Originally Posted By FerretAfros The other night I was watching the Simpsons, and Bart made a comment about how animation and jazz are the only truly American art forms. Of course that should be taken with a grain of salt, but I was wondering what you guys think about that. Both on the basis of animation being a mostly American phenemenon, and on the basis of there not being any other American arts. After thinking about it, I realized that animation has its roots in other countries, but never really seemed to catch on the way it did here. There is the occasional thing like Wallace and Grommit, but there doesn't seem to be too much foreign animation, especailly features. As for there not being any other American art forms, I think I would have to add in musical theater to the mix, but I can't really think of anything else.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer Even though other countries make films, I think motion pictures and television are American art forms. Just about everything about how movies are made and shot is based on American methods.
Originally Posted By Jim Musical comedies/plays. Don't forget that the first animated feature was not really SNOW WHITE. It was a European film.
Originally Posted By Mr X >>>I realized that animation has its roots in other countries, but never really seemed to catch on the way it did here<<< I'd say it's quite a phenom in Japan. In fact, their use of "dramatic" animation would seem to surpass any other place (not to mention the hentai aspect, but I'll leave THAT one alone lol). Here's another one that's unique to America...military, drum and bugle, and other marching and rudimental styles. Others have used it, but America perfected it. See it's use in the Disney parks...it's all over the place and very popular. Not to mention Blast!, the broadway show. And, the shows that copied it like Stomp and Blue Man Group. That, too, is uniquely American going right back to the revolutionary war. We got it from the Brits, but it was Americans who developed and expanded it. Good point about film TS...hollywood really IS the "worldwide" movie studio when you look at it. So much else too, but we don't get no respect.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I think we could add theme parks to the mix if we wanted to see them as art.
Originally Posted By Mr X Good point. I certainly do (and I would consider Disneyland to be the foremost "old school", with EPCOT and DisneySea being the "vanguard" of the artform! ). I think there is plenty of justification too...if you consider architecture an art form, and entertainment ("amusement", if you will), a theme park is really a whimsical artform in itself. (sorry, I'm not explaining myself well tonight, really tired...but TS already said it anyway lol)
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Yes, I would say the Broadway musical is another distinctly American art form. Television as well.
Originally Posted By basil fan I don't know how they said it on the Simpsons, but I've heard Jazz called the only *native* American art form, i.e. the only art form created in America. Disney Villains <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/villain.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/ disney/villain.html</a>
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <Don't forget that the first animated feature was not really SNOW WHITE. It was a European film.> Agh! Don't tell me that! *covers ears, refusing to believe this*
Originally Posted By DVC_dad I would call flying an art form, which originated in America. At least it was an art form the first time it happened.
Originally Posted By brotherdave >>I think we could add theme parks to the mix if we wanted to see them as art.<< I think amusement parks, in general, are an American tradition. It all stems back to Coney Island and caught on from there. No Coney Island...no Disneyland!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros What about Blackpool Pleasure Beach? I think that was around before Coney Island.
Originally Posted By brotherdave No, Blackpool opened in 1896. Coney Island dates back to 1829 with the first rides added in the 1870s. The first 'modern' roller coaster appeared at Coney Island in 1884 with LaMarcus Thompson's Switch Back Railway. Although other parks have been around longer than the PARKS at Coney Island, the individual amusement devices that showed up along the boardwalk there were the catalyst to form the modern amusement parks. Coney Island is often referred to as the birthplace to the modern AMERICAN amusement park.
Originally Posted By basil fan I don't know if I'd call the theme park an art form, until Walt raised it to that level. The earliest parks were not technically theme parks, anyway; they were amusement parks. Or so i've read. Scooby-Doo Glitches <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/glitch/sdglitch.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/ glitch/sdglitch.html</a>
Originally Posted By actingforanimators The birth of animation, that is hand drawn images shot one drawing at a time and projected on film - is "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" by J. Stuart Blackton made 100 years ago in 1906, in America (it includes some paper cut out work, too.) You can even see it here if you'd like (a rather tedious download time is in store, though, so beware) <a href="http://www.americaslibrary.gov/assets/sh/animation/sh_animation_blcktn_3.mpg" target="_blank">http://www.americaslibrary.gov /assets/sh/animation/sh_animation_blcktn_3.mpg</a> The art of animation was advanced by the great American political cartoonist and comic artist Winsor McCay whose best known animated film is probably "Gertie the Dinosaur" another vaudeville act (as was Blackton's.) Finally, rest assured that "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is in fact the first cel animated feature film ("The Adventures of Prince Achmed" a magnificent and seldom seen Russian feature was the first animated feature, but was not hand drawn, it was a stop motion film made using paper-cuttings and silhouettes, produced and directed in 1926 by a woman director, the great Lotte Reiniger.) 100 Years of animation - bred, born and raised in America. Or, as Bart might say "Aye Carumba, Man!" r.w.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Thanks for the confirmation Rhett, and all the extra, interesting info!
