ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Whatever Happened to Beans?:
After the loss of Bosko and the complete failure of Buddy to take any kind of hold, Fritz Freleng created a raft of characters in his 1935 `I Haven`t Got a Hat`. This cartoon was an early watershed for the Leon Schlesinger studio but now is mostly remembered as Porky`s first picture.
The puppy twins, Ham and Ex, had the title song but really didn`t have enough personality to carry a career. They were too much alike and seemed to share a single personality. Oliver Owl was way too square for anything but the butt of pranks and supporting roles.
That leaves Porky and Beans and at the first it really looked like Beans was going to be the star. Even the Tex Avery `Gold Diggers of 49` starred Beans just like a lot of the other early Loony Toons.
Beans was sure of himself, an action comedy hero. He got himself in messes but then thought and fought his way clear.
But Leon Schlesinger loved Porky Pig. If Porky wasn`t in a cartoon Leon wanted to know why. If Porky was a human live action female starlet of the `30s we could make something of this. But as it is, all we can say is that Leon loved Porky Pig. Maybe it is because they both had a speech impediment? But I think it goes deeper than that. Leon loved Porky because the audiences loved Porky and Leon was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw it.
Leon Schlesinger was a lot smarter then his current reputation. According to Martha Sigall, Chuck Jones may have been paying Schlesinger back for his very hostile treatment of Chuck after Chuck lead the strike. Whatever the reason, Chuck always belittled Leon at every chance he got and maybe I can understand that.
But the very fact that Leon didn`t fire Chuck for leading a strike against him, like Walt did with Art Babbit, tells you something about the business sense of the Schlesinger studio head. He didn`t lose his studio to his distributor either like the Fleischers did to Paramount. So he can`t be the bumbling fool that he is painted.
That means that Beans failed on his own merit or lack there of. Why? I always liked the feisty feline. Why didn`t audiences and theater owners take to him? Maybe it is because he didn`t have human weaknesses, like Porky did. Maybe that is the reason that the public never really took to Beans.
Whatever the reason, poor Beans is gone and forgotten by all but a few of us. Too bad! What I want to know is why there hasn`t been a best of Beans DVD. It seems that there is a Gold Edition of just about everybody else. Why not Beans?
The puppy twins, Ham and Ex, had the title song but really didn`t have enough personality to carry a career. They were too much alike and seemed to share a single personality. Oliver Owl was way too square for anything but the butt of pranks and supporting roles.
That leaves Porky and Beans and at the first it really looked like Beans was going to be the star. Even the Tex Avery `Gold Diggers of 49` starred Beans just like a lot of the other early Loony Toons.
Beans was sure of himself, an action comedy hero. He got himself in messes but then thought and fought his way clear.
But Leon Schlesinger loved Porky Pig. If Porky wasn`t in a cartoon Leon wanted to know why. If Porky was a human live action female starlet of the `30s we could make something of this. But as it is, all we can say is that Leon loved Porky Pig. Maybe it is because they both had a speech impediment? But I think it goes deeper than that. Leon loved Porky because the audiences loved Porky and Leon was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw it.
Leon Schlesinger was a lot smarter then his current reputation. According to Martha Sigall, Chuck Jones may have been paying Schlesinger back for his very hostile treatment of Chuck after Chuck lead the strike. Whatever the reason, Chuck always belittled Leon at every chance he got and maybe I can understand that.
But the very fact that Leon didn`t fire Chuck for leading a strike against him, like Walt did with Art Babbit, tells you something about the business sense of the Schlesinger studio head. He didn`t lose his studio to his distributor either like the Fleischers did to Paramount. So he can`t be the bumbling fool that he is painted.
That means that Beans failed on his own merit or lack there of. Why? I always liked the feisty feline. Why didn`t audiences and theater owners take to him? Maybe it is because he didn`t have human weaknesses, like Porky did. Maybe that is the reason that the public never really took to Beans.
Whatever the reason, poor Beans is gone and forgotten by all but a few of us. Too bad! What I want to know is why there hasn`t been a best of Beans DVD. It seems that there is a Gold Edition of just about everybody else. Why not Beans?
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Copy-wrong Education
`Congress shall have the Power . . . To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.`
Yet another student came up to me after class this week with a really simple copyright question. It still amazes me how little artist are taught about intellectual property law in art schools. It seems to be the last thing art teachers and department chairs think about when they are putting together a program. But then they were not taught copyright law either. So it makes sense that they pass on the disease to their students.
I get a lot of questions about copyright from not only students but from teachers. I think it is because I have made it my business to correct the faults in my own art education.
Do I sound bitter, well yes. As great as my school was at teaching art they never taught me a damn thing about Intellectual Property Law. To be fair, it was the first years of the school and it was all that they could do to just pound art into our marble like heads. I talked to Joe Kubert just a little while ago and they are currently covering intellectual property law in their curriculum. Good for them, they are one of the few.
But what about the artists that find themselves without this important component in their survival kit? Remember a business major doesn`t have to know how to draw but you better know business law, because business programs are turning out students that look at the uninformed as their natural prey.
Enter Michael Lovitz! Michael Lovitz is this really cool guy who loves comics. He is also an intellectual property lawyer who gives free seminars on copyright and trademark law at comic book conventions.
I haven`t missed one of his classes at the San Diego Comic Con since I discovered him way back in 1996. And I always learn something new each time I attend.
At the 2001 San Diego Comic Con, in conjunction with Sirius Comics, he brought out this great little overview in comic book form, The Trademark & Copyright Book.
A must for all creative artists. It has a funny visual take on what could be a very dry subject if not handled in such a creative manner. Love the artwork by the Fillbach Brothers. Their comic take and super-literalism makes this not only an informative book but also an entertaining one. This comic book format survival tool is still in print. Price $2.95. http://www.cosmictherapy.com/featuredproducts.html
Yet another student came up to me after class this week with a really simple copyright question. It still amazes me how little artist are taught about intellectual property law in art schools. It seems to be the last thing art teachers and department chairs think about when they are putting together a program. But then they were not taught copyright law either. So it makes sense that they pass on the disease to their students.
I get a lot of questions about copyright from not only students but from teachers. I think it is because I have made it my business to correct the faults in my own art education.
Do I sound bitter, well yes. As great as my school was at teaching art they never taught me a damn thing about Intellectual Property Law. To be fair, it was the first years of the school and it was all that they could do to just pound art into our marble like heads. I talked to Joe Kubert just a little while ago and they are currently covering intellectual property law in their curriculum. Good for them, they are one of the few.
But what about the artists that find themselves without this important component in their survival kit? Remember a business major doesn`t have to know how to draw but you better know business law, because business programs are turning out students that look at the uninformed as their natural prey.
Enter Michael Lovitz! Michael Lovitz is this really cool guy who loves comics. He is also an intellectual property lawyer who gives free seminars on copyright and trademark law at comic book conventions.
I haven`t missed one of his classes at the San Diego Comic Con since I discovered him way back in 1996. And I always learn something new each time I attend.
At the 2001 San Diego Comic Con, in conjunction with Sirius Comics, he brought out this great little overview in comic book form, The Trademark & Copyright Book.
A must for all creative artists. It has a funny visual take on what could be a very dry subject if not handled in such a creative manner. Love the artwork by the Fillbach Brothers. Their comic take and super-literalism makes this not only an informative book but also an entertaining one. This comic book format survival tool is still in print. Price $2.95. http://www.cosmictherapy.com/featuredproducts.html
