With the award season nearly upon us, the {{link http://www.bafta.com British Academy of Film and Televison Arts}} will award the winners of this year’s British Academy Children’s Film and Television Awards exactly one month from today, on November 30th, in London. The event is co-sponsored by Lego. Feature films up for consideration for Best Feature […]

Tony Bannister, a video graphics designer based in London, is looking to turn the offbeat series of J.P. Martin {{link http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099411415/qid=1067779443/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_2_4/026-2398344-2705202 Uncle}} books into an animated television series, using the original Quentin Blake pictures as a starting point for the look of the show. Blake drew additional fame as the imaginative illustrator of Roald Dahl’s […]

According to {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117894889&categoryID=13&cs=1 Variety.com}}, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is lined up to become a real-life Johnny Bravo in a live-action feature film based on the Cartoon Network show. Though the casting has been rumored for a while, the hiring of screenwriters Matthew Berry and Eric Abrams confirms that the movie is being pushed ahead. […]

With the news that Don Bluth’s films for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, An American Tail and The Land Before Time, were due for release on DVD from Universal, I asked via the {{link http://www.donbluth.com Don Bluth Website}} about Amblin’s cutting ties with the Bluth Group, why they are not involved in the disc production process, […]

‘Jawad’, who runs the excellent {{link http://www.dreamworksfansite.com DreamWorks SKG Fansite}}, has expanded his online universe by announcing on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=249#post249 Animated News Forums}} a new, specific {{link http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/shrek2/ DreamWorks SKG Animation Fansite}}, featuring up to date news on next year’s Shrek 2. “Over the next few months this site will slowly expand featuring sections […]

‘Guardstone’ over on the {{link http://animation.skyblueproductions.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=224#post224 Animated News Forum}} alerted us to the fact that Home On The Range has been added to the Walt Disney Pictures slate on their official website. There’s no link to a teaser site yet, but keep an eye on that space!

It was ten years ago this weekend that audiences were first treated to Tim Burton’s amazing stop-motion animated film {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/nightmare/intro.html The Nightmare Before Christmas}}, a magical tale that tells of what happens when Halloween meets Christmas! The big Disney holiday season feature offering was originally going to be King Of The Jungle, a small […]

{{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com Michael Barrier}}, the author of {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/books.htm Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation In Its Golden Age}} and a commentary contributor to the new Looney Tunes DVD, offers up his interpretation of long-time Disney artist and imagineer John Hench’s book {{link http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Hench/Hench.htm Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art Of The Show}}. Hench was also recently […]

‘Maxie Zeus’ over at the {{link http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?threadid=92932 Toon Zone Forums}} posted an interesting interview with Daffy Duck’s new producers and their challenge of living up to Chuck Jones’ classic Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 Century (itself “sequel-ized” in the 1970s follow-up Duck Dodgers And The Return Of The 24 1/2 Century). The new Duck […]

Even though we all know Disney has a final trick up its sleeve with next year’s Home On The Range, there are still articles galore spreading the word that “2D is dead, and Brother Bear is the last of a dying breed” – despite the flood of quality hand-drawn animation coming from Europe! {{link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-10-28-2d-animation_x.htm […]

Strawberry Shortcake, Madeline and the Super Duper Sumos are being prepared for an international marketing push by DIC Animation, according to a story at {{link http://news.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=top&newsitem_no=9491 Animation World Network}}. The company, a leader in the kids television animation field, has expanded its licensing and merchandising opportunities by signing up a number of top companies to […]

Rushing around the web this morning is a story that originated at {{link http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/wire/sns-ap-film-looney-tunes,0,4463883.story?coll=sns-ap-entertainment-headlines Newsday}}, which reported that some first day owners of the Looney Tunes Golden DVD Collection were disappointed by the lack of some of the cartoons included in the set. Even though the specs have been floating online for a few weeks […]

{{link http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031028/80/ecd91.html Yahoo News}} reports that Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo is still the number one catch to see at theaters in the UK – after three weeks! The movie has beaten out big hitters Kill Bill, Intolerable Cruelty (both Disney-released films) and The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman to remain at the top, with $36.9 million in […]

Wade Sampson joins {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/guest/wsampson.10282003.1.htm~contentFrame Jim Hill Media}} toady with the first part of a two part look back at Disney animator Ken Anderson’s contributions to the Studio’s history and his involvement in shaping the original Haunted Mansion. A very interesting read!

Excited Warner Brothers fans can finally bring home the Looneys today and Animated News moderator Ben just posted an extensive review of the set’s extras over at {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com DVD Toons.com}}. Get the low-down on the technical specs, the in-depth bonus material and whether it was worth the wait {{link http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/241 right here}}!

{{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/main/index.htm Jim Hill Media}} is back this morning with another entertaining look at one of the Walt Disney World cast members-only party films; short movies made by and for the folks who have to put up with the heat inside those Disney character costumes, as well as obnoxious park guests. Check {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/10272003.1.htm~contentFrame this […]

The {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/ Ultimate Disney DVD}} fansite takes a look back at an almost forgotten Disney “Package Feature” from 1948, the anthology film Melody Time, in a {{link http://www.ultimatedisney.com/melodytime.html new review}} posted on the site. The Package Features were Walt’s way of continuing production during and after World War Two, when many foreign markets were […]

With previews out in LA and NY, {{link http://www.canoe.ca/JamMovies/oct26_collins-sun.html Jam Movies}} has a talk with the composer of Disney’s latest animated feature. In a fairly in-depth interview, Collins opens up about his creative process, writing for Disney films, as well as a take on his friend Sting’s troubled collaboration with the Studio on Kingdom Of […]

This being a rather slow news day, how about stopping over at {{link http://disney.go.com/disneyatoz/waltdisney/index.html The Walt Disney Family Museum}}, a wonderful online resource for admirers of Walt himself, populated with memories of working and living with Walt from his many friends and family. “Founded in 1995, the Foundation strives to promote and produce serious discussion, […]

Deep within the pages of {{link http://homevideo.universalstudios.com/catalog.php?Category=GenreKey&Keywords=Animated Universal Home Video}}’s website, a little digging reveals a date for the Steven Spielberg/Don Bluth 1986 collaboration An American Tail has been set for the film’s eventual video and DVD release! 20th January 2004 is the currently marked red letter day, when fans can also pick up the […]

In the lead up to the November 7th premiere episode of the Star Wars: Clone Wars “micro-series” on the Cartoon Network, the company has made available some original conceptual work as part of their press kit. {{link http://www.animationblast.com/ Animation Blast}} has scans featuring Anakin, Yoda and Obi-Wan as well as some other Jedi and opposing […]

Jim Hill is back with his latest {{link http://www.jimhillmedia.com/legacy/index.htm?../articles/10242003.1.htm~contentFrame Why For?}} column over at his website today, with an interesting look at Walt Disney’s relationship with Jay Ward and his characters. Seems Walt was quite the Rocky And Bullwinkle fan, an admiration that Ward failed to return Disney’s way. Plus a look at the battle […]

News is coming in from around the web that the final specs for the upcoming DTV feature will include a THX-certified (a first for a direct-to-video title) 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, Dolby and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound, and a whole heap of bonus materials, gathered on a second disc. Despite the general feeling towards Disney’s video […]

Jerry Beck, one of the people responsible for the content on the new, eagerly awaited DVD box set of Looney Tunes cartoons, has posted early, first-look {{link http://www.cartoonresearch.com/kaz.html images}} of the art on his website, {{link http://www.cartoonresearch.com/news.html Cartoon Research}}. Remember, the discs come out next Tuesday and the only way the WB will issue any […]

{{link http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031023/235192_1.html Yahoo Finance}} today posted news that new cards using AT&T Pre-Paid Web Cents technology are now available at retail level from Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The cards provide “a new secure payment alternative for consumer purchases of online digital content and enable consumers to easily purchase a subscription to Disney’s Toontown Online, and Disney’s […]

Sony Pictures Entertainment has confirmed that its six-minute, Oscar-winning short The ChubbChubbs is being readied as one of the first feature film offerings from their CG animation department, with the appointment of Dan Wilson and Dave Gilbreth as screenwriters for the project. {{link http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=upsell_article&articleID=VR1117894445&cs=1 Variety}} first broke the story, {{link http://comingsoon.net/news.php?id=2011 Coming Soon}} has the […]

Legendary stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen looks back on his extensive career in a new book, An Animated Life, due out November 22. With a couple of his classic films also just out on disc, {{link http://www.dvdfile.com/news/special_report/ten_questions/harryhausen_ray/index.html DVD File}} today has Ten Questions with the creator of many of the most memorable special effects films in […]

{{link http://www.dvdreview.com DVD Review}} today highlights several hidden ‘Easter Egg’ features to be found on the MGM released edition of A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie DVD. A deleted scene and additional clips await you {{link http://www.dvdreview.com/eastereggs/collect/516.html here}}!

Among other contests, {{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/ The Digital Bits}} is running a chance to win copies of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection on DVD for free! Check this {{link http://www.thedigitalbits.com/contest.html link}} for entry details – US and non-US participants are all welcome.

A new Disney Editions book released to commemorate Brother Bear‘s imminent release is reviewed over at {{link http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID210210.asp The Laughing Place}}. Rhett Wickham’s take on the book by H. Clark Wakabayashi also looks at the stories behind the movie and how the book reveals more than the usual watered-down Disney approach. Brother Bear: A Transformation […]