On a Desert Island With. . . . Gaming Gurus
This month, we asked the creators of our favorite animated games to imagine what ten films they would want with them on a desert island. Coincidentally, three films were selected by more than one person: Mad Monster Party by Rankin/Bass, Akira by Katsuhiro Otamo, and Fritz the Cat by Ralph Bakshi.
Theresa Duncan is the creator of animated CD-ROM games for kids, including Zero Zero, Smarty Pants and Chop Suey. Lorne Lanning is the creator of Oddworld Quintology, a new series of animated 3-D role playing games. Doug TenNapel is founder of The Neverhood and creator of Skull Monkeys, a game for Sony PlayStation, coming in 1998.
Theresa Duncan's Favorite Films:
1. Mad Monster Party (Rankin/Bass). 2. That Girl In Wonderland (Rankin/Bass). 3. Dreams of A Rarebit Fiend by Winsor McCay. 4. The Company of Wolves by Neil Jordan. 5. Fritz the Cat by Ralph Bakshi. 6. Betty Boop's Halloween Party by Max Fleischer. 7. James and the Giant Peach by Tim Burton/Henry Selick. 8. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles Shultz. 9. Zero Zero CD-ROM animated by Jeremy Blake. 10. Alice by Jan Svankmajer.
Lorne Lanning's Picks: "To truthfully answer these questions I must first consider our most basic human needs. The good news is that many of these needs can be substituted with a theatrical experience. I know this to be true because they taught me about it in art school. So, (drum roll please) here are the ten animated movies that I would want with me if I were Gilligan." Oddworld's Lorne Lanning and his creation, Abe.
1. Xmas in South Park by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. To give me hope... and get through my darkest moments.2. Fantasia (Disney). I know everyone loves this film, and I know that it is one of the greatest animated movies of all time. But I would bring it along to help me get some sleep. 3. Dumbo (Disney). For when I thought about how lonely I was, at least there would be someone I could make fun of.4. Ghost in the Shell by Mamoru Oshii. So that when I got really mad thinking about why my family left me on this island... I could watch someone else being hurt.5. They're Back! (Amblimation) I've always loved the animation, but the story has been proven to have adverse affects on dysfunctional people. So this film would be for when I desperately needed a laxative.6. The Secret of Nimh by Don Bluth. I always had a soft spot for rats as they continually gave me comfort through the low points in my childhood. (Please don't laugh. It's true.)7. Ninja Scrolls by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Because I would need at least one exercise video and my supernatural shadow crawl still needs a little work. 8. All Dogs go to Heaven (MGM). Because sometimes I would feel like biting someone too.9. Fritz the Cat by Ralph Bakshi. To remind me that things could have been worse.10. Akira byKatsuhiro Otamo. Because I would finally have the time to figure out the story.
Doug TenNapel's top ten:
1. The Lion King (Disney).2. The Wrong Trousers by Nick Park.3. The Little Mermaid (Disney).4. Aladdin (Disney).5. The Thief and the Cobbler by Richard Williams.6. Peter Pan (Disney).7. Pinocchio (Disney).8. Akira byKatsuhiro Otamo. 9. James and the Giant Peach by Henry Selick.10. Mad Monster Party (Rankin/Bass).
