Fleischer Superman again
So the Fleischer Superman cartoons have been released in a gorgeous new two disc edition: Max Fleischer's Superman 1941-1942. If you've seen the public domain versions from the dollar bin, these have been restored from their original masters in all their glory.
Newsarama has a fascinating look at the Fleischers and their studio in Florida. The first part deals with Gulliver's Travels, while the second one deals with the Fleischers' Superman. The latter ends with a fascinating quote by Bruce Timm. The DCAU is rather strongly influenced by the Fleischer Superman cartoons. I think I recall Timm also likening it to an extension of the 1939 World's Fair "World of Tomorrow" with the airships and architecture. But he points out how our perceptions are literally colored by those old prints:
"I know Warner Bros. will hate me for saying this, but now that they’ve been remastered from the negatives, they’re still amazing to look at-I can’t believe how really bright and vivid they are-but my memories of them are the dark and grimy prints. In fact, many of the ones I had were in black and white for many years. I liked that dark, murky texture to them. It makes them feel more of their time; moodier. It’s a weird thing to see them all cleaned up."
Now I almost want to rewatch them side by side and see what my reactions are, because part of me agrees with Timm. Maybe it was knowing the grim time period with the Depression and war, but the darker colors felt right. The other part wouldn't mind the prettier versions for icons/graphics, though. And maybe the rewatch will jostle loose some of the plotbunnies. They've been quiet lately. That can never end well.
Newsarama has a fascinating look at the Fleischers and their studio in Florida. The first part deals with Gulliver's Travels, while the second one deals with the Fleischers' Superman. The latter ends with a fascinating quote by Bruce Timm. The DCAU is rather strongly influenced by the Fleischer Superman cartoons. I think I recall Timm also likening it to an extension of the 1939 World's Fair "World of Tomorrow" with the airships and architecture. But he points out how our perceptions are literally colored by those old prints:
"I know Warner Bros. will hate me for saying this, but now that they’ve been remastered from the negatives, they’re still amazing to look at-I can’t believe how really bright and vivid they are-but my memories of them are the dark and grimy prints. In fact, many of the ones I had were in black and white for many years. I liked that dark, murky texture to them. It makes them feel more of their time; moodier. It’s a weird thing to see them all cleaned up."
Now I almost want to rewatch them side by side and see what my reactions are, because part of me agrees with Timm. Maybe it was knowing the grim time period with the Depression and war, but the darker colors felt right. The other part wouldn't mind the prettier versions for icons/graphics, though. And maybe the rewatch will jostle loose some of the plotbunnies. They've been quiet lately. That can never end well.