Kids. They Teach You The Darndest Things.

September 17, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

A few evenings ago, while walkin’ about town with the Susanka Pack, I casually mentioned a friend (and his family) who were driving from California to Philadelphia to see the Pope. Most of the boys responded as I would have expected, either with terror-and-concern (over the length of the drive), or with excitement-and-mild-envy (at the opportunity to see Il Papa). David (The Fourth), however — a perpetual motion machine, both physically and cognitively — piped up with an entirely different take: “Aren’t... Read more

A Couple Animated Beauties From The Brilliant Glen Keane

September 16, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

Y’all remember Glen Keane, right? View image | gettyimages.com This Disney legend — “A thirty-eight-year veteran of Walt Disney Feature Animation, most noted for creating and animating such legendary Disney characters as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and Tarzan, and serving as Supervising Animator and Executive Producer on Tangled” — and creator of/collaborator on last year’s wonderful animated short, Duet, recently drifted across my eVision as a result of the video he created to promote his... Read more

Leroy Anderson The (Underappreciatedly) Great

September 15, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

View image | gettyimages.com So, I’m not entirely sure “underappreciatedly” is an actual word, but it’s the right word for the job, because I’m just going to come out and say it: Leroy Anderson’s fantastic. Really great, actually. In fact, were it not for the inescapable, ear-boring “Sleigh Ride”, I suspect he’d be far more recognized as a serious composer. …or at least as a composer with serious melodic gifts. A controversial statement, perhaps, though the eternal optimist in me holds... Read more

SSF: “The World’s Most Relaxing Film”

September 14, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

There are few things as tense (and genuinely unpleasant) as watching a stomach bug rampage through one’s family. I’m sure we’ve all been there, watching that first child and wondering if their sickness just might turn out to be a one-off incident rather than a “Canary In The Coal Mine” moment. I myself tend to fall firmly into the “Let’s Come Up With Lots of Reasons For Why This Particular Kid’s Throwing Up That Don’t Require Me To Admit That Anyone... Read more

Pay As Much Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain As Possible

September 9, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

The man, in this particular case, is Emmy Award-winning Bear McCreary. And he’s the musical mastermind behind a whole slew of TV shows whose names you’ll surely recognize, even if you don’t recognize Bear’s name. (Yet.) His impressive telivisiography shows off not just his mind-boggling work ethic — Seriously. Writing music for TV is insane — but an impressive range of styles and emotions. The reason he’s on my mind at the moment is my recent stumbling across his wonderful “Wander My Friends,”... Read more

Kite Fighting Is Cool. And Terrifying.

September 8, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

“I think everyone should have wings… …just like the birds.” Here’s a brief (but great) little video on Soltar Pipas, or kite fighting, which is one of Brazil’s most popular sports — after football, that is…er, by which I mean “futbol”. In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, flying the pipa is more than a leisurely escape from on-the-ground realities—it’s a venue for battle, with the entire sky as the arena. Pipa designs and airborne “cutting” strategies have been passed through generations,... Read more

SSF: “Wire Cutters”

September 7, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

A chance encounter proves fateful for 2 robots mining on a desolate planet. This one was making the InterWeb rounds last week, and it’s not hard to see why. Both technically expert and thematically memorable. Sure, it’s got a bit of a surface WALL·E vibe to it, but its protagonist is less chirpy (and less cheery). And Front-Loader Boy’s definitely no Eva. Plus, it all goes pretty badly south (as you might guess from that”Featured” image). Over at Short Of the Week, Jack Anderson... Read more

Today’s “SVS?” My (Almost) Favorite Dean Jones Film

September 4, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

Most of the obituaries and testimonials regarding recently-departed Disney legend Dean Jones have focused on what many consider his most-beloved (or at least best-known) work, The Love Bug. Followed, in most cases, by references to That Darn Cat! and (sometimes) The Shaggy DA. The first and third are available on Amazon Instant HERE($) and HERE($), and while they’re both excellent example of a particular kind of Disney film (and entertaining enough), they’re not the film I would first propose if someone were to... Read more

Because Blacksmiths Are Musicians, Too. Sort Of.

September 1, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

I have been obliged to publish some of the following Lessons, because surrepticious and incorrect Copies of them had got Abroad. I have added several new ones to make the Work more useful, which if it meets with a favourable Reception; I will still proceed to publish more, reckoning it my duty, with my Small Talent, to serve a Nation from which I have receiv’d so Generous a protection. That’s Georg Friedrich Händel, writing in the preface of his first eight harpsichord... Read more

SSF: “Paraphernalia”

August 31, 2015 By Joseph Susanka

Another charming, hand-drawn film from a CalArts/Gobelins student. (I’m starting to sound like a bit of a broken record, I know. But if this is what a broken record looks/sounds like, then I’m all for them.) Some very nice little touches in this one, from the way the characters have lines that run down the middle of their faces (like the sorts of “How-To-Draw” instructions that I see all the time and still can’t follow), the way the girl’s eyes are... Read more