If you don’t know who Mel Blanc is, then you are not a real fan of animation.
Go read up on your history.
Month: December 2008 (Page 1 of 2)
Writer Michael Jelenic makes the leap from animated television to feature-length films with his script for “Wonder Woman,” the next entry in the series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 films. The all-new film will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, and download on March 3, 2009.
Jelenic is well-known for his work at Warner Bros. Animation, providing the words to series like “The Batman,” “Legion of Super Heroes” and the newest Dark Knight animated series, “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.”
Jelenic stepped away from his laptop to answer a few questions about the thoughts behind the words and story of “Wonder Woman,” the challenges of pleasing every fan, and the un-coolness of working in the comics realm.
From Henry Selick, director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and based on Neil Gaiman’s international best-selling book, comes Coraline — the first stop-motion animated feature filmed in 3D! Coraline arrives in theaters nationwide on February 6, 2009.
In anticipation of the upcoming release, Focus Features recently launched the official website for Coraline which includes tons of places to explore, including the Other Mother’s Workshop where you can upload your picture to see what you look like in Coraline’s world.
If you click around, you’ll uncover hidden behind-the scenes videos and goodies to download. Visit the official site here.
Below are six new Coraline featurettes along with new images. In viewing these videos you can meet the cast, see how the puppets were made and hear from the crew first hand what it was like to work on the set of the film.
Based on Shane Acker’s short film, 9 takes place in a world parallel to our own, in which the very legacy of humanity is threatened. A community of fully mobile rag dolls living a post-apocalyptic existence find one of their own, 9, displaying leadership qualities that may help them to survive. The conflicted but resilient community includes 1, a domineering war veteran; 2, an aged inventor; 5, a stalwart mechanic; 6, a visionary and artist; and 7, a brave warrior.
Release date: September 9, 2009
Finalist and Jury Pick in the 2008 AniBoom Awards.
Wait until 1:40 when the action starts. Trust me.
2008 AniBoom Awards finalist. Voted #3 by the community.
Winner of the 2008 AniBoom Awards.
Warner Home Video announced today a remastered deluxe edition of Peanuts: Snoopy’s Reunion scheduled for release on April 7, 2009. Retail will be $19.98. The release will also include a bonus Peanuts TV special, and a Together Again: The Peanuts Voice-Cast Reunion featurette.
Synopsis: Snoopy is homesick for his puppyhood at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, so he and Charlie Brown organize a reunion of his siblings Spike, Andy, Olaf, Marbles, Belle, Molly and Rover. However, when they arrive at the puppy farm, Charlie Brown is aghast to find that urban sprawl has replaced it with a parking garage. Snoopy and his family however, calmly begin to play musical instruments they’ve each bought, thoroughly satisfied that they are together on the sidewalk in front.
Criminal investigation meets Greek mythology when current primetime television stars David McCallum and Marg Helgenberger assume the voices of Zeus and Hera, respectively, for Wonder Woman, the all-new animated movie scheduled for release on March 3, 2009; available on DVD, Blu-ray, OnDemand, Pay-Per-View, and Download.
McCallum, known to current TV audiences as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard in the hit CBS series NCIS adds Wonder Woman to an animation resume that already includes the DC Universe movie Batman Gotham Knight and TV series Ben 10 and The Replacements.
Helgenberger is best known for her role in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where she is approaching her 200th episode as Catherine Willows, the series’ female lead.
The two actors took some time to answer a few brief questions during their recording sessions for Wonder Woman. Here’s what they had to say:
QUESTION: You’ve played a number of interesting roles, but what’s your take on voicing a god?
MARG HELGENBERGER: Well, as the saying goes, behind every great man is an even greater woman. I guess playing Hera means that I’m, well, not only Queen of the Gods, I’m better than he is! [she laughs]
“Up” is a Pixar comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell.
Up arrives in theaters on May 29th 2009.
Freestyle Releasing’s DELGO premiered this past Friday but chances are you didn’t watch it. Chances are no one you know watched it. In fact, barely anyone in America went to theaters to watch DELGO. Released in 2,160 theaters, DELGO only managed to bring in $511,920, gaining the title as the worst release ever for a film released in the 2000-2500 theater range.
My condolences to everyone involved with the film. I know that years go into making an animated movie, and to have your hard work not seen really hurts. Here’s hoping the DVD release does better — which, in my opinion, is where the movie should have premiered. It’s pretty hard to succeed as an animated movie without the names “Pixar” or “DreamWorks Animation” on your poster.
Comedy Central today announced that South Park will make its Blu-ray debut when the 12th season arrives in store on March 10, 2009, day-and-date with the DVD release. The 12th season Blu-ray set will include all 14 episodes on 3 discs. The set will also include the following bonus content:
Six Days to South Park — A Day-by-Day Making of South Park
Six Days to South Park — The Sixth Day
The Making of the “Major Boobage” episode
With many awards already claimed, WALL-E nabbed two more over the weekend.
The New York Film Critics Online awarded WALL-E its Best Animated Feature of the Year award and also picked the film as one of the year’s Best Pictures.
The second award came from AFI via their annual Top 10 Movies Of The Year awards. Below are the films that AFI named the Top 10 of the year.
(Alphabetical Order)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
FROZEN RIVER
GRAN TORINO
IRON MAN
MILK
WALL-E
WENDY AND LUCY
THE WRESTLER
Alfred Molina voices the suave and ruthless Ares, the God of War, in DC Universe’s upcoming Wonder Woman. The all-new film will be released on March 3, 2009 on Blu-ray, DVD, OnDemand, Pay-Per-View and for download.
“Wonder Woman” is not Molina’s first turn in animation, in fact, he voiced King Gustav for the two-part “Maid of Honor” episode of the “Justice League” animated series.
Alfred Molina took some time from his busy work schedule to answer some “Wonder Woman” questions:
QUESTION: Alfred Molina voicing Are, the God of War. That’s a nice title.
ALFRED MOLINA: Yeah. I’m thinking of changing my name professionally to Ares, the God of War. I think I might just do that.
Update: This giveaway has ended.
The Tale of Despereaux tells the story of four unlikely heroes: Despereaux, a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for speaking with a human; Roscuro, a good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled to darkness; Pea, a Princess in a gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father’s grief; and Mig, a servant girl who longs to be a Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer.
After Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux discovers he is the only one who can rescue her, and that even the tiniest mouse can find the courage of a knight in shining armor.
In this tale of bravery, forgiveness and redemption, one small creature will teach a kingdom that it takes only a little light to show the truth: what you look like doesn’t equal what you are.
Prizes:
Adult shirt
Adult hat
Picture frame magnet
Croc shoe decoration
Youth shirt
Youth hat
Bookmark
Full sized poster
How to Win:
Email theanimationblog at gmail dot com with “I’m Desperate for Despereaux!” in the subject line. In the email body you will have to write the following message: “What you look like doesn’t equal what you are.” — Follow these rules or your entry will not count.
Legal stuff: You must be 18 years or older and live in the USA to participate. Sorry, rest of the world.
Last Day to Enter: We’ll accept entries until December 26, 2008. A winner will then be chosen randomly, at which point we will email the winner, asking for their name and mailing address.
Release date: December 19, 2008
