I don’t write much about popular culture or art on this blog, but a recent New York Times article about animator Shamus Culhane and his penchant for slipping avant-garde art into Woody Woodpecker cartoons was rather interesting. While most animators seemed happy to inject their work with hidden bawdiness, I would not be surprised if there were more frustrated artists who tried to fulfill their creative drive through their animated work.
Unfortunately, today’s market is inundated with computer animation that is so boring and joyless that I feel even worse for the modern frustrated artist. I am not sure if it is possible to explore the outer reaches of the human imagination while punching equations into a computer program. Furthermore, I also have my doubts about the ability of artists to express their creativity secretly, without running afoul of their employers. Technology had made employee surveillance much more potent than it has ever been, yet another dark side to the advance of technology.
Indeed, Western popular culture is becoming increasingly boring even as it becomes more exciting and stimulating in a sort of basic way. Even relatively shallow features, such as MGM’s Tom and Jerry shorts, seem very impressive to me, especially the handsomely drawn early shorts by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. I am still greatly impressed by the sense of weight conveyed in the 1942 short "The Bowling Alley Cat," where the bowling balls look quite heavy and capable of inflicting a lot of pain.
While I don’t want to push the artistic merits of Tom and Jerry too much, in a world where traditional animation is giving way to headache-inducing computerized movies that are little more than glorified video games, I will continue to have a certain nostalgia for the early days of animation and cinema in general, when I am sure many a frustrated artist gave millions of people pleasure and a taste of art through popular and accessible channels of expression.
Interesting post. On reflection I agree that computer animated movies are increasingly becoming more drab.
ReplyDeleteAlso a very good point about technology enhancing surveillance of the workforce. One example, I know that our local cop cars now have GPRS trackers which have been used to make sure officers are where they should be. The cars are also fitted with speakers so officers are very concious what they talk about in the police cars.
True Western popular culture is going in the boring direction but creativity and expression come out elsewhere.
Hi Mr. Smith,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. I agree that there are still outlets for creativity and expression, but it would seem that those outlets are increasingly outside of major companies. Perhaps cooperatives can help to free artistic labor from the meddling of boring corporate managers?