Cartoons and their influence

[Kim]

I've been a fuddy-duddy since I was about 17.

[Hillbilly]

Aside from the usual suspects (Thundercats, He-Man, Ulysses-31, Dogtanian and the Three Muskahounds etc) I strongly remember BBC2 showing a wide range of international cartoons.  Principally East European and Canadian. These were usually vaguely surreal (variants on Alice in Wonderland) or abstract (animations of squiggly lines), with unusual art styles, soft jazz soundtracks and little dialogue (at least thats how I remember them).  I'm sure these helped shape my rather eclectic tastes (or perhaps reflected them).  Rather like subtitled films and anything not in colour (Laurel and Hardy, where art thou?), these gems appear to have disappeared from mainstream TV and have to be hunted down on the internet when once they felt much more commonplace.

I also have a strong memory of seeing early computer animation shorts such as John Lassiter's one about the angle poise light.  Being a geeky kid, this amazed me and reinforced my appreciation of computers.

[Wascally Weasel]

As a younger Weasel I was at times a lot like Mr Benn.

Like him I would go to shops, have an adventure and come away with a souvenir.

"As if by magic, the Store Detective appeared!"

[Arch]

like many others I have a great fondness for Bagpuss, but I can't bring myself to watch an episode anymore because I will start crying almost immediately.

This I understand.

And people, people, please. It's Mr Benn with 2 ns!

[rogerzilla]

I always confused him with Fred, the Homepride flour man.

[Exit Stage Left]

I always confused him with Fred, the Homepride flour man.

Narrated by John Le Mesurier in the 70s, who also did Bod.
Ray Brooks narrated Mr Benn, and there were only ever 14 episodes, one made in 2005.

[rogerzilla]

Bod always seemed foreign, a bit like The Moomins.

[Gaston Lagaffe]

I loved Tintin especially the animation.  Yogi Bear was a favourite aswell as Top Cat or should I say Boss Cat.

However, Gaston has always had a certain charm that has probably influenced me, but not in a good way.

[Arellcat]

As if by magic [ping!], a signpost appeared.

[citoyen]

As with many of you, certain lines from classic cartoons have become part of my idiolect, including:

"That's not snap!"

"Lime, said the hippos."

"Chocolate biscuits? From breadcrumbs and butter beans?"

"You might, rabbit. You might."

"Crumbs, DM!"

"We will fix it…"

"When Bagpuss goes to sleep…"

"A carved wooden bookend in the shape of a woodpecker."

"Thuffering thuccotash!"

"Oh Brunnhilde, you're so wuvwy!" "Yes, I know it, I can't help it!"

"Kill the wabbit!"

"Yoinks, and away!"

"As if by magic, the shopkeeper appeared."

…and probably countless others that don't spring readily to mind.

It's fair to say that cartoons/animations have had a significant influence on my life. Though tbh, I think I've grown to appreciate, understand and love Looney Tunes more as an adult than I ever did as a child. Last summer, we went to Anifest in Canterbury for an evening of Looney Tunes hosted by Phill Jupitus and Emma Kennedy. Watching them in a communal environment on a big screen added a whole new dimension to them. I laughed lots, even at cartoons I have seen many, many times before.

d.

[Exit Stage Left]

Cartoons are a strange imtermediate form between radio and TV. The spoken elements precede the visual ones. My favourite caroon is The Phil Silvers Show, otherwise known as Bilko, even though it's live action. A curious throwback to that interchange between radio and TV are the HBO animations of the Ricky Gervais podcasts.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8_z1K93LTUg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8_z1K93LTUg&rel=1</a>

[Arch]

As if by magic [ping!], a signpost appeared.

ummm....

Mr Benn lived on Festive Road....

[Wascally Weasel]

Which was based on Festing Road. There's a plaque/paving slab thingy and everything.

[mattc]

Cartoons are a strange imtermediate form between radio and TV. The spoken elements precede the visual ones. My favourite caroon is The Phil Silvers Show, otherwise known as Bilko, even though it's live action. A curious throwback to that interchange between radio and TV are the HBO animations of the Ricky Gervais podcasts.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8_z1K93LTUg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8_z1K93LTUg&rel=1</a>

I really like the style of those Gervais animations. I suspect they're 'inspired' by a dozen older works, but it does the job.

[Exit Stage Left]

I really like the style of those Gervais animations. I suspect they're 'inspired' by a dozen older works, but it does the job.

Mainly Hannah Barbera, and The Flintstones are referenced in the vocal, as well as in the animation. A lot of the humour in cartoons revolves around the 'Wise Guy', Top Cat is Sergeant Bilko, and features some of the same actors. The US took to the Beatles because they had that quality, so it was inevitable that they would end up as a cartoon. The accents are the weirdest thing to our ears.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ThLR2ekYQc&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5ThLR2ekYQc&rel=1</a>

[Arch]

Which was based on Festing Road. There's a plaque/paving slab thingy and everything.

Oh!  In that case, I see.

[clarion]

For those fans of Dangermouse, and Chorlton & The Wheelies, and Jamie & The Magic Torch, and Count Duckula, and loads of other great programmes, do catch this morning's programme about Cosgrove Hall, presented by Dangermouse himself.

[marcusjb]

For those fans of Dangermouse, and Chorlton & The Wheelies, and Jamie & The Magic Torch, and Count Duckula, and loads of other great programmes, do catch this morning's programme about Cosgrove Hall, presented by Dangermouse himself.

Superb it was as well.

[T42]

Tex Avery, especially Droopy with his "y'know what? I'm happy" in the voice of a suicidal depressive.  I reckon he was the inspiration for Marvin the Paranoid Android.