History of Animation - Origins of American Animation (1900-1921) 2-DVD Set

Long before the first animated cartoon film was made, artists had tried to suggest movement in theirs drawings and paintings. Egyptian wall paintings from 2000 BC portray a serialized account of a wrestling match between two men. Cave paintings from other parts of the world show animals having eight legs, which suggest that the animal was running. The Japanese used scrolls with a series of drawings implying movement.

This fascinating DVD is a rare compilation of the earliest animated films. In effect, it represents an early history of this thrilling medium of communication.

Animation came as a boon to producers who were looking for a vehicle to express their ideas in a form that defied logic and challenged imagination. Bringing inanimate objects to life on the screen would certainly make the presentation both amusing and memorable. Only in an animated film could the moon be made to talk or a cat sing a song and a can of your favorite cereals wink at you naughtily. The acrobatics that characters in an animated film could perform were well beyond the reach of live actors.

In an era when special effects were unheard of, this was a huge bonus. Humor, the key element in these animated films was often achieved by emphasizing the more bizarre or through exaggeration.

Technology has advanced far beyond anything early producers would have imagined or even hoped for. Yet we cannot forget the efforts of this adventurous lot who took movie entertainment to new heights at a time when the regular films were still trying to find a firm footing. We owe the Edison Manufacturing Co., the Vita graph Co. of America, International Film Services and the Mutual Film Corp. a huge debt for opening the doors to a fascinating medium that is so widely employed in entertainment, education and advertisement.

Amazingly, the quality of films in this DVD is superbly preserved, and the features can be enjoyed without straining your eyes. Superb musical scores by Philip Carli and catchy headers make up for the lack of recorded speech. The caricatures are superbly crafted and each clip is a work of art. Based on strong moral themes, these films carry a relevance that has not diminished in any way.

Be prepared for over an hour of amusement, historical insight and loads of laughs as you slip in this amazing DVD into your player.