Sunday, February 1, 2009
Let's Get Animated!
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's....a cartoon? Superheroes have been portrayed in the media in a multitude of styles ranging from comic books to the box office. This week, I will take superhero fiction one step further and enter the realm of Animation. Far from the feature length cartoon movies of today Superman was released in 1941, according to imdb.com (2009), making him the first animated cartoon hero in history. This 'mini-movie' ran a little over 10 minutes long and was created by Max and Dave Fleischer. Many a superhero have transversed the comic book and entered the animation realm following the "man of steel's" precedent; with Batman, Spiderman, and others following suit. It wasn't until the 1990's that many of the Superheroes had feature length cartoon movies. 1993 was the year that "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" hit the theater paving the way for mainstream superhero animated movies, according to imdb.com (2009). More recently there have been innovations in technology, therefore giving higher quality and effects to these movies. Leaping onto the big screens in 2004 from Disney/Pixar, " The Incredibles" shows just how incredible and versatile these movies can be. This movie, made for the whole family, is one of my personal favorites and its quirky humor and great story-line make it all the better. If you haven't seen it, I strongly recommend that you do. From the pencils and coloring apparatuses of the creators from the past to the utilization of modern computer technology of today; animated superhero movies have not only paid tribute to their more realistic counter-parts, but have revolutionized the way we watch them. This variation allows the viewer to enjoy a more fictional twist on the good vs. evil story line, adding another enjoyable dimension. I say carry on to the creators of the virtuous and true, for this is another weapon in the arsenal of superhero movies. Conclusively, from the original Superman movies to the Incredibles, animated superhero flicks have captivated movie lovers everywhere and I’m anxious to see what's coming out next.
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First off, The Incredibles is THE greatest movie of ALL TIME! LOVE IT! hahaha I owe that in large part to living with my 10 and 5 year old cousins whom I lived with this summer--we watched it every day! (I never objected haha)Superhero movies never seem too repetitive. There's never the same villian. Ok so almost never but they still never seem to get old or run out of variations and ideas. I take my hat off to the inventors, creators, and artists of these multi-faceted, marvelous creations. Lovin' this Zach, keep 'em comin.
ReplyDeleteThe Incredibles is one of my favorite films, although I now have a hard time taking Syndrome seriously, since he's voiced by that guy who plays Earl in My Name is Earl. I remember leaving the theater thinking "This is my new favorite movie!" Dash was always my favorite Incredible. I always liked the whole "Family of superheroes" concept. You don't have to worry about them backstabbing each other (at least not in a completely non reversible way...they still love each other).
ReplyDeleteCartoon superheroes have evolved so much it is amazing. Not just the graphics and technology, but the storyline has evolved a ton too. Going from ten minute shows to full length movies makes a big difference in how a storyline can go into a new type of detail.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen the movie, The Incredibles, but i have always wanted to. Since you talk so highly of the movie, the next chance I get to see it I will watch it.
The animation helps the characters do things that are impossible to do otherwise. It makes the character more 'super'. I did like the Incredibles. It's a good family film. Tv also adds a bit more excitement than comics (I think so).
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