Comments on: UPA Show

by: Robert Schaad

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:37:45 +0000

What a fantastic event! Like many others, I’d seen many of these films throughout the years…one or two in the occasional screening, VHS, etc. But, the quality of the colors and sound (reiterating) and to see them on a big screen…Wow!
I can’t recall the last time I’d seen Fudget’s Budget…and I’d never seen Georgie and the Dragon (great character design).
John Canemaker’s opening remarks cited a quote about UPA’s commitment to telling each story with its own look and approach (unique to itself)really says it all. While many studios strive for a “look”, this (to me) may be one of UPA’s greatest strengths.

Great to see the UPA luminaries in attendance too.

by: Mike Rauch

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:33:35 +0000

It was great to see these films in 35mm on the big screen. Gorgeous! Madeline was my pick from the night. If only we saw this much art in animation more often these days. I found it strange that only the producers were given mention as well. In any case, it was a real treat.

by: David Rickert

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:55:05 +0000

I agree; it would be nice to see the UPA shorts collected on DVD. Surely there would be a market for that.

by: Michael

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:28:24 +0000

Len, the on again off again trajectory of the early days of your career should give hope to all the students out there looking to enter a difficult field. Back in the 60s and 70s animation was a tough racket to break into. Yet, you made yourself into one of the more important animation designer-directors in its history. My story isn’t much different than yours. You had Ernest Pintoff to keep going home to and I had John Hubley. On again off again. Thanks so much for the comment.

by: Liesje Kraai

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:12:39 +0000

I REALLY wanted to go to this (at 27 I hope I might pass a one of the ‘younger people’).

Unfortunately, I’ve got no one to blame but myself. For some reason I thought it started at 8, not 7. Thanks for the great write up and pictures, though (even if it does make me even more angry at myself for missing it).

by: RacattackForce

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:34:09 +0000

“Very few younger people.”

I wish I could have gone to this (I’m 15), but even if I didn’t have to quickly piece together a bunch of my art for a scholarship interview I had this afternoon at “Parsons”, my parents would have forbid it anyway…

by: Len Glasser

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:13:09 +0000

During my 4th year of of art school in 1957 (Now called The University of the Arts, Formerly called The Phila. Museum School of Art)there was a screening of UPA cartoons.3 of them changed me forever: “The Wounded Bird” by Ernest Pintoff,” Fight on for Old” by Mordi Gerstien, and “Winter Sports” by Fred Crippin.Of the three, The Wounded Bird really affected me. The total dumbness of the story contrasted with the amazing jazz track by Shorty Rogers and the utter simplicity and painterly quality of the design made me say (I was already a jazz musician) this is the kind of stuff I want to do with my life! Upon graduation (Steve Busustow was guest speaker) the Dean set up a meeting with Steve and myself so that I might get a job at UPA. Busustow, embarrassed,told us, “We’re going out of business.” Later that month I went to NY and met Ernest Pintoff at Pintoff Prods.He wasn’t going out of business and hired me.2 weeks later he laid me off when he lost his only client for refusing to remove big round teeth from a character for an Army commercial.I got a job in a pharmaceutucal agency for a few months and then was hired back by Pintoff, then fired. Then I was hired by Gene Deitch (another UPA alumni) at Terrytoons, then fired when Deitch was fired, and then re-hired on and off by Pintoff with a 3 year stint inbetween at Robert E Wilson, an ad agency.as a producer/writer/art director. Finally I returned to Pintoff until I started my own company in 1962, Stars and Stripes Productions Forever.

Len Glasser

by: Tom Minton

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:01:29 +0000

The best UPA cartoons were designed for 3 Strip Tech and watching them in any other incarnation is a markedly lesser experience. You were fortunate that pains were taken to obtain the goods.

by: Tim Rauch

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:26:14 +0000

Many thanks to John Canemaker for organizing the event. I really enjoyed seeing these films “on the big screen”. “Madeline” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” were the highlights for me.

by: Larry Ruppel

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:17:13 +0000

It truly was a wonderful evening. There really is nothing like seeing these films projected on the big screen with an appreciative (and star-studded) audience.

A highlight for me was the last cartoon (Magoo’s Puddle Jumper), as it was projected in full CinemaScope. It always thrills me to see screen curtains open > to accommodate the aspect ratio.