Published between 1982 and 1995
Much of this remarkable atmosphere was generated by Disney himself and his visionary approach to animation. Everyone, as animator Ken Anderson has recalled, was carried along by Walt’s personal enthusiasm for the Snow White project: “We had no concept that we were ever going to do anything else or ever want to do anything else”. … Read more
Finding appropriate voices for the characters was also far from easy, since the studio had only limited experience in this field, most of the shorts having featured song and pantomime rather than extensive dialogue. Disney instinctively turned to film, radio and burlesque comics for the dwarfs, casting Billy Gilbert (who had a celebrated sneezing routine) … Read more
The dwarfs, who began life as earthy, ugly little men, were animated in a rather more endearing style by Fred Moore (who had been responsible for the roly-poly look of the Three Little Pigs), Bill Tytla, Fred Spencer and Frank Thomas. Three of the studio’s youngest animators – Milt Kahl, Eric Larson and Jim Algar … Read more
Much of the original fairy-tale was simplified – the three attempts made by the Queen to destroy Snow White, for example, were reduced to one – and many of Disney’s more extravagant ideas (including the rock crusher and the forge) were abandoned. One deleted sequence, set in the Queen’s dungeons, was to have shown the … Read more
Dr. Scratch (Paul Thomas of Tiger Trax Animation) gives us his top-ten short film choice. 1. UBU — Geoff Dunbar My lords, ladies and gentlemen, this is my favourite short, till I make one better that is. (tee! hee!) Until then, enjoy the rampaging Mr & Mrs UBU, who wallow in some brilliant animation, with … Read more
Blowing in the wind Brian Sibley has been to see the new British feature length cartoon When The Wind Blows. Raymond Briggs is triffic! As Jim Bloggs would say, “Absolutely triffic!” I loved his funny little, pot-bellied Father Christmas, the thoroughly obnoxious Fungus the Bogeyman and the magical Snowman. And I was devastated by Jim … Read more
For the programme on his own country, Great Britain, Halas has chosen the themes ‘pioneering spirit’, ‘diversity of styles’ and ‘adult entertainment’. “I have been very much involved with the ‘adult’ spectrum of animation since the war, when we were working for the Ministry of Information to assist the war effort. That was a good … Read more
Brian Sibley reviews animated film versions of three modern classics, now released on video. “There are,” wrote A. A. Mime, “two well-known ways in which to make a play out of a book. You may insist on being faithful to the author, which means that the scene in the aeroplane on page 673 must be … Read more
Great Mouse – Great Movie Brian Sibley reviews the Disney Company’s latest animated feature, Basil – The Great Mouse Detective. The mice are back in Disneyland and everything’s bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! With the release of Basil – The Great Mouse Detective, the Disney company has rediscovered those skills that once made them pre-eminent among animation studios, but … Read more
Just as Sherlock Holmes had Dr Watson, so Basil has Dr Dawson, a portly, moustachioed mouse – modelled, it is said, on veteran Disney animator, Eric Larson, who acted as animation consultant on the film. Dawson, who has lust returned from serving as a surgeon with Her Majesty’s troops in Afghanistan, is soon caught up … Read more