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Littlefoot, Fievel the Mouse, the heroic Mrs. Brisby; these familiar characters left a lasting impression when they made it to the big screen in the 1980s. In an era when the animation juggernaut known as Walt Disney was struggling to bring in viewers, these were the characters that carried on the tradition of beautifully crafted hand-drawn animation. They captured the imagination of children and adults alike, and showcased the talent of Don Bluth, the creator behind such classics as The Secret of NIMH and An American Tale.
When Bluth and fellow animator Gary Goldman left Disney Animation Studios in the early 1980s, they sent waves through the film industry. Several talented animators followed Bluth and Goldman because they too were concerned about the direction in which Disney animation was heading. When he founded his own studio, Bluth’s goal was to create the kind of animation that Walt Disney himself would love, while also providing healthy competition to Bluth’s former employer.
But this is just one part of Bluth’s life and career. Today we’re taking a look at the animator’s life, and celebrating just some of the art that he has created (so far). So fire up those VCRs and settle in, friends! It’s time to learn about the life of Don Bluth.
As we continue onward into Animation April, we thought it would be fun to do another prompt episode. This week, we were prompted to each come up with an underrated animated TV show (or cartoon) that we love.
Animation has been around for a very long time, with its earliest forms appearing in cave paintings. But ever since animation appeared as we know it today, the medium has had a tough time getting the general public to take it seriously. Even in the early days of Mickey Mouse, audiences just thought of animation as a silly gimmick that played before the real movie began. Although many filmmakers and artists have attempted to change the public’s perception that animation is a subgenre of children’s entertainment, the painstaking work of animators is often dismissed as just a silly cartoon.
Today we are going to talk about three of those cartoons. These are animated series that we believe deserve more exposure. So without further ado, here are our choices for underrated animated shows!
In the mid-1990s, Walt Disney Animation was several years into an era that would become known as their Renaissance. Recent releases like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin had dazzled audiences with their beautiful visuals, great storytelling, superb acting performances, and of course, their music. In June of 1994, Disney proved that its box-office reign was far from over, with the release of a film that many consider to be the best animated Disney movie of all time: The Lion King.
Well, Frightening February is almost over. Our final episode of the month is about a film that has been deemed by some as “the mother of all horror films.” It’s the movie that appears at the forefront of your mind when you hear the name of its director, Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. It’s the film that not only surprised audiences in 1960, but paved the way for many other films like it. We’re talking about Psycho.
Alfred Hitchcock was known as the master of suspense, but none of his films of the 1950s were as shocking as Psycho. Up to this point, most horror films were gothic romances, and this was the film that shook up the genre, setting horror on the course that led us where we are today. The film was groundbreaking in more ways than one. It implied that a lead female character was having sex outside of marriage. It also showed a flushing toilet (though it’s often debated on whether or not it was the first to do so.) Not to mention that it also featured one of the most chilling performances in horror history.
So grab a blanket and some popcorn, and make sure to turn out the light. It’s time to get scared with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho!
In 1986, the unofficial “King” of horror (Stephen King) unleashed what would become one of his quintessential stories. It was a saga about a group of outcasts that bands together to survive–and then later–take down a horrifying monster that feasts on children. The book’s title, IT, played on one of the key ingredients to a truly terrifying villain: not knowing what it is.
Only a couple years later, ABC was considering making a made-for-TV film based on the novel. The task was ambitious to say the least, since the source material is over a thousand pages long. The network also faced the challenge of towing the line between being a faithful adaptation and getting past the TV censors.
So, let’s head into the town of Derry, Maine, and learn more about the 1990 mini series based on Stephen King’s novel, IT!
We’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Your next stop, the Twilight Zone!
Created by Rod Serling in the late 1950s, The Twilight Zone became one of the most influential series’ in television history. Across its five seasons and 156 episodes, this anthology series delivered biting social commentary masked behind seemingly simple science-fiction plots. In a time when television was considered lesser entertainment to film, The Twilight Zone brought the medium to new heights with its impeccable writing, high quality set design, superb acting, and an unforgettable opening theme.
So let’s investigate this groundbreaking series by taking a detour through The Twilight Zone.
