Glenn Vilppu continues his world-class life drawing lessons. This month the focus is on Spherical Forms.
This month, we asked a selection of people related to this issue's themes of comics and animation for adults what films they would want to have with them if stranded on a desert island.
Alison Snowden and David Fine from U.K. recently premiered their first television series, a prime time cartoon for adults, Bob and Margaret, based on their Oscar-winning short film, Bob's Birthday. Denis Kitchen is a comic book artists and founder and president of Kitchen Sink Press, a Massachusetts, U.S.-based comic book publishing company. And Space Ghost, this month's cover model, is a superhero from Ghost Planet, Outer Space who has his own talk show on Cartoon Network. Alison Snowden and David Fine's Finest: These are in no particular order. It was enough that we could agree on this list without trying to agree which is number five and which is number six! 1. The Big Snit by Richard Condie. Real adult animation before The Simpsons. It was a big influence on us. 2. The Simpsons by Matt Groening. Groundbreaking series which heralded a renaissance in smart, original animation with great voices. (Phil Hartman, R.I.P.). 3. The Hill Farm by Mark Baker. Stunning student film by a friend and badminton adversary. 4. Radio Days. One of Woody Allen's best. His combination of writing, character and visual sense is inspiring. 5. The Street by Caroline Leaf. One of the most original and moving short films ever. Who would think that such stylized oil-on-glass animation could have such humanity and feeling? 6. Down By Law by Jim Jarmusch. One of the most original and hilarious feature films ever. Does American film get any better? 7. Fargo by the Coen Brothers. Hmm. Maybe it does. It's a toss up. 8. Creature Comforts, Nick Park's tiny, perfect gem. 9. Why Me? by Janet Perlman. A great bit of acting, humor and story in a simple, but effective style which was inspiring. 10. On Land, At Sea and in the Air, Paul Driessen's elegant and wonderfully timed film. Denis Kitchen's Picks: As a comic book artist and publisher I'm not specifically an animation expert. I only know what cartoons made me laugh out loud, or whose images and styles left deeply imbedded and enduring impressions. Here's my top ten personal favorite cartoons: 1. Early Betty Boop, especially Bimbo's Initiation (Fleischer Bros.). 2. Pinocchio (Disney). 3. Fantasia (Disney). 4. Early Popeye (Fleischer). 5. Superman (Fleischer). 6. Mom and Pop in Wild Oysters (Fleischer stop action). 7. Ren and Stimpy by John Kricfalusi. 8. Screwy Squirrel by Tex Avery and Preston Blair. 9. Hell's Bells (1929 Disney Silly Symphony). 10. The Simpsons by Matt Groening. Space Ghost Space Ghost, the one cartoon character, is also the only one who selected all live-action films. He insists that these are indeed his picks and not merely the first eleven entries of the 1983 Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide. 1. Aaron Loves Angela by Gordon Parks Jr. 2. Aaron Slick From Punkin Crick by Claude Binyon. 3. Abandoned by Joseph M. Newman. 4. Abandon Ship! by Richard Sale. 5. Abbott and Costello Go to Mars by Charles Lamont. 6. Abbott and Costello in Hollywood by S. Sylvan Simon. 7. Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion by Charles Lamont. 8. Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd by Charles Lamont. 9. Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Charles Lamont. 10. A tie between Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein by Charles Barton and Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. by Charles Lamont.
