Thunderbean's Aesop's Fables DVD

[lonesome-lenny]

I hope this is not a duplication of someone else's previous post. Just wanted to say that I got this DVD and am very impressed with it. It's so nice to see these cartoons with the original titles (that super-primitive animated tableau of jivin' animals), and the selection of cartoons is great.

These early Van Beurens are fascinating to me. They're so completely primitive, yet are so compelling. I particularly dug the two "Waffles and Dan" cartoons. "Gypped In Egypt" is a perfect example of primitive New York cartoon weirdness c. 1930. I have never taken LSD, nor do I ever intend to, but the finale to this cartoon made me feel as though I'd had that chemistry-altering experience. ?!?!?!?!?

All the extras are very welcome. There is some solid information about the cartoon music, and a nice essay that defends the anti-Disney qualities of the VB output.

I hope we'll see more volumes of Van Beuren cartoons given this respectful treatment. This is well worth purchasing if you're into early "american primitive" animation.

[Ray Pointer]

I hope we'll see more volumes of Van Beuren cartoons given this respectful treatment. This is well worth purchasing if you're into early "american primitive" animation.

This being the Centennial of American Animation, the true insight to "American Primative Animation" is to be found in BEFORE WALT since there is animation history before 1930. On June 11th, Jerry Beck made the following remarks on CARTOON BREW that are surely to be of interest:

For years, Ray Pointer of Inkwell Images (http://www.inkwellimagesink.com/index.shtml) has been compiling the best of early American cartoon art and preserving animation history through a series of self-produced home video releases. Ray not only finds the best prints of this material, but showcases them in their proper historical context with facts, rare photos, advertising art and practical explainations of how the animation pioneers applied their craft.

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/archives/beforewaltverysmall.jpg

Ray's latest release, BEFORE WALT (http://www.inkwellimagesink.com/pages/cartoons/WaltDisney.shtml), is a must-have for any serious student of animation history. All the important films, the important players and the vital facts are here. The films include the established firsts - Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906), Fantasmagorie (1907), Little Nemo (1911) - and prime examples of vintage Fleischer, Messmer, Terry - and yes, Walt Disney. Ray also includes an informative illustrated insert and his DVD contains bonus cartoons, animators biographies and a silent cartoon poster gallery.

[cpdavison]

http://www.modernsurf.com/spam/spamanm.gif
To quote the master...

I do not feel that it is proper to use forums such as this to make open solicitations for commercial / entrepreneurial pursuits.

:rolleyes:

[lonesome-lenny]

Ray, I disagree with you. The Van Beuren cartoons, pre-1934, are true American primitive art. Their attitudes are literally unchanged from silent era animation. The addition of sound is almost moot, as most noises are still indicated by written words, musical notes, stress lines, etc.

As well, they do not reflect any acceptance or influence of the sophistication of the West Coast animators. Max Fleischer's studio had more conscientious animators, but they, too, virtually ignored the Disney influence until 1934 or so. The Fleischer films are much more visually sophisticated than the Van Beuren output, and their animation is much slicker, but it has the same degree of eccentricity and quirkiness.

The Van Bueren animators were primitives. They had only the vaguest grasp of the rudiments of drawing and movement. And they didn't appear to care about such things. That is what makes their efforts so interesting to me. They represent a continuation of pre-Disney attitudes into the sound era. This gives them a (perhaps negative) distinction -- one that can also be shared with the Paul Terry cartoons of the same period.

I don't see how these can be called anything but "American primitive."

[mmm...donuts]

[Eloquent image removed to save space]
To quote the master...
I do not feel that it is proper to use forums such as this to make open solicitations for commercial / entrepreneurial pursuits.


:rolleyes:
Thanks, Craig. I needed some good laughs today! ;) :D

[Sogturtle]

Thanks, Craig. I needed some good laughs today! ;) :D

Ditto Craig-o... I grinned myself silly;) (Course it also made me kind of want a Spam sandwich...:daffy:).


Lonesome-Lenny~

Just for the record, I agree with your statements about the early sound-era East Coast studios not caring about West Coast developments and advancements... And that as such they are American primitives... They went their merry way even as their most talented people were siphoned off. And of course THAT finally forced an immense change.

[rex racer]

Ditto Craig-o... I grinned myself silly;) (Course it also made me kind of want a Spam sandwich...:daffy:).


Lonesome-Lenny~

Just for the record, I agree with your statements about the early sound-era East Coast studios not caring about West Coast developments and advancements... And that as such they are American primitives... They went their merry way even as their most talented people were siphoned off. And of course THAT finally forced an immense change.


Tim, your statements pretty much sum up my thoughts on this topic as well, 'specially the grinnin part!:) ( "But.. I don't want ANY Spam!"-Monty Python)

Per Chris Buchman's excellent essay found on the Thunderbean Aesop's disc,

The Aesop Film Fables have been called many things: wonderful, crude, vulgar, primitive and inconsequential.

They ARE wonderful, crude and vulgar; and it’s their sometimes primitive quality that makes them all the more appealing.

But they are hardly inconsequential, and the proof is in their viewing.

[Ray Pointer]

[QUOTE=cpdavison]http://www.modernsurf.com/spam/spamanm.gif
To quote the master...


Quote:
I do not feel that it is proper to use forums such as this to make open solicitations for commercial / entrepreneurial pursuits.


My remark was in answer to a poster at Cartoon Forum in reference to the open solicitatiions of films. I also stated my intentions with reference to product (which I am allowed to promote here) was something I tried to present within the context of a line of discussion. This I have done. My response was to amplify or broaden the observation about "American Primatives," which do require looking back to the very beginnings since this is the 100th year of American Animation. In this, it is proper to mention the works of 100 years ago, which truly were primative. So there was absolutely nothing wrong in the referencing Jerry Beck's review for those who really wish to be enlightened. But why it was necessary to take a portion of my statement from another forum and use it here out of context is most puzzling, and most of all. NOT NICE!

[Jon Cooke]

My remark was in answer to a poster at Cartoon Forum in reference to the open solicitatiions of films. I also stated my intentions with reference to product (which I am allowed to promote here) was something I tried to present within the context of a line of discussion. This I have done.

Ray,

While you are certainly allowed to promote your DVD on this forum, I have to admit that the plug for it in this thread --- complete with pasting in of Jerry's review --- did come off as a blatant advertisement (even if you didn't intend it to be one).

[Thad]

http://www.modernsurf.com/spam/spamanm.gif
"Whaddaya miy'an spam?! Ah don't loike' SPAM!!!"[/Monty Python joke]

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.

[Nick]

Don't make a fuss dear. I'll have your spam. I love spam! I'm having spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam and spam!