InFurNation Rotating Header Image

Animation

NIMH Returns… with Mrs. Frisby

Jul 30th, 2009
by rodney.
2 comments

Yahoo Movies is reporting that Paramount Pictures is developing a feature version of the Newbery Medal-winning children’s book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien. “Director Neil Burger (The Illusionist) is in talks to write the screenplay. The movie would be the second theatrical go-round for the book, which MGM brought to the screen in 1982 as the animated film The Secret of NIMH, directed by Don Bluth.

Robert C. O’Brien’s book has been a staple in children’s bookstores and libraries since it was first published in 1971. The story centers on a mouse — the titular Mrs. Frisby, renamed Mrs. Brisby in the MGM movie — faced with a crisis when her son falls ill and she must move her family to escape a farmer’s plow. Mrs. Frisby enlists a group of former lab rats, whom she soon discovers possess advanced technologies and run a highly evolved society, dividing labor in the manner of a human community.

The new NIMH will likely combine live action and animation in the manner of Alvin and the Chipmunks and other kiddie hybrids.” No word yet on cast members or a planned release date, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do!

Very Short Notice!

Jun 2nd, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

We just received word about a special event for animation fans taking place next week:

“Walt Stanchfield’s Drawn to Life
20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes
Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Fletcher Jones Foundation Auditorium
Woodbury University
7500 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA

Join Don Hahn [producer of The Lion King and many other animated films — ye ed-otter] and a panel of distinguished guests for a discussion of Walt Stanchfield’s Drawn to Life series.

Drawn to Life is a two volume collection of the legendary lectures from long-time Disney animator Walt Stanchfield. Edited by Don Hahn, all of Walt Stanchfield’s handout notes and lectures have been assembled into a two volume collection titled Drawn to Life – 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes. Walt was an animator, trainer, mentor and coach for decades at Disney and helped breathe life into the new golden age of animation with his teachings. He influenced such talented artists as Tim Burton, Brad Bird, John Musker, Glen Keane, Andreas Deja, and John Lasseter.

Following the panel discussion, Don Hahn will sign copies of Drawn to Life. A limited number of copies of this two volume collection will be available for purchase at the event.

Reservations are not required for this program. Admission is free. Parking is free and available on the Woodbury University campus.”

Meanwhile the books, Drawn to Live Volumes 1 and 2, are available in trade paperback from Focal Press.

Re-Live the Turtles’ Early Days

May 27th, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

Archie Comics has reprinted the first three full-color issues of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures (written and drawn by Michael Dooney) in a new trade paperback. This is the comic based on the first TMNT animated TV series from the 1980’s — we know, we know, it’s hard to keep track of which is what in the Ninja Turtle universe!  Just remember that this is the series where Master Splinter is Hamato Yoshi, mutated, rather than being Yoshi’s vengeful pet rat.

The Best of Wallace and Gromit — Book!

May 13th, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

Titan publishing has collected 176 pages of full-color Wallace and Gromit comic strips together in The Best of Wallace and Gromit trade paperback (by Dan Abnett, Simon Furman, Jimmy Hansen, and others). Nick Park’s beloved  and award-winning claymation duo are back in new comic strip adventures, along with their friend Shaun the Sheep and their fierce enemy, Feathers McGraw the criminal penguin!

R.I.P., Dom DeLuise

May 5th, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

Dominick “Dom” DeLuise, a plus-sized and well-known comic actor, passed away at the age of 75 on Monday, May 4th. In addition to his many roles in comedy films — most famously associated with Mel Brooks and/or Burt Reynolds — he was also well known as a voice-actor in animated films.  Among his classic characters were Jeremy the Crow from Secret of NIMH, Tiger the Cat from An American Tail, Itchy from All Dogs Go To Heaven, and Fagin from Disney’s Oliver and Company, as well as various voices from the TV series that were spun off from those features and others.  Dom DeLuise: 1933 – 2009.

Seaweed

May 1st, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

Ben Balistreri is an Annie Award nominated character designer and storyboard artist who has worked extensively for Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, Laika, and Cartoon Network.  Now, he’s branched out on his own into comics with the premier of Seaweed, a large-sized full-color hardcover graphic novel series that Ben wrote and illustrated. Take warning: Funny animals or not, is decidedly NOT for kids. The first installment of the series is A Cure for Mildew. Seaweed, a pelican with a VERY well-stocked bill, is the captain of the Salty Sugar. He and his fishy first mate, Poisson, find themselves pressed into the service of Mildew, a dying bat who believes his only hope of survival rests in an ancient book rumored to have been written by the Devil himself! Seaweed #1 is published by Salty Sugar Comics, and includes a large gallery of sketches and development art. Visit www.saltysugar.com to find out more.

Comic Book Tie-In

Apr 13th, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

Just in time!  Titan Comics has released Monsters vs. Aliens, The Comic, a new full-color 4-issue miniseries. The comic is here, of course, to tie-in with the new hit 3D CGI film from Dreamworks. The comic follows the plot of the movie — Captured classic monsters band together to save the earth from an evil alien invader — and also includes the secret files that General W.R. Monger keeps on various monsters, secret installations, presidential candidates, and more…

Award Season Recap

Apr 9th, 2009
by rodney.
1 comment

Awards season came barreling in again — with a few unexpected results. As largely expected, Disney-Pixar’s robot tale known as Wall-E won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature.  Then along came the Annie Awards, presented by the International Animated Film Society… and Wall-E was shut out, taking home nothing that night.  The big winner?  Kung Fu Panda! Not only did it win Best Animated Feature, but between the feature film and the Secrets of the Furious Five DVD short, Dreamworks took home 15 of the 17 awards that the Panda franchise was nominated for.  Among them were multiple awards for Directing, Writing, Best Character Animation, Best Character Design, Best Production Design, Best Music, Best Voice Acting (Dustin Hoffman as Shifu), and Best Video Game. The big winners for the night in the TV animation categories were Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II, Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs, and Avatar, The Last Air Bender.  Wallance and Gromit in A Matter of Loaf and Death won for Best Animated Short Subject.

… and then along came the Oscars, and once again, Wall-E took home the statue for Best Animated Feature.

[And don’t forget — now it’s Furry Fandom’s turn to vote for the Ursa Major Awards!  Visit www.ursamajorawards.org to find out more — Rod O’Riley, ye ed-otter]

Two new books on CGI

Apr 2nd, 2009
by rodney.
No comments yet

For fans of computer animation, two new books have hit the shelves: The Art of Pixar Short Films by Amid Amidi (hardcover, from Chronicle Books) uses essays, interviews, and artwork to take a look at Pixar’s groundbreaking shorts, from Andre and Wally B and Luxo, Jr. right up through Presto and Your Friend The Rat. Meanwhile, Imageworks by Michael Goldman (also hardcover, from Insight Editions) takes a look at the history of Sony Imageworks Studios, which brought us not only animated films like Open Season, Stuart Little (well, partly animated!), and Surf’s Up, but also the mad special effects on films like Spiderman and more.

← Earlier Posts Newer Posts →