It’s been a dizzying handful of weeks here with just too many things to do in addition to school starting. Work on things for the Fleischer restoration project continues as well, and I’m happy to have the current plate almost emptied and looking forward to the next things.
In Thunderbeanland, we’re about to start shipping a bunch fo things, but I won’t talk about that until things are going out the door. Instead, I thought it would be a good day to talk about some great non-Thunderbean stuff being produced right now, as well as a new Blu-ray kickstarter from Cartoon Logic.
“Cartoon hospital, or real hospital, Bobby?”
Over these past weeks, I’ve been working with our small team on two cartoon programs for TCM, produced by Tommy Stathes’ for his Cartoons on Films company. David Gerstein has done his usual great job in helping get the two programs together. They both contain some beautiful materials in 35mm and 16mm. They will be broadcast several times. I’m not sure if they will be available on demand as well, but it’s likely. They are both can’t miss programs with some great surprises. Our own Jerry Beck introduces the first program, with J.B. Kaufman introducing the second. Stayed tooned to hear more about this broadcast in the coming weeks.
As soon as the TCM broadcast work is finished here, the Thunderbean team will be cranking on some work on several upcoming Cartoons on Film releases, including work on finishing the really great looking Dinky Doodle set, and a well produced Out of the Inkwell collection, along with a long-in-progress Farmer Al collection.
Cartoon Researcher, writer and restoration artist Thad Komorowski has just started his own Blu-ray label, Cartoon Logic. Thad has built an impressive resume of restoration work on both large and small projects over the years, including work for Criterion, Classic Flix, Ben Model’s Undercrank Productions, 3D film archive, Cartoons on Film, my own company, Thunderbean -and many others. He’s currently doing really excellent restoration work on Laurel and Hardy shorts and for Paramount on the Fleischer restoration project. Thad’s work ethic and attention to detail has really helped excel what has been happening behind the scenes on many of these small labels, including my own- and has changed the way many of the small labels have thought about restoration as technology has been improving. I’m so happy to see him producing something for his own company. The final set will be distributed by Classic Flix.
Having ‘Cartoon Logic’ expand into Blu-rays is a sort of natural progression. Thad and Bob Jaques’ excellent Cartoon Logic podcasts are a really great listen for anyone interested in cartoon history. Thad has also been working with cartoon researcher and musician Charlie Judkins on researching New York animation for a long planned project, and they’re both excited about having good research coming out of the commentaries and production of this and future sets. He’s starting with a collection of Terry Fables, and Thad wants the future collections to extend to other studios.
He’s launched his first Kickstarter project for his first release, Aesop’s Fables, The 1920s, Volume 1. It already looks really promising – and knowing Thad’s great work on so many projects I’m excited to see the finished set. I’ve lent my support to the project by giving some Thunderbean discs to the project. Visit his Kickstarter here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thadwell/aesops-fables-the-1920s-vol-1-blu-ray-dvd
I’m excited to see all the films that come out of these in-progrese projects and am happy to be part of this small community. I think it’s really important for these small companies to get this often less seen material restored and available to be seen by a wider audience since, realistically, they will be the only champions of these films. Getting as many as possible seen again from good material has been a great passion of mine over these years, and I’m so excited to see what we can, collectively, all do in these coming years.
Have a great week everyone!
Steve Stanchfield is an animator, educator and film archivist. He runs Thunderbean Animation, an animation studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has compiled over a dozen archival animation DVD collections devoted to such subjects at Private Snafu, The Little King and the infamous Cubby Bear. Steve is also a professor at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
So much good news today! Tommy, Thad et al you guys are doing wonderful things. Maybe the 21st century won’t be a complete write-off after all?
We have so much to catch up on, Craig. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
I jumped on Thad’s Kickstarter yesterday as soon as I got word of the project from Facebook. Looking forward to it!
A collection of silent Paul Terry cartoons, with music and bonus material? Sold! I’m going to kickstart this project just like the mule in the moonshine kickstarted Farmer Al Falfa in “Chemistry Lesson”!
The more on television , the better,
Oh man, THREE Cartoons on Film releases coming up? I’ll have to clear space on my shelf!
That’s absolutely WONDERFUL news. Stuff like this is the big reason that Thursday is my favorite day of the week!
By the way… Don’t forget:
We _can’t_ have Farmer Al Falfa without mice.
Speaking for all the mice, as I always do, I remain…
– Jim Roebuck
Huzzah! More splendid work from the Steph, Draymond, Klay, Andrew, Andre and Kevon “dream team” of animation preservationists! Hugh “Jerry” Shields animation, here we come!