Daily post 06 Jul 2007 08:24 am
More Rats & Photos
- Eddie Fitzgerald gives us two fabulous posts in the last two days.
Today he comments on acting by giving us a couple of videos. One in particular is dynamite, Stanislavsky dominating an interview and talking a bit about his craft – something anyone in animation should be interested in. Hell, it’s interesting just seeing what the guy looks like.
It’s odd though that Stanislavsky died in 1938 and the guy in this video is wearing what looks like a 1980′s coat. But he’s kinda funny.
Yesterday he gave us a Ratatouille review which touches on points I hadn’t seen elsewhere. When a professional gives professional criticism, I listen. Eddie Fitzgerald is a consummate professional; he knows his business, and he shares some purely professional comments after a screening of Ratatouille.
To illustrate his points, he doesn’t solely compare Ratatouille to other animated films, he compares it to other films. To talk about set pieces, Eddie doesn’t mention anything from Peter Pan or Pinocchio, he talks about the Marx Brothers. To talk about sophisticated dialogue, he makes his points with dialogue from Casablanca or Silence of the Lambs. This seems to be totally appropriate to this film which comes close to being more than an animated film.
It’s a good review that goes to the heart of it. I enjoyed reading it, and I encourage you to check it out. However, like most good internet postings, the comments are not up to the original. Somehow, those who comment don’t seem able to discuss the meat that’s been revealed on the blog.
- Speaking of interesting Ratatouille posts, Michael Gagne has a post about the “Visualization of Taste” sequence from the film. He posts some interesting 2D graphics and writes about the sequence. Here’s hoping we get to see more behind-the-scenes postings by those who worked on the film.
Here, also, is an interview with Michel on the same sequence.
- Speaking of comments that further the conversation, check out the excellent conversation begun with Mark Mayerson‘s current post. He discusses the desire/need/excitement and the difficulty/complications and depression over doing an animated short. All that work. All that lack of respect. All that glory. The comment are of the highest level and further the conversation. The post is such a rich comment to start things rolling, that it’s hard to imagine things not progressing as such.
David Nethery has been collecting photos of animators at work taken off the internet. He’s gathered them together in one place.
A large assortment of photos can be seen including: Ken Harris (pictured to the left), Art Babbitt, Glen Keane, Tissa David, Eric Goldberg, John Pomeroy, Frank Thomas, Retta Scott, Fred Moore, Ward Kimball and Ollie Johnston.
(Actually, I can probably lead David to quite a few more photos.}
It’s a good idea and an interesting reference point, if like me, you enjoy seeing images of animators working.
– One of my favorite posts most of you have probably already seen is on the Animation Who & Where site by Joe Campana.
He looks back at the building and staff of the Charles Mintz studio. What we see is a specific point on the old building, as it still stands, with photos of the staff superimposed over the exact spot where they were standing in days gone by. You really get a sense of the place and the building as much as you do of the people. It’s a truly original posting of something so interesting that it becomes exciting for me.
The posting is a great piece of detective work revealed.
– I’m not sure I should be thankful of reading the news report (vian Animated News) that The Christmas Carol will be “animated” via motion capture and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Even more stomach churning is the news that Jim Carrey will be one of the stars of it – playing Scrooge. Bob Hoskins will be Fezziwig.
Why not do a new version of Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol starring Leslie Nielsen – oh, wait. He’s Mr. Yesterday. How about Steve Martin, is he “With it” enough?
I recently watched Cast Away for the hundredth time. This film is my favorite of Zemeckis’ films, and I’m upset that he spends so much time flailing away at animated imitations rather than at making more good movies. I guess now that he has that good deal with Disney, he wants to compete with Pixar (without doing the work.)
on 06 Jul 2007 at 1:19 pm 1.Eddie Fitzgerald said …
Thanks for the kind words! It’s embarrassing to admit but I think I errored in attributing that video to Stanislavsky.
The man in the film identifies himself as Constantine Stanislavsky. Maybe he’s a son. If the guy is an actor playing a part then he sure is good at it. In fact he’s so good that the video would still be worth watching as a performance piece.
on 06 Jul 2007 at 2:03 pm 2.Michael said …
I called attention to it because the video is great. The guy actually seems to make the interviewer cower at one point. But then they both laugh at the end, which probably gives it away. I loved it.
on 06 Jul 2007 at 10:47 pm 3.Colin Giles said …
Good call on Castaway. I’m still awed by the greater sense of isolation that Hank’s character feels when he returns than when he was on the island. A very well directed film. Where did that director go?
I’m really enjoying your blog.
on 06 Jul 2007 at 11:55 pm 4.Kali Fontecchio said …
I saw the film with Eddie- and he actually was the one to point out to me some of the only things I liked from the film. Like some of the color schemes! That’s all that comes to mind.
Eddie is a real man.
on 07 Jul 2007 at 8:18 am 5.blauereiter said …
Contact is one of my favourite films of all time…fell asleep watching Polar Express.