angilbas
03-20-2007, 04:21 AM
Boulder Wham! is above average for the "Larriva Eleven." Its story departs from the RR formula by letting the bird do little running -- Wile E. moves the most as he tries to get across a chasm. The animation is limited, with its better moments due more to expressions and poses than to movement.
The stock chase which opens the film looks like it was done by Hank Smith, who had little experience with Warner's characters up to that time.
Virgil Ross takes over at the chasm, crafting a 'scare' pose and a couple of 'idea' poses for Wile E.
Bob Bransford comes aboard for a close-up of Wile E.'s grim smile as he steps across the tightrope. His expression is good enough to fit in a Jones film -- not surprising, as Bransford animated for more than half a dozen Jones RRs.
Ross returns for the tightrope's failure and stays through the pole vault. When our hero prepares to charge with his pole, his ears move just enough to hint at the style Ross would adopt more fully under Jones 15 years later.
Smith comes back for the trampoline bit. Again, we see a most unJones- like Coyote.
Bransford does much of the post-trampoline footage, with more good close-ups in the hypnotism bit.
The Coyote's self-hypnotism as he follows his watch looks like Smith's work, but Ross is around for the "bye" wave.
Bransford lets Wile E. study martial arts; again, some of his expressions as he gets ready to attack RR would blend well in a Jones film. His smears look odd and RR doesn't move until late in the sequence ... time constraints and hurried direction could account for these animation weaknesses.
Earlier, I stated that Bob animated Wile E.'s final sign-off; now, having reviewed the footage, I think that was Virgil's work.
Later Larriva RRs are not as easy to analyze, as if the director made all of his animators conform to a house style. There may have been more pressure in the Larriva unit to finish each cartoon in a short time.
-Tony
The stock chase which opens the film looks like it was done by Hank Smith, who had little experience with Warner's characters up to that time.
Virgil Ross takes over at the chasm, crafting a 'scare' pose and a couple of 'idea' poses for Wile E.
Bob Bransford comes aboard for a close-up of Wile E.'s grim smile as he steps across the tightrope. His expression is good enough to fit in a Jones film -- not surprising, as Bransford animated for more than half a dozen Jones RRs.
Ross returns for the tightrope's failure and stays through the pole vault. When our hero prepares to charge with his pole, his ears move just enough to hint at the style Ross would adopt more fully under Jones 15 years later.
Smith comes back for the trampoline bit. Again, we see a most unJones- like Coyote.
Bransford does much of the post-trampoline footage, with more good close-ups in the hypnotism bit.
The Coyote's self-hypnotism as he follows his watch looks like Smith's work, but Ross is around for the "bye" wave.
Bransford lets Wile E. study martial arts; again, some of his expressions as he gets ready to attack RR would blend well in a Jones film. His smears look odd and RR doesn't move until late in the sequence ... time constraints and hurried direction could account for these animation weaknesses.
Earlier, I stated that Bob animated Wile E.'s final sign-off; now, having reviewed the footage, I think that was Virgil's work.
Later Larriva RRs are not as easy to analyze, as if the director made all of his animators conform to a house style. There may have been more pressure in the Larriva unit to finish each cartoon in a short time.
-Tony