There’s More to Animation Than Just Cartoons

Read Time:2 Minute, 17 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Claydream
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 36m
Director(s): Marq Evans
Where To Watch: Limited theatrical release in New York, LA, and Portland on August 5th, with other cities to follow. Digital release October 16th

People oftentimes hear the word animation and instantly think of Disney, Pixar, and others. While they are the leaders in animation, some subgenres often get overlooked and take far more dedication and effort to craft. That’s stop-motion-animation, a beautiful artform that most would probably relate to the likes of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS or other similar films.

Even if you're unaware, you’ve likely seen something crafted by Will Vinton. Director Marq Evans crafts this documentary that tells the story of the next Walt Disney, who never was. THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN, The California Raisins, Domino’s mascot from the 80s-90s, The Noid, and a litany of other fantastical creations were all from the mind of Vinton. Even if you’re not familiar with these creations, you’ve likely seen some of the designs that his legacy inspired CORALINE, KUBO & THE TWO STRINGS, PARANORMAN, etc. were all creations of Laika, which is Vinton’s company after basically being bought out by Phil Knight (through some questionable methods.)

This film is more about Vinton and his accompanying rise and fall in the industry than it is about Will Vinton Studios, but no fear, there is plenty of discussion about his studio and creations. Marq Evans tells this story of what could have been through interviews with Vinton and the many he worked with along the way. Vinton got his start in the early 70s and quickly worked his way up through the ranks to the point where he had a long list of projects under his name. While he didn’t direct the film, his most well-known creation is probably as claymation director on RETURN TO OZ, the surreal “sequel” to the beloved WIZARD OF OZ; if you haven’t seen it, do so now! It’s a total nightmare fuel and worth every second!

While I knew about many of his works, I never knew about the man behind them. I would have assumed that these creations were done by various people over the years.

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