DVD Review: CARTOON ROOTS: THE BRAY STUDIOS

It is impossible to overstate the importance of the Bray Studios in the history of animated cinema. In this blu ray/DVD combo, the second of two Cartoon Roots discs (the other one is reviewed here) a wonderful collection of some of the best work from John Randolph Bray’s studio is presented.

The disc begins with some of John Randolph Bray’s own work, and then features early animated films from the likes of Paul Terry, Walter Lantz, Max Fleischer, and other noted animation pioneers, allowing us to see some of their quintessential early work.

One of the earliest Krazy Kat cartoons from Vernon Stallings, dating back in 1920, is included here. A 1919 Out of the Inkwell cartoon featuring Koko the Clown is here as well. Bray’s first film, the 1913 “The Artist’s Dream” starts out the set and puts everything in cultural and historical perspective.

Animated cinema from the early part of the twentieth century, focusing on the teens and twenties, has a cultural and historical importance, but also a scientific one. With this collection, we see how the cartoon film evolves to more defined images, greater depth to the art, more flowing movements. The foundation for all of screen animation was established here and these examples offer various reasons why.

The cinematic element to animation is also quite fascinating. How each animator frames his action, places his characters, utilizes the negative space, fills the background, and centers the image. These were all carefully decided as per any good movie director, except it was necessary to create each character, all of the background and foreground imagery, and provide the right amount of energy. Paul Terry’s “Farmer Alfalfa Sees New York,” for instance, fills every bit of the frame, allowing the imposing buildings to hover around the rustic central character.

The material here is beautifully restored, with a thorough understanding of its importance as cinema, as animation, and as art. These discs are most highly recommended for all libraries, research centers, art institutes, and fans of the cartoon’s history.

Cartoon Roots: The Bray Studios is available here.