Whew... It's finally done. I'll probably talk a bit about it later.
вівторок, 10 травня 2011 р.
вівторок, 3 травня 2011 р.
субота, 19 лютого 2011 р.
Short Reviews
Posted on 05:25 by dipty
Here are a couple of movies I've seen recently, and my brief, unorganized opinions on them.
Klute (1971)
This was disappointing. I was excited about seeing the first two movies in Alan J. Pakula's "Paranoia Trilogy" after loving "All the President's Men", but I just really didn't like this much. The characters weren't likable or particularly interesting, the story was slow and meandering, and for a supposed suspense thriller, there were really only one or two brief scenes that I found remotely suspenseful. The ending felt like a cop-out, too. The villain just kind of abruptly enters the story and explains everything to the main character. The direction was surprisingly awkward, given how much I liked Pakula's work in "All the President's Men." The shots were jarring and spatially confusing for no discernable reason. I'm not sure why this movie seems to be held in such high esteem... maybe the acting, I guess.
3/10
Apocalypse Now (1979)
This was my second time seeing the movie, but my first time seeing the original non-Redux version. I really liked it the first time I saw it, but my complaints were that it was too long, and that there were a handful of scenes that seemed completely pointless. Turns out all the scenes I had problems with were the ones added back in for Redux. The original version is much more digestible, and while we don't get quite as much into Willard's personality, it's a more consistent portrayal. If he's so determined to get upriver as fast as possible, why would he stop to play practical jokes on Kilgore, hang out with Playboy Bunnies and have dinner at a French Plantation? To me, the Redux version was equally powerful, but less enjoyable because it felt bloated and excessive. Upon re-watching the film, my favourite sequences are still the surreal ones at the Doo-Long bridge and the lead-up to meeting Kurtz.
Redux: 9/10
Original: 10/1
Klute (1971)
This was disappointing. I was excited about seeing the first two movies in Alan J. Pakula's "Paranoia Trilogy" after loving "All the President's Men", but I just really didn't like this much. The characters weren't likable or particularly interesting, the story was slow and meandering, and for a supposed suspense thriller, there were really only one or two brief scenes that I found remotely suspenseful. The ending felt like a cop-out, too. The villain just kind of abruptly enters the story and explains everything to the main character. The direction was surprisingly awkward, given how much I liked Pakula's work in "All the President's Men." The shots were jarring and spatially confusing for no discernable reason. I'm not sure why this movie seems to be held in such high esteem... maybe the acting, I guess.
3/10
Apocalypse Now (1979)
This was my second time seeing the movie, but my first time seeing the original non-Redux version. I really liked it the first time I saw it, but my complaints were that it was too long, and that there were a handful of scenes that seemed completely pointless. Turns out all the scenes I had problems with were the ones added back in for Redux. The original version is much more digestible, and while we don't get quite as much into Willard's personality, it's a more consistent portrayal. If he's so determined to get upriver as fast as possible, why would he stop to play practical jokes on Kilgore, hang out with Playboy Bunnies and have dinner at a French Plantation? To me, the Redux version was equally powerful, but less enjoyable because it felt bloated and excessive. Upon re-watching the film, my favourite sequences are still the surreal ones at the Doo-Long bridge and the lead-up to meeting Kurtz.
Redux: 9/10
Original: 10/1
Posted in apocalypse now, cedar rapids, green hornet, klute, movie review, pineapple express, redux, seth rogen
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середа, 16 лютого 2011 р.
Read This Bob McKimson Interview, Fool
Posted on 15:02 by dipty
I was hoping to get some animation done this afternoon, but instead I've spent the last hour or so reading this extensive 1971 interview with Bob McKimson that Michael Barrier just re-posted. Everybody read it now.
http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Interviews/McKimson/McKimson.html
What an amazing read. This is the first time, as far as I can recall, that I've ever heard McKimson's feelings about his work, the other directors, or.... well, anything, really. Is this the only interview he ever gave? It's startling how easily he remembers everything, whereas most interviews about the Golden Age are filled with "I don't remember the cartoon you're asking about" or inaccurate recollections of dates and credits. McKimson is pretty much dead-on with everything. He seems to be a pretty reliable source, unlike just about everybody else.
There are so many great nuggets of information in this piece. McKimson comes off as very confident, and possibly a bit full of himself. It's completely justified though, and from what I've read, Chuck Jones was just as proud, if not more so. He was just less willing to acknowledge it. It's sad reading the parts about Rod Scribner though, and how McKimson eventually got his animators "under control" after they'd been used to "over-playing" everything with Clampett. I think it's unanimous that most of Scribner's work under McKimson feels extremely stifled and restrained compared to his earlier Clampett stuff.
http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Interviews/McKimson/McKimson.html
What an amazing read. This is the first time, as far as I can recall, that I've ever heard McKimson's feelings about his work, the other directors, or.... well, anything, really. Is this the only interview he ever gave? It's startling how easily he remembers everything, whereas most interviews about the Golden Age are filled with "I don't remember the cartoon you're asking about" or inaccurate recollections of dates and credits. McKimson is pretty much dead-on with everything. He seems to be a pretty reliable source, unlike just about everybody else.
There are so many great nuggets of information in this piece. McKimson comes off as very confident, and possibly a bit full of himself. It's completely justified though, and from what I've read, Chuck Jones was just as proud, if not more so. He was just less willing to acknowledge it. It's sad reading the parts about Rod Scribner though, and how McKimson eventually got his animators "under control" after they'd been used to "over-playing" everything with Clampett. I think it's unanimous that most of Scribner's work under McKimson feels extremely stifled and restrained compared to his earlier Clampett stuff.
понеділок, 10 січня 2011 р.
The Chuck Jones Drinking Game
Posted on 16:23 by dipty
I should preface this post by saying that I'm a big fan of Chuck Jones. He was unquestionably one of the greatest directors in the history of animation, if not film in general. This is especially clear on the recent Looney Tunes Superstars single discs, because these releases focus largely on the end of the WB studio's output, which means lots of Friz Freleng's indistinguishable blackout gags, and Bob McKimson's overly-talky TV parodies. When a Jones cartoon comes on, it's almost cause for celebration because you know it's going to be a lot wittier, and have much funnier drawings. This doesn't apply to the handful of forties cartoons on the sets, because there were more directors then, and everybody's cartoons were still pretty good at that point.
Anyway, I got sidetracked, but my point was that I like Chuck Jones. But the more of his interviews I watch/read/hear, the more I notice that he tended to repeat himself. A lot. This is understandable, given that these interviews come from a period of over thirty years, and as he got older some of his memories must have faded. I hope no Jones fans are offended by what follows, because this is just intended to be light-hearted fun. Without further ado, I present the Chuck Jones Drinking Game (a work in progress):
Take a sip every time he talks about how he wants to be Bugs, but in reality he is Daffy.
Take a sip every time he quotes or mentions Mark Twain.
Take a sip every time he uses George Santayana's "a fanatic is someone who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim" quote in reference to the Coyote.
Take a big sip whenever he uses his "it's not an X thing, it's a Y thing" phrase. This is kind of a cheap shot because it's very broad, but he does use some form of this phrase about once per interview.
Take a sip every time he mentions that kid who said "he doesn't draw Bugs Bunny, he draws pictures of Bugs Bunny."
Take a sip every time he makes fun of Leon Schlesinger.
(Take another sip if it's about his lisp.)
Take a sip every time he makes fun of Eddie Selzer.
(Take two sips if he tells the story about Selzer telling him not to make a bullfight cartoon.)
Take a sip every time he explains his "Illustrated Radio" term for limited animation.
Take a sip every time he lists the other directors at Termite Terrace without mentioning Clampett.
(Take another sip if he goes out of his way to specify "ALL the directors.")
If anybody can think of any more, post them in the comments.
Anyway, I got sidetracked, but my point was that I like Chuck Jones. But the more of his interviews I watch/read/hear, the more I notice that he tended to repeat himself. A lot. This is understandable, given that these interviews come from a period of over thirty years, and as he got older some of his memories must have faded. I hope no Jones fans are offended by what follows, because this is just intended to be light-hearted fun. Without further ado, I present the Chuck Jones Drinking Game (a work in progress):
Take a sip every time he talks about how he wants to be Bugs, but in reality he is Daffy.
Take a sip every time he quotes or mentions Mark Twain.
Take a sip every time he uses George Santayana's "a fanatic is someone who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim" quote in reference to the Coyote.
Take a big sip whenever he uses his "it's not an X thing, it's a Y thing" phrase. This is kind of a cheap shot because it's very broad, but he does use some form of this phrase about once per interview.
Take a sip every time he mentions that kid who said "he doesn't draw Bugs Bunny, he draws pictures of Bugs Bunny."
Take a sip every time he makes fun of Leon Schlesinger.
(Take another sip if it's about his lisp.)
Take a sip every time he makes fun of Eddie Selzer.
(Take two sips if he tells the story about Selzer telling him not to make a bullfight cartoon.)
Take a sip every time he explains his "Illustrated Radio" term for limited animation.
Take a sip every time he lists the other directors at Termite Terrace without mentioning Clampett.
(Take another sip if he goes out of his way to specify "ALL the directors.")
If anybody can think of any more, post them in the comments.
пʼятниця, 8 жовтня 2010 р.
Submitting Fester's Nephew to Festivals
Posted on 16:23 by dipty
Today I submitted Fester's Nephew to Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation, The Animation Show (not sure if it's still running, but it's worth a shot) and the NSI Canada Online Short Film Festival. I'm planning to submit to others as well, but this is a start.
If anybody knows any particular festivals they think I should submit to, let me know.
Not really much to say at the moment, other than that I'm still working away on my next Fester Fish cartoon. I'm tweaking the storyboard a bit. I've also been inspired by reading Joe Murray's "Creating Animated Cartoons with Character" book to come up with ideas for more episodes and characters.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, readers!
If anybody knows any particular festivals they think I should submit to, let me know.
Not really much to say at the moment, other than that I'm still working away on my next Fester Fish cartoon. I'm tweaking the storyboard a bit. I've also been inspired by reading Joe Murray's "Creating Animated Cartoons with Character" book to come up with ideas for more episodes and characters.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, readers!
субота, 2 жовтня 2010 р.
Help Milton Knight!
Posted on 05:42 by dipty
Milton Knight is the brilliant guy behind Robotnik's design in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, among many other, probably more notable accomplishments. But that's how I first found out about him. Anyway, he's working on a new animated short called "Caprice - Teen of Tomorrow", done in his own inimitable animation style. It looks like it'll be amazing, if he's able to get it finished.
But he needs our support! Here's the link to his Kickstarter page, with a video of some of the animation. Here's how it works-- if he successfully raises his target amount of money, you pay however much you chose to donate, and he gets it all. If he doesn't reach the goal, you don't pay and he doesn't get anything! There are some pretty cool rewards for donating, like getting original art from the cartoon, your name in the credits, etc.
But he needs our support! Here's the link to his Kickstarter page, with a video of some of the animation. Here's how it works-- if he successfully raises his target amount of money, you pay however much you chose to donate, and he gets it all. If he doesn't reach the goal, you don't pay and he doesn't get anything! There are some pretty cool rewards for donating, like getting original art from the cartoon, your name in the credits, etc.
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