New “Old” Animation
Several new TV spots are done in retro style. I have to wonder how inspired these are from Cuphead — and I wonder what the future holds in terms of further stylistic influence.
Countdown to 2020: Time Waits For No Toon
An overview of cartoons dealing with the fictional figures and more anthropomorphic timepieces that have helped us calculate countdowns to the New Year through many a generation – clocks, and Father Time.
Big Changes For Merrie Melodies 1933-34
The new season for 1933-34 saw some big changes for the Warner cartoon division. Here’s the music the cartoons contained in that period.
Walt Disney Classified: The Layout Manual, Part 1
Walt’s message in his 1941 employee Layout Manual marked the transition for the studio from solely entertainment production to a defense plant turning out training films.
Why the Beatles First Hated “Yellow Submarine”
There would be less than eleven months to make the film on a budget of roughly one million dollars. To meet that deadline, production had to start without a final script or storyboard in place.
My Top Seven Blu-ray Wish List (and yours too!)
Here’s my top seven wants, produced by Thunderbean or not – and now, it’s also your turn – again!
How Grim Was My Pilgrim (Part 2)
Well, the birds have been carved, and a lucky few Thanks-givers got their wish on the big end of the wishbone. But we’re still loaded down with leftovers from last week’s bountiful feast of animated Pilgrim depictions.
Rankin/Bass’ “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” on Records
The soundtrack to the highly-rated 1976 CBS special launched the first partnership between Disneyland Records and Rankin/Bass, opening new horizons for the label.
1960s Theatrical Cartoons Rock & Roll
Theatrical animation studios of the 1960s tried to rock and roll. Whether they did it well is a matter of opinion.
Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and Blu-ray compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. Beck is currently on the faculty of CalArts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [Click Here]
