Cartoons Considered For An Academy Award – 1977 |
EDITOR’S NOTE: A funny thing happened on the way to researching the Oscar nominees for the Animated Short Film in 1976 – The documentation could not be found. At least not yet. We certainly know what the official nominees were and who the winner was that year, but my various sources could not locate the preliminary screening documents – the basis for these posts. So we shall move on, skipping past that year (for the time being).
The list of films submitted and screened in 1976 now joins 1949 and 1950 on my “most wanted” list. These posts are still preliminary research for a larger project – and I will continue to dig into the following years as best I can. Thanks for your understanding. – Jerry Beck
This week: 1977
The nominees were:
THE DOONESBURY SPECIAL John Hubley, Faith Hubley and Garry Trudeau, Producers [View]
JIMMY THE C James Picker, Robert Grossman and Craig Whitaker, Producers [View]
THE BEAD GAME (NFB) Ishu Patel, Producer [View]
And the Oscar went to:
THE SAND CASTLE (NFB) Co Hoedeman, Producer. [View]
It was finally time for The National Film Board of Canada. Despite numerous submissions, nominees (dating back to the 1940s) and even winning the award in other categories (Norman McLaren won for Best Documentary in 1952, for the pixillation film Neighbors), this was their first win for Best Animated Short. And would be the start of a three year streak – winning six total over the next 40 years.
Co Hoedeman’s The Sand Castle was deliberately ambiguous. Is it a children’s film? A metaphor of life on Earth? A comment on human behavior? It’s what you think it is – and the Academy was charmed by its unique style and technique, and perhaps its meaning and depth. It was also certainly a way for the Academy to recognize the incredible body of work coming from the NFB – and send a salute to its creative community.
On April 3rd, 1978 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, presenters Paul Williams, Jodie Foster and ‘Mickey Mouse’ handed Co Hoedeman the Oscar for Short Film (Animated) for The Sand Castle at the 50th Academy Awards. Here’s the video, below:
And so we continue our ongoing research into what other cartoons were submitted to the Academy for Oscar consideration but failed to make the cut. In 1977, there were 30 entries. Submitted, screened, but NOT nominated were:
ALL, ALL AND ALL*
ANIMATO – Mike Jittlov
CONQUERING THE PAPER MOUNTAIN*
A COSMIC CHRISTMAS
CRUDE – Paul Boyington*
DAVID – Paul Dreissen
DEAD END – Janet Shapiro*
FAT FOUGHT – Norman Marshall*
FIGHT – Marcel Jankovics
THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE – Sam Weiss
FROGGIE WENT A COURTIN’ – Frank Gladstone
ISABELLA AND THE MAGIC BRUSH – Filmfair*
JOSHUA AND THE SHADOW – John Lange
LAFCADIO-THE LION WHO SHOT BACK
LAST OF THE RED HOT DRAGONS – Shamus Culhane
MINDSCAPE – Jacques Drouin
THE LITTLE BROWN BURRO – Paul Freisen
THE MAKING OF A HABIT*
ODE*
PARTY LINE – Karl Krogstad*
RAPID EYE MOVEMENTS – Jeff Carpenter/Mary Lambert
RED ROCK – Marija Diaz*
SOMETHING*
SYMBIOSIS*
VOO DOO CHILE*
LAY LADY LAY*
* Those marked above with an asterisk are films we could not find video or information on. All others are embed below
Here’s the documentation:
With these posts we ask that you put yourself in the place of the nominating committee – which of the films submitted would you have nominated? Which cartoon should have won? For your edification and viewing pleasure, we have found embeds (below) for 12 of the qualified submissions that the Academy screened, but didn’t make the cut.
Enjoy the show!
ANIMATO – Mike Jittlov
I love Mike Jittlov’s fun little films during the 1970s. There were several Jittlov shorts that used the “Animato” umbrella title – one is “Fashionation”, another is “Time Tripper”; There were others. Not sure which one was submitted but here are those two, to give you a taste of Jittlov’s techniques.
A COSMIC CHRISTMAS
Nelvana’s first TV Special was a refreshing jolt for those of who caught it in its initial airings (syndicated in the US; airing in December 1977). The story of Christmas – and what happened to it 2000 years hence, in present day – as seen through the eyes of three wise aliens from beyond the stars. This film (and several subsequent follow-ups) put the little Canadian studio on the map – and I’m happy to say A Cosmic Christmas still holds up rather well.
DAVID – Paul Dreissen
I have great admiration for the work of Paul Dreissen, a true animation artist whose unique minimalist style challenges the viewer – particularly in this film – to come up some of the narrative in the mind’s eye.
FIGHT – Marcel Jankovics
This film, like 1974’s Sisyphus, were (according to Giannalberto Bendazzi) “brief animations trying to visualize life itself. A sculptor and his sculpture form and transform – sculpt – each other, until the artist dies.”
THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE – Sam Weiss (Bosustow Prods.)
Based on the story in Eric Carle’s Storybook, Seven Tales by the Brothers Grimm. That’s Hans Conreid (as the Fisherman and the fish) and June Foray (as the wife).
FROGGIE WENT A COURTIN’ – Frank Gladstone
Cute little film by my friend (and Asifa-Hollywood colleague) Frank Gladstone. Made in Miami, Florida.
JOSHUA AND THE SHADOW – John C. Lange
One of several independent films by freelance Hollywood animator John C. Lang, featuring his character “Joshua”.
LAFCADIO-THE LION WHO SHOT BACK – Larry Moyer
Here’s an oddity – apparently beatnik filmmaker Larry Moyer was given a chance to make a film out of this Shel Silverstein story (I think that’s Silverstein’s voice on the soundtrack). No animation. No nomination.
LAST OF THE RED HOT DRAGONS – Shamus Culhane
This is the last of a Noah’s Ark trilogy of TV specials independently produced (with Italian partners) and directed by Shamus Culhane. I don’t see the whole special online, so this clip will have to do.
MINDSCAPE – Jacques Drouin
Alexandre Alexeieff’s pin-screen was sold to the National Film Board of Canada and was used by Jacques Drouin to make several films, including this one, Drouin’s second pin screen work.
THE LITTLE BROWN BURRO – Vic Atkinson
Aka The Little Christmas Burro, this was a TV special about the Nativity produced by Atkinson Film Arts in Canada. Narrated by Lorne Greene, it was a syndicated in December 1978.
RAPID EYE MOVEMENTS – Jeff Carpenter/Mary Lambert
Psychedelic animated film follows a hip celebrity and his underworld lifestyle through casinos, hotel rooms, parties and odd characters. I believe this was a student film out of the Rhode Island School of Design. Co-director Mary Lambert went on to (and continues) a successful career as a music video, documentary, television (Arrow) and feature film (Pet Semetery) director.
The earlier posts in this series: 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.
(Super Special Thanks to Chris Sobieniak)