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Tuesday 19 July 2011

Walt Disney versus Universal Studios (Hint: Bambi Wins).

The quicker witted among you will have noticed that, once more, Universal Studios' usual suspects have been dragged kicking and screaming into one of my cartoons for your delight and, um, stuff. The quickerer wittededer among you will have noticed an anachronistic Dalek in the line-up. Well, so what? I like Daleks and they can travel through time and space. He-e-e-ey, just a minute! They're a bit like Dr Who!
Annie Whay, this is my entry for this Cartoon Competition number one hundred et deux, which (regular readers will know) may be found here. It was a free-for-all, choose yer own blimmin' caption option with a theme of Horror Films. There are some real beauties this week, so go and have a look. Stroll around. Enjoy yourselves. We only pass this way but once and I wouldn't want you to miss them. I got seven points this week week was rather satisfying and preened my ego until it purred like a duck-billed platypus.
As I am blowing my own trumpet, I'll tell you about the bits that please me with this one. Actually, no I won't, at least not yet.
Hands. Bloody hands! They just will not come right for me. Frankenstein's monster's hands are just about tolerable. Just. About. Dracula's mitt! Do you want to know how many sodding times I drew dracula's hand? AND STILL GOT IT SODDING WRONG? The answer is lots and lots and lots. Each time in a different pose. A new position with each attempt. Wrongwrongwrongwrongwrong. Curse you, Dracula! You unnatural beast!
Good bits: facial expressions. Tick. Body language. Tick(ish - sodding hands!). Dalek's lights popping off in shock. Tick.
Ooh! I nearly forgot Bambi. I found him disturbingly easy to draw. Brrrrrr! Disturbing!

8 comments:

  1. Excellent stuff, Brendan. The whole toon was a big tick for me, but the thing that really clinched it was Frankenstein clambering away over the back seat- beautifully done! I also enjoyed the Dalek's lights popping off, and saw nowt wrong with the hands (not the Dalek's hands, obviously). I loved the gag, a nice twist. Bravo, Mr.Brendini!

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  2. I didn't get chance to vote this week but I really did think this was great.. made me laugh as soon as I saw it....
    I'm no expert and please take this as a compliment but I think this is one of the most professional drawings you have done.... Keep em coming....

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  3. Speaking as an expert (splutter . . .)why do you beat yourself up so much about the hands? I agree with Helen - few people are going to be worrying that much about them. They're fine (remember Linus).

    However - and I'm getting down to nitty gritty territory now - think audience. Why are your characters being so emotional about Bambi? The illustration is spot-on but why would they react like that?

    Although young people nowadays don't seem to have been brought up with the Bambi experience, I have for years been shown the "Bambi's Mother" bit as "Shocking Cinema". It affected us all. Disney & Death were rarely juxtaposed so eloquently.

    I guess I'm being too pedantic (hah!) but would tears from Bambi more in keeping with the horror?

    Or am I missing the point? Not for the first time . . .

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  4. "be more in keeping" I meant!

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  5. Dave, I took the gag as being some of the real scary characters (Daleks, Frankenstein, dracula and a wolf) being terrified of a kids soppy film,- it's the irony and the unexpected twist that makes it funny. :o)

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  6. Helen, you are spot on. That was my intention exactly ( except for the hands :) ).
    Thank you, one and all, for saying nice things about my cartoon. It really gave my spirits a lift.
    John, I think that's a delightful compliment.
    Dave, it's obvious that something in your childhood leads you to see Bambi as tragedy and catharsis in the Aristotelian model. To the rest of the world Bambi is saccharine incarnate (inasmuch as animated flickering lights can be incarnate). See you when you get back from Meheeko.

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  7. Oh.......................!
    I like Bambi


    But love the cartoon - Nice one Brendan

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  8. As for my childhood . . .

    Bambi was never a problem. Queueing up for four hours to get in to see "Mary Poppins" and then finding out it was, er, I'll give you a non-cryptic crossword clue: brown, comes out of bottoms (4) was a problem.

    Absolutely scarring.

    Helen, you must realise that Brendan was put on this earth to be given a hard time by everyone who crosses his path. After some 35 years I'm an expert on it, believe me!

    Off to Mexico, Brendan - see you soon. Come down to Suffolk in August, there's some serious walking to be done. With the occasional pint.

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