Understanding: The Golden Age of Animation

Animation had started to develop a "language" and it was increasing in popularity by 1928. Animation was beginning to be seen as being very profitable and commercially viable, and animators such as Max & Dave Fleischer, Ladislas Starevich and Charles-Emile Reynaud saw the potential of animation being used for entertainment purposes, and were producing films that were funny for their audiences. However, Walt Disney combined all of these aspects together and soon dominated the animation field when he released Steamboat Wille in November 1928.

Steamboat Wille

Walt continued to use sound his animations and Mickey Mouse's popularity continued to rise, and soon became the most popular screen character in the world, outdoing character's such as Felix the Cat. He also began using technicolor, and produced the first full three-strip colour cartoon Flowers and Trees which was also a huge success for Disney.

By 1937 Walt Disney had released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first American feature length animated film. not only was it another success for Disney, his take on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm had a huge cultural impact.

Other notable works that were produced during the Golden Age include Dizzy Dishes by Max Fleischer (in this cartoon is when Betty Boop was first introduced), Popeye, and King Kong by Willis O'Brien. King Kong was created using stop motion in 1933 and is regarded as one of the defining moments of cinema.

In 1939, World War II had broke out, and ultimately effected animation. In 1943, Disney produced a number of different cartoons to help support the American government, including "Education for Death" and "Victory Through Air Power". Another example is by UPA Films and "The Brotherhood of Man" which was nominated for an Oscar in 1943.

Brotherhood of Man

The Golden Age of Cartoons ended in the early 1960s as television was rising in popularity, and broadcasters demanded large amounts of content on a lower budget, so there was less attention towards the quality of the animation, and things like walk cycles and references were being recycled as they were becoming mass produced.