron discusses his spectacular work in restoring original animation production art.
Gerald writes in from Paris to remind me that Peter de Sève has his own website at PeterdeSeve.com. If you're unsure of buying his sketchbook which I mentioned yesterday, you can get acquainted with his work on this site. Then again, most BREW readers are likely already familiar with de Sève's talents.
The LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL has published their annual list of the richest Angelenos and there are 28 billionaires living in the LA area, up from 23 a year ago. One of the five new members of the billionaire's club is none other than Roy E. Disney. Looks like Roy has a few extra bucks to spend on his campaign to oust fellow 10-digits-club member Eisner. The BUSINESS JOURNAL doesn't have the article on-line, but this bit about Roy was reported on LA Observed.
The WASHINGTON POST's Lisa de Moraes files an amusing report ("On NBC's Lineup, 'Pride' but No Shame") from NBC's 2004 upfront for advertisers and critics in which she sardonically notes that it's the first time a network has used a partially paralyzed mauling victim to help promote a new TV series. Of course, that person was "Siegfried and Roy"'s Roy Horn, who made an appearance in New York last week to promote DreamWorks' primetime animated series FATHER OF THE PRIDE. De Moraes writes in the POST:
In clips shown to advertisers, jokes took on a tacky inappropriateness, as when Animated Roy says to Animated Lion Family, "Goodbye my lions, or should I say 'GRRRRRR!,' " as he crouches down and tries to look like a wild cat.
And then she notes Conan O'Brien's routine about said show:
"He's been horribly mauled -- let's make a show about it!" O'Brien said, pretending to be an NBC suit, to nervous tittering in the audience.
The article notes that right before FATHER OF THE PRIDE debuts, NBC will broadcast a special hosted by Maria Shriver about Horn, the tiger incident and his recovery.
Another sketchbook that I get asked about quite frequently is the one by Jim Smith (REN & STIMPY, SAMURAI JACK) which debuted at last year's San Diego Comic Con. Jim, like Peter de Seve, is one of those rare talents who is an incredible draftsman/illustrator/cartoonist all rolled into one. I hope we'll be seeing a more comprehensive collection of Jim's artwork down the line, but until then, this sketchbook called LONELY ARE THE NAKED is a must-have. Mr. Smith tells me that the only place in LA which currently has copies is House of Secrets (1918 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91506; 818/562.1900).
Everyone's favorite Japanese animation dubber and classic cartoon colorizer, Fred Ladd, is honored at his alma mater, Ohio State University. Read about it here.
Apparently Dreamworks Animation's SHREK 2 has an estimated U.S. box office gross of over $125 million for its first five days of release.
Wow!