Chuck Jones is, without a doubt, one of the truly great names in animation. This documentary is a worthy tribute to his life. It incorporates numerous retrospectives and observations from many of his contemporaries and colleagues as well as from Jones himself. There are two things that I liked in particular about this film: (1) It's ability to convey (and teach) the importance and role of Chuck Jones as a director and the roles of the various animators, writers, and technicians who worked with him; and (2) the humility of the man himself. I was struck by how many times Jones took care to point out where he was not the sole creator of a character, or what the contributions of his colleagues were. Through this humility shines a brilliance and creativity that brought us many wonderful hours of comedy and animation in the middle decades of the 20th century.
The DVD version of this documentary includes several worthwhile extras. Two of Jones' best animated shorts, "Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century" and "Feed the Kitty" are included in their entirety (clips are featured in the main documentary). There are also "pencil test" versions of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Mississippi Hare" that show just what a work-in-process looked like. And there is a tutorial from Jones himself on some of the tricks of the trade, a behind the scenes view that was fun to see.
I give this a 9 out of 10: A must-see for any fan of animation.
The DVD version of this documentary includes several worthwhile extras. Two of Jones' best animated shorts, "Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century" and "Feed the Kitty" are included in their entirety (clips are featured in the main documentary). There are also "pencil test" versions of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Mississippi Hare" that show just what a work-in-process looked like. And there is a tutorial from Jones himself on some of the tricks of the trade, a behind the scenes view that was fun to see.
I give this a 9 out of 10: A must-see for any fan of animation.