Monthly Archives: June 2007

Hanna Barbera Treasures

By
on
18

hb420.jpg

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.

Popeye DVD: Bonus Materials

By
on
63

popeyealibaba2.jpg

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]

Report from Platform #3

By
on
4

jerrygrommet.jpg

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

amidoreb.jpg
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

jerrymarge2.jpg

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

Ratatouille is the Best Animated Film Since…

By
on
36

ratat2ee.jpg

I was talking to my good friend Victor Haboush yesterday and he had an endorsement for Ratatouille that I just had to share. He says, and I quote, “It’s the best animated film since Pinocchio.” That’s a pretty bold statement but Vic is somebody whose taste I trust. And that’s not just because he’s worked on classics like Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians. Or because he worked on Brad Bird’s first feature The Iron Giant (and which he doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for as he does Bird’s latest). It’s because Vic knows what he’s talking about and because he’s always frank about what he thinks of things. If Vic says it’s good, then it probably is.

The San Diego Comic Con is Coming!

By
on
6

sdcomicon420.jpg

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!

Terrytoon Animators at work, 1939

By
on
3

terry8mm.jpg

Asifa-Hollywood’s Animation Archive has unearthed and posted a rare silent 8mm film shot by animators at Terrytoons detailing the process of making an animated cartoon. This color film, from 1939, was shot by artist Larry Silverman and was recently found in the estate of animator Carlo Vinci. The film features key Terry personnel, from Director Connie Rasinski to musician Phil Schieb, producing a cartoon called Harvest Time. The Archive has also uploaded the finished short.

Cartoon Dump!

By
on
10

dump420.jpg

Do you love great animation? Are you a fan of quality cartoons? Well, if so, you will be appalled and horrified by my latest co-production, Cartoon Dump, a new web TV series premiering this summer on CartoonBrewFilms.com.

Cartoon Dump is the unholy alliance of my annual Worst Cartoons Ever screening and the warped mind of writer/ producer/ comedian Frank Conniff (“TV’s Frank� from “Mystery Science Theater 3000�).

Our first podcast will premiere online in August, but on July 11th our cast will perform a live performance of the show at the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood. If you are interested in attending the live show, information is posted here. In the meantime, check the Cartoon Dump MySpace page and become one of our friends!

M.I.A.’s “Boyz”

By
on
8

M.I.A.

M.I.A.’s new music video “Boyz” is a brilliant mashup of contemporary Jamaican dance and lo-fi abstract animation. It’s easily one of the more original and exciting animated music videos that I’ve seen in a while. The animation is not simply an afterthought here but really serves to bring out the colorful style and energy of the dancers, who according to this ‘making of’ video, comprise a who’s who of the Jamaican dance scene. Comparisons have been drawn to Paper Rad though personally I find the graphic style far more successful in the context of this video than I do in most of Paper Rad’s work. Not sure who’s responsible for the animation; the live-action video was directed by Jay Will.

(via BB)

Report from Platform #1

By
on
2

johnsyvette.jpg

Day one at Platform. Got into Portland around 2:30pm and was whisked to the very cool Ace Hotel. After a quick check in, I headed to a meeting of jurors (I’m one of the judges of the TV category). After that, one by one, I started running into friends from L.A., New York, Vancouver, Europe… Linda Simensky, Danny Antonucci, Bill Plympton, Tom Knott, Adam Snyder, Heather Kenyon and, pictured above, director Yvette Kaplan, producer John Andrews and author-animator John Canemaker. It’s begining to feel like a festival. The opening night screening was teriffic – every film shown was great. The standouts were Aardman’s new 2-D short, The Pearce Sisters (directed by Luis Cook), Apnee (directed by Claude Chabot) and Herzog and the Monsters (a student film by Lesley Barnes). That was followed by a party and even later was a mock debate/screening, “Humor vs. Abstract” with Bill Plympton (arguing humor) and Joanna Priestley (in favor of abstract).

If day one is any indication, this festival is going to be a winner.

Woody Woodpecker event

By
on
8

woodyrestored.jpg

In honor of the forthcoming Woody Woodpecker and Friends DVD box set (on sale July 24th), Universal Pictures will be holding a premiere event at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday July 11th, admission FREE! In addition to a preview screening of 12 cartoons featured on the upcoming DVD, there will be a panel of guests discussing the life and career of Walter Lantz. Panelists will include Leonard Maltin, June Foray, and Billy West. To find out how you can get in and reserve a seat, click here: StoryMakers Studio’s Salute to Woody Woodpecker and Walter Lantz.

My friends at StoryMakers Studio (who are producing the Chinese Theatre event) told me they will make a limited number of reserved seats available for Brew readers, so if you’re interested, I strongly suggest reserving your free tickets today because it’s going to fill up fast.

In the meantime, get a sneak preview of the disc set, with video previews and downloads here: WoodyWoodpecker.com

En Route to PLATFORM!

By
on
1

platformgod.jpg

Today’s a travel day. Amid and I are en route to Portland for the Platform Fest. If you want to find us, check this post for me, and this one for Amid.

Even though I’m a participant and judge, I’m going up there as much a spectator as anyone else. Can the festival organizers pull it off? Can a U.S. animation festival work? These are the questions that will be answered this week. One thing’s for sure, they’ve loaded the event with great screenings, panels, guests, exhibits, installations, tributes, picnics and parties. It should be a blast.

What JibJab Could Teach TV

By
on
5

I’ve never understood the thinking of some people who try to create a hit video online so they can get a TV deal. If you’ve already created something popular online and have established a dedicated audience, then why do you even need TV? Of course, saying this is muching easier than actually doing it. TV is proven and established; the online world is still frightening and largely unexplored as a business model.

But even today there are some people who believe strongly enough in online possibilities that they’re bypassing TV deals in favor of developing their online brand. One prominent example is the animation studio and entertainment portal JibJab, run by brothers Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. In this new interview with Gregg Spiridellis, he offers some worthwhile insights into how JibJab is developing its online brand, and doing so without relying on the corporate world of television. It’s a thought-provoking read which makes one realize that there are even bigger and better opportunities awaiting animation creators online than in the once-dominant TV industry.