Animation is not the art of drawings that move, but rather the art of movements that are drawn. What happens between each frame is more important than what happens on each frame.
I think that this is a great analysis of animation as it emphasises the significance of the animation process itself. Many people overlook the complexity of animation as an art form; great effort goes into creating even a few seconds of film.
Within the lecture there was reference to Emile Cohl's 1908 animation Fantasmagorie, which is regarded the first ever cartoon. I think that its a really beautifully made animation and the character has great fluidity, despite the fact that you may expect movements to be somewhat rigid.
Emile Cohl's Fantansmagorie
Bill went onto introduce the work of the Fleischer Brothers - Betty Boop, Popeye, Felix the cat etc. We saw a clip from their version of Snow White, which was actually produced five years prior to the Disney version.
A still from the Fleischer Brothers 1933 production of Snow White
I'd never seen the Fleischer Brothers version, but I really liked it. Its has a totally different mood from the Disney version which I was most familiar with. Although there are dark elements to the Disney adaptation, such as the transformation of the stepmother into an ugly witch, it is generally lighthearted. There is an underlying atmosphere to the Fleischer Brother's production which I felt was slightly brooding. Snow White, represented by Betty Boop, is an extremely naive character and you feel as though she's continually being chased by danger.
Lastly, we were shown some more recent animation in the form of stop motion. The clip we were shown was from Street of Crocodiles (1986) by The Brothers Quay. I absolutely love the work of the Brothers Quay. Its rather dark in mood and probably unsuitable for children, but their attention to detail and the stylised nature of their productions is extremely appealing.
Street of Crocodiles isn't their best piece in my opinion, but its nevertheless a brilliantly made animation.
The absence of dialogue within the film adds to the mysterious undertones. There is a fantastic soundtrack which works beautifully with the action on screen and further heightens the feeling of suspense and discomfort.
Overall their work has a certain darkness which is conveyed through mise-en-scene. The dark setting is created using subtle lighting which either casts strong shadows, or creates a soft glow to the entire scene.
Furthermore, the setting is dusty and dirty which makes you feel as though some old,abandoned artifacts are being revealed to you. This style is something which I feel works superbly as it creates a macabre atmosphere.
I couldn't find the full version of Street of Crocodiles, but the following clip shows the opening 10 minutes of the film, so you can get a feel for their work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gIb0bTWj6w
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