Serious Business: The Art And Commerce Of Animation In America From Betty Boop To Toy Story - Softcover

Kanfer, Stefan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0306809184 ISBN 13: 9780306809187

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2000

Synopsis

As Roger Rosenblatt put it, ”What makes Serious Business a special treat is that it is like the best of the cartoons itself funny, touching, and infused with thoughtful joy.” This generously illustrated history of animation looks at the creation and celluloid careers of such American icons as Felix the Cat, Jiminy Cricket, Mickey and Minnie, Popeye and Olive Oyl, Goofy, Yogi Bear, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Daffy Duck, Tom and Jerry, and the Pink Panther. Art and commerce collide again and again as Stefan Kanfer wittily probes the origins of such diverse cartoon families as the Flintstones, the Jetsons, and the Simpsons and looks at the phenomenal success of feature-length animated films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and The Lion King. Serious Business is itself a classic of animation, bringing to life an art and an industry whose creations have now worked their way into every corner of American life.

About this title

Review:

The business behind creating and producing comics, cartoons, or, specifically, animation is nothing short of fascinating. More than a "behind the scenes" book or a "tell all" expose, Serious Business is a great find for this reason: it places an emphasis on the creative people in the industry. To quote the dust cover: "The history of animation is the story of its geniuses. Serious Business disperses the clouds created by decades of received wisdom, bogus myth-making, and corporate propaganda to reveal a cast of characters whose entertainment value exceeds that of their creations."

About the Author:

Stefan Kanfer is the author of six previous books. His articles and reviews have appeared in many major magazines, particularly Time, for which he was a writer and editor for more than twenty years. He lives in Westchester County, New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0306809184
• ISBN 13: 9780306809187
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264