ASIFA-Hollywood: The International Animated Film Society
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Saturday Morning Catch Up
I`ve been back over to the 99 Cent Only Store. (While deep down in my 60`s hippie soul I fear that they may be the first assault in a world monetary conspiracy trying to destroy our American way of life I keep coming back. I know that there is no such thing as a free lunch and the American standard of living is somehow going to suffer because I am only paying 99 cents but 99 Cent DVDs of public domain animation is worth it.
Of all the public domain DVD houses I like the work of Genius Entertainment the most. They seem to have pride in their work and their transfers almost always look clean.
There is not that much Disney out in public domain. Classic Cartoons Volume 4 has a nice one, Bill Peet`s Susie, The Little Blue Coupe. It is not a pristine transfer and there are a few rough spots and some color fade but all and all not too bad. Sterling Holloway narrates.
There are is Schlesinger Porky cartoon, Porky`s Cafe, not the best Chuck Jones and a little color faded but still Chuck Jones.
Rounded out with a Friz Freleng Beaky Buzzard, The Lion`s Busy. I`ve always linked Beaky (and Stan Freeburg, his voice) and I love the character design on the Lion. (but why he talks in an Irish accent I don`t know) Fun stuff.
The rest are Famous Studios. Two Raggedy Ann cartoons, too sweet for me. Another copy of Teacher`s Pest and Lightning in Ups And Downs Derby. I still morn the take over of the Fleischer Studio.
While I was in the 99 Cent Only Store I wondered over to the men`s department and picked up a nice Bugs Bunny tie. This is one of the Post Office ties that came out with the Loonie Tunes stamps a few years back. They still have the $9.99 price tag on them. It looks like the Post Office has unloaded them to 99 Cents. Now I can finally afford to keep up with Sol Sigall who always wears a very cool Loonie Toons tie at all the animation events. (I`m pretty sure that he paid full price for his)
Speaking of animation events, this months AFI screening with Jerry Beck features TV commercials of the 50`s and 60`s.
Now I hate commercials as much as the next guy and maybe even more, but give them 40 or 50 years on the shelf and all of the sudden they become art. I am looking forward to maybe seeing a Happy Fizzies Party, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Magoo selling beer, and of course Fred Flintstone pushing tobacco to kids (oh, it was Prime Time so they were not marketing to children). I`m not sure what Jerry has lined up (I`m just guessing) but I`m there for this event. Remember, ASIFA members get in free.
Of all the public domain DVD houses I like the work of Genius Entertainment the most. They seem to have pride in their work and their transfers almost always look clean.
There is not that much Disney out in public domain. Classic Cartoons Volume 4 has a nice one, Bill Peet`s Susie, The Little Blue Coupe. It is not a pristine transfer and there are a few rough spots and some color fade but all and all not too bad. Sterling Holloway narrates.
There are is Schlesinger Porky cartoon, Porky`s Cafe, not the best Chuck Jones and a little color faded but still Chuck Jones.
Rounded out with a Friz Freleng Beaky Buzzard, The Lion`s Busy. I`ve always linked Beaky (and Stan Freeburg, his voice) and I love the character design on the Lion. (but why he talks in an Irish accent I don`t know) Fun stuff.
The rest are Famous Studios. Two Raggedy Ann cartoons, too sweet for me. Another copy of Teacher`s Pest and Lightning in Ups And Downs Derby. I still morn the take over of the Fleischer Studio.
While I was in the 99 Cent Only Store I wondered over to the men`s department and picked up a nice Bugs Bunny tie. This is one of the Post Office ties that came out with the Loonie Tunes stamps a few years back. They still have the $9.99 price tag on them. It looks like the Post Office has unloaded them to 99 Cents. Now I can finally afford to keep up with Sol Sigall who always wears a very cool Loonie Toons tie at all the animation events. (I`m pretty sure that he paid full price for his)
Speaking of animation events, this months AFI screening with Jerry Beck features TV commercials of the 50`s and 60`s.
Now I hate commercials as much as the next guy and maybe even more, but give them 40 or 50 years on the shelf and all of the sudden they become art. I am looking forward to maybe seeing a Happy Fizzies Party, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Magoo selling beer, and of course Fred Flintstone pushing tobacco to kids (oh, it was Prime Time so they were not marketing to children). I`m not sure what Jerry has lined up (I`m just guessing) but I`m there for this event. Remember, ASIFA members get in free.
ASIFA-Hollywood presents
ANIMATED COMMERCIALS
From the 1950s & 60s
A selection of the coolest animated television commercials from the golden age of TV.
Uber cool designs, cigarettes, beer... from the greatest animators in the business.
More details on this special screening to be posted shortly...
Saturday March 26th - 3:00pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Western Ave.
Hollywood, CA
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Upcoming Events
Just got these in my e-mail. June Foray I know about and can recommend highly. Red Stick I have just seen their web site but I am always in favor of short animation. But both should be of interest to our readers.
June Foray is set to speak and sign at the LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS on
April 23 (Sat) at 1pm at the Reading by Nine Stage. The event takes place on the
UCLA campus.........
More info at http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalbooks/
================
The Red Stick International Animation Festival is now just a month away and we are raring to go. Register for a free pass or check out our events on our new page!
www.redstickfestival.org
Be on the lookout for a new limited edition poster designed by Heath Tullier.
Things are shaping up for a marvelous festival! See you on the River April 21-23!
Stacey
Stacey Simmons, Ph.D.
Assistant Director for Strategic Advancement
Center for Computation & Technology
Louisiana State University
302 Johnston Hall
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
225-578-5906
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Book Signings Coming Up
I got a phone call from Martha Sigall last night. She was very excited about a number of book signings that she has got coming up.
Her book comes out on April 1st. I`ve had my copy on order for months. She starts off with the Golden Awards Banquet that The Animation Guild is holding on April 9th. Linda Jones is setting up a couple of book signings for Martha for sometime in April. (one at the Chuck Jones Gallery at fashion Island and one at their gallery in Old Town San Diego)
Women in Animation is planning a book signing with Martha and ASIFA is talking about one. And I have her signed up for an appearance at this year`s Comic Con.
I am tired just writing all this. She is amazing. All the best with the book Martha. I`m counting the days. I read the first couple of chapters in proofs over a year ago and I have been waiting for the rest ever since.
I got a phone call from Martha Sigall last night. She was very excited about a number of book signings that she has got coming up.
Her book comes out on April 1st. I`ve had my copy on order for months. She starts off with the Golden Awards Banquet that The Animation Guild is holding on April 9th. Linda Jones is setting up a couple of book signings for Martha for sometime in April. (one at the Chuck Jones Gallery at fashion Island and one at their gallery in Old Town San Diego)
Women in Animation is planning a book signing with Martha and ASIFA is talking about one. And I have her signed up for an appearance at this year`s Comic Con.
I am tired just writing all this. She is amazing. All the best with the book Martha. I`m counting the days. I read the first couple of chapters in proofs over a year ago and I have been waiting for the rest ever since.
That's the Woody Woodpecker Song
The Walter Lantz Foundation has been very good to ASIFA-Hollywood over the past few years. Once again they have given up a grant to help with operations of the ASIFA Animation Center. This makes possible a number of other projects and generally makes everything much easier.
A great big thank you to the Walter Lantz Foundation for their continued support.
I think I am going to dig out some Woody cartoons to celebrate.
Hi Everybody,
I am pleased to inform you that the Walter Lantz Foundation has awarded ASIFA-Hollywood a grant in the amount of $X, to help cover the operating costs of the Animation Center.
I would like to thank Bill Turner and David Derks, who assisted me in writing the grant proposal that got us this money.
Antran
The Walter Lantz Foundation has been very good to ASIFA-Hollywood over the past few years. Once again they have given up a grant to help with operations of the ASIFA Animation Center. This makes possible a number of other projects and generally makes everything much easier.
A great big thank you to the Walter Lantz Foundation for their continued support.
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
That's the Woody Woodpecker Song.
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
He's a-pecking it all day long.
He pecks a few holes in a tree to see
If a redwood's really red.
And it doesn't phase him
On the tiniest whim
To peck a few holes in your head...
I think I am going to dig out some Woody cartoons to celebrate.
Public Domain DVD`s
Thanks for the corrections. And FYI the move, which proved to be a major pain and was called off again and again, finally got made last weekend. I had come to the conclusion that the move was jinxed and if I talked about it, it would never happen. I might be right because I shut up about it and it finally came off with out a hitch.
Hiya Larry.
A couple of things about those 99 Cent DVDs you've been posting about.
The Kimba dub on those discs was done in the late 80s or early 90s for syndication. I don't know why they did it, but I do remember it airing in the wee small hours of the morning. For the longest time it was the only version available on VHS.
Nitpick dept: The format on DVDs is MPEG-2, not MP3, and I'm willing to bet my donut hole collection that those "crappy transfers" weren't even taken from prints at all. Although I don't have that particular disc, I do know that a good percentage of those cheapo DVDs are just transferred directly from the public domain VHS tapes that they used to sell for $3.99 in the same venues. This means that not only are the transfers crappy (and old as dirt), but you have the additional quality hit of an EP speed dub onto the cheapest tape they could get their hands on in 1993 -- the worst of both worlds, except that you can't get a head clog from a DVD. Some of those VHS's were in turn lifted from other companies' VHS's, so you have generation loss in addition to everything else.
In short, it's a miracle that they actually do a good job on some of them. Which they do.
BTW . . . any plans to finish the ASIFA office move? I'd like to help, but I need to know a few days in advance to have any hope of clearing my schedule.
Eric
Thanks for the corrections. And FYI the move, which proved to be a major pain and was called off again and again, finally got made last weekend. I had come to the conclusion that the move was jinxed and if I talked about it, it would never happen. I might be right because I shut up about it and it finally came off with out a hitch.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Good Cartoons Bad Transfers
So it is only 99 cents. It`s a crap shoot. And sometimes that is what you get. When they say Digitally Remastered a lot of times all it means is that the beat up 35 mm prints have been transferred to MP3 format.
Toon Collection Volume 1 has some great Fleischer Color Classics but the print quality is just awful. That is not always the case. I have picked up some great stuff with really good transfers lovingly done and right there at the 99 cent rack, sadly just not this time.
Toon Collection Volume 1 has some great Fleischer Color Classics but the print quality is just awful. That is not always the case. I have picked up some great stuff with really good transfers lovingly done and right there at the 99 cent rack, sadly just not this time.
- The Elephant Never Forgets - Fleischer Color Classics
- Peeping Penguins - Fleischer Color Classics
- Time for Love - Fleischer Color Classics
- A Car-Tune Portrait - Fleischer Color Classics
- The Old Shell Game? - New 3 Stooges
- The Mite Makes Right - Famous
- The Tears of an Onion - Fleischer Color Classics
- Bunny Mooning - Fleischer Color Classics
Good Images New Sound
If your name is Caesar it might not be a good day to hang out at the Forum but it is a great day for Anime fans over at the 99 Cents Only stories.
I was just talking to Fred Ladd last week at the Robots opening and somebody there said that they had seen Kimba DVD`s at 99 Cents Only. To celebrate my son and I sang Fred a verse or two of the Kimba theme song. Today I found volume 3 and 4 at my local store.
Now I have Kimba in VHS so this is not as great as a new/old Van Beuren Tom and Jerry but Kimba is an important piece of Anime history and he has come to 99 cent DVD`s. So if you don`t have a copy of Kimba yet here is your chance to sample early Anime without laying out lots of money.
The image quality on these new Kimbas are very good. The strange thing is that these are completely new dubs. Gone is the Fred Ladd Players and the Fred Ladd theme song. I can do without the theme if I have to but I miss the voice of Billie Lou Watt.
I was just talking to Fred Ladd last week at the Robots opening and somebody there said that they had seen Kimba DVD`s at 99 Cents Only. To celebrate my son and I sang Fred a verse or two of the Kimba theme song. Today I found volume 3 and 4 at my local store.
Now I have Kimba in VHS so this is not as great as a new/old Van Beuren Tom and Jerry but Kimba is an important piece of Anime history and he has come to 99 cent DVD`s. So if you don`t have a copy of Kimba yet here is your chance to sample early Anime without laying out lots of money.
The image quality on these new Kimbas are very good. The strange thing is that these are completely new dubs. Gone is the Fred Ladd Players and the Fred Ladd theme song. I can do without the theme if I have to but I miss the voice of Billie Lou Watt.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Special Performance by the Scrappy Puppet Theatre Players
There is a kid like goofiness of the true fan to Jerry Beck`s love of the Scrappy cartoons. Not only does he collect the Scrappy Puppet Theater and pay to have the Scrppy Puppet Theater commercial restored, but he plays with the paper puppets and in public. This I have got to see.
Saturday April 30th • 1:00pm
A full day of fun... a Scrappy-Fest!
At 1pm: Guest speakers, exhibits, and a special performance by the Scrappy Puppet Theatre Players who will enact, live, a classic scene from a Scrappy cartoon!
At 3pm: a rare screening of newly restored 35mm prints of classic Scrappy cartoons from the 1930s. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
More details on this special screening to be posted shortly...
Saturday April 30th • 1:00pm till 5:30pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Western Ave.
Hollywood, CA
Come dressed as Scrappy, Oopie or Margie and win a prize!
Saturday April 30th • 1:00pm
ASIFA-Hollywood presents
SCRAPPYLAND!
SCRAPPYLAND!
Restored 35mm prints of lost 1930s classic cartoons!
A full day of fun... a Scrappy-Fest!
At 1pm: Guest speakers, exhibits, and a special performance by the Scrappy Puppet Theatre Players who will enact, live, a classic scene from a Scrappy cartoon!
At 3pm: a rare screening of newly restored 35mm prints of classic Scrappy cartoons from the 1930s. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
More details on this special screening to be posted shortly...
Saturday April 30th • 1:00pm till 5:30pm
The American Film Institute
TED ASHLEY/WARNER BROS. SCREENING ROOM
2021 N. Western Ave.
Hollywood, CA
Come dressed as Scrappy, Oopie or Margie and win a prize!
POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE
Wednesday March 16th • 7:30pm
ASIFA-Hollywood and DisneyToon Studios present
POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE
The Hundred Acre Wood crew is together again in POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE, this time learning an important lesson about being accepting of others' differences and the value of true friendship. Pooh's Heffalump Movie is only the third original Pooh feature made for theatrical release. But this film introduces a new character that was not a part of the original books' illustrations. It existed only in the minds of the characters.
DisneyToon Studios presents a charming new journey through the Hundred Acre Wood, featuring the voice talents of Jim Cummings as friendly Winnie the Pooh and the irrepressible Tigger, John Fiedler as little Piglet, Nikita Hopkins as Roo and introducing Kyle Stanger as the voice of Lumpy.
Wednesday March 16th • 7:30pm
Frank G. Wells Theatre
Walt Disney Studios
500 S. Buena Vista Street
(enter through Alameda gate)
Seating capacity limited to 113
Asifa Members only R.S.V.P. (818) 560-1782 by 3/14/05
ASIFA-Hollywood and DisneyToon Studios present
POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE
The Hundred Acre Wood crew is together again in POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE, this time learning an important lesson about being accepting of others' differences and the value of true friendship. Pooh's Heffalump Movie is only the third original Pooh feature made for theatrical release. But this film introduces a new character that was not a part of the original books' illustrations. It existed only in the minds of the characters.
DisneyToon Studios presents a charming new journey through the Hundred Acre Wood, featuring the voice talents of Jim Cummings as friendly Winnie the Pooh and the irrepressible Tigger, John Fiedler as little Piglet, Nikita Hopkins as Roo and introducing Kyle Stanger as the voice of Lumpy.
Wednesday March 16th • 7:30pm
Frank G. Wells Theatre
Walt Disney Studios
500 S. Buena Vista Street
(enter through Alameda gate)
Seating capacity limited to 113
Asifa Members only R.S.V.P. (818) 560-1782 by 3/14/05
Student Short Animation
Is the backbone of the future. A lot of it may be underdeveloped as yet but it is still worth checking out. Anybody that is going to be in the Long Beach area on March 18th might want to check out the student short animation festival:
March 18th
6 to 8 PM
4825 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804
Admission: Free
Is the backbone of the future. A lot of it may be underdeveloped as yet but it is still worth checking out. Anybody that is going to be in the Long Beach area on March 18th might want to check out the student short animation festival:
March 18th
6 to 8 PM
4825 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Long Beach, CA 90804
Admission: Free
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Ladislas Starevich a.k.a. Wladyslaw Starewicz (1892-1965)
I got an e-mail question from Ray Pointer the other day on what I cover in my animation history classes. While doing a quick overview for him I forgot how to spell Ladislas Starevich (since he spelled it 3 different ways over his life I didn't feel too bad) I just went out looking for at least one of the 3 ways that he spelled it. In my search I came upon this site over at AWN: Ladislas Starevich
I am still going through it but it looks very complete. If you want to learn more about the first major stop motion animator you should check out this site.
They even have some movie clips from some of his films like Frog That Would Be King 1922. And a number of animated GIF files like this one below.
Great stuff, well worth a look.
I am still going through it but it looks very complete. If you want to learn more about the first major stop motion animator you should check out this site.
They even have some movie clips from some of his films like Frog That Would Be King 1922. And a number of animated GIF files like this one below.
Great stuff, well worth a look.
