Throughout the month of January, The ToonSeum is proud to present a series of film screenings celebrating the birthday of one of the world's most accomplished artists, Hayao Miyazaki. The filmmaker turns 70 years old on January 5th.
Often called the “Walt Disney of Japan,” Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli reinvigorated the Japanese animation industry in the 1980's and 90's with a string of genre-defying masterpieces that would become international hits. But it wasn't until the success of 2001's Spirited Away that most American audiences began to discover Miyazaki's work. Largely through the efforts of PIXAR's John Lasseter (who lists Miyazaki as not only a huge influence but a great friend), many of Miyazaki's films have enjoyed broad theatrical and DVD releases.
Miyazaki's films have changed the way the world thinks about animation. Typified by wild flights of fantasy, political and ecological commentary, and meticulous and breathtakingly beautiful hand-drawn and watercolor animation, Miyazaki films often cast a spell over viewers young and old. While combining nuanced story-telling techniques and a vibrant, naturalistic mis en scene, Miyazaki's animation often subverts the viewer's expectations, with calm, reflective moments that give way to unpredictable twists and turns. Most notably, Miyazaki's protagonists are often strong, confident female characters just as his villains are often complicated, sympathetic victims of circumstance.
The following films will be screened with discussion and production notes:
January 13 at 7:00pm - Castle in the Sky (Laputa) (1986). After a daring escape from sky pirates, a young girl teams up with an orphaned miner to uncover the secrets of a magical city floating in the clouds. The second of Miyazaki's first feature length films, Laputa is full of sweeping action and vibrant characters.
January 22 at 3:00pm - My Neighbor Totoro (1988). Miyazaki's pastoral masterpiece is a story of two young girls coping with their mother's illness and resultant move to rural Japan. There they encounter a Totoro, a gentle forest spirit that guides and protects them through the turbulent time. Totoro is the antithesis of American children's movies: quiet, observant, and humane. Named by the British Film Institute as one of the Greatest Children's Movies of All Time.
January 27 at 7:00pm - Princess Mononoke (1998) Roger Ebert called it “the Star Wars of animated film,” and he wasn't exaggerating. The boldest and darkest of Miyazaki's films, Mononoke is a complex Buddhist parable in which spiritual forces do battle with ragged human imperialists. Lush and provocative, Mononoke marks Miyazaki's first foray into computer-generated imagery, accentuating several scenes with bizarre movement, though every single cel remained hand-drawn.
In addition to the screenings, the ToonSeum will conduct a poll allowing fans to vote for their favorite Miyazaki films and characters.
Films are all family-friendly, however Princess Mononoke contains adult themes and war-related violence. Admission for the screenings are donation only.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Looney Tunes Treasury signing with Andrew Farago
Few cartoons have been able to capture the attention of multiple generations like the Looney Tunes. As Ruth Clampett, daughter of Looney Tunes animation director Bob Clampett, points out in her foreword to THE LOONEY TUNES TREASURY (Running Press; Publication month: October 2010; $45.00), "Looney Tunes are the animated family we grew up with." The timeless generational appeal of the Looney Tunes is celebrated in THE LOONEY TUNES TREASURY by an irrefutable source, the characters themselves with the help of the Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco curator Andrew Farago. Whether it’s Bugs Bunny or Yosemite Sam, each character gives their own off-beat look at the animation industry, the creative forces who gave the characters their unequivocal look, attitude and voices, and a first-hand account of what the characters do when they’re not starring in the latest cartoon.
Looney Tunes Treasury Author Andrew Farago will make an appearance at the ToonSeum, December 26th from 12noon-2pm. Andrew will be signing copies of his new book on the classic Looney Tunes characters.
"We are delighted to have Andrew visiting us from the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum." Said ToonSeum Executive Director Joe Wos. "Andrew's work as a curator and author has been an inspiration to the ToonSeum in our formative years. The book is equally inspiring to any fan of classic cartoons!"
THE LOONEY TUNES TREASURY is sure to bring out the kid in everyone, and with Warner Bros. 2010 re-launch of the Looney Tunes brand, it is clear that it is definitely"wabbit season" once again!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Farago is the curator at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. He has written for Marvel Comics, The Comics Journal, and Animation World Network. He lives in Berkeley, Calif. with his wife, cartoonist Shaenon K. Garrity.
Looney Tunes Treasury Author Andrew Farago will make an appearance at the ToonSeum, December 26th from 12noon-2pm. Andrew will be signing copies of his new book on the classic Looney Tunes characters.
"We are delighted to have Andrew visiting us from the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum." Said ToonSeum Executive Director Joe Wos. "Andrew's work as a curator and author has been an inspiration to the ToonSeum in our formative years. The book is equally inspiring to any fan of classic cartoons!"
THE LOONEY TUNES TREASURY is sure to bring out the kid in everyone, and with Warner Bros. 2010 re-launch of the Looney Tunes brand, it is clear that it is definitely"wabbit season" once again!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Farago is the curator at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. He has written for Marvel Comics, The Comics Journal, and Animation World Network. He lives in Berkeley, Calif. with his wife, cartoonist Shaenon K. Garrity.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Meet Noel MacNeal! Puppeteer!
THE PUPPETS ARE COMING!
QUICK, FUN, AND CREATIVE—ANY TIME, ANYWHERE!
Parents don’t have it easy these days: between long work hours, commutes, and never-ending housework, there’s not a lot of quality time with kids. Throw in modern technological distractions like video games and television, and the image of the family hanging out together in the living room becomes as wistful vestige of the past as a Norman Rockwell painting.
Join Noel MacNeal for a special family puppetry workshop based on his new book 10-MINUTE PUPPETS. Learn how to make puppets anywhere, in ten minutes or less, using everyday materials. And who better to lead such a workshop than Noel MacNeal, a longtime puppeteer who learned his art from Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and has spent more than 20 years on Sesame Street as a performer and production consultant.
And if you are wondering if you’ve got the artistic and crafty chops to do it, ask yourself these questions: Have you and your kids ever played with dolls, stuffed animals, or action figures? Have you ever moved them around or made them talk to each other? If the answer is yes, congratulations: You’re already a puppeteer!
Noel shows parents and kids how to make puppets using socks, paper bags, napkins, and the most important tools of all—your two hands. And the practical applications are endless: The food is late and your six-year-old is about to lose it. You know what to do. You and your child are having fun and making new friends—literally!
This workshop will take place at the August Wilson Center on December 18th from 11am-12:00pm. It will be followed by a book signing and a chance to meet Noel and Leon from Between the Lions!
The ToonSeum will host a special reception with Noel that evening 6:30pm at the ToonSeum.
About the book:
10-MINUTE PUPPETS is filled with imaginative ideas, energy, and the pure, childlike pleasure of turning objects into characters. There are finger puppets: Wigglin’ Worm in an Apple, Teeny Ballerina, Little Pachyderm. Sock and glove puppets: Crabby Crab and Herb the Plant. Cutouts, shadow puppets, and puppets perfect for the spur-of-the moment, like Envelope Bird—make it using a deposit envelope while waiting in line at the bank. With full-color illustrations throughout, the book has step-by-step instructions for each puppet; pages of puppet parts and bodies to cut out and use; how to create simple puppet theaters; plus, a final chapter with ideas for putting on a show, drawing from nursery rhymes, fairy tales, family stories, and more.
QUICK, FUN, AND CREATIVE—ANY TIME, ANYWHERE!
Parents don’t have it easy these days: between long work hours, commutes, and never-ending housework, there’s not a lot of quality time with kids. Throw in modern technological distractions like video games and television, and the image of the family hanging out together in the living room becomes as wistful vestige of the past as a Norman Rockwell painting.
Join Noel MacNeal for a special family puppetry workshop based on his new book 10-MINUTE PUPPETS. Learn how to make puppets anywhere, in ten minutes or less, using everyday materials. And who better to lead such a workshop than Noel MacNeal, a longtime puppeteer who learned his art from Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and has spent more than 20 years on Sesame Street as a performer and production consultant.
And if you are wondering if you’ve got the artistic and crafty chops to do it, ask yourself these questions: Have you and your kids ever played with dolls, stuffed animals, or action figures? Have you ever moved them around or made them talk to each other? If the answer is yes, congratulations: You’re already a puppeteer!
Noel shows parents and kids how to make puppets using socks, paper bags, napkins, and the most important tools of all—your two hands. And the practical applications are endless: The food is late and your six-year-old is about to lose it. You know what to do. You and your child are having fun and making new friends—literally!
This workshop will take place at the August Wilson Center on December 18th from 11am-12:00pm. It will be followed by a book signing and a chance to meet Noel and Leon from Between the Lions!
The ToonSeum will host a special reception with Noel that evening 6:30pm at the ToonSeum.
About the book:
10-MINUTE PUPPETS is filled with imaginative ideas, energy, and the pure, childlike pleasure of turning objects into characters. There are finger puppets: Wigglin’ Worm in an Apple, Teeny Ballerina, Little Pachyderm. Sock and glove puppets: Crabby Crab and Herb the Plant. Cutouts, shadow puppets, and puppets perfect for the spur-of-the moment, like Envelope Bird—make it using a deposit envelope while waiting in line at the bank. With full-color illustrations throughout, the book has step-by-step instructions for each puppet; pages of puppet parts and bodies to cut out and use; how to create simple puppet theaters; plus, a final chapter with ideas for putting on a show, drawing from nursery rhymes, fairy tales, family stories, and more.
December 22nd Holiday Screenings
The ToonSeum wants to spread a little holiday cheer by presenting three of our favorite animated features on one special night, Wednesday, December 22st. Take a little break from the hustle and bustle and join us for the timeless masterpiece A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), followed by A Wish For Wings That Work (1991), and finally, the feature film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
Perhaps the most popular and poignant of any holiday cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas marked a turning point in the collaboration between Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and animator Bill Melendez. Melendez went on to direct over 70 animated Peanuts specials after meeting Schulz when directing commercials for Ford Motors in 1959. The duo fought corporate sponsors and network executives to keep the show intact, refusing laugh tracks and content edits and insisting on Vince Guaraldi's infectious jazz score, resulting in this beloved animated classic. Presented at 6:30pm.
While it may not be as well known as A Charlie Brown Christmas, Berkley Breathed's A Wish for Wings That Work is a clever, heartfelt, and hilarious adaptation of the artist's own novel of the same name. Opus the Penguin, depressed about his lot in life, becomes a “flight vigilante” and, along with Bill the Cat, ends up saving Christmas. Featuring uncredited performances by Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams, A Wish for Wings That Work is a underrated gem. Presented at 7:00pm.
Henry Selick and Tim Burton's hysterical collaboration is the perfect antidote for the typical saccharine-sweet holiday fare. Danny Elfman's brilliant soundtrack lends both shrieks and chuckles to this, a wildly inventive, darkly subversive, and ultimately adorable tale of two worlds colliding in a mash up of holiday conventions. Presented at 7:45pm.
You can see all three presentations for a suggested donation of $5. All features are recommended for all ages, though adult themes run through each.
Perhaps the most popular and poignant of any holiday cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas marked a turning point in the collaboration between Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and animator Bill Melendez. Melendez went on to direct over 70 animated Peanuts specials after meeting Schulz when directing commercials for Ford Motors in 1959. The duo fought corporate sponsors and network executives to keep the show intact, refusing laugh tracks and content edits and insisting on Vince Guaraldi's infectious jazz score, resulting in this beloved animated classic. Presented at 6:30pm.
While it may not be as well known as A Charlie Brown Christmas, Berkley Breathed's A Wish for Wings That Work is a clever, heartfelt, and hilarious adaptation of the artist's own novel of the same name. Opus the Penguin, depressed about his lot in life, becomes a “flight vigilante” and, along with Bill the Cat, ends up saving Christmas. Featuring uncredited performances by Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams, A Wish for Wings That Work is a underrated gem. Presented at 7:00pm.
Henry Selick and Tim Burton's hysterical collaboration is the perfect antidote for the typical saccharine-sweet holiday fare. Danny Elfman's brilliant soundtrack lends both shrieks and chuckles to this, a wildly inventive, darkly subversive, and ultimately adorable tale of two worlds colliding in a mash up of holiday conventions. Presented at 7:45pm.
You can see all three presentations for a suggested donation of $5. All features are recommended for all ages, though adult themes run through each.
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