Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Cracks, attributed to Cosmo Anzilotti, 1975



On Thursday 31 December, 1975, during Sesame Street Episode #818, aired, for the first time, a 1:29 short involving a girl seeing patterns in the cracks on her walls, from a camel, a monkey, a hen, and, most significantly, the eerie Crack Master that appears. The short is narrated (and partially sung) by a woman.

It was rumoured to have been created by animator Cosmo Anzilotti, though when dycaite contacted him regarding it, he simply had no memory of ever working on the short, and suggested that it had been credited to him by mistake...

This short was said to be very frightening, as many people recount seeing it as children, and have posted their terrifying experiences on numerous forums. It aired a total of only 11 times over the course of 3 and a half years, with its final airing taking place on May 2, 1980.



Via the Lost Media Wiki.

If anyone can provide any information about who directed this short, please let me know, and definitely swing by and tell the lostmedia folks, as I am sure they would be thrilled.


Stuck in a Groove, Clemens Kogler, 2010

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Blade Runner: Aquarelle Edition, Anders Ramsell, 2013

This animation consists of 12 597 handmade aquarelle paintings, each painting is approximately 1,5*3cm in size. Together they form my 35 minute long paraphrase on the motion picture Blade Runner (1982) by Ridley Scott.
- Anders Ramsell

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Kitty, N.Konstantinov, 1968


Soviet computer animation was made in 1968. A group of russian physicists and mathematicians with N.Konstantinov in the head of it created mathematic model of the cat and its moving and realized this model in the program for the computer "BESM-4". Computer printed hundreds of frames on the paper using alphabet symbols and then they were converted to the cinefilm.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Confessions of a Nutzy Spy, Norm McCabe, 1943


It occurs to me that Porky Pig, given his usual choice of attire, is kind of our spirit animal.


I mean, you guys know what Porky Piggin' is right?


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

This Way Up, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes, 2008

Because when you can describe a film using words like "delightful," "slapstick," and "coffin," I am so there for you.


Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Motherfucking Pterodactyl, Matthew Inman, 2012

NSFW, duh.

Paul Kirby thought I would like this, and walked all the way to the email to tell me so. Good thing I have bad taste and I am twelve he was right.

Yes, that is Matthew Inamn of The Oatmeal.



Thursday, October 10, 2013

Lost and Found,Jeff Scher, 2007

"Lost and Found" is an animated valentine to my favorite early animators.
There is a giddy joy in the possibility of (literally) anything on the screen coming alive and joining in the general chaos.

-Jeff Scher

Given its subject matter, I can't believe I haven't posted this before.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Bang Bang, Jeff Scher, 1998

Experiemtnal animation by Jeff Scher.

VERY FLASHY, if you are sensitive to flashiness. I;m just a blogger, I don't wanna hurt anyone.


Thursday, October 3, 2013

Ketsujiru Juke, Sawako Kabuki, 2013

Here is what animator Sawako Kabuki has to say about her (VERY NSFW) new work:


After breaking up with my ex-boyfriend, I was heartbroken but I had to
think about the theme for my next animation film. Just then I had a
dream of this ex-boyfriend. This animation film is based on that
dream.
In Japan, on 11th March 2011, we had great earthquakes and aftershocks
followed over and over. And not only earthquakes but also how to face
the nuclear power is one of the hottest issues in our country. I think
that dream is the mixture of this charged atmosphere of Japan and my
heartbreaking depression. So I "re-mixed" what I had in my head. By
the way, he used to like enema. So in this song, the word of "ass" and
its related words are fluttering. All of these are linked to the
memories of him so I decided to use this song. In that dream the face
of my ex-boyfriend was not clear, so in this animation, his face is
drawn just like "ass".。


SO BASICALLY this is just another sappy break-up animation.



Via Cartoon Brew

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The Lizard of Oz, Vincent Collins, 2013

New Vince Collins, doing that thing that he does.



Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Scarlet Flower, Lev Atamanov ,1952

More Beauty and the Beast. I give you two versions, an English dub:







And a higher quality subtitled version.




Choose wisely.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

Story From South America, Garrett Davis, 2013


Not as charming as its Northern predecessor, but apparently Lou Reed.



Tip o'the pants to Hillary.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Fox Pop, Chuck Jones, 1942



thanks to Mr. Cavin for the heads up re: me posting wrong.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Hello, Fred Stuhr and John Sjogren, 1989



ETA - John Sjogren stopped by to give some backstory.


this film (referred to by it's creator fred stuhr as "The hello boy") was shot at the art center college of design in pasadena on the animation table. 16mm black and white film. all the double exposures and dissolves were done in camera. fred and i shot this in 1989 i think over the thanksgiving weekend. this entire film was drawn and shot if front of the camera at school. the school didn't want to allow us to use the camera for the needed amount time so fred stuhr (1967-1997) and i locked ourselves into the animation room with food and hid in there over the long weekend and created this piece. Fred proceeded to draw each scene with charcoal as i shot it. the film is a series of 6 frame dissolves with some double exposures for the rain etc. hope you like it - john sjogren

Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Thief and the Cobbler, Richard Williams, 1964-1995 (with ongoing recobbling by Garrett Gilchrist)


So it's my birthday! And I like to do special things for my birthday, even though I have had lots and lots of them. And I like to bring you all treats on my birthday, though this one is bittersweet.

I think we all suppose, at one time or another, that it must be a fine thing indeed to be a genius. But as liberating and wonderful as genius can be, it can also quite often be a curse.

The story of Richard Williams' film The Thief and the Cobbler has been written about by much more erudite and educated people than myself.
There is a recent documentary which I did not get to see at the Minneapolis/St.Paul International Film Festival, because there is no justice in this world (i.e. the only screening was when I had to work, which was total bullshit.)



The short and sloppy version is this: Williams began the film in 1964, struggled along to secure independent funding for two decades. In 1988, Warner Brothers agreed to finance and distribute the film, but pulled out when it began to run late and over budget. The rights were taken from Williams, and the project was handed over to Fred Calvert, who was pretty much instructed to finish it as quickly and cheaply as possible. Calvert completely re-edited the whole thing, some slapdash animation was added to make the whole thing into a narrative, and it sucked.


Recently, an effort is being made to restore Williams version to his original vision. This valiant effort is being spearheaded by animator Garrett Gilchrist, who is also doing the lion's share the work himself.

ENOUGH OF MY BLATHERING. Here is the rough of The Recobbled Cut, from The Thief Archive.

NOT the final version. An early rough cut of the new restoration of the unfinished animated masterpiece from 3-time Oscar-winning animator Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, A Christmas Carol). Almost no music has been added yet, and most audio is just the audio from Richard Williams' workprint. Color correction is not final, HD material has not been cleaned up to remove dirt and splices (apart from a few scenes), SD material has black level issues. We will also be doing some additional work, cleanup and new artwork here and there.

-









(Rumor had it that "The 35mm reel of (the last) sequence was found in Warner Animation head Jean Macurdy's trash by a former "Thief" animator."


And a comparison of the HD restoration:




Oh check it out deleted scenes:









There's more at The Thief Archive. You must run and subscribe to their channel immediately.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Friday, July 5, 2013

Bolso, Rose Stiebra, 1988

Again, no English subs. But more nice animation from Latvia!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Schoolhouse Rock: No More Kings, Phil Kimmelman, 1975

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Latvian cartoon with no subtitles* for USA! USA! USA!



And the hilarity of King George.




*My family were once Latvians with no subtitles. They let us in anyway. Wasn't that nice?

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Branco, Edmunds Jansons, 2001

I can't find a version of this with English subs, but it's nice anyway.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Beep, Beep, Beep, Jeremy Diamond, 2013

This is a cartoon about th eintersection of Franklin and East River Parkway.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Cat March, Hironobu Araya, 2013

I have watched this like ten times and I think I might be dead.





Via Metafilter

Monday, June 24, 2013

Dumb Ways to Die, Julian Frost, 2012

SAFETY! IT'S FOR SAFETY.




ALSO there is a parody.

(Simon Jago & Ryan Casey, 2013)

CONTAINS A BUNCH OF MOVIE SPOILERS SO WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pikapew Poop Chew, Pendleton Ward , 2011

I don't think we've had a good fart joke in at least a week or two.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Barrista, Pendleton Ward, 2007

From the creator of the esteemed Adventure Time.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Solamente Cloud, Deems, 2012

Music video for New Beard (you didn't think I was finished with the beard thing, did you?)

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Little Island, Richard Williams, 1958


The first animated film by the great, fantastic and awesome Richard Williams.












ALSO! You should watch this. I couldn't justify making it a separate post, as it is a documentary. But it is a documentary about Richard Williams, so WATCH IT.

THE CREATIVE PERSON, 1966





Thursday, May 16, 2013

Ah Pook is Here, Philip Hunt, 1994

Crafted around narration by William S. Burroughs. Featuring music by John Cale.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen (Mother Goose Stories,1946 - The Story of Little Red Riding Hood, 1950 - The Story of Hansel and Gretel, 1951 - The Story of Rapunzel, 1952 -

As I am sure many of you know by now, the legendary Ray Harryhausen died yesterday at the age of 92.

It is, as many have pointed out, a very good run, of course, though I regret I was never able to thank him personally for his influence, for the wonderful entertainment, and for generally making the world more awesome (because those fighting skeletons COME ON)


I have posted his Story of King Midas (1953) before:


Here are some more.


Mother Goose Stories:


Little Red Riding Hood:




Hansel and Gretel


Rapunzel:





The Story of the tortise and the Hare (1952, completed 2002)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Crvenkapica (Little Red Riding Hood) Josip Sudar, 1954


No subtitles, but it's Little Red Riding Hood - come on you totally know that one.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Malachite Automaton, Sean Hartter, 2005

Yesterday I learned that my friend Sean Hartter passed away at the far too young age of 39. We met via a mutual illustration commission (and the ensuing confusion.) He was an incredibly talented graphic artist, musician, and sometimes animator. He was also a great dad and an hilarious friend. I will miss him terribly.

Check out his work here.


He is probably best known for his Alternate Universe Movie Posters, which you have probably seen if you have an internet.

R.I.P.




Friday, April 26, 2013

Friday, April 19, 2013

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Chronopolis, Piotr Kamler, 1982


FOUR YEARS!

Your Daily Cartoon is four years old. Enjoy this fine animated feature by Piotr Kamler in celebration.


Pro-tip; for a different, more humorous viewing experience, have two teenage girls who have come upon you showing the film by chance, narrate what they think is happening.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Friday, March 8, 2013

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Kangaroo Cat, Layla Dudley, Carmel Dudley, and "Daddy" Dudley, 1987

I have to confess that I reallyreallyreally love old homemade 8mm kitchen table stop motion films, and I don't run across them as often as I like. What they lack in polish or aesthetic appeal they make up for in their spirit of familial warmth and fun.



Monday, March 4, 2013

Malakapalakadoo Skip Two, Tedd C. Deleman, 1977

This was originally distributed as a classroom film to teach children DRUGS to use DRUGS their imaginations.


So yet again, if you ever wonder what is wrong with people who were children in the seventies...


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Munchers: A Fable, Art Pierson, 1973

If any of you are wondering what is wrong with those of us who were little children in the 1970s this will explain a few things.


Saturday, March 2, 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

Underdog - Episode 1, W. Watts Biggers, 1964

Via Metafilter I learned that the creator of Underdog, W. Watts Biggers, passed away on February 10th at the age of 85

In 1959, handling the General Mills account as an account executive with the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample advertising agency in New York, W. Watts Biggers teamed with Chet Stover, Treadwell D. Covington and artist Joe Harris in the creation of television cartoon shows to sell breakfast cereals for General Mills. The shows introduced such characters as King Leonardo, Tennessee Tuxedo and Underdog. (Wikipedia)

I totally used to wake up early to watch Underdog. Who remembers waking up early to watch cartoons? Please raise your hand, wave it about wildly, and shout MEMEME or I won't be able to see you through the internet.



Sunday, February 24, 2013

When Roobarb Made a Spike, Bob Godfrey (narrated by Richard Briers 1934-2013) 1974

This has been a very sad week for Roobarb fans - Richard Briers, the narrator of the series, passed away on February 17th, just a few days before Bob Godfrey.



Saturday, February 23, 2013

Do-It-Yourself Cartoon Kit, Bob Godfrey, 1961

One of Godfrey's earliest animations, this led to him influencing a number of animators to, well, do it themselves.

Friday, February 22, 2013

R.I.P. Bob Godfrey 1921 -2013

I just found out that the influential British animator Bob Godfrey passed away yesterday at the age of 91.

There are more eloquent remembrances elsewhere, of course, but felt compelled to say something as someone who not only has an appreciation for his skill and his influence, but has also become a big fan - thanks in no small part to working on this blog, which led me to seek out his work. I even have a copy of Henry 9 'til 5 on 8mm.

Here is a fomous episode of Bob Godfrey's Do-It-Yourself Animation Kit, featuring Terry Gilliam:


And a short documentary:






Cartoon Brew
The Guardian
The Independent

Pete Hothead, Pete Burness, 1952




Now with the proper link!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Monday, February 18, 2013

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Near the Egress, Antonio Martinez, 2010

Over 800 modern dryplate tintypes were made from b&w film to produce this experimental stop-motion video of a circus.
Antonio Martinez created this video to serve as a desired childhood memory of the circus, but through the mind of an adult.


Monday, February 11, 2013

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Krabat (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), Karel Zeman, 1977

In case you are unfamiliar with the feature, click the little "CC" for subtitles.


If you already know how to do that or you happen to understand Czech, you may disregard this message.


Also note that this is a feature. So it's long.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Světlonoš (The Torchbearer) Václav Švankmajer, 2005

Animation by Václav Švankmajer, son of the legendary Jan Švankmajer.





Recommended by Alexandre Fatta. Thanks, Alex.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Thought of You, Ryan Woodward, 2010

A personal project by Disney FX animator Ryan Woodward.

Check out the "making of" at his site.



Suggested by Mike Caracappa. Thanks, Mike!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Monday, January 28, 2013

Schrödinger's Cat, Chavdar Yordanov, 2012

One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter, there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small that perhaps in the course of the hour, one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges, and through a relay releases a hammer that shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The psi-function of the entire system would express this by having in it the living and dead cat mixed or smeared out in equal parts. It is typical of these cases that an indeterminacy originally restricted to the atomic domain becomes transformed into macroscopic indeterminacy, which can then be resolved by direct observation. That prevents us from so naively accepting as valid a "blurred model" for representing reality. In itself, it would not embody anything unclear or contradictory. There is a difference between a shaky or out-of-focus photograph and a snapshot of clouds and fog banks. —Erwin Schrödinger, Die gegenwärtige Situation in der Quantenmechanik (The present situation in quantum mechanics), Naturwissenschaften (translated by John D. Trimmer in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society)

another recommendation from Paul Kirby.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Sexy Symphony, Guido Manuli, 2012

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and say this is probably NSFW.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Friday, January 11, 2013

Willy Bum Bum, Daniel Fowler, 2012

I would like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to those of you who have found my blog via a Google search for "cartoon pee."


It is a non-zero number of people.


True story.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Deep End, Jake Fried, 2013

Brand new work from Jake Fried.

Via a whole bunch of people on Facebook and probably Reddit and i09 and somewhere else too. It is pretty cool, though.