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I was having a conversation the other day when I mentioned that I was waiting for a major network to take another shot with a serious cartoon in primetime. There hasn’t been one since FOX ran with Batman: The Animated Series as a mid season replacement in the 90's. The comment went over well with my friends and we all thought about how much we loved that Batman series. With the exception of HBO’s decision to run with Spawn back in the 90’s I can’t think of any other serious cartoon to hit primetime.
I think the reason for this is because America has a hardened perception of what cartoons are and they fail to recognize the potential of quality animation. The ones who stand to gain the most from primetime cartoons (the comic book companies) seem to have no interest in weighing on the matter, and the animated efforts they put out don’t exactly make the right arguments either. This week’s shout from the rafters is about cartoons and why I think they would rock in primetime.
A medium is a medium
Storytelling is likely the most universal form of communication known to man, every culture has some sort of storyteller and their job is almost always an important one. My argument is a simple one, the vehicle isn’t as important as the contents being delivered. Animation is simply one way to tell a story, any kind of story. If any kind of story can be told through animation the3 field for what we try to do should be wide open right? If the field is wide open then why are 90% of primetime cartoons comedies?
All I’m saying is that it shouldn’t be out of the question for FOX or NBC to release an animated cop drama, one where you could likely have more action, and more intense drama than a standard cop drama.
If only the filmmakers would really give it a shot
Beowulf was a great film, and CG Animation is still animation, the Final Fantasy movie was also a valiant attempt at bringing animated drama into the forefront. I even have to applaud Quinton Tarentino for throwing a little animation into Kill Bill. But alas, there hasn’t been an American made animated drama to ever hit theaters as far as I’m concerned, and that won’t change until a filmmaker is brave enough to make it happen.
Yes, I’m aware of Heavy Metal which I think is counterproductive to my arguments in the sense that it’s way too surreal to serve as a traditional drama or action film. If I’m wrong about this please write in and correct me.
What I think has to happen is that a major Hollywood player has to want to make a film in animation that isn’t a Disney project. Nothing against Disney but the problem is that most Americans think that animation is a kid’s only medium, and Disney doesn’t help at all in changing the hearts and minds of a nation.
You can have it your way!
The reason I’m campaigning for serious animation in primetime is because I think that a lot of artistic visions could be realized. What kills me about Marvel and DC’s animated properties is that they constantly make the same choices every time and then scratch their heads when fans get pissed.
Look at it this way, it is completely understandable if the Iron Man movie isn’t like the comic. Its film versus the printed page and certain changes need to be made on all facets of the story and the cinematography. However with animation, there isn’t any fretting on the high costs of special effects, or the physical look of the costumes, or the looks of the actors hired to play the roles in the film, with animation all of those factors are mitigated. Some people believe that comic books are just movies waiting to happen, which is why we get so many crappy movies every year. In truth, comics and cartoon should go hand in hand.
Marvel and DC have tons of source material that would directly translate into a cartoon, but what do we get instead? We get the Next Avengers, a story with no basis in actual comic book continuity. DC does a vastly better job with their animated properties but still are leaps and bounds away from where they should be on this issue. How come the Death of Superman couldn’t have been exactly like it was in the comics? I bet you could tell the story in three hours, I’d watch a three hour DVD if it was good, and I’d bet the farm that Death of Superman would have been great, and sold a ton of comics.
