Monday, June 20, 2011

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Baa, Cyriak Harris, 2011

I feel I have been somewhat derelict in my duties for not posting the new Cyriak animation the minute it hit the web. I am sure by now you have seen it, but for posterity...

Monday, June 13, 2011

IS TROPICAL: The Greeks,Megaforce and Seven, 2011

This starts with, and is comprised primarily, of live action film of children at play, but gets its main punch from some really splendidly animated (and sometimes disturbing) cartoon violence.


I wish I knew the animator's name or could find more information about this mysterious numerical individual or organization. The Sevens I have located either openly deny involvement or remain quiet.


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Passions of Spies, Yefim Gamburg, 1967

Youtube user IgorRussland writes:
This is the second feature directed by Yefim Gamburg, an artist who began working at Soyuzmultfilm in 1955 and animated many of the best children's poems, fairy tales and songs. He turned his attention to adults with "Passions of Spies," reviewing dozens of Soviet spy and detective films to make Soyuzmultfilm's first spoof. He selected the most stereotypical spy movie plots and characters, all well known to Soviet audiences. Soviet censors were so nervous about the film that they immediately sent it to the film club at Lubyanka (KGB Headquarters) to test the political waters. A high ranking general loved it and personally thanked Gamburg for "destroying the established stereotype of the 'wooden' Soviet intelligence." Made during a period of Soviet world power, the film was never officially shown abroad until after perestroika.


Saturday, June 11, 2011

Schwechater, Peter Kubelka, 1958

Some might argue that this barely qualifies as animation. But they can argue with somebody else, because a)the abstraction, the stylization of the images, and the short length of the clips give it the appearance of animation, b) THIS IS MY BLOG AND I SAY IT GOES HERE, and c) It's amazing.

In 1957, Peter Kubelka was hired to make a short commercial for Scwechater beer. The beer company undoubtedly thought they were commissioning a film that would help them sell their beers; Kubelka had other ideas. He shot his film with a camera that did not even have a viewer, simply pointing it in the general direction of the action. He then took many months to edit his footage, while the company fumed and demanded a finished product. Finally he submitted a film, 90 seconds long, that featured extremely rapid cutting (cutting at the limits of most viewers' perception) between images washed out almost to the point of abstraction — in black-and-white positive and negative and with red tint — of dimly visible people drinking beer and of the froth of beer seen in a fully abstract pattern. Via

Friday, June 10, 2011

Six Weeks in June, Stuart Hilton, 1996

11000 miles around the USA in the back of a van with a band, a pen, a stack of paper and 6 weeks to do it all. A road movie. By Stuart Hilton

This perfectly captures the feeling of being a passenger on a very long road trip.



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Bird is the Word, Bill Plympton, 2005

Animated segment from F*CK, Steve Anderson's documentary on Ol' Effenheimer.

You know I saw it in the theater. I believe we have already established that I am a super duper classy broad and if you didn't know that, I really think you should.

ANYWAY.

If you are a person of more delicate and refined sensibilities, you can also see this on Bill Plympton's Dog Days DVD, which of course won't contain anything whatsoever that will offend you even a little bit.