When SpongeBob SquarePants debuted, the fun-loving, pure-hearted title character took the world of animation by storm, riding a virtual tsunami of critical praise. This fast-moving, eclectic, and fun "biography" celebrates the show's history and provides fascinating insight into the show's creation, the episodes, the voice artists, and the fans.
From its crudely drawn vignettes on The Tracey Ullman Show to its nearly 700 episodes, The Simpsons has evolved from an alternative programming experiment to a worldwide cultural phenomenon. At 30 seasons and counting, The Simpsons boasts the distinction as the longest-running fictional primetime series in the history of American television. ......
Animated Parables delves into the unexpected nature of short international animated films to teach, directly and indirectly, about vice and virtue. Terry Lindvall connects cartoons from a global community of animators to explore their role in displaying the seven deadly sins.
If there is an opposite to the Gothic, it may seem to be the carefully crafted "family friendly" image of Disney. However, through careful attention to the pervasiveness of Gothic elements in all of Disney's productions, ranging from its theme parks to its films and television programs, the contributors to Disney Gothic reveal that the Gothic, in ......
A History of American Animation from Gertie to Pixar and Beyond
A deep dive into the history of cinematic animation in the United States. Animated films started with simple sequential drawings photographed one at a time--little bits of comedic fluff to make amateur title scenes or surreal escapist sequences. Today, animation is a worldwide industry valued at nearly $300 billion and still growing in scope and ......
Social Order and Authority in Disney and Pixar Films initiates an essential conversation about how power dynamics are questioned, reinforced, and disrupted in the Disneyverse. Using various theoretical lenses, authors critique underlying ideologies and help readers understand ...
Critical Essays on Film, Literature, Anime, Video Games
Contemporary Japanese horror is deeply rooted in the folklore of its culture, with fairy tales-like ghost stories embedded deeply into the social, cultural, and religious fabric. Ever since the emergence of the J-horror phenomenon in the late 1990s with the opening and critical success of films such as Hideo Nakata's The Ring (Ringu, 1998) or ......
Critical Essays on Film, Literature, Anime, Video Games
This book investigates the philosophical, socio-cultural, and artistic world of Japanese horror through a varied range of case studies, including video games (Rule of Rose), manga (Uzumaki), and anime (the classic Devilman). Film is represented with well-known works such as Ringu and overlooked filmmakers like Mari Asato.
Social Order and Authority in Disney and Pixar Films contributes to an essential, ongoing conversation about how power dynamics are questioned, reinforced, and disrupted in the stories Disney tells. Whether these films challenge or perpetuate traditional structures (or do both), their considerable influence warrants careful examination. This ......
