OUT OF THE INKWELL (2011, Richard Fleischer)

Richard Fleischer. Out of the Inkwell: Max Fleischer and the Animation Revolution. Lexington,  University Press of Kentucky, 2011.

/ PDF / / English / / 232pages / 0813134641 / 978-0813134642

Max Fleischer (1883–1972) was for years considered Walt Disney's only real rival in the world of cartoon animation. The man behind the creation of such legendary characters as Betty Boop and the animation of Popeye the Sailor and Superman, Fleischer asserted himself as a major player in the development of Hollywood entertainment. Out of the Inkwell: Max Fleischer and the Animation Revolution is a vivid portrait of the life and world of a man who shaped the look of cartoon animation. Also interested in technical innovation, Fleischer invented the rotoscope―a device that helped track live action and allowed his cartoons to revolutionize the way animated characters appeared and moved on-screen. In the 1920s, Fleischer created a series of "Out of the Inkwell" films, which led to a deal with Paramount.

Their character KoKo the Clown introduced new animation effects by growing out of Fleischer's pen on-screen. As the sound revolution hit film, the studio produced shorts featuring the characters interacting with songs and with the now-famous bouncing ball that dances across lyrics projected on the screen. Max Fleischer's story is also one of a creative genius struggling to fit in with the changing culture of golden age cinema. Out of the Inkwell captures the twists and turns, the triumphs and disappointments, and most of all the breathless energy of a life vibrantly lived in the world of animation magic. (Amazon)

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THE NOBLE APPROACH (2013, Tod Polson)

Tod Polson. The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design. San Francisco, Chronicle Books, 2013.

/ PDF / English / 176 pages / 1452102945 / 978-1452102948

Nice book about the most influential animation designer of all time. There's also a bit of a bio here: his humble beginnings at the art school, working with Disney: he was the background painter in many of the Silly Symphonies, notably the Oscar winning The Old Mill (1937), eventually he became a background/layout artist working in Snow Whites, Bambi, Pinocchio, Fantasia and Dumbo... and then, he joined the strike against Disney! he was one of the very few "selected circle" artists to join, he had everything to lose but he did it anyways cause "it wasn't fair to the guys on the lower rungs". So he fought, won and... finally leave :(

During the war time period, started the first of many collaborations with Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Robert Mackimson.  

In 1951 he joined the Chuck Jones animation unit as layout designer and history was made, thus it begans his work at Warner Bros. Designing and creating background layouts for Duck Amuck, What's Opera Doc?, Kiss Me Cat. Then Working at MGM, retirement and coming out in the 90's. Etc. Etc.

But mainly this is an outline on the design philosophies of Maurice Noble, ilustrated with some of his designs: where to get inspiration from, how to choose color, how to break down the layout, etc. His logical approach to animation design: "Backgrounds and characters should work in harmony" and a simple line art style never interferes with a gag, design should always support a story not the other way around. (by pelida77)     

By the way, if you are any interested in background art take a peek at this amazing blog by Rob Richards:

animationbackgrounds.blogspot.com

"The real art of animation is filled with ideas and beauty and is never-ending joy"

(Maurice Noble)

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LEGENDS OF ANIMATION: HAYAO MIYAZAKI (2012, Jeff Lenburg)

Jeff Lenburg. Hayao Miyazaki: Japan's Premier Anime Storyteller (Legends of Animation). New York, Chelsea House, 2012.

PDF / English / 160 pages / 1604138416 / 978-1604138412

Ok, so... another biography... Very useful as an introduction into Hayao's life and deep enough

to satisfy a hardcore fan. 

His early life in Bunkyo, Tokyo, were his father was director of Miyazaki airplanes, a plane parts manufacturer. His mother sickness, all things that had of course a profound influence on him. 

One of his primary inspirations: Osamu Tezuka. Discovering Hakujaden (1958) and deciding on becoming an animator.

Work in Toei Douga

Joining the staff of Toei Douga, working as an in-betweener in Wanwan Chûsingura (1963), 

Shonen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru (1964), Ookami Shounen Ken (1965), 

Gulliver no Uchu Rkyoko (1965); then being elevated to key animator and working on Hustle Punch (1965), Rainbow Sentai Robin (1966), Mahotsukai Sally (1968).

As part of the production team of Taiyou no Oji Hols no Daiboken, Hols Prince of the Sun (1968), a landmark in japanese animation history and the first of many collaborations with Isao Takahata Producing key animation, designs and storyboards for Nagagutsu o Haita Neko, Puss in Boots (1969) a prototype for Hayao's later feature Cagliostro. Screenplay, animation, design contributions in The Flying Phantom Ship (1969)

Leaving Toei - Pre Ghibli 

He joined Takahata and Yoichi Otabe in Toei's rivals A-Pro (a studyo that animated for Tokyo Movie Shinsha), making two shorts: Panda Kopanda (1972) and a sequel Panda Kopanda: Amefuri Saakasu no Maki (1973) Both considered prototypes for Totoro. Then producing arguably the first animated TV series intended for teenagers, Lupin III.

 Designs and layouts for Alps Girl Heidi (1974) and Three Thousand Miles in Search of Mother (1976) Anne Green Gables (1979)... all representative works of Takahata 

Being promoted to Director and breaking through with Future Boy Conan (1977) Directing his first feature anime Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

Studio Ghibli

The making of Nausicaä of the Valley of The Wind (1984), Miyazaki's environmental concerns, his love for aircraft and flight; his pacifist and anti military attitude; and his morally ambiguous characters. On the strength of the success of Nausicaä, he and Takahata co found their own animation studio.

Their first project an original anime Laputa: The Castle in the Sky (1986) an animation with a strong Welsh influence and partly rooted in Celtic culture.

His greatest triumph to date My Neighbor Totoro (1988) the story of two sisters befriending a mythical furry creature in a traditional village life environment. Following the success of Totoro another masterpiece Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), the story of a 13 year old witch in training who, in witch tradition, leaves home to spend a year alone in a new town in order to establish herself as a full witch.

Porco Rosso a high flying adventure about an Italian air force pilot turned into a crimson pig, and a bounty hunter protecting ships from marauding air pirates where he combined two passions: flying and Italy. He intended the film for middle-aged people but kids loved it. In 1995 Ghibli streak a deal with Disney to distribute their films outside Japan.

Then comes Princess Mononoke (1997) a very dark film about the destructive power of greed in an ancient mythical setting. And finally Hayao's greatest financial success Spirited Away (2001) about a 10 year old girl discovering a mysterious bathhouse full of ghosts and spirits... and a little more, well a lot more. Enjoy (pelida77)

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THE ANIME ART OF HAYAO MIYAZAKI (2006, Dani Cavallaro)

Dani Cavallaro. The Anime Art of Hayao Miyazaki. London, Macfarland, 2006.

/ PDF / English / 212 pages / 0786423692 / 978-0786423699

"Works of art are created by those who are prepared to go to the limit" (Hayao Miyazaki)

A look at the life and work of one of the greatest animators of all time, the japanese master film-maker Hayao Miyazaki. This book opens with an introduction to Miyazaki’s work describing his visual repertoire, themes and cinematographical style. The first two chapters situate the films in relation to two complementary contexts: manga and anime, and the principal features of traditional and digital animation.

Miyazaki’s early experiences in the realms of comic books and animation, as well as his roles in pre–Ghibli productions, are thereafter examined. The rest of the text focuses on the Ghibli era, assessing the company’s development and discussing in depth Miyazaki’s output between Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). Each film is appraised with reference to its themes, narrative structure, topical relevance and place within the broad context of Miyazaki’s corpus. Close attention is also devoted to specific animation techniques and cinematographical operations, through detailed analyses of the film texts themselves and parallel assessments of the storyboards, concept art and model sheets executed for the various productions by Miyazaki and his team. Data regarding production schedules and achievements at the box office are also supplied where appropriate. 

Various chapters, chronologically situated throughout the text, explore other productions emanating from Studio Ghibli, or otherwise involving Ghibli staff but realized for other studios, to which Miyazaki has directly or indirectly contributed, e.g., in the capacities of concept and storyboard designer or producer.  These chapters are integral parts of the book’s content and structure as reflections on Studio Ghibli’s eminently collaborative nature. 

The Filmography supplies additional information about Ghibli’s engagement in the production of tie-ins, the fandom phenomenon and filmographical details. (Dani Cavallaro)

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CHUCK JONES EXTREMES AND IN-BETWEENS (2000, Margaret Selby)

Chuck Jones Extremes and In-betweens: a Life in Animation / DIR: Margaret Selby / WRIT: Greg Ford; Margaret Selby / PHOTO: Mead Hunt / EDIT: Steven Wechsler / SOUND: Danny Caccavo / PRD: CAMI Spectrum / 2000 / 1h 24m.

INTERVIEWEES: Chuck Jones; Maurice Noble (Background Artist); Bob Givens (Layout); Martha Sigall (inker-painter); June Foray (Voice actress); Stan Freberg (Voice actor); Marian Jones (Wife); Linda Jones (Daughter); Richard Kent Jones (Brother); Glen Keane; John Lasseter; Eric Goldberg; Rob Minkoff; Matt Groening; Ken Burns (Director); Ron Howard; Steven Spielberg; Joe Dante; Robin Williams; Whoopi Goldberg; Roger Ebert (film critic); Leonard Maltin

Very few animators are as recognizable as Charles M. Jones; you can tell by the look of it, that you're watching a Chuck's piece. There's an emphasys on the characters expressions, and a tinge of irony in their attitudes (like if the characters were only actors performing their parts). The "camera" work; the odd angles; those briefs moments of stillness before the action begins; the astounding Maurice Noble's backgrounds. Even among the huge Warner Bros library; so many great directors, so many different styles, yet, his work always excelled. As John Lasseter says, "he's given us his versions of some of the most famous cartoon characters in history, but his versions are the definitive ones."

This documentary was shown as an episode for PBS "Great Perfomances" TV series. Covers a good part of Chuck's career. His beginnings working as a cel-washer. Joining the Leon Schlesinger's Studio, and developing an early style, a strongly Disney influenced animation e.g.: Sniffles Takes a Trip (1940)But working with Tex Avery and breathing through the whackiness atmosphere of Warner Bros, soon enough Chuck will find his own voice. And so, comes his first absolutely personal works: The Draft Horse (1942) and The Dover Boys (1942).

This will inevitably lead to the masterpieces: Rabbit of Seville (1950) Feed The Kitty (1952); Duck Amuck (1953); Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953); The Cats Bah (1954) One Froggy Evening (1955); Rocket Squad (1956) What's Opera, Doc? (1957); and so many more!!! great characters, like: Bugs Bunny; Elmer Fudd; Daffy Duck; The Roadrunner and the Coyote; Marvin the martian; Pepé le Pew; Papa, Mama and Junior Bears; Hubie and Bertie...    

His final period, always experimenting, always trying new things: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) The Dot and the Line (1965); and even his attempt on the Tom and Jerry series (1963-1967).

There is a lot more to tell about Chuck's career, but this serves as a great introduction. (by pelida77)

"I discover isn't a question of drawing, it's a question of expression what makes every character come to life." (C. Jones)

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FRANK AND OLLIE (1995, Theodore Thomas)

Frank and Ollie / DIR: Theodore Thomas / WRITTEN: Theodore Thomas / PHOTO: Erik Daarstad / EDIT: Kathryn Camp / MUSIC: John Reynolds / PRD: Kuniko Okubo; Theodore Thomas / 1995 / 1h 29m.

INTERVIEWEES: Frank Thomas; Ollie Johnston; Jeanette Thomas (Wife); Marie Johnston (Wife); John Canemaker (Animator, Critic); John Culhane (Critic); Andy Gaskill (Animator); Glen Keane (Animator).

A documentary on this notable pair of animators, among the most talented and famous of Disney's so-called "Nine Old Men". And sure they have earned this reputation: main animation in 23 film features!!! In this doc what I really like, is how they edited the acting of Frank and Ollie with its animation counterpart; so you get to see what's behind animation, and how all the classical Disney scenes were born in their minds. (In their books they insist on how an animator is really an actor)
They will share their memories on: Alice's Queen; Pinocchio's nose; Bernard the janitor; Prince John thumb sucking problem; Bambi and Thumper; How Mowgli got "lured" by woman. The spaghetti scene in Lady and the Tramp; How Captain Hook managed to play the piano; and many more...

There's also a segment dedicated to their colleagues and mentors: Norm Ferguson; Ham Luske; Freddy Moore; Bill Tytla. You can tell how deeply they respect them. Ollie recall the huge impact that the flypaper scene in Playful Pluto had on him. Frank shows Freddy's pencil and reveal us that there's still some of Moore's talent on it. They loved everything about their jobs.
If you are an animation fan, you'll like this documentary. So, enjoy! (by pelida77)




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W. DISNEY: The Triumph of American Imagination (2007, Neal Gabler, *Audiobook)

Gabler Neal, Walt Disney: The Triumph of American Imagination, London, Vintage, 2007. "This is audible" :) Narrated by Arthur Morey.

Some critics describe Walter Elias Disney as a greedy capitalist, a mercenary butching fairy tales for profit. Intellectuals prefer to see him as a cultural pollutioner manipulating masses into merchandising consumption. "He wasn't an animator. He couldn't draw, not even his own signature" - they say - Always reminding us some sad story about employees working for pennies or how he was an abusive boss bully, a conservative dickhead, an anti semite nazi...!!!
This book is not a simple biography, it's a very well founded defense of the genius that was also a man; the most positive biography on Walt I've ever read (hear really) but not at the risk of losing objectivity: you'll know about his outbursts of wrath (sometimes his cruelty), the fierce oposition to laborist activism ("Commies sons of the bitches" used to said; Walt was a fervent hater of anything he though was communist influenced).
But beyond the shadows of the man's life there are some fine examples of his initiative, risky spirit, obsessive perfectionism, and inventiveness; all of which can be found on this book: Inverting the live-action animation relationship (Alice's Series). Giving Oswald personality. A bet on sound animation (Mickey). Mickey inbetween of Charlie Chaplin - Douglas Fairbanks type of heroe. Donald as an anti-Mickey (a bad-ass duck). Conceiving excellence as a corporate value. Insisting on specialization (extremes - inbetweens); Art classes for animators. Investing on colour. A full length feature cartoon, a perfect movie (Snow White). Colaboration with Lepold Stokowsky. Animation as an art experience: Fantasia. The Studio war output. Controversy about Bambi as reflecting negatively on hunters. Using "quickies" to finance quality on better pictures. The release of Song of the South in a socially unstable country. Failed project with Salvador Dali. Nice anecdotes (They hired real life dwarfs to draw them for Snow White!), some very obscure: Walt's mother died from monoxide poison. Wildlife documentaries with the Disney touch. 1st big studio producing for Television. The creation of a cultural icon: Disneyland...
This book has all of this and much more; a fascinant reflection about Walt Disney overcoming the myths and rumors surrounding his public persona and his own inner shadows: a real triumph to his unlimited imagination.
(by pelida77)





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THE HAND BEHIND THE MOUSE: The Ub Iwerks Story (1999, Leslie Iwerks)

The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story / DIR: Leslie Iwerks / WRITTEN: Leslie Iwerks / PHOTO: Shana Hagan / EDIT: Stephen Myers; Seth Flaum / NARRATION: Kelsey Grammer / MUSIC: John Debney; Louis Febre / PRD: Leslie Iwerk Productions / 1999 / 1h 30m.

INTERVIEWEES: Ollie Johnston; Chuck Jones; Mark Davis; Ed Friedman; Mark Kausler; John Lasseter; John Hench; Richard Edlund; Don Iwerks; Virginia Davis; Roy Disney; Leonard Maltin, Russell Merritt, and Joe adamsom.

Who was Ub Iwerks? A pioneering animator? An Special Effects Technician? A great and generous teacher? A fast work at drawing? A free-spirited Artist? Through the years a man's work comes to form his face; looking at his photo I think it's possible to have a glimpse of Ub Iwerks life. He was all of that and more: he was a Genius.

Leslie Iwerks made her directorial debut in 1999 with this documentary about the achievements of his grandfather, the animation legend Ubbe Eert Iwerks (1901-1971). Overcoming a tough childhood; Ub learned the basics of animation in a comercial art job; where he got to know Walt Disney. Together they planted the seeds of an empire: they were two sides of the same passion. Like Walt, Ub was obsessed with perfection, and like him he was not marked by conformity to customs: he didn't rest on his laurels.

An inside look into the art of Iwerks. The "circle drawing, perfect perspective, rithmic animation". His legendary ability to draw faster and better than anyone: an average of seven hundred drawings per day for Plane Crazy (1928); Gallopin Gaucho (1928); and the first Silly Symphonies totally animated by him - layout, design, animation-, including masterpieces like The Skeleton Dance (1929).

You'll see him experimenting with the mixing of live action and animation. From the rough techniques used in the Alice's Comedies of the 20's; to the subtle and fluid illusions of The Three Caballeros (1945) and Mary Poppins (1964). Remaining loyal to Disney when the Charles Mintz / Oswald the lucky rabbit affair. Of course, creating the Mickey Mouse character. Breaking with Walt a couple of years later to make his own path with the opening of a Studio, Celebrity Productions (selling up his shares of Disney). There he nurtured some future talents: Shamus Culhane, Irv Spence, Ed Friedman, Grim Natwick, Steve Bosustow, and Chuck Jones. And his work would become a tour de force of the improvisatory, anarquist and surreal animation style: Flip The Frog, Wille Whopper and the Comicolor Cartoon's.

Finally you'll see him retiring from animation, and becoming the head of the photographics FX laboratory back at Disney's; where he earned the reputation of great creativity for solving technical problems: helping with the development and improvement of the multiplane camera, the Xerox's inking process, the sodium vapor travelling matte...

A captivating documentary; with some flaws (like Walt's southern accent off-voice used to read the letters) but made - you can tell - with love for the subject. (by pelida77)

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WALT BEFORE MICKEY (2011, Timothy S. Susanin)

Timothy S. Susanin, Walt Before Mickey: Disney's Early Years 1919-1928, Jackson, University Press of Mississippi, 2011.

PDF / 4 MB / 373 pp / 1604739606 / 978-1604739602

Another Book on Walt Disney, this one about his early years in animation business (really, that is the only period that matters in Disney's life as an animator). An insight into the mind of the genius, in the days when the world was young... (by pelida77)

Thanksgiving 1966. B 1: Kansas City. The road to the First Studios: Comercial Art, Film Ad, and "Home Experimenting". Kaycee Studios (1921-1922). The Laugh-O-gram Films (1922-1923).
B 2 Los Angeles. First steps in Hollywood. Disney Brothers Studio 1923 - 1926. Alice's Wonderland. Ub IWerks. 2719 Hyperion Avenue. Walt Disney Studio 1926 - 1928. Oswald the lucky rabbit.The creation of Mickey Mouse. Epilogue: After Mickey.

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ANIMATED REALISM (2011, Judith Kriger)

Judith Kriger. Animated Realism: A Behind the Scenes Look to the Animated Documentary Genre. Focal Press, 2011.

PDF / 32 MB / ENG / 210 pp / 0240814398 / 978-0240814391

I wasn't even aware of the existence of an animated documentary genre. But because of this book, I was forced to think in the beginnings of animation, in Winsor McCay's Sinking of Lusitania, and to conclude that animated documentaries have always been there. This book is not really about the doc genre history, rather about new examples of the genre (most of them from the 21st century, and about CGI productions).

Interviews with the artists: Yoni Goodman (animation in Waltz with Bashir); Bob Sabiston (creator of the Rotoshop); John Canemaker (The moon and the Son); Marie Joseé Saint Pierre (Femelles); Dennis Tupicoff (Chainsaw); Chris Landreth (Ryan); Paul Fierlinger (Tulip... among many others)

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WALT DISNEY: THE MOUSE THAT ROARED (2011, Jeff Lenburg)

Jeff Lenburg. Legends Of Animation. Walt Disney: The Mouse that Roared. New York, Chelsea House, 2011

PDF / 6 MB / Eng / 145 pp. / 160413836X / 978-1604138368

A very simple book. Maybe not a must-have for Disney hardcore fans, but If you have never read a Walt's bio, this would do as a great intro. The usual topics of Walt Disney's life: Childhood; first steps as an animator; Sync sound cartoons, Mickey Mouse; Three-Strip Technicolor, The Silly Symphonies; The multiplane camera, The Old Mill, Snow White; The Strikes, Bambi, Pinocchio, etc.; Disneyland, last projects and the final years. (by pelida77)

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HANNA BARBERA: SULTANS OF SATURDAY MORNING (2001, Jeff Lenburg)

Lenburg, Jeff. William Hanna & Joseph Barbera: The Sultans of Saturday Morning. Legends of Animation, New York, Chelsea House, 2001

PDF / 169 pages / Eng / 1604138378 / 978-1604138375

If I must pick a cartoon of my childhood, probably will be one made by Hanna-Barbera. And I suspect the same will happen to many of you. This book comes to celebrate the life and the amazing career achievements of the american genius duet.

Bill Hanna. His humble beginnings as a janitor at Harman & Ising studio. Working his way up: cel-washer, supervisor, inking and coloring, Music Department, storyline and storyboards. Directing his first cartoon at 23 years old!!!. The life Of Joseph Barbera. Joe's difficult childhood.
Some weird twists of fate: Pugilist, Banking Career, Cartoonist. Job as an inker at Fleischers. Second chance, The Van Beuren Studio, first time as an animator: Rainbow Parades, Cubby Bear, and Tom and Jerry (no... not that ones). Third chance!!! Paul Terry's: Farmer Al Falfa, Kiko the Kangaroo... Finally Both at MGM: Working under Fred Quimby's animation department. Captain and the Kids. The birth of Tom and Jerry. Monumental Success. 7 Best Short Oscars, 21 Academy Award nominations. The decline of MGM cartoons (Farewell to the Golden Age).

The department is closed. A new begining: The Hanna Barbera Animation Studio. Surviving on TV: reducing the costs. The Ruff & Reddy Show. Back to the top of the World The Huckleberry Hound Show. Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Pixie and Dixie, Quick Draw McGraw, Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, The Flintstones, Top Cat, The Jetsons, Space Ghost,Jossie and the Pussycats, Scooby-Doo... The charming 80's... This is the end my friends (by pelida77)

"To make people laugh. That's all we're trying to do." (Joe Barbera)

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ANIMATORS UNEARTHED (2010)

Robinson, Chris. Animators Unearthed: A Guide to the Best of Contemporary Animation, New York, Continuum, 2010.

PDF /1.38 MB / Eng / 254 pages / 0826429564 / 978-0826429568

The phrase "independent animation" remit us to unknown movies, low budgets, snob fans but mainly to ignored artist.

That's why this book comes to serve as a look into the beautifull world of personal, outside the mainstream, animation. Introducing us and celebrating the art of extraordinary authors such as: Skip Battaglia; Aaron Augenblick; Chros Landreths; PES (Adam Pesapane); Patrick Smith's; Joanna Priestley; Barry Purves; Michaela Pavlátová's; Théodore Ushev; Bob Sabiston; Bruce Alcock; Konstantin Bronzit; Suzan Pitt; Don Hertzfeldt; Chris Shepherd; Mait Laas; John Canemaker (yes, he is also an animator) and Joanna Quinn.

(by pelida77)


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THE ANIMATED MAN: A LIFE OF WALT DISNEY (2007, Michael Barrier)

Barrier, Michael. Animated Man: A life of Walt Disney, Los Angeles, University of California Press, 2007.

PDF / 3.66 MB / 411 pp. / Eng / 0520241177 / 978-0520241176

The ultimate biography on Walt Disney (though its author doesn't apreciate this title). Usually the bio's suck: the critics easily forgets that their primary goal is not to write a literary piece but to give well based information (and just secondarily, to make it interesting); well... it could be argue of course that someone's life - even the one of a genius - isn't really that important, and the only reason why you may want to read this actually is because it could be... fun.

Barrier has interviewed almost anyone who once knew Disney (begining in 1969), probably read every book and magazine on the subject, hear Walt himself telling his story (by tape recordings
of a planned, never published autobiography), and of course watched all animation (and live action) made by the studio during Disney's life (specially interesting - at least for me - is the analisys of the silent cartoons period); So... he seems to be very well documented. He is able to "read" in the small trivial affairs of a man's life and then drop into conclusions about how it builded his genius. Also he gave his biography a novel style, that doesn't suit a serious research (but, you know, who wants to be serious?).

So if you can forget this new Dickens voice, you're sure gonna enjoy this book. Because Walts life could be real, real fun:

- His Childhood as a farmboy in Marceline; and as a city lad in Kansas City.
- His entry into animation world. The work with Ub Iwerks.
- The close (sometimes conflictive) relationship with Roy, his brother.
- Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit. Mickey Mouse and the Sound Cartoon.
- The creation of the Silly Symphonies.
- Snow White. The arrival of the Disney feature films. The art of Walt Disney.
- The strike of 1941.
- Walt Disney World.
- The eternal freezer dreams (nah...sadly, that was a myth)
- A well done portray of a man, whith his lights and shadows.

(by pelida77)


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CHUCK JONES: A FLURRY OF DRAWINGS (Hugh Kenner )

KENNER, Hugh, Chuck Jones: A Flurry of Drawings Portraits of American Genius, Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1994.

PDF / 5 MB / Eng / 114 pp. / 0520087976 /978-0520087972

- Biografía de Chuck Jones (1912 - 2002). Desde sus comienzos en la animación como "cel-washer" (a los 19 años!!!), conociendo a leyendas de la industria como: Ub Iwerk, Grim Natwick, Fred "Tex" Avery, y por supuesto Michael Maltese,Bob Clampett,Ken Harris, Abe Levitow y más.

- Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, Pepé Le Pew, Roadrunner, Willy E. Coyote, The Grinch, Rikki Tikki Tavi.



- Ideas y definiciones sobre animación. Todo un cuadro de época sobre la animación en la primera mitad del siglo XX.

- Multiples citas del propio Chuck, que explican en qué consistía la animación en la Edad de oro.

- El proceso de creacion en el cartoon de la Warner.

- Ilustraciones hechas por Chuck.

- Por momentos el autor no es del todo serio en sus comentarios, y en sus múltiples intentos por hacerse el simpático... se pone en vergüenza (creo además que está un poco loco).

Kenner provides a brief, lively history of animation before focusing on the Warner Brothers animation studio, out of which came the wildest, most outrageous cartoons of the 1940s and 1950s. As Kenner notes, Warner was the only place in animation where the auteur theory applies, for each Warner cartoon director had his own take on the studio's characters. Chuck Jones was one of the directors responsible for the classics featuring the likes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the Road Runner, and his mastery of the Warner characters' personalities, along with his distinctive comic sensibilities (more droll than outlandish) and sense of visual design, made his cartoons standouts. In his somewhat rambling essay, Kenner makes perceptive observations on Jones' career and the artistry behind his six-minute gems.

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THE CINEMA OF MAMORU OSHII (Dani Cavallaro)

CAVALLARO, Dani, The Cinema of Mamoru Oshii: Fantasy, Technology and Politics, North Carolina, McFarland, 2006.

PDF / 8.11 MB / Eng / 258 pag / 0786427647 / 978-0786427642

Otro libro sobre Oshii. El bueno de Dani analiza la obra de uno de los genios de la animación japonesa. Hay un repaso de todo lo que ha hecho Mamoru (o bien de aquellos proyectos en los que se involucró indirectamente): Ippatsu Kanta-Kun; Nil’s Misterious Journey; Urusei Yatsura: only you; Beautifull Dreamer; Dallos; Akai Megane; Patlabor Twilight Q2; Stray Dog; Ghost in the Shell y más. (by pelida77)

Today’s animation is much more than kids’ stuff. Increasingly complex subject matter has produced a corresponding increase in artistic interest, and forms once specific to certain cultures have crossed borders to enjoy international popularity. Japanese animation has been particularly successful in the United States, and among the most celebrated Japanese animation artists is director Mamoru Oshii.

This book is an analytical survey of Oshii’s cinematic works from the early years of his career through his 21st-century productions, including Beautiful Dreamer and the acclaimed Ghost in the Shell. The author examines these and other Oshii productions in relation to the Carnivalesque movement, technopolitics and the director’s post-robotic vision. Oshii’s films are particularly significant in their defiance of the premises of Western animation and their presentation of a highly personal commentary on both individual and collective identities in the 20th and 21st centuries. Special emphasis is placed on Oshii’s revolutionary film techniques, including the stylistically and thematically diverse features of productions ranging from animation to live action to Original Video Animation (OVA), a format Oshii invented. A complete filmography is included.

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GOD OF COMICS OSAMU TEZUKA (Natsu Onoda Power)

POWER, Natsu Onoda, God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of post World War II Manga, Missisippi, University of Missisippi Press, 2009.

PDF / 8.29 MB / Eng / 219 pag / 1604732210 / 978-1604732214

Este es un libro recién salidito del horno acerca de Tezuka. Por ende, no puedo ser muy objetiva con este librito. Si hay algo casi tan divertido como leer el manga de Tezuka es leer obras de análisis sobre Tezuka. (by pelida77)

Cartoonist Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) is the single most important figure in Japanese post-World War II comics. During his four-decade career, Tezuka published more than 150,000 pages of comics, produced animation films, wrote essays and short fiction, and earned a Ph.D. in medicine. Along with creating the character Astro Boy (Mighty Atom in Japan), he is best known for establishing story comics as the mainstream genre in the Japanese comic book industry, creating narratives with cinematic flow and complex characters. This style influenced all subsequent Japanese output. God of Comics chronicles Tezuka's life and works, placing his creations both in the cultural climate and in the history of Japanese comics. The book emphasizes Tezuka's use of intertextuality. His works are filled with quotations from other texts and cultural products, such as film, theater, opera, and literature. Often, these quoted texts and images bring with them a world of meanings, enriching the narrative. Tezuka also used stock characters and recurrent visual jokes as a way of creating a coherent world that encompasses all of his works.

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STRAY DOG OF ANIME: The films of Mamoru Oshii (Bryan Ruh)

RUH, Bryan, Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii, New York, Palgrave McMillan, 2004.

PDF / 1 MB / Eng / 241 pag / 1403963347 / 978-1403963345

Un libro sobre Mamoru, con un crítico de primera. Se hace un repaso a los puntos más sobresalientes de la carrera del “Stray dog of Anime”: Urusei Yatsura, Angel’s Egg, Mobile Police Patlabor, Ghost in the Shell, Jin Roh, Blood the last vampire, avalon, entre otras... Los yanquis idolatran a Mamoru y esto se nota en la cantidad de libros que se publican sobre su obra. (by pelida77)
Brian Ruh's Stray Dog of Anime is a wonderfully accessible introduction to Oshii Mamoru, one of the most brilliant and challenging anime directors working today. Stray Dog provides a fine overview of the spiritual, aesthetic and political issues that weave through Oshii's work. This book is an excellent resource on a major director, still too little studied in the States. Fans of Oshii and fans of anime in general will find it both stimulating and enlightening.

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