Thomas Paul Thesen

Animation History:
Sept. 07 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 23 Nov. 30 1. Not so humble beginnings: George Melies, Winsor McCay, Fleischer Studio, Pat Sullivan, Lotte Reiniger 2. Disney Animation 3. Disney character animation: its complexity and innovation 4. Warner Brothers characters Maurice Noble and the success of animation-design Lantz-Studio's Woody Woodpecker 5. Hanna-Barbera's Tom & Jerry: a proper beating Tex Avery: exploring the insane 6. Animation during the war: Anti Nazi animation and how the Germans responded 7. UPA and its influence on the 1950s; Faith and John Hubley Norman McLaren 8. Abstract animation and visual music: Oskar Fischinger, Len Lye, John and James Whitney, 9. Independent studios: Ralph Bakshi, Don Bluth, Richard Williams 10. Eastern European animation: Ladislas Starevich, Yuriy Norshteyn, Ji Trnka, Jan vankmajer, TV-shows: Krtek and others 11. Anime: Osamu Tetzuka, Hayao Miyazaki, Katsuhiro Otomo, Kihachiro Kawamoto, Studio 4C, Satoshi Kon 12. Puppet Animation: Willis O'Brien and King Kong, Ray Harryhausen, George Pal, Aardman, Suzie Templeton 13. Effects animation in feature films: Stop- and Go-Motion in features like The Empire Strikes Back and Dragonslayer CG-animation and its development in feature film: Tron, Young Sherlock Holmes, Terminator 2, Jurassic Park 14. Animated movie-titles: Saul Bass and others

Dec. 7

Booklist
Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston: Illusion of Life, Disney Animation Michael Barrier: Hollywood Cartoons, American Animation in its Golden Age Norman M. Klein: 7 Minutes, the life and death of the american animated cartoon Gianalberto Bendazzi: One hundred years of cinema animation William Moritz: Optical Poetry, the life and work of Oskar Fischinger Ray Harryhausen & Tony Dalton: A century of Stop-Motion animation: From Melies to Aardman Leonard Maltin: Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon Amid Amidi: Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation Annika Schoemann: Der deutsche Animationsfilm, Von den Anfaengen bis zur Gegenwart 1909 - 2002

Assignments:
For every week choose one topic: First week: Lotte Reinigers Prince Achmed Fleischers Koko the clown Winsor McCay art and animation

Second week: Mickey in Plane crazy and Steamboat Willie Disneys improvements in the Silly Symphonies The old mill and The ugly Duckling Snow Whites animation compared to the short The Goddess of Spring

Third week: Pinocchio and its brilliance Bambi and the representation of nature Sleeping Beauty: the design takes over

Fourth week: Fifth week: Sixth week: Der Fuehrers Face and its political opinion Education for Death: subtlety in a political cartoon Verwitterte Melodie - Weather beaten melody; Fischerkoesens technical brilliance Tom & Jerrys character-relationship Tex Averys Red Hot Riding Hood: the sexual undertone The repetitiveness in Tex Averys Ventriloquist Cat Duck Dodgers in the 24 th century: its fantastic timing and rhythm Character-relationship in Chuck Jones Rabbit Seasoning Duck Amuck

Seventh week: UPA and its influence in design Hubleys Rainy days and Moon-bird: voice-track and design Norman McLarens Pas de deux

Eighth week: Ninth week: Bakshis Fritz the cat and its sexual tone in adult animation Don Bluths The secret of NIMH Fantastic Planet: the relationship between Draags and Oms Oskar Fischingers Motion Painting #1 Len Lyes A color box John Whitneys Lapis

Tenth week: Yuriy Norshteyns Hedgehog in the fog and its subtle imagery

Jan vankmajers Alice: a slightly different depiction Ji Trnkas The Hand and its political message Eleventh week: Miyazakis storytelling in Spirited Away Katsuhiro Otomos Akira: the complexity of its story

Katsuhiro Otomos Cannon Fodder: a short in one shot Twelfth week:

Willie OBriens King Kong and its place in film-history Suzie Templetons Stanley: a very complex message Tim Burtons Corpse Bride: the technique and design

Thirteenth week: Avatar: When CGI takes over Jurassic Park and the creation of life in animation Clash of the Titans: write a critique

Fourteenth week: Saul Bass title of Its a mad mad mad mad mad world The movie titles of David Fincher The animated title of Honey I shrunk the kids

Class description: The Animation History class has various goals. Firstly we will explore the development of animation throughout the 20th century and its technical and artistic contribution to art and film and secondly we will discuss specific animated shorts and features and try to evaluate their animation style and storytelling. All different animation techniques will be presented and examined by their aesthetic and technical achievements. The lectures will be accompanied by the presentation of animated shorts during class and additional evening screenings once a week.

Course objectives: appreciate and value various films of animation-history discuss animation on a subjective and objective level explore animation history in all its variety learn about the development of animation-design research and write weekly papers on animation

Grading: reading and screening assignments on a weekly basis accompanied by written papers on various topics on a weekly basis 50% contribution to the class discussions during class 30% attendance 20% missing class more than three times gets an F I expect everyone to be in class on time

Teaching style: Every week I focus on a specific area of animation history during the lecture (about 2/3 of the class-time), which is accompanied by the screening of shorts or excerpts from features. The remaining 1/3 of the class-time we discuss either the topics and assignments/ papers from the previous week or discuss as a group topics of this week. I will hand out papers every week, with information about the class, reading materials and links to web-pages for further personal education at home. Team discussion:

This class is not just about animation history, the value of certain animated shorts in historical context, and the art of animation. It is also about discussing animation as an art form and a medium of entertainment. Therefore expressing opinions is highly recommended. I expect every member of the class to candidly critique the screened films as well as the opinions given by myself and other classmates. Contributions to discussions are part of the semester grade.

1: Movie List: George Melies: Trip to the moon Winsor McCay: Little Nemo How a Mosquito operates Gertie the dinosaur The Sinking of the Lusitania

Stuart Blackton: The enchanted drawing 1900 Humorous phases of funny faces 1905 Powers/ Barree The Phable of the fat woman 1915 Wallace Carlson He resolves not to smoke 1915 Bray Pictures Dud leaves home Us Fellers 1919 Max Fleischer Koko the clown Betty Boop Popeye

Bosko Mutt & Jeff