ASIFA San Francisco, Newsletter March 1997

VIDEOS TO CONSIDER BUYING

RICHARD WILLIAMS THE THIEF AND THE COBBLER is available from Miramax. The film has been discussed over and over in this newsletter so hopefully you know the story about his losing control of a brilliant project and how schlock TV animation houses completed it. The video release is unfortunately the theatrical release with a different title (it was released as Arabian Knight and it died quickly at the box office). I had hoped Mirimax would have released the work as close as possible to what it was at the time when William's lost control of the project, but they didn't.
Several things ruined the theatrical release for me including awful wise-cracks by Jonathan Winters. His voice track must have been recorded at the last moment and it seems he must have been told to ad lib whatever comes to mind. In William's version of the film the thief never spoke. As far as I'm concerned, Winter's comments are about as welcomed as somebody with the flu coughing their way through an AIDS ward. His stupid remarks are thoughout the film. I tried watching the tape with the sound off, but that wasn't satisfying.
The tape is worth buying or renting if you want to see some of the best animated design work ever attempted. The Disney hype on the box says, "Feast your eyes and ears on this exotic mosaic of exquisite color..." Most of the film is visually fantastic. But there are sections that were added at the last moment by TV animation studios. None of the new animation has the visual brilliance of William's work. It is drawn without any soul or spirit to the line. All of the musical numbers were added and none add much to the production. There is a delightful novelty tune, but it comes just as the final adventure begins. It slows the film down at a time when it should be rushing toward the climax.
Another reason to get the tape is Vincent Price's wonderful performance as the evil Zigzag. The free flowing animation that goes with Price's voice is inventive and worthy of his performance.
Had Williams completed the film the way he wanted it, I assume it would have been recognized as a visual masterpiece and called a remarkable work in the spirit of The Yellow Submarine. It might not have been a big box office hit, but it would have gone down in history as a brilliant work of art. The tape allows you a chance to contemplate what it could have been. KC

BOSKO VIDEO IS OFFERING ASIFA MEMBERS A 20% DISCOUNT The company distributes all 38 Flip the Frog cartoons on tape (5 volumes), has 2 volumes of uncensored Private Snafu cartoons from WWII, 3 volumes of Van Beuren Cartoons featuring Tom and Jerry (the pre-MGM human stars), and 3 volumes of uncensored Bosko cartoons from the early 1930's. Each tape retails for $29.95.
If you want to surprise youself with wild risque gags check out the pre-code Flip the Frog cartoons (1930-1933). They are full of naughty images of women in underwear (sometimes being goosed or fondled). There are a few 4 letter words like damn and hell spoken clearly in these films, plus homosexual gags, ethnic images, references to drugs, etc. The Flip cartoons are often quite funny and entertaining and the tapes were made from remastered original negatives and the best first generation prints available. Each tape runs about an hour.
The Snafu collection has 14 cartoons on each tape. These slightly risque gems by Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin and other noted directors were for our guys in the Army. Spiced up to keep the GIs attention, these deliver propaganda messages about booby traps, camoflage, spreading rumors, etc.
For strange, surreal animation check out the Van Beuren tapes. They feature crazy and surreal images with hot jazz soundtracks from the early 1930's. The stars Tom and Jerry appear on them. They were a tall and short pair of guys who go through hell to make an audience laugh.
Bosko Video also distributes a complete line of Superman cartoons that are said to be excellent quality window-boxed prints so you do not lose the ususal 12% of the picture due to overscan. They sell for $19.95 each.
To place an order write Bosko Video, 3802 East Cudahy Avenue, Cudahy, WI 53110-1234 (414) 483-6263. Add $3 for postage per tape.

AND THE ENVELOP, PLEASE...

by John R. Dilworth

Dilworth's Chicken from Outer Space was nominated for Best Animated Short in 1996. This is an excerpt from an article that appeared last May in the ASIFA-East newsletter on what it was like to wait to find out if your name will be called at the Oscar ceremony.
"I was strapped tight in the twenty ton silver rocket ship named To Infinity and Beyond with countdown within minutes. I reminded myself to breathe acording to basic manual training...
Two minutes to Take Off. No matter how hard I concentrate I release water from every pore. I feel the ship contracting with compressed energy like a Cobra ready to strike. There's noise coming from all directions. I can't understand a word Ground Control is saying. It could be a laundry list. One minute to Take Off I get tunnel vision; it's like I'm looking through a submarine telescope. Thirty seconds: I want out. Somebody get me out of this thing. How did I get into this in the first place? Ha Ha. I laugh from how ridiculous I feel. Who am I kidding? Mighty Mouse couldn't drag me out of here.
Thoughts of every intimidating event I've ever experienced. I can't remember the actual events, only the feeling of embarrassment and helplessness. And the wish for it to end. Twenty seconds. My heart beat accelerates. It forces the blood to expand the veins in my temples. More noise from Control. 'Stay cool, starting countdown...' Ten seconds. This is a reality. All I want to do is curse. Every obscene word in the world gushes out of my mouth like flushing a clogged toilet. Five seconds. I'm going to blast off. Four seconds. Go! Go! Go! Go! Three seconds. I do not recognize my physical self. Two. Suddenly the worst possible event occurs.
Abort! Abort! Abort! Abort! The flight is terminated. The rocket shuts down. An incredible release of energy escapes from my body and from the ship. I am completely wet.
Every off-planet pioneer knows there's an 80% chance your flight will be terminated at the very last second. And for whatever the reason you accept that as part of the training. I exit the rocket and wipe down. I need to eat. Food becomes instant gratification. I am exhausted. Hollow in fact. I was looking towards the stars and imagined the force of ascent pressing against my face, till I looked like The Joker.
The next scheduled flight is undetermined."
On behalf of all ASIFA-SF members I wish Tim Hittle the best of luck in having his rocket blast off in front of millions of TV watchers around the world. KC

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