Once again, the original title from Popeye The Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves. This time I was able to grab the frame from the DVD itself. Compare it to the version I posted last week with my cel phone.
I’ve now got the disc in my grubby little hands… and it’s breathtaking. Wanna see a few more frame grabs from some shorts and menus?
Click here and here!
Props to Ruben Procopio — who worked at Disney animation for many years, and whose father was a sculptor at Disney for 35 years — who has been doing great sculpts for Tracy Mark Lee and Electric Tiki. The Woody Woodpecker statues he did are particulary great (and I should know, I have ‘em myself).
Speaking of Woody, my friends at StoryMakers Studio tell me that response to our announcement last week about the big Salute to Woody Woodpecker and Walter Lantz at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood has been tremendous.
Preceeding a screening of 12 Lantz classics, they’ve got a panel with June Foray, Maurice LeMarche and Billy West, who will now be joined by animator Phil Roman and our friend Leonard Maltin — sounds like a fun evening. The panel will be video taped and available online at a later date (to be announced). I’ve been informed there is still a small block of seats available for the live event – which for Cartoon Brew readers is free. To sign up for the event, or to reserve your online viewing pass, click here. If you sign up for the live event or an online viewing pass, you can post questions for the panel.
Ahhh… The joys of Thurl collecting.
If you love old cartoons (or are simply addicted to Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes) then you have to admire the deep baritone voice of Thurl Ravenscroft (“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”).
Music historian Bob Purse has contributed a lengthy post on WFMU’s blog about his obsession with Thurl’s recording career – and posts many grrr-reat examples from his extensive collection.
I forgot to mention I’m showing a few cartoons tonight at the Janet Klein concert in Hollywood. 8pm at the Steve Allen Theatre. More details here.
A new Pixar film usually means another great Chronicle Art Of book and, at the other end of the spectrum, another neat looking Little Golden Book.
It’s easy to overlook the Golden Books – and difficult to find them – even in major bookstores. I just came across the Ratatouille one at my local Ralphs supermarket this morning. It’s a 24 page delight (especially for $2.99), with gorgeous art, credited to Scott Tilley, Jean-Paul Orpinas (illustrators) and Tony Fejeran (designer). As a long time fan of vintage Little Golden Books, the recent Pixar volumes are excellent additions to the collection.
Have you noticed how Pixar’s character merchandising art translates perfectly in two-dimensional and hand drawn versions? That’s due, of course, to the characters basic design and Pixar’s cartooning aesthetic. It’s also due to the calibre of artists assigned to create this ancillary artwork. One particularly cool looking publicity project was a series of images inspired by A.M. Cassandre’s vintage French posters, designed and painted by Stephane Kardos (above) and Eric Tan. It’s this kind of attention to detail, and sense of style, that keeps Pixar ahead of the pack – on screen and off.
Just in time to ruin your holiday, this poster has popped up on various movie sites this week.
First Underdog, now this. It looks less like an adaptation of The Alvin Show and more like a bastardization of the Ralph Bakshi/John K. Mighty Mouse cartoon with Elwy and the Tree Weasels.
Awful.
Have a happy Fourth of July.
If I weren’t going to the San Diego Comic Con, I’d love to be at the multiple Animation Block Party screenings around New York City, July 27-30. The line-up of films has just been announced and the programming includes work by our friends Bill Plympton, Don Hertzfeldt and lots of local talents. More info posted here.
New month…new edition of FLIP, animator Steve Moore’s excellent online magazine for animators.
In this edition Steve celebrates independent animation with a round robin interview with fifteen top independent filmmakers including Patrick Smith, Mark Kausler, Nina Paley, Signe Baumane, Xeth Feinberg, John Schnall, and Chansoo Kim. Click for FLIP.
This is my last report from the Platform Fest in Portland, the last time you’ll see my mug here for a long while. That’s me on the left and award winner Lee Rubenstein (Best Film for the Internet, Secret Life of Robots) holding the coolest animation trophy ever created, The God Of Animation (designed by James Jarvis).
Winners of the festival competition included Aardman’s The Pearce Sisters (Grand Priz award, shared with installation project, No Never Alone), Pen Ward’s Adventure Time (Best Film For Children), and Don Hertzfedlt’s Everything Will Be Okay (Best Film Under $5000). Click here for complete list.
The Awards ceremony and after party, tonight, were a blast. Bill Plympton was the host and guest presenters included Marv Newland, Danny Antonucci, Gary Rydstrom and Will Vinton. I’m a bit too tired at the moment to write a full report, but the entire week was an incredible success. But let it be known: a new major animation festival has been born.
Here’s an early heads up on one of the several books I’ve been working on this past few months. It’s just been announced publicly in the latest edition of Diamond Comics Previews, so I see no reason not to mention it here. The Hanna Barbera Treasury is a unique coffee table art book celebrating Hanna Barbera’s legacy (mainly the 50s and 60s TV series) through visuals including original production art, rare merchandising material and obscure comic books. It’s shaping up rather nice, I’m having a lot of fun with it, and it’ll make a nice gift for that cartoon fan on your holiday list. It’s being lavishly produced by Insight Editions, the folks who did the Surf’s Up and Monster House coffee table books. Look for it to go on sale in October.
This is the original main title, unseen for 70 years, to Popeye The Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves, shot with my cel phone camera off a TV screen with glare.
I promise you the visual and sound quality of this cartoon (and 59 others) on Warner Home Video’s Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Vol. 1 is outstanding. If it were only the 60 cartoons alone it would be worth the $64.98 suggested retail price ($45.49 on amazon). But the collection (on sale July 31st) is loaded with additional content. Here are the bonus materials currently scheduled for inclusion:
Disc 1
Commentaries:
• Popeye the Sailor by Michael Barrier with Animator Dave Tendlar
• I Yam What I Yam by Animator Mark Kausler
• Blow Me Down! by Animators Jorge Gutierrez and Sandra Equihua
• I Eats My Spinach by Michael Barrier with Dave Tendlar
• Wild Elephinks by Historian Jerry Beck
• Sock-a-Bye, Baby by Historian Glenn Mitchell
• Can You Take It by Filmmaker Greg Ford
• A Dream Walking by Director Eric Goldberg
Full Length Documentary
I Yam What I Yam: The Story of Popeye the Sailor
Popumentaries
• Mining the Strip: Elzie Segar and Thimble Theater
• Me Fickle Goyl, Olive Oyl: The World’s Least Likely Sex Symbol
From the Vault
• Colonel Heeza Liar at the Bat
• Domestic Difficulties [1916 Bud Fisher Short]
Disc 2
Commentaries:
• Beware of Barnacle Bill by Jerry Beck
• Choose Yer “Weppins� by Greg Ford
• For Better or Worser by Greg Ford
• You Gotta Be a Football Hero by Jerry Beck
• King of the Mardi Gras by Michael Barrier with Jack Mercer
• Adventures of Popeye by Historian Glenn Mitchell
• The Spinach Overture by Historian Daniel Goldmark
Full Length Documentary
Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation, 1900-1920
Popumentaries
• Wimpy the Moocher: Ode to the Burgermeister
• Sailor’s Hornpipes: The Voices of Popeye
• Bobby Bumps Puts a Beanery on the Bum [1918 Bray Short]
• Feline Follies [1919 Pat Sullivan Short]
• The Tantalizing Fly [1919 Bray short]
Disc 3
Commentaries:
• A Clean Shaven Man by Writer Paul Dini
• I-Ski Love-Ski You-Ski by John Kricfalusi, with Eddie Fitzgerald and Kali Fontecchio
• Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor by John K., Eddie and Kali
• The Paneless Window Washer by Mark Kausler
Popumentaries
• Blow Me Down! The Music of Popeye
• Popeye in Living Color: A Look at the Color Two-Reelers
From the Vault
• Modeling [1921 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Invisible Ink [1921 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Bubbles [1922 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Jumping Beans [1922 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Bed Time [1923 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Trapped [1923 Out of the Inkwell short]
Disc 4
Commentaries:
• Lost and Foundry by John K., Eddie and Kali
• Protek the Weakerist by Jerry Beck
• Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves by John K., Eddie and Kali
Popumentaries
• Me Lil’ Swee’Pea: Whose Kid is He Anyway?
• Et Tu, Bluto? Cartoondom’s Heaviest Heavy
From The Vault:
• A Trip to Mars [1924 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Koko Trains ‘Em [1925 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Koko Back Tracks [1927 Out of the Inkwell short]
• Let’s Sing with Popeye [1933 Fleischer short]
Yes, it’s Jerry sniffing Gromit’s butt. A cel phone photo snapped at Platform Animation Festival, Portland OR — Thursday, 6.28.07, 04:00 pm
Amid gives a great presentation on designer Tom Oreb. Two photos by Tom Knott, Platform Animation Festival, Portland OR — Wednesday, 6.27.07, 04:20 pm
Jerry meets Marge Champion on Broadway – in Portland Oregon. Photo snapped on my funky cel phone by Toby Bluth. Platform Animation Festival, Portland OR — Thursday, 6.28.07, 05:00 pm
Animator Fred Cline has posted a rare 50s Air Force Reserve TV spot by Preston Blair featuring early abstract motion graphics. Click Here and enjoy.
Still in Portland, but I’m already looking forward to going San Diego for the Comic Con — only four weeks away!
I have two things on my schedule for San Diego so far: 1. A POPEYE DVD panel scheduled for 4pm on Thursday July 26th (room to be announced later) and 2. my all-new WORST CARTOONS EVER screening at 9pm on Friday July 27th in Room 6CDEF. If you want to meet me, here are two great ways to find me.
More details on these and other events for animation fans will be posted on Brew later in the month as we get closer to the date. Hope to see you there!
