by Stephen Russell-Gebbett
100. Harpya (1979 BELGIUM) Raoul Servais*
99. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters (2007 USA) Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis
98. My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999 JAPAN) Isao Takahata
97. Creature Comforts (1989 + 2003- UK) Nick Park,
Richard Goleszowski
96. Dougal and the Blue Cat (1970 FRANCE) Serge Danot
95. Animal Farm (1954 UK) Joy Batchelor, John Halas
94. The Tale of How (2006 SOUTH AFRICA) The Black Heart Gang*
93. Avatar : The Last Airbender (2005-8 USA)
92. Tyger (2006 BRAZIL) Guilherme Marcondes*
91. Monster (2004-5 JAPAN) Masayuki Kojima
90. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 USA) Bill Melendez
The Tale of How
89. Epilogue (2005 USA) Jordan Belson
88. Kirikou et La Sorciere (1998 FRA / BEL) Michel Ocelot
87. A Short History (1956 ROM) Ion Popescu-Gopo*
86. Mindscape (1976 FRANCE) Jacques Drouin
85. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988 USA) Robert Zemeckis
84. Watership Down (1978 UK) Martin Rosen
83. Dangermouse (1981-92 UK)
82. Pinocchio (1940 USA)
81. Haibane Renmei (2002 JAPAN) Tomokazu Tokoro
80. Ponyo (2008 JAPAN) Hayao Miyazaki
A Short History
79. The Hasher’s Delirium (1910 FRANCE) Emile Cohl*
78. The Comb (1990 UK) Stephen and Timothy Quay*
77. Urusei Yatsura (1981-86 JAPAN)
76. Ulysses 31 (1981-82 FRA / JAP)
75. Le Roman de Renard (1930 FRANCE) Wladyslaw Starewicz*
74. Belleville Rendez-Vous (2003 FRANCE) Sylvain Chomet
73. Little Nemo (1911 USA) Winsor McCay*
72. Dumbo (1941 USA) Samuel Armstrong, Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts, Ben Sharpsteen
71. The Humpbacked Horse (1976 RUSSIA) Ivan Ivanov-Vano, Boris Butakov
70. Nightangel (1986 CZE) Bretislav Pojar, Jacques Drouin*
Nightangel
69. Muto (2008) Blu*
68. Angel’s Egg (1985 JAPAN) Mamoru Oshii
67. Cat Concerto (1947 USA) Joseph Barbera, William Hanna*
66. Punch and Judy (1966 CZE) Jan Svankmajer
65. Anne of Green Gables (1979 JAPAN) Isao Takahata
64. Ai (1964 JAPAN) Yoji Kuri*
63. Jumping (1984 JAPAN) Osamu Tezuka*
62. 1895 (1995 ESTONIA) Priit Parn*
61. Laputa : Castle in the Sky (1986 JAPAN) Hayao Miyazaki
60. Wolf and Calf (1984 RUSSIA) Mikhail Kamenetsky*
1895
59. Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926 GERMANY) Lotte Reiniger
58. Millennium Actress (2001 JAPAN) Satoshi Kon
57. Ren and Stimpy (1991-1998 USA) John Kricfalusi (Creator)
56. I Love to Singa (1936 USA) Tex Avery*
55. Princess Mononoke (1997 JAPAN) Hayao Miyazaki
54. Monsters Inc. (2001 USA) Pete Docter
53. Kamichu! (2005 JAPAN) Koji Masunari
52. Balance (1989 GERMANY) Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein*
51. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009 USA) Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
* = Shorts available to watch on YouTube. Some are available in better quality on DVD, generally as part of compilations
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Stephen, I’ll have a lot more to say tomorrow, but I want you know how much I have adore I LOVE TO SINGA for my entire life. It’s truly a treasure and it encompasses humanity and showmanship in a completely irrestible and unpretentious way. It’s one of the greatest shorts of all time!
I can’t stand it myself, anymore, ever since it was used in the first episode of “South Park”. I hate that goddamn show.
I look forward to your thoughts, Sam.
I was really surprised by I LOVE TO SINGA and toyed with putting it in the Top 50. It’s so infectious and odd, which is why I think it works in SOUTH PARK (Cartman can’t help but sing it when struck by an alien beam).
Of course Sam would love it, he’s like old Prof Fritz Owl in the film. NO JAZZ! Opera only.
In fairness it’s a nice little short, but somehow it falls well short of Avery’s 40s masterworks. Too openly cute, I prefer zaniness – I wanted the little annoying brat to go down the trapdoor. Give me RED HOT RIDING HOOD, BAD LUCK BLACKIE, THE CAT THAT HATED PEOPLE, KING SIZE CANARY, NORTHWEST HOUNDED POLICE or MAGICAL MAESTRO.
Wow. This is a remarkable list. Lots of never-heard-of entries that has peaked my interest. Thanks so much, Stephen.
Yes, I love to singa as well!
Thanks, JAFB. Maybe you can find something in here that you’ll really enjoy.
“Yes, I love to singa as well!”
I hadn’t heard of it until recently and I discovered, as I am again today, a great hidden love for it.
Great start for this splendorous countdown, now my commentaries on this selections.
#99 – Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters, I wanna know your specific view on this! I haven’t seen it, but I’m tempted, I’ve sonly seen a couple of episodes from this and wasn’t exactly great, but funny.
#93 – Avatar : The Last Airbender, this series sure is cool, I’ve been wanting to see it and I probably will soon enough.
#85 – Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, sure is a cool film, but it has recently become uninteresting, maybe I need to watch it again.
#81 – Haibane Renmei, so LOW, I love this series, I loved this anime, it’s my favorite of all time… being a one season show after all, this received so many ***** episodes that I was going crazy, I ended up seeing the second half of the episodes in a couple of days.
#74 – Belleville Rendez-Vous, this was good, yet a bit weird, I maybe would like to see it again, but I’m not sure, maybe I’ll get bored this time? who knows.
#67 – Cat Concerto, classic Tom and Jerry short, this is really one of the odd ones in their short collection, maybe one of the few that doesn’t take place inside a house being destroyed.
#57 – Ren and Stimpy, YESSSSS, disgusting, revolting and all in single short episodes, exquisite.
#54 – Monsters Inc., this isn’t my favorite Pixar movie, don’t know why, many find it’s their best effort, not for me.
Looking forward the rest.
Jaime, see “Avatar, The Last Airbender” at your soonest convenience. Don’t bother with the Shyamalan disaster. The Nickelodeon cartoon is one of the best pieces of long-form animation and adventure storytelling I’ve ever seen. Lots of fun.
Thank you Jaime.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force… is hit and miss. Because it is so over-the-top bits seem silly while others become hilarious in their dumb/clever surrealism.
Haibane Renmei is a good, enjoyable, intriguing series but it didn’t grab me quite in the same way other Anime series have.
Ren and Stimpy is, like Seinfeld, very up and down. Some episodes are mini-classics, others limp. This is an overall rating.
Stuff I’m happy to see here, if not higher:
Avatar, The Last Airbender: “Delectable tea…? Or deadly poison…?” Along with “Lost”, one of my favorite pieces of television from the past ten years, and likely the best long-form animation to come out of the West this side of… I dunno, “Gumby” or something.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: “Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you’re the Charlie Browniest!”
Urusei Yatsura: I’m not familiar with the television series personally, but I know Mamoru Oshii cut his teeth there, and directed the first two features. “Beautiful Dreamer” is a great one, and I halfway hope we might see it on the list official.
Little Nemo: Oh, this classic comic-strip came disastrously close to being made as a truly great anime back in the late 80’s, and boasts an impressive pedigree of talent behind the scenes. Too bad the finished product is weak as hell (blame Chris Columbus’ screenplay) but it’s still pretty to watch. Obviously different from what you’re referring to.
Danger Mouse: Ah, I miss the days when Nickelodeon ran this show, as well as its spin-off, “Count Duckula”. Odd to see how it helped inspire the alter-ego of a post-modern rapper/dj/something-or-other.
Laputa: I’d hoped to see this higher, as it’s the one Miyazaki movie I was able to watch and enjoy before the unfortunate Anime Fangirl incident in my life, but whatever. I’m glad it’s invited to the party in some form.
Ren & Stimpy: A great, wild show for its first two seasons when Kricfalusi still ran it. After he was ousted, it began sucking hard.
Bob,
Another vote for Ren and Stimpy? I really didn’t know whether it’s especially popular in America or not. LAPUTA CASTLE IN THE SKY is one of the sweetest of Studio Ghibli’s films. I didn’t know DANGERMOUSE was shown in America!
Have you seen MONSTER or KAMICHU! Bob?
Agreed on REN & STIMPY. It just wasn’t the same after John K. was ousted. Damn shame. I wasn’t too crazy about the reboot when he retook the helm but at least he was doing it.
I would’ve ranked A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS much higher but maybe that’s just childhood nostalgia kicking in.
The Little Mermaid. Dear oh dear. Compared to Pinocchio that’s a sandcastle against Everest.
Like Allan I really must admit I’m shocked Pinocchio is not much higher. The absolute pinnacle that Disney was able to produce along with Fantasia and Skeleton Dance…….
Hey, if it weren’t for the wash-out ending, TLM would be a true great. One of my problems with Disney films is that they’re never willing to make a real tragedy. Everything has to end happily ever after.
Yeah Bob they end with happy endings because they are made for kids!!!
Pinocchio, Disney’s finest, at 80!!! Criminal, you shall be taken hence…It’s better than any Pixar or Disney ever made. Like putting Citizen Kane behind Rain Man.
Dougal and the Blue Cat should also be higher, but nice to at least see it there. Ditto Cat Concerto. Ditto Le Roman de Renard. Criminally neglected outside Europe.
Allan,
Something I found out when researching/watching was the amount of people who consider Pinocchio to be the best. I had no idea it was so popular.
I wouldn’t put anything behind RAIN MAN, not even CITIZEN KANE.
It’s pretty much a given. there’s Pinocchio, then a long gap, then Snow White, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi, then another gap, then the rest.
Off the top of my head, I’d put “Fantasia”, “Sleeping Beauty” and the Ashman/Menken collaborations ahead of “Pinochio”, no trouble. It’s a cute film, and certainly one that’s had a big impact on those who’ve seen it, but seriously, it’s about as far from a proper adaptation of the story as you can get, and thanks to it the bar has been put so low for subsequent versions that you can barely even get one iota of the rather disturbing vision Collodi had in mind.
Just as we deserve a proper silver screen King Arthur, a proper Wizard of Oz, a proper Dante & Virgil, we deserve a proper Pinochio, and one that isn’t so toothless. Between Disney’s version and Goofy Golf, I’ll take the latter.
I’d say Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi and Fantasia are the greatest Disneys, and among the most beloved of all animated features by any studio.
“Snow White” is interesting purely from a historical standpoint, and pretty much nothing more. It’s almost painfully outdated at times. Even as a child, I was never entertained by it.
The Evil Queen is pretty bitchin’, though. That Mirror had some truly awful taste in women to prefer Snow White to her. Too bad she has to turn herself into an old hag.
If adaptation were all, Bob, Star Wars is a shite adaptation of The Hidden Fortress.
(1) “The Hidden Fortress” is a pretty bland and meaningless little Kurosawa ditty. Without that, Lucas would’ve found another launching point for ANH. If it ever really was “an adaptation” of THF, then I’ll honestly and eagerly say that any episode of SW is superior to it, hands down (just as “Ran” is superior to “Lear”, and “Yojimbo” is superior to “Red Harvest”, etc)
(2) The fact still stands– Disney’s “Pinochio” is a toothless nothing compared to Collodi’s. Granted, the Disney folks also tamed “The Little Mermaid” down the HCA original, but at least there the songs were pretty good.
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, and WitD readers…
Wow! here goes info(rmation) about Spielberg’s Tintin which will be released on December 23, 2011…I like what [Peter] Jackson, had to say about CGI…The French love Tintin…I’am so happy because maybe there is still hope for…Ratatouille since it didn’t make the list!
Jackson said,” that the decision to adapt Tintin as an animated feature rather than a live-action feature was informed by the desire to remain true to Hergé’s artwork.
With live action you’re going to have actors pretending to be Captain Haddock and Tintin. You’d be casting people to look like them. It’s not really going to feel like the Tintin Hergé drew. It’s going to be somewhat different. With CGI we can bring Hergé’s world to life, keep the stylised caricatured faces, keep everything looking like Hergé’s artwork, but make it photo-real.
Jackson said, that the focus is on the first movie right now, but that there are enough great Tintin stories to make multiple sequels.”
Read more about First Images from Steven Spielberg’s 3-D Animated Tintin Adaptation…
Here goes a link to the article…
Steven Spielbergs’ 3-D Animated Tintin
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Loads here I haven’t seen, but I’m another one pleased to see Dougal and the Blue Cat included – I still vividly remember seeing it at the cinema on release. I also love Ponyo – and recently recorded Laputa: Castle in the Sky from TV but haven’t got round to watching it with my son yet, though I hope to do so soon. Looking forward to the rest of the countdown.
Thanks, Judy.
I hope the countdown has a good balance of things that are less known as well as some famous favourites. Laputa : Castle in the Sky is a pretty charming film. It’s a proper adventure too.
As always, the nearlies produce a number of “oh darn we won’t be seeing that one” – Pinnochio yes, but maybe even more so Story of the Fox and The Comb. I hope we’ll still see some Starowicz & Quay up there. Looking forward to the list (some of which I’ve inevitably run across in my recent behind-the-scenes excursions, of course…I’m mum on how Dumbo’s placement here bodes for Disney…)
“As always, the nearlies produce a number of “oh darn we won’t be seeing that one””
I have the same feeling, MovieMan. There are some films I would have liked to write about / introduce people to but didn’t make the cut.
“I hope we’ll still see some Starowicz & Quay up there. Looking forward to the list ”
I’m keeping Mum too.
I wonder if we’ll see Brave Little Toaster in the top 50. I didn’t see it in the nearlies, but it does seem Stephen will be pushing more towards “cutting edge” stuff here, then again maybe not. That would be fun to see place…
I’ll be happy if we see “Aeon Flux”, personally.
Glad to see Angel’s Egg is getting some love.
Ulysses 31 above Pinocchio – that’s like sticking Pam Ayres above Chaucer. That piece of shit early anime series that I even thought was shit when I was 9. Jesus, the way we’re going Battle of the Planets will be up in the top 50 and we’ll be treated to a psychological analysis of Zoltar and 7 Zark 7 (sad how children’s TV gets indoctrinated into you). Any takers for Around the World with Willy Fog or Dogtanian. If we want something intelligent, let’s please have Il était une fois…l’homme. Now that’s a classic!
“…sad how children’s TV gets indoctrinated into you”
I do think children (beyond a certain age of course i.e. 4/5) are as discriminating as adults. I don’t think enjoying something as an adult that one enjoyed as a child is down to nostalgia. They stand up.
What can I say – I got more out of ULYSSES than PINOCCHIO.
I got more out of the Japanese “The Little Prince” or “Noozles”, myself.
Insanity, utter insanity. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Again, you have to take into account how poorly the Disney film represents Collodi’s book. That’s not to say that it’s a bad film, but I frankly think we need a more faithful adaptation. It’s the epitome of how Mickey’s House waters down classic, dark fairy tales into stuff that’s “safe for children”.
There is no lunacy at all here Allan, just personal perceptions. And as I see it Stephen is doing a brilliant job with this countdown. Whether I agree with inclusions or omissions means zilch. I am learning every day, and I’m grateful he’s doing so much for us.
Is “Pinocchio” good? Yeah. So is Boorman’s “Excalibur”. But you’d still prefer there be a definitive, equal-to-the-task adaptation of Arthurian legend, right? Take that sentiment and magnify it a couple of times for just how much the Disney film has supplanted the original. Just like the MGM “Wizard of Oz”, it has more or less replaced the primary work in popular imagination, and there’s a pretty big loss from that.
I’m big on trying to compare adaptations to the original sources (it’s been a minor thrust of my recent Willows series, and I actually have a post in the 21st Century series on Tuesday which will be devoted to this subject on a recent film). But not so much as a value judgement – and I don’t think praise of Pinnochio need take into account the original. Anyway, it’s praised for the virtuosity of its animation as much as it is for the content…
The difference is, Bob, you and Stephen seem to be the only people on the planet who don’t see Pinocchio as the masterpiece it is – any decent critic worth his salts and any tome you care to name will back that up. How good an adaptation it is is irrelevant in the long run, it’s a magnificent, timeless and unsursassable achievement of the old-fashioned animator’s art. That you don’t rate it is actually as good an endorsement as any film could ever have.
Gag. Being in the minority opinion doesn’t phase me, Fish. After all, both of us belong to the cult of “Heaven’s Gate”, and neither of us are about to leave just because the overwhelming majority of cinephiles is against us.
Since you mentioned ‘Little Nemo’ among the nearlies, just thought I’d let anyone visiting this thread know that Aman Anand has posted a detailed review of this early animated film at his great blog, Film: Ab Initio, where he is currently writing about a lot of films from the 1910s – he has also embedded the actual film in his posting.
This is the link:
http://filmabinitio.blogspot.com/2010/11/animation-comes-alive-1911-little-nemo.html
He also recently wrote about ‘The Hasher’s Delirium’, another of your nearlies, and embedded that film in his posting too, but I won’t post a separate link to avoid ending up in the spam filter!
Judy,
Thanks for the link. I’ve actually been reading that blog from time to time and very good it is too.