The 2007 movie preview clip on the Disney Channel that I mentioned below has made it to the Movie Surfers Website. So not only do you get a better look at the POTC: At World’s End footage, and an interview with Johnny Depp, but you also can see some examples of the first hand-drawn animation to come from Disney since they swore off it a few years ago. The Pixar deal irrevocably changed all that.
As soon as these clips hit the net the Disney pundits were out looking for every little thing to complain about the animation. To them I say, okay it doesn’t match the standards of classic Disney animation from Beauty & The Beast or Sleeping Beauty. It’s just an introduction to a much longer film. It’s pretty good for a company that’s been out of practice.
So out of practice, in fact, that much of the animation was out-sourced to the studio of an ex-Disney employee – James Baxter. Alas there is little info on that site. But look at these two wikipedia entries. Baxter was one of the first to leave for Dreamworks Animation. So it’s interesting that Disney is returning to him now. Still if you need an expert in 2-D animation, who is not Andreas Deja, he’s your guy.
The character design reminded me a lot of the animation in Disney’s Tarzan (with a bit of The Little Mermaid thrown in) and the choice of ‘art nouveau’ design for the backgrounds is obviously ‘Lord Of The Rings’ inspired, but beautiful never the less.
Some have complained that it’s not fluid enough or that it’s too similar to Don Bluth style. I don’t agree with either of those assessments. I think their complaint should be with the editing of the clip. Barring the editing, and the obviously small clip we’ve been shown, I don’t think it’s that far off from being the sort of masterpiece Disney was known for. It borrows from Snow White and Cinderella to give it some roots of a classic. For this particular movie, I don’t think much more than that is required. So do go check out that preview clip now.
Enchanted, ¿el retorno de Disney?
Desde que Disney adquirió Pixar y puso la creatividad en manos de John Lasseter, las cosas parecen que cambian a mejor. Cada día está más claro que Walt Disney Feature Animation se volverá a centrar en la animación tradicional, dejando los…
I’m not overly thrilled with the animation’s look. When did characters lose all their round features and get so pointy? Back around Hercules? She’s like an anorexic Don Bluth character.
If that’s the animation from the movie, the folks expecting Disney animation will be sorely disappointed. Looks like something from the old Warner Bros 2d unit.
I so cannot wait for this movie to come out. i love Disney movies. Espicially the princess ones. Who cares if she looks anorexic. She doesn’t stay a cartoon the whole time.
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