arts & entertainment
Greatest
Animation
Show on Earth
The
Suzanne Chessler
Contributing Writer
E
lliot Wilhelm has introduced film
fans to many types of animated
projects by planning schedules
for the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit
Institute of Arts, but he is about to help
introduce them to a wide-ranging ani-
mated experience as they walk through
"Watch Me Move: The Animation Show," a
touring exhibit running Oct. 6-Jan. 5 at the
museum.
While the displays have been put
together by the Barbican Centre in
London, the local setup and accompanying
programs have been arranged by a team
that includes Wilhelm, DIA curator of film
and video and DFT director.
"Watch Me Move" is the most extensive
animation show ever mounted to docu-
ment the art of creating artificial images
— non-photographic images — on film
to produce visions that couldn't otherwise
have been created.
"Visitors are going to experience over-
whelming sensory pleasures," Wilhelm
says. "They're going to see a history of ani-
mation that will not be in exact chrono-
logical order.
"They will get to understand the basic
Programming Highlights
Animation fans can attend complementary
programs, many free. Call (313) 833-4004
for details, prices and registration regarding
the listings below:
RELATED PROGRAMS:
Detroit Film Theatre
Compilations of short films in 10 categories
covering milestones in animation history.
$5 per showing/one free ticket to exhibition
visitors.
Pioneers of Animation
Thursdays, Oct.10, 24, Dec.19 and Jan. 2:
2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov.10: 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 29: 4 p.m.
At the dawn of the 20th century, visionaries
discovered the ability of artificially animat-
ed images to cast a spell of astonishment.
Early East Coast Studios
Fridays, Oct.11, 25, Dec. 20 and Jan. 3: 4
p.m.
Thursday, Nov.14: 2 p.m.
By the 1920s, New York pioneers such as
Max and Dave Fleisher were creating char-
acters like Koko the Clown, Betty Boop and
Popeye.
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concepts of what made pictures move in the
very earliest days of the industry and walk
through segments capturing projections for
future use of technology in animation:"
Among the display items will be iconic
and lesser-known animated masterpieces
from the past 150 years with more than 100
film segments representing different gen-
erations and cultures.
Display segments showcase work by
animation's great inventors and artists from
Georges Melies and Chuck Jones to William
Kentridge and Tim Burton as well as work
from the big studios, including Walt Disney,
Aardman and Pixar.
The exhibition is divided into seven
parts: "Beginnings" (the emergence of the
animated image), "Characters" (the devised
personalities of the medium), "Fairy Tales
(the representation of existing and new
fables), 'Animation for Art's Sake" (a show-
case of formal and conceptual structures),
"Superhumans" (extended characters) and
"Artistic Visions" (the placement of ani-
mated worlds into the real world).
While the exhibit features animation
excerpts, the DFT will offer complete
showings.
The Israeli film Waltz With Bashir — to
be presented at 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday,
Dec. 20-21 — uses adult-focused animation
Golden Age of Hollywood Animation
Saturdays, Oct.12, 26, Dec. 21 and Jan. 4:
2 p.m.
Friday, Nov.15: 4 p.m.
The story of West Coast animators like Walt
Disney and Ub Iwerks.
Warner Bros. Animation
Saturdays, Oct.12, 26, Dec. 21 and Jan. 4:
4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov.16: 2 p.m.
Sunday, Dec.1: 2 p.m.
No other Hollywood studio matched the
imaginative output of Warner Brothers and
"Looney Tunes."
to examine the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. It
was directed by Israeli military veteran Ari
Folman.
Among the Jewish animators represented
are Max Fleischer, creator of Betty Boop
cartoons; Matt Stone, co-creator of South
Park; and Eric Goldberg, Disney animator
with credits for Aladdin.
"While exhibit viewers will come with
some sophisticated ideas of technologi-
cally advanced animation, they can get
interesting historical and behind-the-scenes
insights," Wilhelm says.
"For example, there will be experience
with the pioneering zoopraxiscope, a spin-
ning drum with still photographs and little
slits that let people see photograph after
photograph in sequence to produce the illu-
sion of actual motion.
"People will see photographs of a horse in
motion to prove that, at some point, a horse
actually has all four legs off the ground
while running:"
Although the subject matter, such as pop-
ular cartoon characters, may appear famil-
iar at first, there will be surprises in each
section, according to Wilhem. The goal is to
showcase the possibilities of the medium in
very exciting ways.
"It's going to be a challenge to see every-
thing in the exhibit because there's so much
Early Television Animation
Friday, Oct.18: 4 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 21: 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7: 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 28: 2 p.m.
By the 1950s, Saturday morning TV meant
one thing: cartoons.
Post-War European Animation
Saturdays, Oct.19 and Nov. 23: 2 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 8: 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 28: 4 p.m.
Soviet-bloc animation artists found ways to
express anxiety and fear under repressive
regimes.
Avant-Garde Animation
Sundays, Oct.13, 27, Dec. 22 and Jan. 5: 2
p.m.
Saturday, Nov.16: 4 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 5: 2 p.m.
Experimentation with abstract, non-narra-
tive possibilities.
Animated Oddities and Unexpected
Pleasures
Saturdays, Oct.19 and Nov. 23: 4 p.m.
Sundays, Nov. 3 and Dec. 29: 2 p.m.
Thursday, Dec.12: 2 p.m.
The medium of choice for expressing the
inexpressible.
The National Film Board of Canada
Thursdays, Oct.17, 31, Dec. 26: 2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov.17: 2 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6: 4 p.m.
Canada's NFB short animated works have
received more than 50 Oscar nominations.
Computer Animation
Sundays, Oct. 20, Nov. 24: 2 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 7: 2 p.m.
Fridays, Dec.13 and 30: 4 p.m.
Monday, December 30: 2 p.m.
A doorway that led animators and feature
filmmakers to a limitless frontier.
Dave Fleischer, Betty Boop, 1932-39,
35mm, black & white, sound, 6 mins. 28
sec.
CD 2010 D isneyelxar
I
"Watch Me Move" brings the most
extensive animation exhibition ever
mounted to the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Toy Story 3, 2010.
going on:' Wilhelm says. "For people inter-
ested in particular aspects, such as Warner
Bros. cartoons or computer animation, we
decided to present those aspects in a rotat-
ing format throughout the run of the show:'
The full-length feature films scheduled
FAMILY PROGRAMS:
Artist Demonstration: Shadow Animation
Sunday, Oct.13: 12-4 p.m.
Hands-on demonstration combining shadow
characters and other 2D images.
Animation Class: Wheel of Life (ages 9 and
older)
Sunday, Oct. 20:1-3:30 p.m.
Build your very own zoetrope in this hands-
on workshop (fee).
Artist Demonstration: Stop-Motion
Animation
Sunday, Nov. 24: Noon-4 p.m.
Simple techniques for creating stop-motion
animation films.
Animation Class: Stop Motion (ages 5 and
older)
Sunday, Dec.1:1-3 p.m.
The secrets of bringing everyday objects to
life (fee).
Artist Demonstration: The Animated
Puppets of Coraline
Sunday, Dec.15: Noon-4 p.m.
The production techniques used to create
the animated characters in the film.