Animated film found!

[johncbeggs]

Check it out! , was made by the germans! they did a really good job on it whoever made it.:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqZwCxk_vk

Im looking forward to watching it,Ive only watched about 4 mins in!

just though some of you may like it.

[hcjehg]

Hello johncbeggs

Consider getting it from Amazon instead of watching it on YouTube.

http://www.amazon.com/Felidae-NON-USA-FORMAT-PAL-Reg-2/dp/B000PS949U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1259918176&sr=8-2

Look at IMDB for the cast:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109791/

Companies were:

A-Film Aps. - Copenhagen
Animationsstudio Ludewig - Hamburg
Azadart - Toronto
Dagda Film Limited - Dublin
Hahn Sinh Corp. - Seoul
TrickCompany - Hamburg
Mediasoft - Hambourg
Natterjack Animation Co. - Vancouver
Premier Filsms Ltd. - London
Uli Meyer Animation - London
plus others

under the production company Fontana Filmproduktion

supervised by

Filmförderungsanstalt - Berlin
Film fonds - Hamburg
Bayerishe Film- und fehrnseeförderung - Munich

[johncbeggs]

I was just letting forum members know!

I have never heard of this film before but thankyou for listing who has made it!:D

[ManWithGoodTaste]

Check it out! , was made by the germans! they did a really good job on it whoever made it.:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqZwCxk_vk

Im looking forward to watching it,Ive only watched about 4 mins in!

just though some of you may like it.
You found it. I bought it.

It is one of the greatest works of animation I have ever seen. And it's for adults.

I am an adult.

...

Yaaaay!

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

Just thought some screenshots would be just fine...
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/beu686.png" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/awclxs.png" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

I messed up. Sorry :)

http://i40.tinypic.com/awclxs.png

http://i40.tinypic.com/beu686.png

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

5 screenshots would be a nice thing:
http://i39.tinypic.com/xbz7kg.png
http://i40.tinypic.com/awclxs.png
http://i40.tinypic.com/24q76eb.png
http://i40.tinypic.com/beu686.png

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

#5 (last)
http://i41.tinypic.com/1076nax.png

[madanimator]

Aaaaah! 'Felidae'. Yes, that film was made by a german studio and I also got the DVD :)
It is very well made, I think. Very good animation, and a beautiful style! But sometimes a bit brutal... And you have to watch it twice to understand the idea of the story. My family didn't like the movie and yes, it is kind of strange. Because it's a movie made for adults. Sex and violence.... It can make you a bit depressed. But it sells an interesting idea.
I heard that the studio has liquidated. They don't make movies anymore I think.
But the movie is worth seing it. And it's luck for you that an english vision exists ;)

[madanimator]

Bayerishe Film- und fehrnseeförderung - Munich

:laughing: I'm sure you mean 'Bayerische Film- und Fernsehförderung'
Because 'See' means something like 'lake' or 'sea'.
I'm sorry that I'm writing that, but it really made me laugh ;)

[WillW]

loved this film, I found out about it during uni, has some really great animation in it. Plague dogs is another great animated film http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084509/, same as felidae as its not really a kids movie but far more depressing :C its animated by the same company who made water ship down according to imdb.

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

I have it, you're right it's great.

[danparkerstudios]

Uh, has anyone heard of two animated movies?

Freddie The Frog/Freddie As FRO7

The Magic Voyage

They're on youtube now.

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

Uh, has anyone heard of two animated movies?

Freddie The Frog/Freddie As FRO7

The Magic Voyage

They're on youtube now.

Freddie as F.R.O.7 is a rare case of a movie being both a parody of other films AND itself. It doesn't take itself seriously for a second. And that's why I like it. And the American version is so badly censored is changed from "confusing and funny" to "confusing and disturbing".

The magic Voyage... I'll watch later.

[danparkerstudios]

Here's another movie that I'm not into now.

The Thief And The Cobbler

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

Here's another movie that I'm not into now.

The Thief And The Cobbler


Finally I have a chance to give my opinion!

The Thief And The Cobbler is a failure. Richard Williams spent so much time on making animation look "outstanding" that he totally forgot about the story. Actually, if he spent just 3 or 5 years making the film, he would've finished it as originally planned and released it before anyone could sue him for anything.

Anyway... STORY, STORY, STORY! I watched the "Recobbled version" and got bored after the first 10 minutes. Here's an example how NOT to make an animated movie.

[Rodney]

I watched the "Recobbled version" and got bored after the first 10 minutes.

The Thief And The Cobbler is a failure.

The film may have failed in several regards but it suceeds on many levels. If nothing else it proved to be a fertile training ground for animators who went on to contribute much to animation's success in later years.

As a film its also a product of its time, much like Bakshi's 'Lord of the Rings'.
I care little for Bakshi's work but mostly because I disliked it before the first few minutes. I reject it out of hand more than judging it on its own merits. This isn't as much a reflection on Bakshi's films as it is on me and my prejudices against (pre judging of) his films. I don't apologize for my biases and likes and dislikes, they are what they are, but I do try to recognize them.

The primary reason I remain interested in 'The Thief and The Cobbler' is for the incredible animation it presents. While perhaps overly lengthy, it has an interesting plot, recognizable themes and compeling characterizations as well. The villian was even interesting enough to be remembered and recast (without credit of course) in Disney's Alladdin when animation became popular with audiences again.

It's facinating to me how Richard Williams used this film as a conduit to learning every aspect that he could about animation during the dark years. It's noteworthy that the genius of animators like Ken Harris, Grim Natwick, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston among others can be seen here.

There is much to Richard Williams's animation I don't prefer (so much for my refined taste... I prefer things to look like 'Disney') and I have yet to warm up to the english and artistic sensibilities which are fused into this and other similar films, but there is some incredibly innovative animation to be found here.

At any rate, what was it you didn't like about the story?
I wonder if it wasn't more the pacing of it you got bored with.

[danparkerstudios]

How about these movies?


The Nutcracker Prince

The BFG

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

How about these movies?


The Nutcracker Prince

The BFG

A YT user hewylewis reviewed both. Seemed to be okay, but I'll be spending $'s on something else (like The Little Norse Prince or Astérix in Britain)

[AvestheForumFox]

Wow! Felidae was awesome!

Brutal, But I could not stop watching!

Thanks for sharing! :)

[johncbeggs]

How about these movies?


The Nutcracker Prince

The BFG

both timeless movies I appreciate the post and the discovery of some real classics :D

[johncbeggs]

I found another one of them hidden movies!

The Fearless Four
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I haven't watched the movie but it does look entertaining so if theirs a dvd with this name on it be sure to buy it! :D:D

[joedorsey]

If you've got Netflix, you can stream The Fearless Four. I'm gonna check it out soon. Thanks for the heads up!

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

I don't like this adaptation of the Musicians from Bremen.

Oh, wait...... this was made by WB BEFORE they made The Iron Giant? I smell a bad movie.

[danparkerstudios]

Here's another animated film I have.

The Animated Version of Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel. It's really wonderful.

I still have it on VHS,

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

I really forgot this one... Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury. It is a short 2d/CG animated film set right after Pitch Black. It is VERY nice. You can find it on the Riddick Trilogy DVD.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407658/

[C. Siemens]

I found another one of them hidden movies!

The Fearless Four

I haven't watched the movie but it does look entertaining so if theirs a dvd with this name on it be sure to buy it! :D:D

It's a German production from '97, back when the Disney Renaissance which had reached its highpoint actually made it possible even for German studios to produce high quality features not based on popular children's franchises, unlike today.

However, Fearless Four is not a good animated movie and not really worth checking out, in my opinion.

In essence it's a 'modernized' version of the classic German fairytale "The Town Musicians of Bremen" and from a strictly technical standpoint it was solidly made. It wasn't a cheap production and there was a lot of talent on board.
But, and this is a big but, it lacked competent, experienced art and animation direction, being full of boring characters singing boring songs all the way through a plot that's nothing but formula. I can only describe it as being a typical, very dated 90s feature trying to imitate Disney with more budget than artistic substance. It's polished but cobbled together by people with little real animation direction experience who inexpertly piled up all kinds of elements that they thought made 90s Disney features so successful.
For instance, it incorporates a lot of backgrounds and background elements rendered in 3D which at that time was the hip thing to have in hand-drawn animation. Needless to say it had a lot of star power, too, but in the end all those people brought to the movie was their names for the posters, not a particular talent for voicing cartoons.
Problem is, everything is bland and clashes horribly with the already unimaginative characters. At the time of its release it got a lot of marketing attention in Germany but wasn't really noticed outside of the country. Ironic, considering Warner Bros. had to chip in to make it possible in the first place. (It even had to be produced in English to be marketable internationally at all.)

This may sound very opinionated, which I suppose it is, but Fearless Four to me illustrates quite beautifully the uncreative reliance on hype and formula in the late 90s that brought down hand-drawn animation at least as effectively as the growing 3D hype.

[Rodney]

However, Fearless Four is not a good animated movie and not really worth checking out, in my opinion.

This (and the other details you posted about it) seem to me sufficient reasons to check 'Fearless Four' out. We can all learn a lot from other people's mistakes can we not?

It's been a few weeks since I watched it but seem to recall the general pacing of the movie could have been sped up to keep the audience attentive. As I recall as a first impression, the film seems to suffer from something a lot of 'training ground' movies suffer from... poor editing and too much dialogue.

I must admit I've only watched the first part of the 'Fearless Four' and up to that point the story didn't connect with me much. It tried... there is some interesting artwork and I was initially interested in what was going on.

We can learn a lot from great movies but there is also much to learn from those that are not.

[C. Siemens]

True, but I think "mistakes" tend to happen a lot more often and be a lot more repetitive than things done right. God knows there are quite enough 90s Disney rip-offs. Even Princess and the Frog repeats a LOT of the 90s Disney formula (although still being infinitely better than Fearless Four).
I'm not a particular fan of Felidae which has been mentioned earlier in this thread. Back when it was produced it was based on a then best-selling German thriller which I suppose won a lot of backers over. Even so, today I don't think an animated movie, much less a hand-drawn one, would be funded in Germany if it was based on such adult material. Not even with a best-seller at its core.

Today it's all about wisecrack-filled buddy movies à la Pixar - only the wisecracks aren't what make Pixar movies good and the buddy component only works if there's chemistry. (Plus, one of the best Pixars, The Incredibles, isn't even a buddy movie.)
My "favourite" how-not-to-do buddy movies is DreamWork's Shark Tale.


Anyway, back to topic:

A movie which I liked a lot as a child, although it hasn't aged well at all, is the Danish feature Valhalla (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNX_Heix390).
It is based on a Danish series of comic books by Peter Madsen, also the director of the feature, and dealt with Norse mythology. I love Norse mythology so I still harbour a bit of a soft spot for it. It is a quite flawed movie but for a Danish animated feature from the 80s appearing almost out of nowhere it was a very ambitious project. Although its production company never recovered from the money it lost and eventually went bankrupt I believe it brought forth the core group that today forms A.Film.

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

A movie which I liked a lot as a child, although it hasn't aged well at all, is the Danish feature Valhalla (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNX_Heix390).
It is based on a Danish series of comic books by Peter Madsen, also the director of the feature, and dealt with Norse mythology. I love Norse mythology so I still harbour a bit of a soft spot for it. It is a quite flawed movie but for a Danish animated feature from the 80s appearing almost out of nowhere it was a very ambitious project. Although its production company never recovered from the money it lost and eventually went bankrupt I believe it brought forth the core group that today forms A.Film.

The movie was good. Too bad it doesn't have an ending. No, really, it ends when half the stuff is still unresolved.

[C. Siemens]

As I said, it's a little flawed here and there.
I remember buying the DVD when it finally came out here. I hadn't seen the movie in over a decade back then and it was quite the let-down for me. Still, its heart is in the right place as far as I'm concerned.

The "episodes" that make up Thor's visit to the giants in the movie are all taken from mythical themes from the edda, old Icelandic heroic epics of gods and humans. Even the children Tjalfi and Røskva are part of them, they became Thor's servant and maid exactly as is told in the movie.
So the answer is, yes, they stayed with the gods in Asgard, becoming minor deities themselves. They became known as Tjalfi the Swift and Røskva the Diligent.

If you're interested in some more infos behind the movie, here is a website from the creator of the series of comic books (http://www.petermadsen.info).

Fun fact: in the German dub, Thor and Odin were voiced by Christopher Lee. The guy is fluent in German.

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

As I said, it's a little flawed here and there.
I remember buying the DVD when it finally came out here. I hadn't seen the movie in over a decade back then and it was quite the let-down for me. Still, its heart is in the right place as far as I'm concerned.

The "episodes" that make up Thor's visit to the giants in the movie are all taken from mythical themes from the edda, old Icelandic heroic epics of gods and humans. Even the children Tjalfi and Røskva are part of them, they became Thor's servant and maid exactly as is told in the movie.
So the answer is, yes, they stayed with the gods in Asgard, becoming minor deities themselves. They became known as Tjalfi the Swift and Røskva the Diligent.

If you're interested in some more infos behind the movie, here is a website from the creator of the series of comic books (http://www.petermadsen.info).

Fun fact: in the German dub, Thor and Odin were voiced by Christopher Lee. The guy is fluent in German.

Thanks, now it makes much more sense :)

[danparkerstudios]

Here are some movies I've discovered recently after watching the BFG on DVD.


Katy Meets The Aliens/Katy Caterpillar (I'm going to watch this one)

Animaland

[KlarkKentThe3rd]

Animal Treasure Island. Most of the animation and story ideas by Hayao-You-Know-What.