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   Yoko! Double-BAFTA! Toto!  (29.11.04)

    Gosh. It looks like last weekend's Children's BAFTA ceremony was
    awash with carnival colours and rhythms, because Collingwood O'Hare's
    terrific Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! collected not one, but two shiny awards
    to add to the company's already-groaning mantlepiece.

     
    
    YJT collected the award for Best Pre-School Animation as well as the
    award for Best Writer: Original Material - this at the second time of asking,
    because the show was nominated in both of these categories last year too.
    What a triumph, and what a pleasure to report to the world. As many
    of you may know, TheHound has fanfared this delicious little show
    from day one. Truly, it's one of the mysteries of the cartoon world as
    to why our High Streets aren't awash with YJT rucksacks, stationery
    and their ilk, but the series still seems to be lurking on the fringes of the
    C-ITV schedules, waiting to be discovered. Come on, folks. Celebrate
    the series' success. Splash it across our screens and let everyone in on
    your double-award winning secret!...

    Elsewhere at those BAFTA's, Toon Disney and Dandy Prods pushed aside
    those "Metalheads", "Gruesome Kids" and "The Blue Dragon" to pick up
    the Best Animation award for "Brush Head". And in the other categories -
    well - you can check out those for yourself, can't you? As for me, I'm
    going to crack open my Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! DVD and join the
    carnival ...

                                                               More:  Collingwood O'Hare

 

   Wake up with Basil  (27.11.04)

    As many of you are probably well aware, the UK is currently awash with debate
    and discussion about so-called "Kids food", their content and the methods
    used to promote such confections. So it's probably not the best time to be
    launching this:

      

   Isn't it fab! - This is an official Basil Brush breakfast cereal, stuffed to bursting
   with caramel and chocolate shapes and little white chocolate balls. And
   regardless of any nutritional benefits, side-effects, or debate, it's a very
   edible concoction and very well presented - provided you've a sweet tooth!

                                                                           More: Basil Brush.com

 

   Striker-roo!  (22.11.04)

    Good old "Striker Comic". The title is continuing to grow on the back of
    its hugely successful shares issue. And by doing so, it flies in the face of
    those naysayers and ne'erdowells who forecast doom and despair for
    the Warbury Warriors footballers when they left "The Sun" to launch as
    an independent publication. "Striker" is a hoot!

    One of the more interesting developments in recent weeks has been the
    expansion of "Striker's Retro Zone" section. A few weeks back, editor/creator
    Pete Nash began reprinting the classic 70's strip "Billy's Boots", to a general
    thumbs-up from his readership - even those who had been a tad sceptical
    over the merits of reprints in a modern comic. Such has been Billy's success,
    now, that another classic reprint has ushered in. This time around, we are
    being given the chance to re-read "The Kangaroo Kid". This daft strip features
    the discovery of a Boy Wonder soccer player from the Australian Outback.
    Quite frankly, the strip is nuts. But it's a gem, and it's a real pleasure to see
     it in print alongside the thoroughly modern 3D exploits of Eric Openshaw,
    Nick Jarvis and the rest.

    As for the rest of this top title, well, it really is getting better and better.
    Or maybe should that be "wetter and wetter", because we've recently
    witnessed the arrival of 3D weather effects in the CG strips. And fully-fledged
    fans can now purchae  fab "Striker" coffee mugs and a rather risque
    calendar. - Go "Striker"!

                                                                        More:  Striker 3D

 

   Bob-bling along  (18.11.04)

    Brrr! - The first icey blast of Winter has hit the UK this week. And it's set the
    mood perfectly for the recent release of Bob the Builder's third fine feature outing
    on DVD.  Snowed Under: The Bobblesberg Winter Games was released at the
    start of the month and it builds on the popular successes of Knights of Can-a-Lot
    and A Christmas To Remember, the latter of which collected a BAFTA for its efforts.
    In the new film, Bob and the gang have a job to do at the Winter Games resort
    of Bobblesberg, but the inclement weather threatens to scupper the job and
    the Games altogether. Guest voices this time around include John Motson,
    Sue Barker, and Ulrika Jonsson, and by all accounts it's another HIT film
    for our Bob...

                                                          More:  Bob the Builder at Toonhound

 

   100 cartoons  (16.11.04)

    Adam McLean is a researcher with Shine Limited and he's been in touch
    this week to put forward a request. It seems Channel 4 are about to turn their
    beady eye on the "100 Greatest Cartoons",  which they intend to air early next
    year, and he and they are looking for votes from the list on their web site.
    
    Now those "100 Greatest" shows stir up mixed feelings amongst fans. Many
    have been quick to snipe at the preconceived approach to the shows. They say
    they're based on an initial list of titles which are often flawed. Then they like to
    moan about the finished productions, with those glib talking heads and throwaway
    comments. But we can mutter all we want, because - omissions or no - there are
    often some fantastic little nuggets of gold to be found in each show. You want two
    examples? Well, in the "100 Greatest Children's Programmes" we had Nick Park
    enthusing about the "The Clangers", and we had that brilliant little story from
    Brian Trueman regarding "Chorlton and the Wheelies" and the perceived
    anti-Semitism of Claptrap von Spilldabeans. Those two alone surely made
    amends for any "errors"...

    So now we have those "100 Greatest Cartoons". As expected, most toons on
    the list are from over the pond. But waving a flag for blighty are:

    • Animal Farm                           • Monkey Dust
    • BOD                                     • Noggin the Nog
    • Captain Kremmen                    • Roobarb
    • Captain Pugwash                    • The Snowman
    • Charley Says...                       • Wallace & Gromit
    • Creature Comforts                   • Watership Down
    • DangerMouse                         • Willo the Wisp
    • Ivor the Engine                       • Wind in the Willows
    • Jamie and the Magic Torch        • Yellow Submarine                  
    • The Magic Roundabout             • 2DTV
    • Mary, Mungo and Midge

     Also pertinent to the UK are the likes of "The Jackson 5" and "Who Framed
     Roger Rabbit" - two examples of productions made mainly in the UK, even though
     they are cited as being American.

     So yes, yes, the list makes no sense (What's happened to "Bagpuss", for
     starters. If it's good enough to be "Greatest Children's Programme" why isn't it even
     listed for this show?) But it's not worth kicking up a fuss. At the end of the day,
     let's just keep our fingers crossed for some more interesting little toon nuggets
     to steal away from the evening. And let's remember, folks: It's only a show!

                                                                                    More: Channel 4   

 

   Pick of the month  (15.11.04)

    Well, here's some great green news. Fungus the Bogeyman is finally
    going to reach our screens at the end of the month. The BBC's live-action
    adaptation of Raymond Briggs' classic work has taken an age to get to
    this point, with several false starts and delays on the way. In June,
    producer Ian Whitehead got in touch to update us on the status of
    the production, and he penciled in a November air date. And he was
    spot on, because we can now finally set the video for November 28th
    when the first episode is to be broadcast on BBC1.

       

    "Fungus the Bogeyman" is an ambitious three-part Gala Films/BBC
    production starring Martin Clunes, Fay Ripley and a CGI Fungus and friends.
    Okay, so I'm biased. I'm a great green Briggs fan. But it looks and sounds
    intriguing, and with a screenplay from author/writer Mark Haddon it could
    be a real treat for Drycleaners everywhere!...

                                                               More: Gentleman Briggs    

 

   Big fun at Bradford  (01.11.04)

    The Bradford Animation Festival opens it doors on November 10th, and this
    year there are umpteen reasons why you should make a beeline north, south,
    east or west to visit the event.

    British toon fans can feast on the delights of Alan Gilbey (Bounty Hamster)
    talking about the mechanics of good scriptwriting, Tony Collingwood and Andrea
    Tran (Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!) discussing the creation of a good television
    series - specifically their top new series, The Secret Show - Barry Purves
    (Hamilton Mattress) giving us a 3D animation masterclass, Aardman Director
    Darren Robbie presenting us with a history of the studio, and music maestro
    Keith Hopwood talking about music for animation. There's also a special 50th
    screening of Animal Farm, to be presented by Vivien Halas.

    And this isn't everything - not by a long shot. The official BAF web site lists
    plenty more courses to tuck into. This year's spotlight is shining on Dutch
    animator Paul Driessen. He'll be talking about his films and you can watch
    them all, too. Then there's Randy Cook, talking about his magnificent work
    bringing Gollum to life in "Lord of the Rings" and - oh - you surely don't need
    me to tell you anything more. Book your tickets now!

    The Bradford Animation Festival runs from November 10th - 13th. Do yourself
    a favour and give this incredible festival your support...

                                                                       More: BAF web site

 

   Ex-citing stuff  (19.11.04)

    It may only be November, but preparations are already well under way for
    next year's Animated Exeter animation festival. The line-up is currently
    currently being put together by Jayne Pilling, and a first sneaky-peek
    at the schedule has revealed that God amongst Titans, Mr. Ray Harryhausen
    is all set to attend.

    

    Maybe not so God-like, but certainly a Devil in disguise is Mr. Alan Gilbey
    of Mr. Hell Show and Bounty Hamster fame. Alan is currently prepping another
    of his popular animation quizzes for the event, and this time around, he's
    persuaded Yours Truly and ToonsToGo.com to donate a little basket of
    prizes to the shebang. So it gives me great pleasure to announce that
    "Alan Gilbey's Toonhound Trivia Quiz" will kick off on Sunday 13th
    February. And if it's possible, The Hound himself may well make the
    long trek south from his Elgin attic to attend the event.

    Animated Exeter takes place 7th-19th February 2005 and you can keep up
    with news of the event, the schedule and festival chatter via their splendid
    web site. They also have a regular email bulletin, so there's absoloutely
    no excuse not to know exactly what's happening and when...

    Till next time!    

             thehound@toonhound.com

 
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