Dec 13, 2024
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Cohen’s Cartoon Corners: Jan 2021
by Karl F. Cohen
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Scene from 'Wear a Mask', a Disney parody created by Noah Lindquist. image: courtesy DisneyDisney Parody a Hit on YouTube
“Wear a Mask”, a song, is a hit on YouTube with almost three million views. It was created by Noah Lindquist, a recent theatre graduate from Kansas, after he saw Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on TV and couldn’t get a song sung by the candle character out of his mind.
He ended up creating new lyrics and did a mash up using Disney footage for his visuals. In an interview online Lindquist says he didn’t get permission from the corporate giant to use the footage, but they haven’t gone after him. See it here.
It is clearly an excellent parody, he probably isn’t making money from it and I assume Disney would not like a lot of press saying they cracked down on a bright and cheerful parody reminding people they should wear a mask. Lindquist acknowledged he is a fan of the famous parodist Randy Rainbow.
What’s Up at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum?
Trying to end the tough year on a fun note, the Fremont museum is doing Covid-minded projects December 19th-20th. It is running some classic circus films, which will make you wish you were there watching in person, and doing a Zoom lecture with two wonderful historians: Sam Gill and Richard Roberts. See their site.
They've also got some holiday fun with the Chaplin family, awesome 3-D footage, and Winter cartoons from our friend Tommy Stathes.
Moreover, their theater is also undergoing a major renovation, so if you would like to help defray the costs, please click here.
From the Spike & Mike documentary 'Animation Outlaws'. image: courtesy Spike and Mike Impressive Animation about Dictator
"Fidelio" is an impressive animated surprise about an evil dictator (not Trump) set to Beethoven. The music is from Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and finale to his 9th Symphony.
It appears the story is set in the present and the results are quite impressive. A young couple dreams of a better world, but is confronted with bitter reality when the man is imprisoned for his ideals. If she wants to see her lover alive again, she will have to find a way to free him.
In this animated version of “Fidelio”, the cliché of the Beauty waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming is seriously debunked. Leonore herself braves a thousand dangers to free her imprisoned lover.
Commissioned by OperaVision and the Belgian artist collective WALPURGIS to celebrate the Beethoven anniversary and World Opera Day, director Judith Vindevogel and animator Roman Khochkov have condensed Beethoven’s masterpiece into a 15-minute film for young audiences. This is a “lifesaving opera’ about humanity and love.
See it here. There is also a version on YouTube with French subtitles.
Image from Ben Ridgway’s ;Time Trance'. image: courtesy B. Ridgway Ridgway Featured in the Animaze Fest
Ben Ridgway’s “Time Trance” was a featured film in the animaze festival It was originally planned to be shown in a theatre in Montreal in May, but it was moved online to November. Ben teaches animation at San Francisco State University. See it here.
Plympton’s New Animation
Bill Plympton has just animated Matt Jaffe’s “Voodoo Doll,’ a not-so-romantic music video. Jaffe, who lives in the Bay Area, wrote us, “The song ‘Voodoo Doll’ explores a relationship gone awry in which happiness and sadness are expressions of the same feeling. Love and angst, while opposites on the surface, are closer together than we know.” One line is, "She has got my voodoo doll, she'll throw it off a waterfall, it's the only way she knows at all to say she loves me."
“The song skews towards a subtler indie pop, distinct from my power trio rock roots. Accented by vibraphone and violin, the song is angular and angry, but plays it a little closer to the vest. More of an Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello than a This Year's Model Elvis Costello.”
“Additionally, the music video marks my second collaboration with Bill Plympton, best known for his Academy Award-nominated short Your Face. Following his video for my 2019 track Wicked World, the new video is even richer with Bill's signature style and twisted imagery.”
“Voodoo Doll”, which launched December 4th, can be seen here.
See Matt’s first video, his “Wicked World Video”, also with animation by Plympton, here.
Animation Outlaws’ is now on Amazon Prime
This Spike & Mike documentary is a journey told through the stories of those they impacted - people like Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Nick Park and many others. If you have fee time to enjoy a film check it out. One person wrote, “I have never been to any of the Spike and Mike events but after watching this documentary I sure wish I had been a part of it all! I loved all the little stories and interviews! The director does a great job of tying everything together and giving credit to the making of animation as it is today! You've gotta see it!!”
Mark Fiore's Trump. image: courtesy M. FioreFiore’s ‘Let’s Give Trump a Little Help’
For a nice laugh, enjoy Mark Fiore’s “Let’s Give Trump a Little Help” here.
Fiore, who is syndicated nationally to websites across our nation, writes, “Poor President Trump, we really need to help him out. And I do mean ‘out!’ If he plays his cards right, he’ll remain president of something.
Segal Wins Amsterdam Award
Steve Segal’s new release “Misfits” just won a prestigious festival award. He wrote me, “I just received notice that my film ‘Misfit’ got an Honorable Mention at the Amsterdam Filmmaker Festival.” It was also shown recently as part of the Animaze festival. Steve lives in Albany, CA and was an animator on the first “Toy Story” feature from Pixar.
Looking for Gifts?
Give the Norm Books by a long time local animator and cartoonist Michael Jantze. He will even throw in a second book free or buy two and get four and he will sign them too with a doodle. See his here, studio site, or here.
Great Cartoonist Shines
“Session with Stan [Lee]” by Aaron Fromm is a fun two-minute exercise in acting, but not your typical lip synch experience. Stan was Marvel Comic’s driving force and the father of Spider Man and other super heroes. See it here.
Sundance Film Skirts Pandemic
Entire Sundance Film Festival show will be available in the bay area for the first time Jan. 28 The Roxie in SF will be the regional host from Jan. 28 to Feb 3, 2021. No details yet about their upcoming programs.
100 Sequences Shaping Animation
Watch the 100 sequences that shaped animation from Charles-Émile Reynaud and illusionist Georges Méliès to the South Park Kids and Spider Man here. This is a fascinating collection of shorts and clips covering the evolution of the medium. It was put together by Vulture.com and went online in October 2020.
Karl F. Cohen—who decided to add his middle initial to distinguish himself from the Russian Karl Cohen, who tried to assassinate the Czar in the mid-19th century—is an animator, educator and director of the local chapter of the International Animation Society and can be reached .
Posted on Dec 21, 2020 - 12:04 PM
by Karl F. Cohen
Please support our stories by liking articles—thanks!
Scene from 'Wear a Mask', a Disney parody created by Noah Lindquist. image: courtesy Disney“Wear a Mask”, a song, is a hit on YouTube with almost three million views. It was created by Noah Lindquist, a recent theatre graduate from Kansas, after he saw Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on TV and couldn’t get a song sung by the candle character out of his mind.
He ended up creating new lyrics and did a mash up using Disney footage for his visuals. In an interview online Lindquist says he didn’t get permission from the corporate giant to use the footage, but they haven’t gone after him. See it here.
It is clearly an excellent parody, he probably isn’t making money from it and I assume Disney would not like a lot of press saying they cracked down on a bright and cheerful parody reminding people they should wear a mask. Lindquist acknowledged he is a fan of the famous parodist Randy Rainbow.
What’s Up at Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum?
Trying to end the tough year on a fun note, the Fremont museum is doing Covid-minded projects December 19th-20th. It is running some classic circus films, which will make you wish you were there watching in person, and doing a Zoom lecture with two wonderful historians: Sam Gill and Richard Roberts. See their site.
They've also got some holiday fun with the Chaplin family, awesome 3-D footage, and Winter cartoons from our friend Tommy Stathes.
Moreover, their theater is also undergoing a major renovation, so if you would like to help defray the costs, please click here.
From the Spike & Mike documentary 'Animation Outlaws'. image: courtesy Spike and Mike"Fidelio" is an impressive animated surprise about an evil dictator (not Trump) set to Beethoven. The music is from Beethoven’s “Fidelio” and finale to his 9th Symphony.
It appears the story is set in the present and the results are quite impressive. A young couple dreams of a better world, but is confronted with bitter reality when the man is imprisoned for his ideals. If she wants to see her lover alive again, she will have to find a way to free him.
In this animated version of “Fidelio”, the cliché of the Beauty waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming is seriously debunked. Leonore herself braves a thousand dangers to free her imprisoned lover.
Commissioned by OperaVision and the Belgian artist collective WALPURGIS to celebrate the Beethoven anniversary and World Opera Day, director Judith Vindevogel and animator Roman Khochkov have condensed Beethoven’s masterpiece into a 15-minute film for young audiences. This is a “lifesaving opera’ about humanity and love.
See it here. There is also a version on YouTube with French subtitles.
Image from Ben Ridgway’s ;Time Trance'. image: courtesy B. RidgwayBen Ridgway’s “Time Trance” was a featured film in the animaze festival It was originally planned to be shown in a theatre in Montreal in May, but it was moved online to November. Ben teaches animation at San Francisco State University. See it here.
Plympton’s New Animation
Bill Plympton has just animated Matt Jaffe’s “Voodoo Doll,’ a not-so-romantic music video. Jaffe, who lives in the Bay Area, wrote us, “The song ‘Voodoo Doll’ explores a relationship gone awry in which happiness and sadness are expressions of the same feeling. Love and angst, while opposites on the surface, are closer together than we know.” One line is, "She has got my voodoo doll, she'll throw it off a waterfall, it's the only way she knows at all to say she loves me."
“The song skews towards a subtler indie pop, distinct from my power trio rock roots. Accented by vibraphone and violin, the song is angular and angry, but plays it a little closer to the vest. More of an Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello than a This Year's Model Elvis Costello.”
“Additionally, the music video marks my second collaboration with Bill Plympton, best known for his Academy Award-nominated short Your Face. Following his video for my 2019 track Wicked World, the new video is even richer with Bill's signature style and twisted imagery.”
“Voodoo Doll”, which launched December 4th, can be seen here.
See Matt’s first video, his “Wicked World Video”, also with animation by Plympton, here.
Animation Outlaws’ is now on Amazon Prime
This Spike & Mike documentary is a journey told through the stories of those they impacted - people like Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Nick Park and many others. If you have fee time to enjoy a film check it out. One person wrote, “I have never been to any of the Spike and Mike events but after watching this documentary I sure wish I had been a part of it all! I loved all the little stories and interviews! The director does a great job of tying everything together and giving credit to the making of animation as it is today! You've gotta see it!!”
Mark Fiore's Trump. image: courtesy M. FioreFor a nice laugh, enjoy Mark Fiore’s “Let’s Give Trump a Little Help” here.
Fiore, who is syndicated nationally to websites across our nation, writes, “Poor President Trump, we really need to help him out. And I do mean ‘out!’ If he plays his cards right, he’ll remain president of something.
Segal Wins Amsterdam Award
Steve Segal’s new release “Misfits” just won a prestigious festival award. He wrote me, “I just received notice that my film ‘Misfit’ got an Honorable Mention at the Amsterdam Filmmaker Festival.” It was also shown recently as part of the Animaze festival. Steve lives in Albany, CA and was an animator on the first “Toy Story” feature from Pixar.
Looking for Gifts?
Give the Norm Books by a long time local animator and cartoonist Michael Jantze. He will even throw in a second book free or buy two and get four and he will sign them too with a doodle. See his here, studio site, or here.
Great Cartoonist Shines
“Session with Stan [Lee]” by Aaron Fromm is a fun two-minute exercise in acting, but not your typical lip synch experience. Stan was Marvel Comic’s driving force and the father of Spider Man and other super heroes. See it here.
Sundance Film Skirts Pandemic
Entire Sundance Film Festival show will be available in the bay area for the first time Jan. 28 The Roxie in SF will be the regional host from Jan. 28 to Feb 3, 2021. No details yet about their upcoming programs.
100 Sequences Shaping Animation
Watch the 100 sequences that shaped animation from Charles-Émile Reynaud and illusionist Georges Méliès to the South Park Kids and Spider Man here. This is a fascinating collection of shorts and clips covering the evolution of the medium. It was put together by Vulture.com and went online in October 2020.
Karl F. Cohen—who decided to add his middle initial to distinguish himself from the Russian Karl Cohen, who tried to assassinate the Czar in the mid-19th century—is an animator, educator and director of the local chapter of the International Animation Society and can be reached .
Posted on Dec 21, 2020 - 12:04 PM
