I enjoyed last Sunday's presentation. Max Fleischer's "Gulliver's Travels" was an annual Thanksgiving treat growing up in New York in the 1960s. It was a very long time coming to see it on TCM. In regards to "Mr. Bug Goes to Town", it was 15 years, almost to the day, that this movie (titled as "Hoppity Goes to Town") was last shown on cable (AMC). Hopefully, both these classic movies find a regular home on TCM. Not only that, they are restored to their orginal glory.
The Fleischer brothers were overshadowed by Disney, but what their studio created was some of the best animation ever produced. From the middle of the silent age to 1942 they gave us Koco the Clown, Betty Boop, Grampy, Popeye the Sailor, Gabby, Hunky & Spunky and Superman. Not to mention their "Cartoon Classics" series.
One can create several programming blocks just concentrating on the Flescher Studios, the rotoscope technqiue and their ability to have cartoons with 3D depth. This is very apparent in many of the Black & White cartoons. Though, watch very closely the opening credits to Mr. Bug as the camera sweeps over New York City, the 3D, depth affect is very apparent.
Also, Jerry Beck is a must have to conduct what I would call "Animation Essentials" a companion to "The Essentials". Animation is much as part of the classic movies, as the movies themselves.
I look forward to future animation on TCM, not only in specials, but as fillers between movies. And. maybe they can do what PBS and ACM did years ago and create a nostalgic trip to the movies ala the golden age: Previews, a newsreel, a cartoon short, a short subject and a movie. .
I hope for TCM to continue presenting classic films, uncut and commercial free for many years to come..
Edited by: nmetro on Oct 26, 2012 7:19 PM
Edited by: nmetro on Oct 26, 2012 7:21 PM
Edited by: nmetro on Oct 26, 2012 7:25 PM