Plymptoons - The Classic Works of Bill Plympton (Special Edition)

Plymptoons - The Classic Works of Bill Plympton (Special Edition)


Director: Bill Plympton
Studio: Indie DVD
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Independent animator Bill Plympton first received widespread public attention when his outré "Your Face" (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short. His short films--some as brief as 15 seconds--made between 1985 and 1991 showcase his unique talent much more effectively than his ponderous features, The Tune and I Married a Strange Person. Plympton's earliest films indicate that he experimented with a variety of techniques--cutouts, cel animation, stop motion--before finding his personal style: colored pencil drawings on paper to illustrate bizarre, metamorphic transitions that build to an absurd climax. Eyes slide up foreheads, lips elongate, mouths rotate, bodies distort, and heads explode in loose, scribbly sketches. Plympton is not a great animator: he uses only four to six drawings per second, less than a Saturday-morning series (full, Disney-style animation requires 12 to 24 drawings per second), and his attempts to tell a coherent story through his drawings invariably fizzle. But in off-the-wall shorts like "Your Face," "25 Ways to Quit Smoking," and the 15-second "Plymptoons" made for MTV, he emerges as an entertaining and highly original filmmaker. Not rated; suitable for all ages, although bizarre imagery may frighten small children. --Charles Solomon
Description
Chances are, you've seen Bill Plympton's animation everywhere. Plympton's unique "morphing style" animated short films have been nominated for an Academy Award©, seen in innovative commercials and have been featured on MTV and in "Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation." This special edition DVD release also includes the original cartoons published in Rolling Stone, Playboy and National Lampoon that inspired the later films. Among the Animated Shorts included on the disc are: "Your Face", "25 Ways to Quit Smoking" and "Self Portrait".
Plymptoons - The Complete Works of Bill Plympton
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A mixed bag
  • AKA Plymptoons done the right way....
  • this is crap
  • Mind bending animation
  • Plympton at his best
 Plymptoons - The Complete Works of Bill Plympton
Director: Bill Plympton
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

10-12 Years10-12 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
All DealsAll Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( P )( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00000ILG4
Release Date: 1999-01-19

Amazon.com

Independent animator Bill Plympton first received widespread public attention when his outré "Your Face" (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short. His short films--some as brief as 15 seconds--made between 1985 and 1991 showcase his unique talent much more effectively than his ponderous features, The Tune and I Married a Strange Person. Plympton's earliest films indicate that he experimented with a variety of techniques--cutouts, cel animation, stop motion--before finding his personal style: colored pencil drawings on paper to illustrate bizarre, metamorphic transitions that build to an absurd climax. Eyes slide up foreheads, lips elongate, mouths rotate, bodies distort, and heads explode in loose, scribbly sketches. Plympton is not a great animator: he uses only four to six drawings per second, less than a Saturday-morning series (full, Disney-style animation requires 12 to 24 drawings per second), and his attempts to tell a coherent story through his drawings invariably fizzle. But in off-the-wall shorts like "Your Face," "25 Ways to Quit Smoking," and the 15-second "Plymptoons" made for MTV, he emerges as an entertaining and highly original filmmaker. Not rated; suitable for all ages, although bizarre imagery may frighten small children. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A mixed bag.......2004-12-05

-- but the good ones are very good.

The disc starts with samples of Plympton's early, student work. That's probably of interest to the hard core Plymptomaniac, but I'm not in that category. I found them missable.

Some of the later pieces are outstanding, though. "Your Face" is a twisted classic, an non-stop exercise in transformation. "How to Kiss" (especially the 'nibbling kiss') and "25 ways to stop smoking" are among the more memorable.

Plympton's usual style is spare, simple scenes on a blank white background, drawn in colored pencil. Given the amount of computer-generated japanimation around, it's an enoyable change of pace.

Don't come to this animation looking for "Bugs Bunny" or "Fantasia." It's in a different class altogether. If you're ready for a different look, and for some mind-bending takes on everyday events, give it a shot. You might find yourself hooked.

//wiredweird

4 out of 5 stars AKA Plymptoons done the right way...........2004-08-15

If there is any confusion between this DVD and 'The Complete Works of Bill Plympton', relax, this is very nearly the same DVD.

The "Classic Works" differs from "Complete Works" in that it is a more complete version than the previous VHS and DVD editions of "Plymptoons". The director's commentary, which was badly needed in the first transfer to DVD, finally makes an appearance in this version. Bill's commentary is the reading of some notes at the beginning of each short, some technical, some biographical, all interesting in spite of the monotone in which it is delivered. But, hey, Bill never claimed to be an actor. This version also has a few more 'extras' in the form of a stills gallery. The gallery has some key frames, as well as concepts passed over from "25 Way to Quit Smoking". Also, at the end of "Plymptoons 1990" there is a little extra film footage. There are also a few additional shorts in the 'Rarities' section.

This version is also more NC-17 than the older releases, which are more PG. NOTHING Bill does should ever be called PC, so please don't expect moments of happy smiley crap to come floating out of the screen. The interviews are frank, with some colorful language and explicit footage of some of his later works. For those wishing to encourage the younger animator, the "Complete Works" version is much better suited for the younger audience.

1 out of 5 stars this is crap.......2004-05-24

Don't waste your money. There are 19 shorts:
-Four of them are just commercials and who wants to pay money to watch commercilas? They're not even good commercials.
-One is a stick drawing from 1968 that is just a guy buying a package from a man a copuple of times
-Another one of them is 15 seconds long that shows the MTV logo
-Two of them are unfinished and are pointless
-And all of them are boring.
If you were in a highschool art class you might say "wow that was pretty good," but other than that it is a waste of time.

4 out of 5 stars Mind bending animation.......2004-01-28

There's a pretty good chance most all of us have seen Bill Plympton's unique style of work at some point or other. Whether it magazines, film, or television, he has been around for a long time and garnered the respect of many of his peers.

In this collection, we get to see some of his earliest work, dating back to 1968 and we follow his work up until about 1991. I think my favorite short on here is the one titled '25 Ways to Quit Smoking'. The use of the sumo had me laughing for quite a while.

His drawings, sometimes crude, are full of kinetic energy, always flowing along, morphing into something new and wondrous. The imagination displayed in these early works is pure, simple, and a lot of fun to watch. His humor, to me, is comparable to Gary Larson in that he takes everyday situations and shows the inherent humor in them, things most of us would probably overlook.

There is quite a bit of material on this disc, from award winning shorts, promotional spots, commercial work, and even a music video. Also, there are loads of extras including interviews, commentaries on the shorts, exclusive featurettes, rare early footage and much more.

There is some material on here, especially in the extras section, that is not suitable for younger audiences. These may be cartoons, but not in the traditional sense, and certainly for the more discerning viewer. There is another disc out called Plymptoons: The Complete Works of Bill Plympton but I have not seen that yet. A lot of the material listed being in there seems to be in this collection, so you may want to review both before buying one or the other. I didn't know the other existed before purchasing this one. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there is also a nifty little fold out poster along with an extensive listing of his work from his beginnings up until about 2001.

5 out of 5 stars Plympton at his best.......2002-12-27

Now, I'll be the first to admit that Bill Plympton's style of animation is crude at best, but what he does is use a unique blend of style with images to create the most surreal animation ever! This series of shorts is probably the best of his work from all the collections I have seen. I can easily understand not being able to sit through his animation for more than an hour straight, but each short on it's own has a great charm and an unique vision. Your Face, When Push Comes to Shove, and One Of Those Days will make you laugh, then cringe at what you're laughing at, then laugh again!
Plymptoons - The Classic Works of Bill Plympton (Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A mixed bag
  • AKA Plymptoons done the right way....
  • this is crap
  • Mind bending animation
  • Plympton at his best
 Plymptoons - The Classic Works of Bill Plympton (Special Edition)
Director: Bill Plympton
Manufacturer: Indie DVD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( P )( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Special EditionsSpecial Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0000687D2
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Amazon.com

Independent animator Bill Plympton first received widespread public attention when his outré "Your Face" (1987) was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short. His short films--some as brief as 15 seconds--made between 1985 and 1991 showcase his unique talent much more effectively than his ponderous features, The Tune and I Married a Strange Person. Plympton's earliest films indicate that he experimented with a variety of techniques--cutouts, cel animation, stop motion--before finding his personal style: colored pencil drawings on paper to illustrate bizarre, metamorphic transitions that build to an absurd climax. Eyes slide up foreheads, lips elongate, mouths rotate, bodies distort, and heads explode in loose, scribbly sketches. Plympton is not a great animator: he uses only four to six drawings per second, less than a Saturday-morning series (full, Disney-style animation requires 12 to 24 drawings per second), and his attempts to tell a coherent story through his drawings invariably fizzle. But in off-the-wall shorts like "Your Face," "25 Ways to Quit Smoking," and the 15-second "Plymptoons" made for MTV, he emerges as an entertaining and highly original filmmaker. Not rated; suitable for all ages, although bizarre imagery may frighten small children. --Charles Solomon

Description

Chances are, you've seen Bill Plympton's animation everywhere. Plympton's unique "morphing style" animated short films have been nominated for an Academy Award©, seen in innovative commercials and have been featured on MTV and in "Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation." This special edition DVD release also includes the original cartoons published in Rolling Stone, Playboy and National Lampoon that inspired the later films. Among the Animated Shorts included on the disc are: "Your Face", "25 Ways to Quit Smoking" and "Self Portrait".

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A mixed bag.......2004-12-05

-- but the good ones are very good.

The disc starts with samples of Plympton's early, student work. That's probably of interest to the hard core Plymptomaniac, but I'm not in that category. I found them missable.

Some of the later pieces are outstanding, though. "Your Face" is a twisted classic, an non-stop exercise in transformation. "How to Kiss" (especially the 'nibbling kiss') and "25 ways to stop smoking" are among the more memorable.

Plympton's usual style is spare, simple scenes on a blank white background, drawn in colored pencil. Given the amount of computer-generated japanimation around, it's an enoyable change of pace.

Don't come to this animation looking for "Bugs Bunny" or "Fantasia." It's in a different class altogether. If you're ready for a different look, and for some mind-bending takes on everyday events, give it a shot. You might find yourself hooked.

//wiredweird

4 out of 5 stars AKA Plymptoons done the right way...........2004-08-15

If there is any confusion between this DVD and 'The Complete Works of Bill Plympton', relax, this is very nearly the same DVD.

The "Classic Works" differs from "Complete Works" in that it is a more complete version than the previous VHS and DVD editions of "Plymptoons". The director's commentary, which was badly needed in the first transfer to DVD, finally makes an appearance in this version. Bill's commentary is the reading of some notes at the beginning of each short, some technical, some biographical, all interesting in spite of the monotone in which it is delivered. But, hey, Bill never claimed to be an actor. This version also has a few more 'extras' in the form of a stills gallery. The gallery has some key frames, as well as concepts passed over from "25 Way to Quit Smoking". Also, at the end of "Plymptoons 1990" there is a little extra film footage. There are also a few additional shorts in the 'Rarities' section.

This version is also more NC-17 than the older releases, which are more PG. NOTHING Bill does should ever be called PC, so please don't expect moments of happy smiley crap to come floating out of the screen. The interviews are frank, with some colorful language and explicit footage of some of his later works. For those wishing to encourage the younger animator, the "Complete Works" version is much better suited for the younger audience.

1 out of 5 stars this is crap.......2004-05-24

Don't waste your money. There are 19 shorts:
-Four of them are just commercials and who wants to pay money to watch commercilas? They're not even good commercials.
-One is a stick drawing from 1968 that is just a guy buying a package from a man a copuple of times
-Another one of them is 15 seconds long that shows the MTV logo
-Two of them are unfinished and are pointless
-And all of them are boring.
If you were in a highschool art class you might say "wow that was pretty good," but other than that it is a waste of time.

4 out of 5 stars Mind bending animation.......2004-01-28

There's a pretty good chance most all of us have seen Bill Plympton's unique style of work at some point or other. Whether it magazines, film, or television, he has been around for a long time and garnered the respect of many of his peers.

In this collection, we get to see some of his earliest work, dating back to 1968 and we follow his work up until about 1991. I think my favorite short on here is the one titled '25 Ways to Quit Smoking'. The use of the sumo had me laughing for quite a while.

His drawings, sometimes crude, are full of kinetic energy, always flowing along, morphing into something new and wondrous. The imagination displayed in these early works is pure, simple, and a lot of fun to watch. His humor, to me, is comparable to Gary Larson in that he takes everyday situations and shows the inherent humor in them, things most of us would probably overlook.

There is quite a bit of material on this disc, from award winning shorts, promotional spots, commercial work, and even a music video. Also, there are loads of extras including interviews, commentaries on the shorts, exclusive featurettes, rare early footage and much more.

There is some material on here, especially in the extras section, that is not suitable for younger audiences. These may be cartoons, but not in the traditional sense, and certainly for the more discerning viewer. There is another disc out called Plymptoons: The Complete Works of Bill Plympton but I have not seen that yet. A lot of the material listed being in there seems to be in this collection, so you may want to review both before buying one or the other. I didn't know the other existed before purchasing this one. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there is also a nifty little fold out poster along with an extensive listing of his work from his beginnings up until about 2001.

5 out of 5 stars Plympton at his best.......2002-12-27

Now, I'll be the first to admit that Bill Plympton's style of animation is crude at best, but what he does is use a unique blend of style with images to create the most surreal animation ever! This series of shorts is probably the best of his work from all the collections I have seen. I can easily understand not being able to sit through his animation for more than an hour straight, but each short on it's own has a great charm and an unique vision. Your Face, When Push Comes to Shove, and One Of Those Days will make you laugh, then cringe at what you're laughing at, then laugh again!

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