Animation geeks will enjoy following the twists and turns in the remarkable career of claymation expert Will Vinton
This documentary about animation maven Will Vinton, whose medium of preference was clay filmed in stop motion, covers his remarkable career in detail, with expected reverence. Strictly as a documentary it’s conventional and a bit snoozy, but animation geeks will revel in the chance it affords to learn more about Vinton, a mostly genial chap who nevertheless had some sharp corners to his character. While the narrative mostly follows a straight-ahead, chronological path through Vinton’s biography, the story comes with a classic parable about how small companies can end up crashing and burning, especially when they get mixed up with strictly material-minded Mba-holders and aggressively controlling angel investors.
Then again, it’s clear Vinton also had himself partly to blame for his eventual business travails, although for the most part...
This documentary about animation maven Will Vinton, whose medium of preference was clay filmed in stop motion, covers his remarkable career in detail, with expected reverence. Strictly as a documentary it’s conventional and a bit snoozy, but animation geeks will revel in the chance it affords to learn more about Vinton, a mostly genial chap who nevertheless had some sharp corners to his character. While the narrative mostly follows a straight-ahead, chronological path through Vinton’s biography, the story comes with a classic parable about how small companies can end up crashing and burning, especially when they get mixed up with strictly material-minded Mba-holders and aggressively controlling angel investors.
Then again, it’s clear Vinton also had himself partly to blame for his eventual business travails, although for the most part...
- 11/15/2022
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Click here to read the full article.
In proudly weird Portland, Oregon, far from the Hollywood moviemaking machinery, an animation empire arose in the mid-’70s. It was fueled by a hippie-collective exuberance and one man’s “burning ambition,” as a colleague describes the enterprising energy of Will Vinton, the company’s driving force, in the engaging and insightful Claydream.
With incisive use of clips from the Vinton catalog and discerning interviews with Vinton and those who knew him, Marq Evans has made a film that pays tribute to its subject but is no starry-eyed celebration. Not unlike the characters Vinton and his collaborators brought to the screen through Claymation (a Vinton coinage and registered trademark), the doc combines exhilarating whimsy with dark and complex emotions. And any film that incorporates deposition footage is not likely to be headed toward a simple happily-ever-after.
Those legal proceedings pitted Vinton against Phil Knight,...
In proudly weird Portland, Oregon, far from the Hollywood moviemaking machinery, an animation empire arose in the mid-’70s. It was fueled by a hippie-collective exuberance and one man’s “burning ambition,” as a colleague describes the enterprising energy of Will Vinton, the company’s driving force, in the engaging and insightful Claydream.
With incisive use of clips from the Vinton catalog and discerning interviews with Vinton and those who knew him, Marq Evans has made a film that pays tribute to its subject but is no starry-eyed celebration. Not unlike the characters Vinton and his collaborators brought to the screen through Claymation (a Vinton coinage and registered trademark), the doc combines exhilarating whimsy with dark and complex emotions. And any film that incorporates deposition footage is not likely to be headed toward a simple happily-ever-after.
Those legal proceedings pitted Vinton against Phil Knight,...
- 8/12/2022
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You’ve almost certainly seen work that wouldn’t exist without the efforts of animation pioneer Will Vinton. But it’s just as likely that this is the first time you’ve ever heard his name. Thankfully, director Marq Evans (“The Glamour and the Squalor”) is determined to ensure that it won’t be the last.
In “Claydream,” Evans has made the tribute Vinton deserves – and the introduction most of us need.
As a student at Berkeley in the late 1960s, Vinton planned to go into architecture. But he found himself drawn to the sculptural works of Catalan visionary Antoni Gaudí, which in turn led to his own experiments with modelling clay. Once he combined this new interest with his love of film, he began innovating the seemingly limitless, if eternally painstaking, genre of stop-motion animation.
Also Read:
Will Vinton, Claymation Oscar Winner and Co-Creator of ‘California Raisins,’ Dies at 70
He and his artistic partner,...
In “Claydream,” Evans has made the tribute Vinton deserves – and the introduction most of us need.
As a student at Berkeley in the late 1960s, Vinton planned to go into architecture. But he found himself drawn to the sculptural works of Catalan visionary Antoni Gaudí, which in turn led to his own experiments with modelling clay. Once he combined this new interest with his love of film, he began innovating the seemingly limitless, if eternally painstaking, genre of stop-motion animation.
Also Read:
Will Vinton, Claymation Oscar Winner and Co-Creator of ‘California Raisins,’ Dies at 70
He and his artistic partner,...
- 8/11/2022
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
A24’s Bodies Bodies Bodies hit theaters with the highest per-screen average this weekend in a limited opening, and the second best of the year. That record was set last spring with Everything Everywhere All at Once as this indie distributor piles up successes.
Halina Reijn’s Gen-z whodunnit comedy grossed 226,526 on six screens in NY and LA for a PSA of 37,754. Everything Everywhere opened to over half a million dollars on 10 screens in NYC, LA and San Francisco in late March for a PSA of 50,965, a pre-Covid kind of number.
Bodies, a fresh take on the murder mystery in a stormy house party game gone awry, with a young ensemble cast of Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders and Lee Pace, expands to about 1,200 screens next weekend.
The film, which premiered at SXSW, had sellouts on both coasts where it played NYC’s Lincoln Square,...
Halina Reijn’s Gen-z whodunnit comedy grossed 226,526 on six screens in NY and LA for a PSA of 37,754. Everything Everywhere opened to over half a million dollars on 10 screens in NYC, LA and San Francisco in late March for a PSA of 50,965, a pre-Covid kind of number.
Bodies, a fresh take on the murder mystery in a stormy house party game gone awry, with a young ensemble cast of Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders and Lee Pace, expands to about 1,200 screens next weekend.
The film, which premiered at SXSW, had sellouts on both coasts where it played NYC’s Lincoln Square,...
- 8/7/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s intent in a brief snippet from an archival interview with Travis Knight. He’s asked about getting the animation bug at Laika, of which he’s co-owner with his father Phil Knight while also serving as President and CEO; his answer is, “No. I started at another studio.” It’s not a lie. He began his career at Will Vinton Studios after Phil became a minority shareholder. It’s also not the whole truth—Laika is Will Vinton Studios, or at least what Will Vinton Studios became after the elder Knight initiated a hostile takeover. There’s been a very conscious effort to separate the two despite that lineage, because of how messy the origins ultimately prove. I personally had no clue of the connection until almost seven years later.
While that shouldn’t necessarily be surprising (companies are bought and sold every day), reading around the time...
While that shouldn’t necessarily be surprising (companies are bought and sold every day), reading around the time...
- 8/5/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The Book of Genesis contains two competing creation stories: There’s the one where an all-powerful deity conjures everything in six days, and the version where a more anthropomorphic god rolls up his heavenly sleeves and makes man from clay.
Guess which one the visionary stop-motion artist Will Vinton would have preferred.
Co-inventor of the “Claymation” technique, Vinton wanted to be the second Walt Disney. Colorful eyegasm “ClayDream” celebrates all that Will Vinton Studios achieved — its most beloved characters include the California Raisins, rabbit-eared Domino’s Pizza menace “the Noid” and Eddie Murphy series “The PJs” — while musing about what might have been, had control of the company not been wrested away from him by Nike honcho Phil Knight, who rechristened it Laika and put his son Travis in charge.
That was an unhappy end for Vinton (who died in 2018), to be sure, but like the Old Testament origin story, this saga has multiple versions.
Guess which one the visionary stop-motion artist Will Vinton would have preferred.
Co-inventor of the “Claymation” technique, Vinton wanted to be the second Walt Disney. Colorful eyegasm “ClayDream” celebrates all that Will Vinton Studios achieved — its most beloved characters include the California Raisins, rabbit-eared Domino’s Pizza menace “the Noid” and Eddie Murphy series “The PJs” — while musing about what might have been, had control of the company not been wrested away from him by Nike honcho Phil Knight, who rechristened it Laika and put his son Travis in charge.
That was an unhappy end for Vinton (who died in 2018), to be sure, but like the Old Testament origin story, this saga has multiple versions.
- 8/5/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Have you ever heard of Will Vinton? How many people still know who he is nowadays? Vinton was the co-founder of a stop-motion animation studio based in Portland, Oregon. He created this studio in early 1970s, known as just "Will Vinton Studios" at the time, and it ended up becoming a mainstream success - you will definitely recognize their work. They're most well known for The California Raisins, as well as a few other films including Rip Van Winkle and Dinosaur. They even won an Academy Award in 1975 for an innovative claymation short film they created (called Closed Mondays). But all that is in the past, and it's not a story anyone can recall anymore. There isn't even much info about Will Vinton Studios on Wikipedia. Why? Well, you definitely know the other name of the animation studio as it's now known today - Laika. Claydream is a documentary takes...
- 8/4/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"We knew we were pioneering something." Oscilloscope Labs has debtued the trailer for a documentary film titled Claydream, a remarkably fascinating and tragic story of a claymation / stop-motion animation master named Will Vinton. Some of you may recognize his name! But not everyone - this film fixes that mistake. Self-described as a modern day Walt Disney, Will Vinton picked up a ball of clay and saw a world of potential. Known as the "Father of Claymation," Vinton revolutionized the animation business during the 80s & 90s. But after 30 years of being the unheralded king of clay, Will Vinton's carefully sculpted American dream came crumbling down - when he was unceremoniously kicked out of the company much like Steve Jobs. This film is also the story of the origins of Laika, for better and worse, as it looks back on the legacy of Vinton's studio and all that they did before it...
- 7/19/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Angus MacLane, animation veteran and director of the new Pixar adventure Lightyear, discusses his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taking Off (1971)
Reign of Terror (1949)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s review
Lightyear (2022)
Toy Story (1995)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Beyond Furious series, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, ’Burbs Mania at Tfh
Alive (1993)
Star Wars (1977)
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Tron (1982)
The Blues Brothers (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Howard The Duck (1986) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Wall-e (2008)
Predator 2 (1990)
Alien vs. Predator...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taking Off (1971)
Reign of Terror (1949)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s review
Lightyear (2022)
Toy Story (1995)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Beyond Furious series, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, ’Burbs Mania at Tfh
Alive (1993)
Star Wars (1977)
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Tron (1982)
The Blues Brothers (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Howard The Duck (1986) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Wall-e (2008)
Predator 2 (1990)
Alien vs. Predator...
- 6/7/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Exclusive: Xyz Films and Rick and Morty producer Starburns Industries are teaming to produce Welcome to My Daydream, a biographical feature-length documentary about Oscar-winning stop-motion animation icon Will Vinton. Marq Evans (The Glamour & the Squalor) is set to direct, with Xyz handling worldwide sales.
The docu will feature new original claymation scenes using characters Vinton helped design before his death in October.
Vinton won the Oscar for Animated Short in 1975 with Bob Gardiner for Closed Mondays, the first of four noms in the category. He also was co-nominated for the visual effects in Walter Murch’s Return to Oz in 1986. Vinton’s creations hit the mainstream thanks to advertising campaigns led by the Marvin Gaye-signing California Raisins and Domino’s Pizza’s Noid. His Portland-based Will Vinton Studios eventually was acquired by Nike’s Phil Knight and morphed into Laika, the stop-motion studio headed by Travis Knight that has...
The docu will feature new original claymation scenes using characters Vinton helped design before his death in October.
Vinton won the Oscar for Animated Short in 1975 with Bob Gardiner for Closed Mondays, the first of four noms in the category. He also was co-nominated for the visual effects in Walter Murch’s Return to Oz in 1986. Vinton’s creations hit the mainstream thanks to advertising campaigns led by the Marvin Gaye-signing California Raisins and Domino’s Pizza’s Noid. His Portland-based Will Vinton Studios eventually was acquired by Nike’s Phil Knight and morphed into Laika, the stop-motion studio headed by Travis Knight that has...
- 3/6/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Animation Podcast Ep. 104 The Animation Podcast is a weekly podcast news show that looks into the latest news in the animation industry, hosted by FilmBook, created and narrated by FilmBook author Mathieu Brunet a.k.a. AniMat from the ElectricDragon505 YouTube channel. Music provided by Chris Holland. In this episode, The Animation Podcast examines [...]
Continue reading: The Animation Podcast Ep. 104: Bob’S Burgers, Will Vinton, Sonic The Hedgehog...
Continue reading: The Animation Podcast Ep. 104: Bob’S Burgers, Will Vinton, Sonic The Hedgehog...
- 10/7/2017
- by Mathieu Brunet
- Film-Book
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The 18th Annual Animation Show of Shows Sva Theater, NYC
I became an animation fan -- a true aficionado -- early in life. It had little or nothing to do with children's shows on television (Hanna-Barbera, Speed Racer, Gigantor, et al), though I watched and liked most of them. Rather, it was probably when I first saw Fantasia (likely mid-1960s), and then The Jungle Book (1967) and (of course!) The Beatles' Yellow Submarine (1968). By that time, I was actively looking for good (or great) animation. I was not a fan of Disney (though I have a sentimental fondness for The Aristocats (1970)), and anime feature films did not become widely known in the U.S. until the 1980s.
So when I heard about something called the Fantastic Animation Festival in 1977, I made sure to check it out. Comprised of a series of 18 animated short films, it was exactly what animation aficionados were looking for.
The 18th Annual Animation Show of Shows Sva Theater, NYC
I became an animation fan -- a true aficionado -- early in life. It had little or nothing to do with children's shows on television (Hanna-Barbera, Speed Racer, Gigantor, et al), though I watched and liked most of them. Rather, it was probably when I first saw Fantasia (likely mid-1960s), and then The Jungle Book (1967) and (of course!) The Beatles' Yellow Submarine (1968). By that time, I was actively looking for good (or great) animation. I was not a fan of Disney (though I have a sentimental fondness for The Aristocats (1970)), and anime feature films did not become widely known in the U.S. until the 1980s.
So when I heard about something called the Fantastic Animation Festival in 1977, I made sure to check it out. Comprised of a series of 18 animated short films, it was exactly what animation aficionados were looking for.
- 6/8/2017
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Ryan Lambie Mar 22, 2017
Fearsome monsters, grasping hands, and a suggestive tree. Here are 10 fantasy movie moments that scarred us as kids...
Sooner or later, you're going to see a scary movie. Whether you sneak down and watch a horror film on late night television, watch a Nightmare On Elm Street sequel round a friend's house or watch clips of slasher movies on YouTube, horror movies are always out there, waiting in the wings for the young and curious.
See related The Last Kingdom series 2 episode 1 review The Last Kingdom series 2: politics, battles and arselings What can we expect from new BBC drama, The Last Kingdom?
But long before most of us graduate to the stage of our lives where we start seeking out 18-rated movies of gore and terror, we reliably encounter scary moments in what might initially seem to be harmless family adventure films.
The 1980s was an...
Fearsome monsters, grasping hands, and a suggestive tree. Here are 10 fantasy movie moments that scarred us as kids...
Sooner or later, you're going to see a scary movie. Whether you sneak down and watch a horror film on late night television, watch a Nightmare On Elm Street sequel round a friend's house or watch clips of slasher movies on YouTube, horror movies are always out there, waiting in the wings for the young and curious.
See related The Last Kingdom series 2 episode 1 review The Last Kingdom series 2: politics, battles and arselings What can we expect from new BBC drama, The Last Kingdom?
But long before most of us graduate to the stage of our lives where we start seeking out 18-rated movies of gore and terror, we reliably encounter scary moments in what might initially seem to be harmless family adventure films.
The 1980s was an...
- 3/21/2017
- Den of Geek
Brendon Connelly Jan 18, 2017
Kubo And The Two Strings director, and Laika founder, Travis Knight, talks us through making a stop motion movie...
Travis Knight is both the head of Laika, the Portland, Oregon studio at the vanguard of stop-motion animation, and the director of their latest film, Kubo And The Two Strings. By all obvious signs, he's very good at both of his jobs.
I spoke to Knight on the occasion of Kubo getting its DVD, Blu-ray and download release, and given that Den of Geek had already spoken to him about this film specifically, I thought we would chat about Laika in general. Knight gave me a history, took questions about the future, and addressed some of the fine points of how animation gets done the Laika way. Here's how our conversation went.
Can we start by going back, way back? I'd love a potted history, starting at the...
Kubo And The Two Strings director, and Laika founder, Travis Knight, talks us through making a stop motion movie...
Travis Knight is both the head of Laika, the Portland, Oregon studio at the vanguard of stop-motion animation, and the director of their latest film, Kubo And The Two Strings. By all obvious signs, he's very good at both of his jobs.
I spoke to Knight on the occasion of Kubo getting its DVD, Blu-ray and download release, and given that Den of Geek had already spoken to him about this film specifically, I thought we would chat about Laika in general. Knight gave me a history, took questions about the future, and addressed some of the fine points of how animation gets done the Laika way. Here's how our conversation went.
Can we start by going back, way back? I'd love a potted history, starting at the...
- 1/17/2017
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Two titles join previously announced co-pro with former Simpsons animation producer Bill Schultz and China Film Group.
UK sales outfit Gfm Films is to launch Gfm Animation, a dedicated sales and production label for animated films.
Existing Gfm animation development properties such as Hugo and Stonerunner will now fall under the banner of the sister company, which launches with a trio of projects in early stages.
Here Comes The Grump, a joint venture between UK VFX specialists Prime Focus World and Mexican studio Anima, will follow a boy who is transported to a far-away land where he must put a stop to the evil deeds of a mean spirited wizard called The Grump.
Dog’Y’Dog is the story of a teenage dog who longs to be a rock ‘n’roll guitarist but who finds his dreams put on hold when his famous ‘dogynaut’ father goes missing on his latest mission to the moon.
Helsinki based Leningrad Cowboys...
UK sales outfit Gfm Films is to launch Gfm Animation, a dedicated sales and production label for animated films.
Existing Gfm animation development properties such as Hugo and Stonerunner will now fall under the banner of the sister company, which launches with a trio of projects in early stages.
Here Comes The Grump, a joint venture between UK VFX specialists Prime Focus World and Mexican studio Anima, will follow a boy who is transported to a far-away land where he must put a stop to the evil deeds of a mean spirited wizard called The Grump.
Dog’Y’Dog is the story of a teenage dog who longs to be a rock ‘n’roll guitarist but who finds his dreams put on hold when his famous ‘dogynaut’ father goes missing on his latest mission to the moon.
Helsinki based Leningrad Cowboys...
- 11/1/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – One of the great benefits of the new Golden Age of Animation has been the emergence of other studios…like Laika Entertainment, which has released “Coraline,” “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls,” all nominated for Oscars. Travis Knight directs their latest stop-motion style animated film, “Kubo and the Two Strings.”
“Kubo” is rooted in Japanese samurai myth, but is a wholly new story. A baby loses an eye in a great battle, but his mother manages to save him. In exile, the two live near the ocean, and the baby grows to the boy Kubo, who supports his mother by going into the village with a magical string instrument. With it, he is able to conjure stories that use the style and look of paper folding origami. His magic is drawing attention, from both good and evil sorcery. Kubo ends up in a journey with a Monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron...
“Kubo” is rooted in Japanese samurai myth, but is a wholly new story. A baby loses an eye in a great battle, but his mother manages to save him. In exile, the two live near the ocean, and the baby grows to the boy Kubo, who supports his mother by going into the village with a magical string instrument. With it, he is able to conjure stories that use the style and look of paper folding origami. His magic is drawing attention, from both good and evil sorcery. Kubo ends up in a journey with a Monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron...
- 8/17/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Exclusive: London-based Gfm Films and Bill Schultz’s Home Plate Entertainment Company are teaming to develop and produce feature-length stop-motion animated pic, Codename Housewife: The Case Of The Missing Rock Stars (Wt). The fish-out-of-water-meets-secret-agent musical comedy is based on the Korean short film, Code Name: Azumma: The Missing Rock Stars, and will be directed by Oscar-winner Will Vinton and Korean claymation helmer Hong Sukhwa. Jim Cox (FernGully, Oliver…...
- 7/6/2016
- Deadline
So, you’ve enjoyed most of last year’s animated feature films? Yes, 2015 was a pretty good year, but doesn’t match up to the gold standard of 1999 (Toy Story 2, The Iron Giant, Disney’S Tarzan, and South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut). Still Pixar had its best work in years with Inside Out and that Shaun The Sheep was a loving tribute to classic silent comedies, but the other major hits like Minions and The Good Dinosaur were geared toward the small fry (not that Out and The Peanuts Movie didn’t appeal to all ages). For this new film, definitely leave the kiddos at home. Yes we did have an “R” rated animated film last year with Hell And Back, but that flick was chocked full of sophomoric sex jokes and “gross-out” gags. This holdover from ’15 (now getting a wide release) is truly adult in subject matter and graphics,...
- 1/14/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
1985 was the year of Back To The Future, Rocky IV and Rambo II. But what about these 20 movies, that also deserve a fair share of love?
Thirty years ago, Marty McFly was riding high with the smash hit Back To The Future, while Sylvester Stallone enjoyed his most successful year yet with the one-two punch of Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV. It was an era of family sci-fi and teen comedies and bullet-spraying action, where The Breakfast Club and Teen Wolf rubbed shoulders with Death Wish 3 and Commando. Then there were low-key dramas like Out Of Africa and The Color Purple, which were both awards magnets at the Oscars.
Away from all those big hits, 1985 saw the release of a wealth of less successful movies, some of which found a second life on the then-huge home video circuit. Here's our pick of 20 underappreciated films from the year of Rambo,...
Thirty years ago, Marty McFly was riding high with the smash hit Back To The Future, while Sylvester Stallone enjoyed his most successful year yet with the one-two punch of Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV. It was an era of family sci-fi and teen comedies and bullet-spraying action, where The Breakfast Club and Teen Wolf rubbed shoulders with Death Wish 3 and Commando. Then there were low-key dramas like Out Of Africa and The Color Purple, which were both awards magnets at the Oscars.
Away from all those big hits, 1985 saw the release of a wealth of less successful movies, some of which found a second life on the then-huge home video circuit. Here's our pick of 20 underappreciated films from the year of Rambo,...
- 9/2/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Cinema Retro has received the following press release:
The 2015 Portland Film Festival is Oregon’s largest film event of the year, with 80 narrative and documentary feature films and 134 short films selected out of 3500 Submissions.
This weeklong extravaganza also includes over 75 Master Classes, Two Lifetime Achievement Tributes, and an unprecedented live event featuring Several Thousand Festivalgoers As Extras in a record-setting Zombie Day Event.
Los Angeles – August 13, 2015 – Portland Film Festival announced today the feature film competition programs, opening and closing screenings, music and midnight sections, tribute presentations, northwest, and special screenings for the 2015 Portland Film Festival. The 3rd Annual festival is a weeklong event of 214 screenings of feature length and short films from around the world, red carpet world premieres, tributes to filmmaking legends, more than 50 hours of professional workshops, nightly after-parties and more.
The third annual Portland Film Festival will take place September 1 – 7th, 2015, in Portland, Oregon, at seven venues throughout the city,...
The 2015 Portland Film Festival is Oregon’s largest film event of the year, with 80 narrative and documentary feature films and 134 short films selected out of 3500 Submissions.
This weeklong extravaganza also includes over 75 Master Classes, Two Lifetime Achievement Tributes, and an unprecedented live event featuring Several Thousand Festivalgoers As Extras in a record-setting Zombie Day Event.
Los Angeles – August 13, 2015 – Portland Film Festival announced today the feature film competition programs, opening and closing screenings, music and midnight sections, tribute presentations, northwest, and special screenings for the 2015 Portland Film Festival. The 3rd Annual festival is a weeklong event of 214 screenings of feature length and short films from around the world, red carpet world premieres, tributes to filmmaking legends, more than 50 hours of professional workshops, nightly after-parties and more.
The third annual Portland Film Festival will take place September 1 – 7th, 2015, in Portland, Oregon, at seven venues throughout the city,...
- 8/24/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Read More: 11 Tips for Starting Your Own Indie Film Festival The 3rd Portland Film Festival, which will run September 1-7, announced its full lineup today, including in competition, opening and closing screenings, as well as its screenplay competition worth a prize of $20,000. The event will also honor stop-motion pioneer Will Vinton, sculptor and puppet maker Wendy Froud and cinematographer Amy Vincen. "Portland audiences are the most enthusiastic, film-savvy crowds in the nation, and we're proud to bring them a stellar festival schedule this year. We've created an incredibly diverse and large program of films and events that honor cinema legends, celebrate new approaches and experimentation in film, and showcase the best in contemporary cinema," said Josh Leake, Portland Film Festival Founder and Executive Director. The lineup is as follows: Narrative Competition "6 Angry Women" / U.S. (Director: Sridhar Reddy) "Aimy in a Cage"...
- 8/13/2015
- by Ethan Sapienza
- Indiewire
Exclusive: There's no name to the project yet but the Claymation kingpin will be helming the first of a slate of films birthed out a new deal between Gnosis Moving Pictures and Toonz Media Group. The co-financing and production agreement will see the India-based latter invest in several CG-animated films over several years such as Moby & Dick, the action-adventure Nicholas and The Life And Adventures of Santa Claus. Last July, Deadline revealed that Gnosis and Will Vinton…...
- 5/6/2015
- Deadline
A few weeks ago, we were whisked away to the magical land of Portland, Oregon, for the sole purpose of visiting Laika, the animation studio whose dazzling new stop motion confection "The Boxtrolls," opens later this month. As you can imagine, it was downright magical and while we were there, for a few short hours, we tried to soak up all we could from the place - the sets, the people, the vibe - so we relay that special feeling to you. It was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime treat, to the point that we had to actively wonder if we had come down with some incurable disease and they were whisking us there as a dying wish.
While we tried to cram as many anecdotes and notes as we could into our trip, but we were also working (see our adorable interview with Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who voices Eggs, a small child...
While we tried to cram as many anecdotes and notes as we could into our trip, but we were also working (see our adorable interview with Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who voices Eggs, a small child...
- 9/10/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
Gnosis Moving Pictures and Vinton Entertainment have signed a co-production deal on a slate of CG animated features for Oscar winner Will Vinton to direct.
The slate includes The Quest, a Monty Python-esque comedy set in outer space that Vinton (pictured) co-wrote with Andrew Wiese and Peter Crabbe. The film will feature the voice of John Cleese.
Jack Hightower, based on the Dark Horse graphic novel, is a comedic action adventure about a macho secret agent who shrinks to the size of a hotdog.
Moby & Dick, inspired by the Herman Melville novel and tells of the bond between fathers and sons.
Nicholas, a mix of 3D stop-animation and CGI, is an action–adventure story based on L Frank Baum’s novel, The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus.
“Our partnership with animation icon Will Vinton is poised to produce engaging and thought-provoking animated content for children and families from one of the best in the business,” said...
The slate includes The Quest, a Monty Python-esque comedy set in outer space that Vinton (pictured) co-wrote with Andrew Wiese and Peter Crabbe. The film will feature the voice of John Cleese.
Jack Hightower, based on the Dark Horse graphic novel, is a comedic action adventure about a macho secret agent who shrinks to the size of a hotdog.
Moby & Dick, inspired by the Herman Melville novel and tells of the bond between fathers and sons.
Nicholas, a mix of 3D stop-animation and CGI, is an action–adventure story based on L Frank Baum’s novel, The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus.
“Our partnership with animation icon Will Vinton is poised to produce engaging and thought-provoking animated content for children and families from one of the best in the business,” said...
- 7/23/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
As a fan of Paranorman and Coraline, Laika is becoming a force in genre storytelling. Earlier this morning I read an article that every genre fan should read. It tells the fantastic story of how a failed rapper by the name of Chilly Tee overthrew and ousted the creator of Claymation, Will Vinton. Chilly Tee’s actual name is Travis Knight. Travis Knight is the President and CEO of Laika. More importantly, Travis Knight is the son of Phil Knight, the owner of Laika and co-founder of Nike. I think many of us associate Laika as a relatively new company – which, under that name, they are. However, as the story below goes to show, Laika is just a re-branding of the original Will Vinton Studios. Will Vinton is the man that created and popularized The California Raisins.
It is a fascinating story to read and I would do a disservice in quoting any of it.
It is a fascinating story to read and I would do a disservice in quoting any of it.
- 5/12/2014
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
CEO Darius A Kamali has announced the formation of Gnosis Moving Pictures, a global studio with a focus on uplifting feature content to promote communal understanding.
The company has one to two projects set to go into production each year in the animated and live action genres and plans to makes aggressive moves into social and mobile gaming with partner company IPFranchise.
Gnosis is producing its first animated feature, The Quest, in creative partnership with Portland, Oregon-based Vinton Entertainment.
Will Vinton will direct from a script he co-wrote with Andrew Weise and Peter Crabbe. The film is an absurdist look at outer space aimed at all ages in the vein of Monty Python and will feature the voice talent of John Cleese.
Through its alliance with IPFranchise in San Francisco, Gnosis will develop original IPs, branded studio titles and digital extensions of its film slate.
IPFranchise, headed by Kandice Cota, is currently...
The company has one to two projects set to go into production each year in the animated and live action genres and plans to makes aggressive moves into social and mobile gaming with partner company IPFranchise.
Gnosis is producing its first animated feature, The Quest, in creative partnership with Portland, Oregon-based Vinton Entertainment.
Will Vinton will direct from a script he co-wrote with Andrew Weise and Peter Crabbe. The film is an absurdist look at outer space aimed at all ages in the vein of Monty Python and will feature the voice talent of John Cleese.
Through its alliance with IPFranchise in San Francisco, Gnosis will develop original IPs, branded studio titles and digital extensions of its film slate.
IPFranchise, headed by Kandice Cota, is currently...
- 8/27/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Do you remember being a child trying to make Transformers out of play-dough? It was fun and messy but insanely hard to do, now imagine making entire sets, characters and films out of it, doesn’t seem as fun anymore does it? However there are wonderful people who persevere and create gorgeous films, music videos and TV shows by moving clay or objects a tiny bit in each shot and we get to enjoy all the pleasures of their painstaking work. Despite being inanimate objects it’s amazing that stop-motion can be scary, make us laugh out loud or cry and even make us dance.
Even brilliant Us comedy series Community recently got in on the act, featuring an entire episode of stop-motion in their second season (out on DVD Monday). So join me in finding out the best examples of this fascinating process and get your play-dough ready as...
Even brilliant Us comedy series Community recently got in on the act, featuring an entire episode of stop-motion in their second season (out on DVD Monday). So join me in finding out the best examples of this fascinating process and get your play-dough ready as...
- 9/24/2012
- by Jonathan Taylor
- Obsessed with Film
Now that they've made it through an honest-to-God trilogy, are cinema's silliest stoners ready to conquer the small screen?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, on the eve of "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" being dropped into theaters Lionsgate is currently shopping an animated TV show featuring the high times of these now-iconic characters.
Both John Cho and Kal Penn, who were thought to be done with the series, are onboard to voice Harold and Kumar, respectively, and original writer/creators Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who have penned all three movies and directed the second, are attached to continue scripting their baby. Gotta have quality control.
Interestingly enough, "Christmas" already features an extended sequence in which the boys get done up in some old school Will Vinton-style clamation, but the article does not state what style the proposed series would be done in.
It also doesn't state what...
According to The Hollywood Reporter, on the eve of "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" being dropped into theaters Lionsgate is currently shopping an animated TV show featuring the high times of these now-iconic characters.
Both John Cho and Kal Penn, who were thought to be done with the series, are onboard to voice Harold and Kumar, respectively, and original writer/creators Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who have penned all three movies and directed the second, are attached to continue scripting their baby. Gotta have quality control.
Interestingly enough, "Christmas" already features an extended sequence in which the boys get done up in some old school Will Vinton-style clamation, but the article does not state what style the proposed series would be done in.
It also doesn't state what...
- 11/4/2011
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
The first entirely Claymation feature film, The Adventures of Mark Twain is a a rather stunning technical achievement from Will Vinton Productions and one that is unfortunately rather under-seen. Even if this wasn’t such a wonderfully entertaining and rather charming film this situation would be lamentable due to the film’s historical significance as a remarkable achievement in animation.
When Vinton remarks on the commentary on this disc that this was the first 100% Claymation feature film he is not exaggerating either, everything here is made from plasticine, from the characters and objects to the painted backdrops and even the water that seems to flow and ripple in certain scenes. The effect that this achieves is one that feels very much like an elaborate magic trick. With everything in the world modelled in plasticine., what at first seems like a distancing aesthetic begins to seem more and more natural as the film goes on.
When Vinton remarks on the commentary on this disc that this was the first 100% Claymation feature film he is not exaggerating either, everything here is made from plasticine, from the characters and objects to the painted backdrops and even the water that seems to flow and ripple in certain scenes. The effect that this achieves is one that feels very much like an elaborate magic trick. With everything in the world modelled in plasticine., what at first seems like a distancing aesthetic begins to seem more and more natural as the film goes on.
- 10/31/2011
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
These clips show how a fantastic fellowship was forged by home video, fearsome effects and David Bowie in a codpiece
After the gritty realism of the 70s, the 80s offered audiences a chance to suspend disbelief and take a flight of fantasy into strange alternative worlds.
It was a time for mythical adventures in exciting lands populated by enchanting characters but often ruled by dark, malevolent forces. It was a time for callow would-be warriors to embark on quests to restore equilibrium by courageously going up against flamboyant and fearsome foes – often looking like the product of grisly adolescent nightmare. It was also a time for jaw-dropping effects. From the physicality of live-action puppetry to creepy Claymation effects and early experimentations with CGI, state-of-the-art technology breathed tangible life into these often dark fantastical creations.
Due in part to unfair comparisons with a certain iconic sci-fi series that emerged at the time,...
After the gritty realism of the 70s, the 80s offered audiences a chance to suspend disbelief and take a flight of fantasy into strange alternative worlds.
It was a time for mythical adventures in exciting lands populated by enchanting characters but often ruled by dark, malevolent forces. It was a time for callow would-be warriors to embark on quests to restore equilibrium by courageously going up against flamboyant and fearsome foes – often looking like the product of grisly adolescent nightmare. It was also a time for jaw-dropping effects. From the physicality of live-action puppetry to creepy Claymation effects and early experimentations with CGI, state-of-the-art technology breathed tangible life into these often dark fantastical creations.
Due in part to unfair comparisons with a certain iconic sci-fi series that emerged at the time,...
- 4/28/2011
- by Oliver Pfeiffer
- The Guardian - Film News
A Hollywood cinema is searching for a print of Mj's 1988 film with plans to give it a 'one night only' screening.
By James Montgomery
Michael Jackson's "Moonwalker"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Michael Jackson's short-film anthology "Moonwalker" may finally get a debut theatrical screening in the United States more than 20 years after it was released.
Back in 1988, Mj first unveiled the ambitious project, which contained several long-form videos for songs off his then-just-released Bad album, including his famous 25-minute clip for "Smooth Criminal." The film had been scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters that Christmas, but for whatever reason, that plan was scrapped. The movie was released on VHS early in 1989, and — surprise, surprise — became a massive success. But now, more than two decades after its debut, one theater is planning to give "Moonwalker" a proper premiere here in the States.
According to TMZ, Hollywood's Arclight Cinemas is...
By James Montgomery
Michael Jackson's "Moonwalker"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Michael Jackson's short-film anthology "Moonwalker" may finally get a debut theatrical screening in the United States more than 20 years after it was released.
Back in 1988, Mj first unveiled the ambitious project, which contained several long-form videos for songs off his then-just-released Bad album, including his famous 25-minute clip for "Smooth Criminal." The film had been scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters that Christmas, but for whatever reason, that plan was scrapped. The movie was released on VHS early in 1989, and — surprise, surprise — became a massive success. But now, more than two decades after its debut, one theater is planning to give "Moonwalker" a proper premiere here in the States.
According to TMZ, Hollywood's Arclight Cinemas is...
- 1/20/2011
- MTV Movie News
A Hollywood cinema is searching for a print of Mj's 1988 film with plans to give it a 'one night only' screening.
By James Montgomery
Michael Jackson's "Moonwalker"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Michael Jackson's short-film anthology "Moonwalker" may finally get a debut theatrical screening in the United States more than 20 years after it was released.
Back in 1988, Mj first unveiled the ambitious project, which contained several long-form videos for songs off his then-just-released Bad album, including his famous 25-minute clip for "Smooth Criminal." The film had been scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters that Christmas, but for whatever reason, that plan was scrapped. The movie was released on VHS early in 1989, and — surprise, surprise — became a massive success. But now, more than two decades after its debut, one theater is planning to give "Moonwalker" a proper premiere here in the States.
According to TMZ, Hollywood's Arclight Cinemas is...
By James Montgomery
Michael Jackson's "Moonwalker"
Photo: Warner Bros.
Michael Jackson's short-film anthology "Moonwalker" may finally get a debut theatrical screening in the United States more than 20 years after it was released.
Back in 1988, Mj first unveiled the ambitious project, which contained several long-form videos for songs off his then-just-released Bad album, including his famous 25-minute clip for "Smooth Criminal." The film had been scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters that Christmas, but for whatever reason, that plan was scrapped. The movie was released on VHS early in 1989, and — surprise, surprise — became a massive success. But now, more than two decades after its debut, one theater is planning to give "Moonwalker" a proper premiere here in the States.
According to TMZ, Hollywood's Arclight Cinemas is...
- 1/20/2011
- MTV Music News
by Amy Monaghan
[A reminder to Academy Awards watchers worldwide: please join GreenCine and a quick-witted panel of critics and bloggers for our Oscars Live Chat on Sunday night, beginning at 7:30pm Est.]
An astonishing number of cartoons are nominated for Academy Awards this year—Up, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Avatar, Meryl Streep's mawkish turn as Julia Child—but only five are in contention for Best Animated Short Film.
Oscar's recognition of animated shorts dates all the way back to 1932, when Walt Disney's Flowers and Trees took home the statuette in what was known for nearly 40 years as the "Short Subjects, Cartoon" category. The Seventies heralded two name changes, first to "Short Films (Animated Films)" and then its current moniker. That era also saw Disney et al.'s dominance challenged by the likes of the Hubleys, Will Vinton, and various works created under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada and its Francophone sibling, Société Radio-Canada.
Continued reading Shorts? Sweet!...
Comments (1)
Comments on this Entry:
(Libby on Mar 6, 2010 10:19 Am) La Dama y la Muerte was by far my favorite,...
[A reminder to Academy Awards watchers worldwide: please join GreenCine and a quick-witted panel of critics and bloggers for our Oscars Live Chat on Sunday night, beginning at 7:30pm Est.]
An astonishing number of cartoons are nominated for Academy Awards this year—Up, Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Avatar, Meryl Streep's mawkish turn as Julia Child—but only five are in contention for Best Animated Short Film.
Oscar's recognition of animated shorts dates all the way back to 1932, when Walt Disney's Flowers and Trees took home the statuette in what was known for nearly 40 years as the "Short Subjects, Cartoon" category. The Seventies heralded two name changes, first to "Short Films (Animated Films)" and then its current moniker. That era also saw Disney et al.'s dominance challenged by the likes of the Hubleys, Will Vinton, and various works created under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada and its Francophone sibling, Société Radio-Canada.
Continued reading Shorts? Sweet!...
Comments (1)
Comments on this Entry:
(Libby on Mar 6, 2010 10:19 Am) La Dama y la Muerte was by far my favorite,...
- 3/6/2010
- GreenCine Daily
Wall Street, they tell me, is on an upturn, and the economy is well on its way to recovery. Hooray and Huzzah! But, even if all this optimism is justified (which I doubt), the rough times aren't entirely behind us and, however long they linger, certain businesses are going to suffer -- especially certain businesses that may not be fit for survival in the digital world, like publishing for the niche markets of Sf and horror.
And, even if happy days are here again, some 20th Century businesses won't be coming back, ever.
Every year, March is National Reading Month, and every year it passes by with no one noticing, except for a few librarians who have to get up on ladders to post the banners (of course, this year, no budget for banners, so there wasn't even that).
Well, this blog is going to change everything; we're going to...
And, even if happy days are here again, some 20th Century businesses won't be coming back, ever.
Every year, March is National Reading Month, and every year it passes by with no one noticing, except for a few librarians who have to get up on ladders to post the banners (of course, this year, no budget for banners, so there wasn't even that).
Well, this blog is going to change everything; we're going to...
- 6/8/2009
- by unclebob
- DreadCentral.com
Maria Grasso is expected to exit Lifetime to join rival cable upstart Own: The Oprah Winfrey Network, the joint venture between Discovery Communications and Winfrey's Harpo Prods.
Details about Grasso's post at Own are still sketchy, but she would assume a top development role at Own under president Robin Schwartz. Grasso is the second key executive hire for Schwartz after the appointment of Nina Wass as senior vp creative affairs last month.
As of Thursday, Grasso was still working at Lifetime, visiting the set of the network's pilot "Drop Dead Diva" in Atlanta.
Grasso's pending departure would follow the exit of Lifetime entertainment president Susanne Daniels in June.
Grasso had worked under Daniels at the WB Network, where Daniels was president of entertainment and Grasso was senior vp drama development. Daniels brought her to Lifetime shortly after she took the reins of the network in September 2005.
At Lifetime, Grasso oversaw...
Details about Grasso's post at Own are still sketchy, but she would assume a top development role at Own under president Robin Schwartz. Grasso is the second key executive hire for Schwartz after the appointment of Nina Wass as senior vp creative affairs last month.
As of Thursday, Grasso was still working at Lifetime, visiting the set of the network's pilot "Drop Dead Diva" in Atlanta.
Grasso's pending departure would follow the exit of Lifetime entertainment president Susanne Daniels in June.
Grasso had worked under Daniels at the WB Network, where Daniels was president of entertainment and Grasso was senior vp drama development. Daniels brought her to Lifetime shortly after she took the reins of the network in September 2005.
At Lifetime, Grasso oversaw...
- 9/11/2008
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Who knew that a guy who built his fortune selling overpriced shoes to kids who could never truly feel accepted unless they had them was also a big geek? Phil Knight, the king of the Nike empire, took over Will Vinton Studios, most known for the California Raisins, and turned it into Laika a few years back, employing his son Travis as one of the lead animators.
The film Laika’s most associated with is the Neil Gaiman adaptation Coraline, which Variety reports this morning will finally see an Oscar-qualifying release later this year, followed by a wide theatrical on February 6th, 2009. I’m really glad there’s finally going to be some promotion for this project because I’ve been trying to drum up hype about it seemingly on my own for well over a year now!
Laika unveiled that they're also working on some new animation projects, including...
The film Laika’s most associated with is the Neil Gaiman adaptation Coraline, which Variety reports this morning will finally see an Oscar-qualifying release later this year, followed by a wide theatrical on February 6th, 2009. I’m really glad there’s finally going to be some promotion for this project because I’ve been trying to drum up hype about it seemingly on my own for well over a year now!
Laika unveiled that they're also working on some new animation projects, including...
- 6/24/2008
- by Johnny Butane
- DreadCentral.com
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