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)




AVI / 1.08 GB / 1h 29m / Audio: Eng / (6 RAR parts)
Video: MPEG-4 / 856x480 / 1478 Kbps / 25.000 fps / 0.144 Qf
Audio: MP3 / 48.0 KHz / 256 Kbps

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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)

AVI / 800 MB / 1h 31m / Audio: Eng / (5 RAR parts)
Video: MPEG-4 / 720x480 (3:2) / 1069 Kbps / 29.970 fps / 0.103 Qf
Audio: MP3 / 48.0 KHz / 137 Kbps

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THE PIXAR STORY (2007, Leslie Iwerks)

The Pixar Story / DIR: Leslie Iwerks / WRITTEN: L. Iwerks / CINEMATOGRAPHY: Suki Mendencevic / EDIT: L. Iwerks; Stephen Myers / NARRATION: Stacy Keach / MUSIC: Jeff Beal / PRD: Leslie Iwerk Productions / 2007 / 1h 27 m.

NOTABLE INTERVIEWEES: John Lasseter; Steve Jobs; Edwin Catmull; Andrew Stanton; Pete Docter; Brad Bird; John Musker; Lee Unkrich; Jim Murphy; Ron Clements; Frank Thomas; Glen Keane; Joe Grant; Tom Hanks; Tim Allen; Billy Crystal; Roy Disney; Michael Eisner; Randy Newman; George Lucas; Dennis Muren.

This is a tale about three guys, an unemployed artist, a computer geek, and a cheated entrepreneur, coming together to form the most successful pioneering animation studio since Walt Disney days. Pixar has rocked our world, presenting us the legacy of 20th century animation under new creative forms. This documentary tell us the whole story right from its beginnings; exploring the careers of this three Key-man of the Studio.

You will get to know the inventiveness of Edwin Catmull, a Ph.D in Physics and Computer Science, and a passionate admirer of animations; Working for George Lucas Special Efects department and developing CG tools to assist the animators.

Also, the vision... the Balls really!... of Steve Jobs; investing for a decade more than 10 million dollars of his own money in a very risky - non profit at all - enterprise. Keeping the boat afloat with the financial assistance of The Walt Disney Company; and when that media mega-conglomerate threat on retiring that suport, planning the public offering of Pixar stocks for more than 100 million, forcing Disney to sign a 50/50 partnership.

But what this documentary is really about, is the will of an artist: John Lasseter. A story of determination, of keep struggling against all odds. You'll see him being elected as one of the young promising talents by "Disney's animation program" in CalArts; and winning two consecutive Student Awards. Applying for a job at Disney, working his way up from the theme park attractions to the animation studio: where he got to watch Tron (1982) and acknowledged the potential of CGI. And the birth of a dream: to make the first computer animated feature. But things at Disney weren't the way they used to. Many were afraid of losing their jobs because of this new technology, and so... He got fired! A very touching moment in the documentary. Can you imagine what was that like for John? Getting kicked out of the animation Mount Olympus to an exile land, the reality, where nobody cared about the virtual world?(... a little melodramatic, here)

In the darkest hour of his career, John would unite forces with Ed Catmull: Little he knew, that this was just the beginning... (by pelida77)

MP4 / 573 MB / 1h 28m / Audio: Eng
Video: MPEG-4 / 480x360 (16:9) / 767 Kbps / 23.976 fps / 0.185 Qf
Audio: AAC / 44.1 KHz / 132.3 Kbps

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JOURNEY OF THE HEART (Hayao Miyazaki - Isao Takahata)

(Sekai Waga Kokoro no Tabi - Hayao Miyazaki)
(Sekai Waga Kokoro no Tabi - Isao Takahata)

Yes, I know, I know... This are not books, rather... some sort of weird japanese Documentaries.Yet, I think they adapt perfectly to the spirit of this blog (spirit? which means that this is my mf blog)

Miyazaki wanted to fly to the Sahara in an old plane (crazy old man). It's a very interesting documentary, because it doesn't try to teach you about Miya-san achievements, but rather to show you the man behind the artist. (Very touching at times.) You will be able to remember, and perhaps finally understand, the desert fortress by the sea in Future Boy Conan; and get to know how deep is Miya-san passion for old planes. And there is also something about Miyazaki's favorite writer, the french poet Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

I am a big fan of the animations made by Isao Takahata. He's a great director, so it's kind of unfair that he is known in the West mainly because of the talent of his friend. The program took Takahata-san (I certainly enjoy this Karate Kid talk) on a trip to Prince Edward Island, in Canada.
When Takahata-san was young, he went there on a research for his beautiful Anne of Green Gables (1979) series. We get in touch with the personality of this artist, his deep concern for enviromental issues, and the future of mankind.Also you'll get to know another great animator (in fact one of the greatest, I think) the canadian master Frédéric Back, the creator of "The man who planted trees" (among others).

(by pelida77)

Next week, back with the books.

Journey of the Heart. On the wings of Saint-Exupéry: From France to the Sahara.
Traveler: Hayao Miyazaki.
MKV / 753 MB / 0h 44m / Aud: Jap / Sub: Eng (Soft)
Video: AVC / 640x480 (4:3) / 2000 Kbps
Audio: AC-3 / 48.0 KHz / 384 Kbps.

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Journey of the Heart. Conversations With The Man Who Planted Trees.
Traveler: Isao Takahata.
MKV / 753 MB / 0h 44m / Au: Jap / Sub: Eng (Soft)
Video: AVC / 712x480 (16:9) / 2000 Kbps
Audio: AC-3 / 48.0 KHz / 384 Kbps.

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