TOP TEN TURNING POINTS IN ANIMATION, Jerry's article in Variety Options

[JERRY BECK]

I was asked to write an article for today's Variety on the top ten "turning points" in animation history. The idea was to spotlight the 100th Anniversary of animation with ten films that got us to where we are today. Whittling a list down to ten pivotal films was certainly a challenge, and I admit it's debatable - but I stand by my choices.

What do you think of my choices - or what would you have selected instead?

[Kappa]

Is there any way I can see your list without subscribing to Variety?

[Am01ne]

Is there any way I can see your list without subscribing to Variety?

[JERRY BECK]

Is there any way I can see your list without subscribing to Variety?

I explain my reasoning in the article, but here is the raw list:

GERTIE THE DINOSAUR (1914)

STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928)

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

GERALD McBOING BOING (1950)

THE FLINTSTONES (1960)

FRITZ THE CAT (1972)

AKIRA (1988)

THE SIMPSONS (1989)

THE REN & STIMPY SHOW (1991)

TOY STORY (1995)

(If anyone has a better link to the article let us know, or if anyone wants to cut & paste the whole piece it on the forum, please do!)

[GeneS]

It's hard to argue with your choices , but just as difficult not to take exception. "Gertie the Dinosaur" & "Steamboat Willie" both come under the category of technically ingenious but artistically negligible - what was groundbreaking then seems unimpressive today; and while culturally significant, the trends spawned by "The Flintstones" (limited animation - sit-com banality) and "Fritz the Cat" (rampant vulgarity) are mostly regrettable. But if "Fritz" at least opened the door to other, better work by Bakshi (as well as "Ren & Stimpy), the "Simpsons" and their ilk represent a giant step backwards for the art of animation - who wants to go there?
Here are some suggestions for the top ten: 1.) "Popeye Meets Sindbad" - the first animated two-reeler, beautifully sustained, with astounding use of 3-D. 2.) The films of Fischinger and/or "Fantasia" - for their abstract, stream-of-consciousness imagery. 3.) "Puppetoons" - the depth and realism of computer animation were anticipated by George Pal's rather more stylish puppetoons. 4.) "Yellow Submarine" - its pop-art sensibility signalled a fresh look and new direction for the animated feature. 5.) "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" - for its unprecedented combination of live-action and animation, its resuscitation of classic cartoon characters, and the best animated slapstick since Tex Avery. Best regards, Gene Schiller

This post has been edited by GeneS: May 29 2006, 10:13 PM

[RachelToonist]

What do you think of my choices - or what would you have selected instead?

I agree with most of your choices, Jerry, but with all due respect, how could you ignore "Crusader Rabbit?" Not only was it the first animated series made for TV, I think I should point out there wouldn't have been a "Simpsons" if it hadn't been for "Crusader" and all the other cartoons produced by Jay Ward. Groening has said repeatedly he was inspired by the Ward cartoons, "Bullwinkle" in particular. They were truly the first to exhibit the sophisticated adult humor "The Simpsons" is known for.

This post has been edited by RachelToonist: May 28 2006, 10:56 PM

[LooneyThad]

Not a single Warner Bros. film. I am disappointed.

I'll give you credit on the rest though!

This post has been edited by LooneyThad: May 28 2006, 10:52 PM

[RachelToonist]

Not a single Warner Bros. film. I am disappointed.

Nor anything by Tex Avery, for that matter, which I thought was a glaring omission. Tex's style of humor was revolutionary enough to warrant inclusion. Where's "Porky's Duck Hunt" or "A Wild Hare?"

Rachel Newstead

This post has been edited by RachelToonist: May 28 2006, 11:09 PM

[JoNL07]

I like the list, still I would have put Who Framed Roger Rabbit

[Gman4ever]

I can understand Flintstones. Its cumulative success for TV despite others that came before. The full first half hour animated.
THere would be debate about this; it would be nice to have little mermaid or american tale or Roger Rabbit as sparking the 90s renaissnce in animation. But I understand fully you only have 10 spaces and I understand each choice.

Nor anything by Tex Avery, for that matter, which I thought was a glaring omission. Tex's style of humor was revolutionary enough to warrant inclusion. Where's "Porky's Duck Hunt" or "A Wild Hare?"

Rachel Newstead

Are those really influential turning points for animation as a whole?
Those are major evolutionary steps for the WB character development but not animation as whole.

[captchucky]

Here are some suggestions for the top ten: 1.) "Popeye Meets Sindbad" - the first animated two-reeler, beautifully sustained, with astounding use of 3-D. 2.) The films of Fischinger and/or "Fantasia" - for their abstract, stream-of-consciousness imagery. 3.) "Puppetoons" - the depth and realism of computer animation were anticipated by George Pal's rather more stylish puppetoons. 4.) "Yellow Submarine" - its pop-art sensibility signalled a fresh look and new direction for the animated feature. 5.) "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" - for its unprecedented combination of live-action and animation, its recussitation of classic cartoon characters, and the best animated slapstick since Tex Avery. Best regards, Gene Schiller

I agree with Jerry's list, as it contains films that had impact on future animated films. "Popeye meets Sinbad" and "Fantasia" created no need for their duplication. They were dead ends at the time. Even the 60 year later "Fantasia 2000" failed to create the need for a "Fantasia 2001." Whearas "Fritz" and the "Flintstones" created new venues for different than before animation to occur.

As to the Warner Bros. films, I agree that there isn't one film that changed everything. Maybe "Porky's Duck Hunt" introducing the wacky character would have been a good choice, but still it didn't change the basic, future nature of the standard 7-minute short. They would remain 7-minute comedy films for some time to come.

[LooneyThad]

A Wild Hare established the greatest animated character ever created. That's a pretty big turning point in my book, though I'm chastizing Jerry for not including it.

This post has been edited by LooneyThad: May 29 2006, 12:59 AM

[bigshot]

I don't have a Variety subscription... Was there a mention of the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive in the article?

See ya
Steve

[Professor Dingle...]

I explain my reasoning in the article, but here is the raw list:

GERTIE THE DINOSAUR (1914)

STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928)

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

GERALD McBOING BOING (1950)

THE FLINTSTONES (1960)

FRITZ THE CAT (1972)

AKIRA (1988)

THE SIMPSONS (1989)

THE REN & STIMPY SHOW (1991)

TOY STORY (1995)

(If anyone has a better link to the article let us know, or if anyone wants to cut & paste the whole piece it on the forum, please do!)

I undestand your choises,I just do not get why you just put no "piece" from 1937 to 1950?
and why Akira?

[Kappa]

Nor anything by Tex Avery, for that matter, which I thought was a glaring omission. Tex's style of humor was revolutionary enough to warrant inclusion. Where's "Porky's Duck Hunt" or "A Wild Hare?"

Rachel Newstead

Yeah, I definitely think Porky's Duck Hunt belongs on the list. Without that cartoon there wouldn't have been what we think of as the Warner Bros. style and it influenced most of the cartoons that came after it. I'm not sure if there would have been Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, and many other cartoon characters had that cartoon not been made. Other than that the list is pretty solid. I almost feel like Astro Boy should be on the list but I'm not sure I would knock off one of the ones you chose to put it up there.