This chronological history analyzes animated film as an autonomous art form that has nevertheless been affected by the
Economics of live-action cinema as well as social and political forces (e.g., the dislocation of Continental Europe's animators by
World War II). This comprehensive study describes concepts and practice, profiles innumerable animators, and concludes with a chapter on
Computer animation. Because of truly global coverage (from Mali to Mongolia), Cartoons introduces such important animators as Russia's Alexandre Alexeieff and Scotland-born Canadian master Norma McLaren while providing details on familiar names like Disney, Walter Lantz, and Tex Avery. Despite the subject's popularity, this should not be considered a coffee-table book but a scholarly reference whose notes and bibliography are valuable sources for further study. Purchase for comprehensive film and art collections.
Kim Holston, American Inst. for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, Malvern, Pa.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader ReviewsIt's clear that the author derives the majority of his references from Europe's history of Animation, which might explain why many people have not heard of the animators he talks about. But considering that these artists did take part in the history behind animation, it is good that Bendazzi made the effort to bring their names to light. He makes some remarks and does look at other countries, such as America's infamous Walt Disney and Japan's rising anime films, but for the most part, he concentrates on the growth within Europe's artistic groups. This book is less about the big names in cinematic animation and more about the independent artists and studios who worked in animation during a Time when the animator's names and the dates their works were created weren't exactly recorded and copyrighted properly. Many of the animators here can also be identified as fine artists, often working experimentally within the media. This is how animation as cinema started (way before the Time of Walt Disney and his overshadowing fame) and is continuing to be produced on the other side of Hollywood. This book definitely has a text-book feel, but as far as a text book goes, it's not too terribly dry. It's informative and gives a very in-depth look at animation, from its beginning as optical illusions to the cinematic phenomena it has become today. Also, as a final personal comment, this book is like a documentation of the independent films (as well as mainstream films) of the animation industry. Most people will not have seen them (unless they have access to an animation/video library), but that doesn't mean the films aren't important to history.
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