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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

50 th anniversary of Flinstone




Flinstone is one of the world’s most love cartoon series. It was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, owners of the famed Hanna-Barbera Productions, in Sep 30, 1960. Flintstones cartoon series was one of the successful animated American sitcom and was telecasted in ABC from Sep 30, 1960 to Apr 1, 1966. With today Flinstone is celebrating 50th anniversary.

The Flintstones series portrayed a working class Stone Age man’s life with his family and his next door neighbor and best friend. Despite the show ended in 1966, Flintstones continue to be shown in various television channels. Later in 2000, based on Flintstones theme a movie
called Viva Rock Vegas was also released.

The famous characters in Flintstones, Barney, Fred, Wilma, Pebbles, and Dino are regarded as most loved cartoon characters throughout the world.

Yogi Bear – Movie Trailer


Warner Bros has released a new movie trailer for the hybrid live-action/computer animated feature adaptation Yogi Bear on IGN.The first teaser preview went online in July.

The film stars Rachel (Anna Faris), as a nature documentary filmmaker who is trying to film Yogi and Boo-Boo for her next project. Dan Aykroyd will voice the computer animated Yogi, the lovable Jellystone Park bear who is infamous for his attempts at theft picnic baskets from campers, much to the displeasure of Park Ranger Smith (Tom Carvanagh), who just also happens to be the romantic interest of Rachel. And Justin Timberlake will voice the computer animated Boo-Boo, a bow-tied bear cub who acts as Yogi’s constant companion and conscience. And Andy Daly plays Mayor Brown, who has lightheartedly run his city’s budget into the red and wants to sell Jelly Stone Park to make some cash.

The big screen 3D movie is being directed by Eric Brevig (Journey to the Center of the Earth), from a screenplay by Brad Copeland (Wild Hogs). The film is currently filming in New Zealand Warner Bros is aiming for a December 17th 2010 release.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Welcome back Wile.E



Cartoons are making a small but hopeful comeback in theaters this year. If you should happen to see Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole, you’ll be treated to the second of Warner Bros.’ new Road Runner cartoons, Fur of Flying. (The first, titled Coyote Falls, played with Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, and the third, called Rabid Rider, will appear at the head of Yogi Bear in December.) These new widescreen films bring two classic Warner Bros. cartoon stars back to life, and while they convert the graphic characters and backgrounds into sculpted CGI form they remain absolutely true to the spirit of Chuck Jones’ vintage shorts.

That is no accident. Everyone at the refreshed Warner Bros. animation section took their mission seriously. They wanted to “do right” by these great cartoon characters, and realized they were in for a thrashing if they messed up. Thanks to staff producer Katherine Concepion, I was lucky to attend a special studio screening arranged for Chuck Jones’ daughter Linda and her son Craig. There, Register reported that senior Warners management was excited about the prospect of reviving their sidelined stars, and is so happy with the results that they have commissioned more new shorts with other members of the Looney Tunes cast.

O’Callaghan, who has several decades of animation experience behind him, starting at Disney in the 1980s, and two feature films under his belt as director approached the new Road Runner cartoons with a keen sense of what made them tick, and what challenges he faced. First, he was told the new films couldn’t run more than three minutes—about the same as a preview trailer—or theater owners would rebel. That meant readjusting the formula that Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese worked out so well: no time to freeze-frame and identify the characters in bogus Latin, only one chance to see the Coyote’s new scheme fizzle at first, etc. To inspire and guide his animators, O’Callaghan made frame enlargements of key drawings in old Road Runner cartoons.



His next hurdle was dealing with 3-D, and to my delight, he decided to use every trick in the book—like forced perspective—to exaggerate gags for dimensional effect. When Wile E. Coyote stretches his arms in a desperate attempt to reach something, and we see the action from his point-of-view, his limbs are falsely prolonged to boost the impact of the shot.

Most important, these new three-minute shorts are quite funny—and I’m sure they play as well “flat” as they do in 3-D. Young viewers who haven’t seen the old Road Runner shorts may have to acclimate to their modus operandi, but I’m sure it won’t take them long to catch on. The cartoons not only look good—they sound good, too. Warner Bros. encouraged the animation team to score them just like the old days, so that’s a sixty-piece orchestra playing Christopher Lennertz’s music on the soundtrack, including the “Merrily We Roll Along” theme.

I wish there were some easy way to see all three Road Runner cartoons without having to sit through those family-friendly features…but for now, that’s your only option. Still, if you love cartoons, and appreciate ingenious use of 3-D, I’d say they’re worth the price of admission.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Alarming Truth About Your Favorite Cartoon Animals














Usually depicted as loyal and imaginative companions

In reality they're reckoning and manipulative parasites. Cats have been known to gather in the homes of older single women, where they join forces to infect their hosts with the shocking brain disease dementia felinus, or “cat lady syndrome.” Early symptoms of the disease include lax grooming habits, slurring and incoherent speech, and chronic crankiness. Eventually, victims withdraw from society completely, emerging from shelter only to berate the occasional solicitor.














Usually depicted as brave and earnest dreamers.

Certainly they’re disease-ridden sociopaths. After nearly wiping out the whole of Europe in the middle ages with a particularly menacing germ warfare campaign dubbed the "Black Plague," rats went global with their war on humanity, displaying a particular affection for the insolvent peoples of the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the hairy rodents are responsible for “perpetuating a cycle of poverty and disease” in developing nations via their vast munitions store of deadly diseases. Forget ratatouille; the only dishes these genocidal fiends are fit to serve are a heaping bowl of slow, agonizing death.














Usually depicted as playful and fun-loving clowns.

In reality they’re droopy gluttons. Experts in evolutionary biology will tell you that penguins were once graceful flyers. But centuries of overindulging on Antarctica’s vast seafood buffet, combined with a primarily inactive lifestyle, caused their wings to atrophy and their waistlines to expand, turning them into flightless, waddling tubs of glop. Nowadays, they have barely enough energy to stuff their fat faces, let by you participate in such tiring activities as dancing or surfing. In a nation grappling with a childhood obesity epidemic, are these the kinds of responsibility we want our pre-diabetic young people to follow?















In the new animated film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, owls are portrayed mostly as noble creatures who sashay majestically through the air while clad in ornate headgear. But even the most casual observer of the animal kingdom knows that this portrayal couldn’t be further from reality. In truth, owls are vicious predators whose reputation for savagery is such that National Geographic nicknamed them “the bastards of the forest.” They’re far too busy horrifying the cuter animals of the forest, like bunny rabbits and baby ducklings, to care about funny metal helmets or other superfluous fashion accessories.










Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Best toys of 2010


Lalaloopsy Doll


While they look like regular rag dolls, every Lalaloopsy character comes with its own special history, including the day it was sewn, what it was sewn from (painter’s smock, clown costume, baker’s apron), and how that history has infused the doll with a special personality—artist, goofball, sugar-lover, you get the idea.




Disney Princess And Me Dolls


Princess Dolls will always be a hit among the princess crowd, and these 18-inch Disney wonders—including Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella or Tiana—come with tiaras, signature gowns, and invitations to become part of the Princess & Me Royal Family.


Pillow Pets

A pillow that converts into a stuffed animal and back again? Genius and useful! We like the bee, but the ladybug, unicorn, monkey and puppy version are cute, too.


Calico Critters Luxury Town House


Calico Critters and the Cloverleaf Corner friends live it up in style with this four-room, two-story house. With a movable staircase and lights that turn on and off, we just wish it came in human size.

Bigfoot The Monster


This is a plastic toddler, but with the ability to talk, walks, chew, burp and throw a ball, this remote control could be an instant hit to your kid.


Large Zoo Set


An instant hit with any animal lovers, this plastic menagerie comes with multiple animal enclosures for the elephants, giraffes, zebras, and lion family, as well as a ticket counter and a souvenir shop.


Sing-A-Ma-Jigs




There’s more to these tiny, plush critters than dates the eye. Press their bellies and you’ll divulge a tiny singing mouth, press their hands and you’ll hear a range of singing options. Sing-A-Ma-Jigs can sing tunes, babble away or even sing in harmony with each other.

Monday, September 20, 2010

The world’s most famous cartoonist

Hanna and Barbare are the two renowned cartoonist who are best known for their world famous cartoons like Scooby-Doo, Top Cat, Tom and Jerry etc.



















Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. (previously Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc., and at first H-B Enterprises, Inc.) was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century. The company was originally formed in 1957 by former Metro Goldwyn Mayer animation directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in partnership with Columbia Pictures' Screen Gems television division, as H-B Enterprises, Inc.




















Over the few decades H-B produced many successful cartoon shows like The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, Jonny Quest, The Yogi Bear Show, The Jetsons, The Huckleberry Hound Show, Top Cat, Wacky Races, The Quick Draw McGraw Show, Space Ghost, The Smurfs and The Magilla Gorilla Show.

The characters they created with his partner, William Hanna, are not only animated superstars but also a very beloved part of American pop culture.

Estonia’s ‘crocodile’ digs cartoon Oscar

Imagine Oscars but in the world of animation. And you will have some idea of what it means to be awarded The Cartoon d’Or, handed out this year in Hungary.
Estonian winner Kaspar Jancis has triumphed with “Crocodile”, the tale of a former opera singer who ends up performing in a crocodile outfit for children in a shopping centre.

The Cartoon d’Or, which comes with 10,000 euros in cash, is a start on pad into the international animation industry. Most of those who have won this award in the past have got into the creation of feature length or TV projects.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Peanuts comic strip to be distributed by Universal Uclick

Peanuts Worldwide has exposed that the popular comic strip license will be distributed in print, online and on mobile devices by Universal Uclick from February 2011.

Peanuts - which launched in seven US newspapers in October 1950 - will join more than 200 comic strip and cartoon skins on the Universal Uclick comic’s web portal, GoComics.com. They will also be available in daily GoComics emails, which users can modify to include their favorite strips.

"We decisively believe in the significance and vivacity of comic strips as an art form, and Peanuts exemplifies those traits," said John McMeel, president of Andrews McMeel Universal, parent company of Universal Uclick.

Ugly Americans



Vampires, zombies and freaks shake up the Big Apple for another episode in the hit animated comedy series "Ugly Americans" premiering on Comedy Central on October 6 at 10:30 p.m.

On October 7, “Ugly Americans” new episodes will be available for Download to Own in HD, on iTunes, Xbox and Playstation and SD.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Bug-eyed: The cartoon faces of insects caught in incredible detail

With their oversized eyes they look like features that should belong to cartoon characters.
But these stunning pictures show the strange faces of Britain's most colourful bugs that are normally far too small to see.




The spectacular series was captured by amateur photographer 'Bugman' Eddie Nurcombe, 42, using powerful macro equipment.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Top five comic characters



Tom and Jerry
Micky Mouse
Donaldo
Tweety Bird


Bugs Bunny

Thursday, September 9, 2010

New ‘Megamind’ Trailer Is Heavy On Plot

The third official trailer for Dreamwork’s 3D animated feature Megamind has emerged online and reveals more about the blue-skinned titular villain (voice of Will Ferrell).

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Smurfs Smurf Into China


A new wave of blue-collar workers is joining the push to develop Western China: the Smurfs.

The beloved, animated blue creatures — famous for their white caps, cheery theme song, and proclivity for using the name of their race as a verb — are moving to Chengdu, where development firm Chengdu Teda Sino-Europe Construction and Smurf-brand owner IMPS plan to open a Smurf theme park, according to a report from DTZ Asia Property Market Update.

With investment of 20 million yuan, or about $2.9 million, the theme park is set to open in three to five years, according to DTZ. It’s part of a bigger plan to build tourism in Chengdu, where pandas are one of the biggest attractions.

The Smurfs emerged in 1958 as the brain-child of Brussels-born cartoonist Pierre Culliford, more commonly known as “Peyo.” Their immediate popularity resulted in a regular cartoon strip for European audiences in 1959 and an animated movie in 1975. After 1981, when U.S.-production company Hanna-Barbera created the Emmy-winning cartoon, the Smurfs earned their status as global icons.