Synopsis
From the moment Mickey Mouse stepped aboard Steamboat Willie, animation has been a global phenomenon. Animated cartoons had been screened for years, creating silent stars like Gertie the Dinosaur, but the advent of sound took the medium into a new dimension that has since given the world more icons than its live-action counterpart. Whether its Bugs Bunny, or Tom and Jerry, or newcomers like Wallace & Gromit and Toy Story's Woody & Buzz, animation continues to create characters that are loved by children of all ages - from 8 months to 80 years! Animation has grown from its Saturday Morning Matinee cartoon roots and Walt Disney's timeless full-length movies to encompass everything from claymation to the latest advances in computer imaging. For the first time, Jeremy Clarke brings together the innovators of animation from around the world - Japan's legendary Hayao Miyazaki, Czech surrealist Jan Svankmajer, American CGI wizard John Lassiter and Britain's own maestro Nick Park - in one volume covering everything from the classic to the cutting edge.