"The Great Cartoon Directors" [1983] by Jeff Lenburg
Nine cartoon directors from the 1930s to 1950s: Tex Avery {invented Daffy Duck and introduced Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd to the screen}; Bob Clampett {directed Warner Brothers cartoons featuring Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and Tweety}; Dave Fleischer {produced cartoons of Betty Boop and Popeye}; Friz Freleng {creator of Speedy Gonzales, Yosemite Sam, and Pink Panther}; William Hanna & Joseph Barbera {won seven Academy Awards for their Tom & Jerry cartoons}; Ub Iwerks {designer of Mickey Mouse and the first sound animated film "Steamboat Willie"}; Chuck Jones {genius behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote}; and Walter Lantz {creator of Woody Woodpecker}
Da Capo Press 10x7 pb [3/93] out of print/40+ used McFarland & Co. 9¼x6¼ hardcover [6/83] out of print/many used
"The Cartoon Music Book" [2002] Edited by Daniel Goldmark & Yuval Taylor, Foreword by Leonard Maltin
Chicago Review Press 9x6¼ pb [11/2002] for $17.95 featured cartoonists & composers include Irwin Chusid, Alf Clausen ("The Simpsons"), Will Friedwald, Chuck Jones, John Kricfalusi, Mark Mothersbaugh ("Rugrats"), Carl Stalling, Neil Strauss, Chris Ware & John Zorn
"Who's Who In Animated Cartoons: An International Guide To Film & Television's Award-Winning & Legendary Animators" [2006] by Jeff Lenburg
Applause Books pb [6/2006] for $17.95
"The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide To Japanese Animation Since 1917, Revised & Expanded Edition" [2006] by Jonathan Clements & Helen McCarthy
Stone Bridge Press 9x7 pb [11/2006] for $19.77
"The Animation Pimp: An Official A.W.N. Press Publication" [2007] by Chris Robinson, Illustrations by Andreas Hykade, Foreword by Nick Tosches Selections from the author's five years of columns on animation, written while he was director of a major animation festival.
Course Technology PTR 8½x5½ pb [6/2007] for $24.99
"Animation Now!" [orig 1982, anniv 2007] from Anima Mundi, edited by Julius Wiedemann
Taschen 8¾x7 hardcover book & color DVD [7/2007] for $10.19 The DVD includes "A Dog's Cartoon"; "Anijam" by Marv Newland; "Death + The Mother" by Ruth Lingford; "Dia de los Muertos" by Vinton Studio; "Feet of Song" by Erica Russell; "Interro- gating Ernie"; "Local Dive" by Sarah Watt; "The Man With The Beautiful Eyes" by Jonathan Hodgson; "Mt. Head" by Koji Yamamura; and "Yo Yo"
"Anime and The Visual Novel: Narrative Structure, Design & Play At The Crossroads of Animation & Computer Games" [2009] by Dani Cavallaro
McFarland & Co. 9x6 pb [10/2009] for $35.00
"Anime and Philosophy" [2010] Edited by Josef Steiff & Tristan D. Tamplin Analyzes anime films such as "Astro Boy", "Dragon Ball Z", "Ghost In The Shell", and "Spirited Away" (and others) aand how these tales grapple with the important questions in life: lessons on morality, justice, and heroism, as well as meditations on identity, the soul, and the meaning – or meaninglessness – of life.
Open Court 9x6½ pb [3/2010] for $13.69
"Animators Unearthed: A Guide To The Best of Contemporary Animation" [2010] by Chris Robinson Profiles of twenty independent animators, including Skip Battaglia, Pat Smith, Don Hertzfeldt, Michaela Pavlátová & Joanna Quinn
Continuum 9x6½ pb [6/2010] for $18.96
"Cinema Anime: Critical Engagements with Japanese Animation" []
"Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime" []
"The Soul of Anime: Collaborative Creativity and Japan's Media Success Story" [] by Ian Condry
"Magic Behind The Voices: A Who's Who of Cartoon Voice Actors" [2004] by Tim Lawson & Alisa Persons
Univ Press of MS 9x6 pb [12/2004] for $22.80 Univ Press of MS hardcover [12/2004] for $60.00 looks at 'character actors' both classic & modern: husband and wife team Wayne Allwine & Russi Taylor (Mickey & Minnie Mouse), Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson), Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons), Paul Frees, Mike Judge (King of The Hill), John Kricfalusi (Ren & Stimpy), and many others
"In A World . . ." [Roadside Attractions Aug 2013] Comedy feature film about a struggling vocal coach who is pushed by her father to compete in the cutthroat world of movie-trailer voiceovers, and strikes it big.
Co-produced, written & directed by and starring Lake Bell, also starring Fred Melamed, Rob Corddry, Demetri Martin, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Nick Offerman, Alexandra Holden & Tig Notaro
DVD/Blu-ray not yet available • full credits at IMDb •
official movie site watch 6/2013 official trailer [2:31] at YouTube
"Tex Avery's Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection" [2007]
includes 24 cartoon shorts (1943-58), documentary film "Droopy and Friends: A Laugh Back", other extras
Warner color DVD [5/2007] 2 disks for $19.99
impressionist animator Frédéric Back [b. 1924] of Canada no browse/Amazon entry • credits at IMDb • Wikipedia
"Mr. Magoo: The Theatrical Collection, 1949-1959" DVD Box Set [2014]
Shout! Factory color DVD set [4/2014] 4 disks for $29.60 contains 53 theatrical cartoon shorts (12 in anamorphic widescreen for the first time), and the 1959 feature film "1001 Arabian Nights" – all with Magoo's voice by Jim Backus; extras include interviews, commentaries, photo gallery, and a "Making of..." short
Announced 1/2012: The Italian animator is planning for his first full-length feature project in 36 years, to be called "Viavia" (which is loosely translated as “Gogo”) • not yet listed on IMDb
"John Canemaker: Marching To A Different Toon" [2002]
contains: "Otto Messmer and Felix The Cat" docufilm [1977], "Confessions of A Stardreamer" []; "Bottom's Dream" short [1984]; "Confessions of A Stand-Up" []; "Wizard's Son" []; "Bridgehamp-ton" []; selections from Canemaker's collaborative work including "Behind The Scenes", "The DNA Concerto", early TV spots, and excerpts from the award-winning documentaries "What Do Children Think of When They Think of The Bomb" and "Break The Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse"; extras include a stills gallery
Image Ent./Milestone color DVD [12/2002] out of prodn/used
"The Moon and The Son: An Imagined Conversation" [Magnolia Pictures Jan 2005] 28-minute animated film about Canemaker's turbulent relationship with his father • Co-produced & co-written by John Canemaker & Peggy Stern; directed by John Canemaker; co-written by Joseph Kennedy; featuring voices of Eli Wallach, John Turturro, Mary Bringle, Peter Schlosser, Larry White; won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short; won 2007 Emmy Award for its graphic & artistic design
DVD/Blu-ray not available •
Amazon Instant Video [2005] purchase $1.99 full credits at IMDb
"Gumby & Friends" The first Gumby short 'Gumbasia' was made as a pilot in May 1955; 43 segments were broadcast on NBC-TV in 1955-56; NBC-TV's "The Gumby Show" variety show aired from 1956 to 1957; 87 new "The Gumby Show" episodes were broadcast from 1962 to 1968; "Gumby Adventures" on NBC-TV broadcast 99 new cartoons in 1988.
search for Gumby DVDs at Amazon
• entry at Wikipedia
"Gumby: The Movie" feature film [Dec 1995] /tt0113234/
http://www.amazon.com/Gumby-Movie-Various/dp/B00125WAV4/
Cartoon Craze Volume 20 "Gumby: Gumbasia" [2004] contains 10 cartoons of various lengths: "Gumbasia"; "Concerto (aka Gumby Concert)"; "Dancing On The Moon"; "Ding Dog Daddy"; "Doggone Tired"; "It's A Greek Life"; "Jerky Turkey"; "Mysterious Fires"; "Robot Rumpus"; and "Too Loo"
Digiview Prodns DVD [4/2004] 10 cartoons - out of prodn/60+ used
"Gumby Dharma" [indep 2005?]
72-minute documentary that was broadcast on KQED-TV in March 2007 as part of their "Truly CA" series
• Co-produced, written & directed by Robina Marchesi; featuring interviewees Art Clokey, Gumby & Pokey {new animation}, Stephen A. Buckley, Joe Clokey, Norm DeCarlo, Holly Harman, Ray Harryhausen, Dal McKennon, Gary Meyer, Kevin Reher & Henry Selick
VHS/DVD/Blu-ray not available • full credits at IMDb •
official movie site
Mark Fiore of San Francisco makes animated editorial cartoons
in 2010, he won the first-ever Pulitzer Prize for his genre of editorial cartoons
no browse/Amazon entry • official website •
credits at IMDb
German animator Hans Fischerkoesen [1896-1973]
no browse/Amazon entry • credits at IMDb • Wikipedia
German animator Oskar Fischinger [1900-67] Fichinger escaped Nazi Germany to Hollywood and produced many abstract paintings & animated films while working under contract at Paramount, M.G.M., and Disney studios.
no browse/Amazon entry • credits at IMDb • Wikipedia
David Dodd Hand [1900-86]
worked for Disney from 1930 to 1944, moved to England, made a series of unspectacular cartoon shorts, not available for 50 years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hand_(animator) + http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0359457/
"Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted" [] Directed by Andy T. Jones, starring Amy Rubinate
http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Warren-Nevertheless-She-Persisted/dp/1974914364/
Moby Dick" [] •Directed by: Andy T. Jones, starring Peter Berkrot
http://www.amazon.com/Moby-Dick-Peter-Berkrot/dp/1520092334/
Announced 7/2012: Montreal’s mammoth Fantasia Fest [July-Aug 2012 = #16] will now crown one film each year with the juried Satoshi Kon Award for Achievement in Animation.
"The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection" [2007] Produced by Walter Lantz, voice of Woody by Mel Blanc
Universal color DVD box set [7/2007] 3 disks for $13.28 includes 75 original theatrical cartoons, plus documentary extras
Announced 11/2011: Universal-based animation house Illumination Entertainment is working on a Woody Woodpecker feature project, with writers John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky in talks to develop a story.
"Barefoot Gen 2" aka 'Hadashi no gen 2' [1986] Co-directed by Toshio Hirata & Akio Sakai; written by Keiji Nakazawa video not available;
full credits from IMDb
"Winsor McCay: Animation Legend" [1999]
Sling Shot b&w DVD [1/99] for $18.43 includes ten short cartoons, windowboxed during the digital transfer: McCay's first film, the stunning hand-colored "Little Nemo" [1911], taken directly from the only known 35mm print; "How A Mosquito Operates" [1912]; "Gertie The Dinosaur" [1914]; the dark and disturbing propaganda masterpiece "The Sinking Of The Lusitania" [1918]; "The Pet" [1921]; "Bug Vaudeville" [1921]; and "The Flying House" [1921]; with extant fragments of "Gertie On Tour" [1921], "The Centaurs" [1921], and "Flip's Circus" [1921]
"Presenting Felix the Cat: The Otto Messmer Classics, 1919-24" [1999]
contains 16 vintage Felix cartoons "restored to their original projection speed with Dave Wickerham's rich new organ scores"
Image Ent. b&w DVD [4/99] out of prodn/used
"Felix The Cat: 10 Classic Cartoons" [2004]
Delta b&w DVD [3/2004] out of prodn/used contains "10 Classic Cartoons Featuring The World's Most Wonderful Cat!": "Felix In Holly-wood" [1923], "Felix Doubles For Darwin" [1924], "Felix Goes West" [1924], "Felix Finds Out" [1924], "Felix All Puzzled" [1925], "Felix Monkeys With Magic" [1925], "Felix Gets The Can" [1925], "A Felix Comic" [1925], "The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg" [1936 sound], and "Neptune Nonsense" [1936 sound]
"Felix The Cat: The Complete 1958-1959 Series" [2007]
Joe Oriolo produced {supposedly 260} new Felix cartoons for television, aimed at children, that were syndicated from 1958 to 1961 by King Features. {Confusion exists, but apparently each of the 31 produced episodes was 15 minutes and was made up of several 4- to 7-minute cliffhanger cartoons.} DVD extras include the first Felix cartoon "Feline Follies" [1919], an interview with John Canemaker on the history of Felix called "Through The Ages", and an archival promo reel for use by TV stations, including ads in French and Spanish
Classic Media DVD [10/2007] 31 episodes on 2 disks for $19.95 partial series credits at IMDb
"Cut Up: The Films of Grant Munro" Special Edition DVD [2003]
110-minute compilation film; collaborations with legendary animator Norman McLaren included here are the amazing pixilated masterpiece "Neighbours" [1953] (Oscar winner for Best Short Film) and two never-completed Munro/McLaren shorts "Six and Seven Eights" and "On The Farm"; also Munro animated classics "Three Blind Mice", "Two Bagatelles", "Christmas Cracker", "Canon", "Toys", and "The Animal Movie", plus Munro's hilarious work in live-action films including "The Ballot-o-Maniac", "Ashes of Doom", and "Boo Hoo" • Featuring interviews by John Canemaker with Norman McLaren & Grant Munro
N.F.B.C./Milestone DVD [12/2003] 2 disks for $26.45 compilation credits at IMDb
"Akira" live-action remake [Warner Bros. release 2013?] Announced 2/2011: Screenwriter Steve Kloves (the "Harry Potter" movies) hired to polish the script. Announced 7/2011: Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra signed to direct •
latest info at IMDb
"Your Name (Kimi no Na Wa)" animé feature film [Japan Aug 2016, USA April 2017]
Overcame political tensions to break box-office records across Asia, including Most Popular Animé of All Time in Japan. High school girl Mitsuha lives in a small mountain town and dreams of someday going to live in Tokyo. Tokyo high school boy Taki works in an Italian restaurant and dreams of becoming an artist. One night they wake up in each other's body, which recurs randomly; they adjust and become accustomed to it. One night they are each watching the sky and see a shooting star and begin to want to meet in person. But something seems to prevent their meeting . . . • Written & directed by Makoto Shinkai; English script by Clark Cheng; music by Radwimps; Japanese voice actors include Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryô Narita, Aoi Yuki, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Kaito Ishikawa, Kanon Tani, Masaki Terasoma, Sayaka Ohara, Kazuhiko Inoue, Chafûrin, Kana Hanazawa, Etsuko Ichi-hara, Masami Nagasawa; English voice actors include Ray Chase, Marc Diraison, Glynis Ellis, Catie Harvey, Kyle Hebert, Cassandra Morris, Laura Post, Ben Pronsky, H.D. Quinn, Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld, Michelle Ruff, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Katy Vaughn, Scott Williams
DVD/Blu-ray not yet available •
full credits at IMDb •
Japan movie site •
USA movie site •
movie entry at Wikipedia watch 3/2017 official English-dub trailer [1:46] at YouTube
Starewicz's animated feature "Le Roman de Renard (The Tale of The Fox)" [1937]
"Cameraman's Revenge & Other Fantastic Tales: The Amazing Puppet Animation of Ladislaw Starewich" DVD Box Set [2002]
Image Ent. b&w/color DVD [1/2005] for $14.99 Milestone Video b&w/color VHS [1/2002] out of prodn/used contains six animated short films:
"The Cameraman's Revenge" [Russia 1912]; the recently-rediscovered "The Insects' Christmas" [Russia 1913]; "The Frogs Who Wanted A King" aka "Frogland" [France 1922, USA 1924] an adaptation of Aesop's fable; hand-tinted "Voice of The Nightingale (La Voix du Rossignol)" [Pathé France 1923, USA 1925]; "The Mascot" [France 1934]; and "Winter Carousel (Carrousel Boréal)" snowland fantasy [France 1959]
"Ghibli et le Mystère Miyazaki" [French TV Jan 2005] 52 minute French- and Japanese-language TV documentary; interviewees include key directors Isao Takahata & Hayao Miyazaki, and Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki; video/DVD/Blu-ray not available; full credits at IMDb
Paul Terry [1887-1971]
Paul Terry drew newspaper comic strips from 1904 to 1914, then produced over 1,300 cartoon films from 1915 to 1955. The Terrytoons stable of characters & series included "Aesop's Fables", "Farmer Al Falfa", "Mighty Mouse", "Heckle & Jeckle", and many more. He sold the company to C.B.S. in the 1960s.
no browse/Amazon entry • credits at IMDb •
Wikipedia
"The Puppet Films of Jiri Trnka" [2000]
Image Ent. color DVD [3/2000] out of prodn/used contains one feature film & 6 short films: "Story of The Bass Cello" [1949]; "The Song of The Prairie" [1949]; "The Merry Circus" [1951]; 67-minute "The Emperor's Nightingale" [1951] narrated by Boris Karloff; "A Drop Too Much" [1954]; "The Hand" [1965]; and 12-minute documentary "Jiri Trnka: Puppet Animation Master" [1999]
![Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, from Disney's "Fantasia" [1940]](images/SorcerersApprentice.jpg "Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, from Disney's \"Fantasia\" [1940]")
