Published between 1982 and 1995
Walt Disney Productions are celebrating Donald Duck’s 50th anniversary this year (1984). Chris Pearson looks at Donald’s long and eventful career. (Mickey Mouse is) so much of an institution that we’re limited in what we can do with him. If we have Mickey kicking someone in the pants, we get a million letters from mothers … Read more
The above statement, published in an issue of DISNEY NEWS, the studio magazine, remains as the most mythical of all the claims to Donalds creation but, judging by Donald’s irascible nature, is probably the most appropriate. It is however, pure Disney legend. As I have previously mentioned, the inspiration for Donald’s voice came from an … Read more
Donald’s bombastic nature provided a welcome antidote to theatre audiences who up until then had only seen mindlessly cheerful characters like Mickey the Mouse, Flip the Frog and Bosko the Blackboy in happy-go-lucky situations. In such films as the all-time classic THE BAND CONCERT (1935) Donald would manage to steal the show time and time … Read more
Daisy Duck first entered Donald’s life in MR. DUCK STEPS OUT (1940) in which our hero’s courageous attempts to impress the love of his life are totally ruined once again by his nephews. Daisy was never a particularly interesting character, serving only as an object for Donald’s efforts much in the same way the machines … Read more
A hand and face were then inched in and the fish “popped” into the mouth, and when pulled out the fish was but a skeleton as depicted in childrens’ comics with a cat and dustbin.
The fish skeleton, when placed upright looked remarkably like a pine tree, and this in fact was its next shape complete with snow on top by the simple expedient of covering the bones by branches until fully built up.
CHRIS PEARSON outlines the history of Warner Brothers’ famous carrot-chewing wabbit.
When Buggs Bunny first hit the screen, in 1938, he was, as one might expect, totally different from the Warner Brothers character that we know today. In Porky’s Hare Hunt, the unofficial debut of the first prototype rabbit, Porky Pig goes hunting with his dog and before long they come across the abject of their expedition: rabbits. Unfortunately for Porky, however, the rabbit he and his dog choose as the victim of their sport turns out to be a totally obnoxious and completely insane creature who proceeds to drive the two as batty as he is. with Porky eventually winding up in hospital.
The farce that follows is typical of the now-familiar latter-day hunting cartoons with Bugs and Daffy, with Bugs continually eluding his pursuer in much the same way as he eluded Porky Pig in his primeval debut. Elmer is just as stupid as we all remember him to be (BUGS: What’s Up Doc?:
Background information on this exciting new film from Animation City for Channel 4.
Being a hunting society it is likely that their huts would be constructed from the remains of the vast Skywhales that they kill.
The music for Skywhales was created by Dirk Higgins. He has tried to suit the music to the environment in which the film is set.