Forum - View topicThe underdog actually won!
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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Those elitist snobs at the Academy actually accepted a film shown in limited release by a low-budget distributor! So does anyone think D will actually get nominated, or will The Mouse and The Ogre's vast financial resources serve to put a kibbash in D getting mentioned on network tv?
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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There are usually two criteria for a film to be nominated: 1)It has to make a lot of money and/or 2)It has to have some universal theme anyone can agree with. (I.E. It can't be controversial.) Thus Shrek and Monsters Inc. will definitely make the list, leaving the last space open for Final Fantasy, Atlantis, or VHD. Since VHD was relatively successful during its limited release, it might have a chance. I don't think Jimmy Neutron has a chance, since no one seemed to care for that film.
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Tenchi
 Posts: 4561 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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ATLANTIS wasn't on the eligibility list that was posted on Ain't It Cool anime 2 or 3 weeks ago, which seemed a little odd. Was it just an omission on AICN's part?
Personally, I really liked ATLANTIS, though if I were a member of the Academy, I'd vote for MONSTERS, INC., my second favourite film of 2001, after the ROYAL TENENBAUMS. The only negative thing about ATLANTIS was that I get the idea Disney pressured them to keep it down to 80-90 minutes (the length of their usual musical/comedy animated films), so a lot of what they had planned to do must have been left on the cutting room floor (figuratively speaking; what was left out probably wasn't fully animated). For a movie about Atlantis, you didn't get to see too much of it. (The hype about ATLANTIS being similar to NADIA was vastly overblown. (See http://utd500.utdallas.edu/~hairston/atlantis.html or http://www.animerica-mag.com/features/nadiavsatlantis.html for the last word on that.)) But I'd sooner vote for VAMPIRE HUNTER D than I'd vote for the ridiculously overrated SHREK, if it came down to that. (Not that I'm a member of the Academy at all; I'm just speaking hypothetically.) |
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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"The only negative thing about ATLANTIS was that I get the idea Disney pressured them to keep it down to 80-90 minutes (the length of their usual musical/comedy animated films), so a lot of what they had planned to do must have been left on the cutting room floor (figuratively speaking; what was left out probably wasn't fully animated). For a movie about Atlantis, you didn't get to see too much of it."
Disney did a lot more than shorten the film. They fired a lot of animators and cut the pay of those who were still working on the movie. And of course they're making "sequels" to Cinderella and Peter Pan and adding cgi to Beauty and the Beat, so you can tell they have very little respect for Walt and animation in general right now. |
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Tenchi
Posts: 4561 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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Is there an objective source without an obvious anti-Disney (or pro-labour) bias where I can read more about the various labour disputes that affected the production of ATLANTIS? Disney is, above all, a money making business accountble to its shareholders, as are practically all other animation studios on both sides of the Pacific, so I personally don't like to make broad value judgements about Disney's hiring or firing practices. An organization that size is bound to have a few disgruntled employees with some sort of axe to grind.
As for the CGI in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the sequence deleted from the original cut wasn't fully animated, so, in recutting the film for IMAX, they used animation tools not available in 1991 to finish the sequence (though there was some CGI in the original). Most of the computer work done was just to enhance the image for the IMAX screen, so it doesn't look crappy like the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment blown up to the really big screen did in FANTASIA 2000. And I have no problem with computer enhanced rereleases, just so long as they give us the choice of buying the original version when it's released on video, like Universal's doing with E.T., for those of us who prefer that the agents be holding guns, not walkie-talkies. Also, I think the PETER PAN sequel looks pretty neat, though I'm not so sure about the CINDERELLA sequel. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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"Is there an objective source without an obvious anti-Disney (or pro-labour) bias where I can read more about the various labour disputes that affected the production of ATLANTIS? Disney is, above all, a money making business accountble to its shareholders, as are practically all other animation studios on both sides of the Pacific, so I personally don't like to make broad value judgements about Disney's hiring or firing practices."
Well sorry, but you have to admit how soul-less they are, when they fire more animators than accountants! Animation is what created them, not Gwynetth Paltrowe and Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor! "An organization that size is bound to have a few disgruntled employees with some sort of axe to grind." While I don't like Katzenberg much either, he does deserve what he was owed for his work on Aladdin and the Lion King, two of the more bigger grossing animated movies from Disney. "As for the CGI in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the sequence deleted from the original cut wasn't fully animated, so, in recutting the film for IMAX, they used animation tools not available in 1991 to finish the sequence (though there was some CGI in the original). Most of the computer work done was just to enhance the image for the IMAX screen, so it doesn't look crappy like the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment blown up to the really big screen did in FANTASIA 2000. And I have no problem with computer enhanced rereleases, just so long as they give us the choice of buying the original version when it's released on video, like Universal's doing with E.T., for those of us who prefer that the agents be holding guns, not walkie-talkies." Well unfortunately, Disney's been messing with a number of their classics on dvd. There were certain cartoons where Goofy was smoking, but they cut those out. Not to mention a certain scene in Fantasia with a black centaur shining shoes was edited so she was now "white". As for E.T., Spielberg did more than that. He omitted the line, "penis breath", and changed the line, "You look like a terrorist" to "You look like a hippie" for obvious reasons. "Also, I think the PETER PAN sequel looks pretty neat, though I'm not so sure about the CINDERELLA sequel." Films like Peter Pan and Cinderella were never meant to have sequels! |
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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Oh yeah, sorry about the Gwynetth Paltrowe comment. I remember it was Kate Beckinsdale, but they originally tried to cast Gwynetth. Anyway, I really hate that anorexic blonde b*tch, but Disney seems to think she's the next big thing.
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Neilworms
 Posts: 155 Location: Chicago IL |
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Finally some good news about the academy!! :D I was really disappointed when Jin-Roh wasn't nominated (UGH! if only the French had released it a month later...) I think that film might have had a better chance of being nominated than VHD, but I guess I am satisfied that at least one 'real' anime movie made the list. The other two include a India-Japan co-production and a Japanese-American CGI co-production. (Even though VHD Bloodlust was aimed more at us than the Japanese).
If I was in the Academy I'd give the award to Monster's Inc. Pixar (unlike the mouse that distributes them) really does do some great work. I hope they become independent like some rumors have stated. Next year I hope that Millenium Actress, Metropolis, Cowboy Bebop Movie or in particular Sen (which will most likely win, that is, if it ever makes it here) will be nominated. It would be a great year for anime. One thing bugs me about the requirements for this award though, for live action films, I believe there is a minimum length of 30 min for a feature. For animation it has to be 70 min. This means that many great anime (or at least well produced) such as Blood the Last Vampire, or Satoshi Kon's Magnetic Rose segment of Memories (to name a few) couldn't even be nominated. I'd like to know what the maximum length of a animated short is by academy standard. It must be under 45 min because Manga Ent. didn't rush to have blood nominated for that catorgory. |
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Tenchi
Posts: 4561 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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Jin-Roh was shown earlier than the French showing; it was at FANTASIA in Montreal in July 1999, five months prior to what the articles I read about Jin-Roh's eligibility stated was the first public showing. |
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Tenchi
Posts: 4561 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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Well, we could say SEN would most likely win now, but only 'cause we haven't really been exposed to the American competition yet. There's no Pixar this coming year, but, just off the top of my head, there's TREASURE PLANET & LILO & STITCH from Disney, ICE AGE from Fox, and that horsey movie, what's it called (SPIRIT?) from DreamWorks. And I'm certain there are plenty more on the way; those are just the ones I remember without checking UpcomingMovies.com. If Disney or DreamWorks does release SEN this coming year, I'd wager it would have a fair chance of being nominated, but since I doubt it would get a much wider release than MONONOKE even if it was released by DreamWorks, getting nominated would be about the best SEN could hope for, as many of the voting members would never get to see it, unfortunately.
Also, the "Magnetic Rose" sequence of MEMORIES would be ineligible because it was released in 1995. But if this is just a hypothetical example, the segment might not be eligible, but the full movie would be. What are the other sequences of MEMORIES like? I've only ever seen "Magnetic Rose" myself. And, yeah, MILLENIUM ACTRESS was pretty cool. I agree with you on that. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15705 |
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"TREASURE PLANET & LILO & STITCH from Disney, ICE AGE from Fox, and that horsey movie, what's it called (SPIRIT?) from DreamWorks"
Treasure Planet may not be released til 2003. But there's also the Clerks animated film and the Powerpuff Girls movie. There have to be at least 8 animated films released each year for the award to take effect. Unfortunately, Escaflowne won't make it, but at least Metropolis also has a chance. |
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Tenchi
Posts: 4561 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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Ehh, the ESCAFLOWNE movie wasn't that great (too dark compared to the TV series). A major failing with the ESCAFLOWNE movie was that it was designed as an alternate reality standalone movie, but is still pretty inaccessible to anyone who hasn't seen the TV show, since there is a large cast but not nearly enough exposition for each character. (I had the exact same problem with the UTENA movie.) And I doubt most Academy voters watched the TV show on Fox (or YTV, which has shown the whole thing, except for episode 1), so it doesn't really stand a chance, even when compared to the other anime which will be released (in limited release) theatrically this year. METROPOLIS (which was sold out both showings at FANTASIA, so I haven't seen it myself) would have a better chance, relatively speaking, but it doesn't seem that Tristar will be releasing it wide, since the DVD will be released in March. It will only be when anime films aren't limited to the art house ghetto that they will have a chance of actually winning, but there isn't a wide enough adult audience for animation to warrant it. Unless Mike Myers or Eddie Murphy did the voices (shudder). |
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Ataru
 Posts: 2334 Location: Missouri (Strikeman) |
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Or when a certain over sugured and over feed yellow rat finally stop coming to the big screen.  Sadly, most of the people back in my hometown think that anime. 
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Neilworms
Posts: 155 Location: Chicago IL |
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It was a hypothetical example. I knew that it couldn't possibly be nominated, or win. (Although I'd love to see it win some kind of award, it was excellent!)
The other two sequences are both excellent, but not as great as the first. "Stink Bomb" is pretty much a better produced version of "Roujin Z". It is a dark comedy about a man who works for a pharmacutical company. He is sick with the flu so one of his coworkers suggests he take a pill. This pill causes him to sweat posionous gas, consequently he eventually heads torward Tokyo and an international military incident ensures. Great Jazz music, great production values, and direction. The story is a dark satrical look on the government and the military in particular (much like Roujin Z). The best scene involves the entire US military combined with the JSDF causing more harm than good. (It's easy to compare to Roujin, since Otomo wrote both this and that). The third segment "Cannons Fodder" is about an Orwellian world, where the only purpose in life, for many is to fire cannons at an unknown enemy. This segment was directed by Otomo and is far removed from his style in "Akira". IMO this was the most disappointing segment for me. I thought it was a tad heavy-handed, though the technical achievements were great (99% of it was shot without any cuts, and Studio Ghibli helped with the production of it.) It reminded me too much of the shorts produced by the Film Board of Canada (Shown on Cartoon Network in my country as O'Canada, with edits, and some of the more explicit ones probably not shown) IMO alot of those shorts were very creative, but too many were propanganda films (or public service annoucements), pointless, or heavy-handed. The style is far removed from anime and is considered very European (Which is quite interesting). It's a little like Honneamise in its world building, a lot of detail for only 30 min. Overall well-done, but IMO the weakest of the 3. I hope I've given you good info on what is my favorite anime that hasn't been released over here. (I wish they would make the rights cheaper.) Last edited by Neilworms on Tue Jan 08, 2002 9:35 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ataru
Posts: 2334 Location: Missouri (Strikeman) |
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Do you think Spriggan will have a chance at Academy next year? I haven't seen it yet (Given I stuck in Korea for another 33 days.), but I heard some good things. *Shurgs*
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