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This product was a used book, it was in great condition, only slightly used. It was delivered quickly. I was very satisfied with my purchase
Like-wise, he always acknowledges the "nuggets" among the other-wise routine stuff. When I first got a VCR, the stuff I immediately taped were Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies so that I could re-watch them with a brand new perspective.What is always fun about reading Maltin's books is that he actually appears to enjoy most of the films he watches, even the junk. 1980 comments of Maltin's "Of Mice And Magic" make note of his careless use of quotes, limited bibliographic backup and the obvious boo-boos in the filmographies. too bad the results didn't often show on screen.My only real complaint is that he generalizes Hanna-Barbera and De-Patie-Freleng rather humpfingly in "The Rest Of The Story", when even they were capable of some good stuff in-between the Saturday morning garbage.
I bought mine in 1982 and had to replace it quickly with the '87 version. I find archived reviews dating just after a book's publication enlightening, because the critics have no conception how successful or unsuccessful the work discussed will be in the future. praising Heckle and Jeckle and Tom Terrific even if many Terrytoons "exist in a vacuum" or singling out "The Story Of Washington" during Paramount Cartoons' declining years. It was bad enough that the silent studios didn't get filmography treatment, why not include a few post-UPA studios that did theatrical work.Oh well. (Yeah, sometimes he states otherwise in his introductions, but I wonder if he really means it).
Also repeatedly acknowledged were the many talents at each studio and how well or ill-used they were; the Van-Beuran studio was very well-staffed artist-wise. those are minor tisk-tisks. Little did they realize how many copies of this book have been worn and torn by a generation of toonatics. (I can understand Michael Barrier ignoring them in "Hollywood Cartoons", since he is quite clear about the styles of animation he favors, but Leonard Maltin isn't as picky). His analysis of Fleischers' "Gulliver's Travels" is most enjoyable, because it is SO obvious he sat through it at least three times.
and clearly enjoys writing about it in a tragic "they-were-doomed-to-be-like-Disney" tone. Granted, sixties Pink Panther is not on the same level as forties Bugs Bunny, but after watching "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Pink" a few times, I find it hard to agree that the series "went straight downhill after the first year". You can't attack a book you've over-used to death.
This was a great read and i'm surprised how little i knew about animation after all these years of watching them. I highly recommend this book for a good read on animation.
Book had a little wear on the cover but other than that, Excellent book. Thanks.
I purchased this book for a class, it was the textbook we used. It was interesting and seemed to encompass a fair amount of history. I do wish he'd expanded more on the history of computer animation, but it's pretty extensive in and of itself.
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