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Gerald McBoing Boing and his Impact

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Gerald McBoing Boing is, in my opinion, one of the most creative, inventive, aesthetically pleasing, and fun animations I have ever seen. It features a little boy, Gerald McBoing Boing, who, rather than speaking normally, is only able to speak in sound effects. This proves to have it's challenges, but it also brings Gerald success and fame. Produced by United Productions of America (UPA) and released on November 2, 1950, the short was based off of an original story by Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) and directed by Robert "Bobe" Cannon. It received critical acclaim from the Academy as well as the Library of Congress. Critical Acclaim and Impact Gerald McBoing Boing was widely received by audiences and in 1950, the short won the Oscar for Best Animated Short. Forty-four years later in 1994, Gerald McBoing Boing  earned the number 9 spot on the list of "The 50 Greatest Cartoons" by animation field members, making it the highest ranked UPA film on this list. A year l...

Felix the Cat: A Cultural Phenomenon

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Felix the Cat, widely considered to be the world's first animated film star, was "born" on November 9, 1919, debuting in an animated short titled Feline Follies  (pictured below) released by Paramount Studios. Over the next ten years, Felix appeared in more than one hundred shorts. Produced for the general audience, these silent cartoons combined abstract and surrealist imagery with the antics of the cat, earning both public adoration and critical acclaim. He is also one of the most highly imitated and inspiring cartoon characters, going on to create a lot of imitations in other cartoons, as well as being a basis of inspiration for other cartoon characters such as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse. In addition to this, Felix also had an enormous impact on the merchandising industry. Feline Follies Directed by Otto Messmer, Feline Follies  was the first of many animations to feature Felix the Cat. The plot takes a lighthearted and almost silly tone, but quickly take...