Anime “Jack And The Beanstalk” (1974)
Top Ten lists are popular. I have been asked (before Steve Stanchfield brought it up on Cartoon Research) what I think are the Top Ten (Japanese) anime features, or what…
Everybody Loves Animals
If you’re like me, you would be more inclined to take the word of a cartoon animal than a real live human being. Maybe that’s why animals make the perfect…
Animation Anecdotes #177
Maurice Noble and Fresh Ideas. In a 1992 interview, animation designer Maurice Noble said, “Whatever I worked on, I tried to give freshness and make as eye-appealing as possible. Always,…
“The Wild Goose Chase” (1933)
Today was another film transfer day, but because of school meetings I wasn’t able to supervise the whole session; I dropped the films off and Pat Mathews, colorist and Telecine…
Tom Stathes Travels: “By Land, Sea and Air”
The summer has been quite a busy one for this animation historian and archivist. As those of you who tuned in to our host Jerry Beck’s appearance on a recent…
Bugs Bunny Breaks a Sweat
In today’s column, we listen to a classic recording of Bugs Bunny’s race against Cecil Turtle, with Mel Blanc; on another LP, Bugs takes a cruise to Fort Lauderdale, without…
Fleischer Promo Art #13: “Popeye Adds Up The Profits”
Continuing our weekly posting of these rare Fleischer Studio promotional illustrations – this time from the March and April 1936 issues of in-house trade publication Paramount Sales News. Please click…
Animated Knock-Offs #2: Not Quite ‘Mockbusters’!
Last week’s column covered the indisputable “mockbusters”; animated features made for DVD release just to impersonate popular theatrical features. This week’s focuses on ripoff packaging; foreign animated theatrical features repackaged…
Philling Airtime: More Spots Animated by Phil Duncan
Conventional or far out. Cheap or extravagant. Phil Duncan did it all and it did it superbly. Today we take another look at the work of mighty Mr. Duncan, animator…
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]
