Animation &Fleischer &Frame Grabs &walk cycle 04 Nov 2009 08:27 am
Hoppity walk
- Hoppity Goes To Town is a feature I’ll always love. The second and last feature from the Fleischer brothers’ studio is a bit limited in its animation, but I like the story and the way it’s told. Admittedly, this film is something of a personal favorite because I first saw the film in my formative years, age around 10. Today, I recognize some of the problems it has, yet I find it a completely charming and entertaining animated film.
The Fleischer studio had figured out how to make a cartoon, and this one was arguably ahead of its time. It’s the first animated feature based on an original story. The character of Hoppity, obviously built on the personality of Gary Cooper, is endearing to me, and I think the movement of this character not bad. There’s some distortion and bad drawing throughout the film, I don’t really mind.
I’ve chosen a walk that was not quite a cycle, and I’ve made it one. It starts with a kick of dirt – Hoppity is disappointed and frustrated – and quickly moves into this section. It’s a slow walk – 52 frames, on ones – and is a complex one. He pulls both legs in a subtle and circular arc as they move forward, lumbering from left to right to left. His legs almost look like matchsticks split at the knees. It makes for an interesting walk (though they do change size a bit as they move.)
Here’s Hoppity:
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Hoppity’s sad walk on ones
Click left side of the black bar to play.
Right side to watch single frame.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 10:16 am 1.bill said …
Not a perfect film, to be sure, but I love it too. So does any kid I’ve ever shown it to.
Any animation fans who haven’t seen this should give it a look.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 10:44 am 2.Bob Flynn said …
Thanks for putting together that cycle. I love the posture, timing—everything! Somehow I’ve never seen this film…definitely putting it on the list.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 11:15 am 3.John R. Dilworth said …
Yes, thank you for the cycle, and pointing out the gestures of the feet. I’m looking at the walk more closely and nobody moves that way! Somehow an intuitive understanding from the nervous system approves it. Animation is simply an irrational act upon the resources of our psychology. Huxley would approve of this form of persuasion, this animation thing.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 4:25 pm 4.Galen Fott said …
This is great to see! I want to hunt down this film as well. I’m curious, do you have these cels or did you paint out the background in Photoshop?
on 04 Nov 2009 at 4:53 pm 5.Michael said …
Galen, I cut out all BG images in photoshop.
DanO, neither film you directed me to is what I call “full” animation. If Fran Krause has done a fully animated piece, I haven’t seen it. If anyone has done “full” animation in Flash, I haven’t seen it. It’s not designed for full animation, and anyone who attempts it in Flash is clearly unfamiliar with other programs that could more easily be used.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 9:45 pm 6.Stephen Worth said …
I really like the animation in Mr Bug. It’s very clear and direct, without all the distracting secondary action and overlaps on overlaps you see in some Disney features.
on 04 Nov 2009 at 11:38 pm 7.Galen Fott said …
Wow, that was an incredible amount of work, and very nicely done. Thanks!
on 05 Nov 2009 at 7:39 am 8.Patrik said …
One of my favorits. I saw this one on tv about 10 years ago and I took it on video. Recently I found it on dvd during a sales out. It’s now in my dvdlibrary. I’m very happy.
on 08 Nov 2009 at 7:16 pm 9.daniel thomas macinnes said …
Have you picked up Miyazaki’s memoirs yet? He writes about this movie in one chapter, and I’m curious to know what you thought about it.
on 26 Oct 2011 at 7:04 pm 10.Ryan said …
Hi, just found your blog and Mr. Bug Goes To town happens to be my favorite film. Noticed you have pictured a few pieces of animation from the film that i have been trying to track down for my collection. Let me know if you know of any art from the film for sale. Please take a look at my collection, i have put in the web address for you to view the animation. thanks Ryan