Semi OT: OK, if he thinks it's dying can we get Late Night Black & White back?

[J Lee]

Japaense animatior film director Hayao Miyazaki has some harsh things to say about the anime industry in this BBC story, entitled Japanese animation at 'dead end' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/film/newsid_1829000/1829431.stm) which is on the BBC website tonight.

The article included the quote; "I wonder why there are so many films that contain so much violence and feature sexual content." CN, of course, eliminates the sexual content, but the violence is still there (and far more graphic than most anything done in the vintage Hollywood stuff, IMHO).

I don't want to put down all anime, but I do hope this is a sign that it's popularity may be peaking and outlets like CN will start cutting back some on what they're airing in the near future and go back to showing the stuff that was the reason Cartoon Network was created in the first place (and I will thank Ted Turner for doing that, even if his censorship actions in the past five years have been boneheaded).

[Howard]

I don't think that it's a sign of anime's popularity slipping, it's the comment of a director who has spent many years in the industry and laments the direction it's headed in. Eventually, anime will no longer be the big thing in TV programming, although I think it may be even harder to get back 1930's b/w cartoons. While many of these shorts are very entertaining, many more of them seem dated, and only of interest to animation historians. As we get further and further away from the 30's, it will be harder and harder to interest new viewers in these films. If anything, once the anime boom goes bust, you'll probably see more Cartoon-Cartoons and Scooby Doo re-runs.

[lislebartman]

I've said it before...and I'll say it again...


ANIME SUCKS!!!!

'Nuff said?

[Pilmedium]

Originally posted by lislebartman
ANIME SUCKS!!!!

True, but I don't think a whole night of all kinds of Scooby Doo and/or Cartoon Cartoons would be any better.

Unfortunately, Howard has a point. By the time 2050 comes, it will be completely impossible to get new people interested in 1930s B&W cartoons. Even the Flintstones would be too ancient for anyone. (no pun intended) Now, there are still some people alive who grew up in the 1930s (You could say [insert name here] was only 10 years old when this cartoon was made.) By then, the 1940s would be mostly a thing of the past. The only people who will still want to watch 1930s cartoons then are collectors who are young now.

[Cartman]

I'm sure there will be people in the future who will enjoy B&W cartoons that hadn't when they were younger. I didn't care too much for the B&W Mickey Mouse cartoons when I was a little kid, but now I love them.

[Pilmedium]

Originally posted by Cartman
I'm sure there will be people in the future who will enjoy B&W cartoons that hadn't when they were younger.

1) There are a few young people who like B&W cartoons, so the number is not an exact 0.

2) With each year, the number of people getting interested in them will become lower and lower.

[jhaimleds]

I like some of the current stuff on CN as much as the next guy, but the older cartoons are funny and have a place in history for building these current cartoons. IMO Boomerang should pick up Late Nite B&W. Boomerang needs to get off of all the 50's, 60's, and 70's, and get more 30's, 40's, and 80's cartoons. There's nothing wrong with Top Cat or Yogi, but like everything else 4 hours a day is a little too much.

[Howard]

Responding to a few ideas posted here:

While that would be a good idea to put LNB&W on Boomerang, I think that Boomerang tries to focus on cartoons that the "Baby Boomers" would remember, thus the awful name "BOOMERrang". (Actually, I think it was really concieved to give the old HB TV shows a home, and get them off CN.)
I do like to watch some of the old black and white shorts, but I think that some of these cartoons would be an easier sell than others. Popeye, Mickey Mouse, and Porky and Daffy would be easier to find an audience for than, say, Flip the Frog, Bosko, Buddy, The Captain and The Kids and Betty Boop. (Oddly, though, both Bosko and Flip are on DVD!)
Lastly, it seems that anime is being used as a scapegoat for the removal of classic cartoons. We have to remember that TV executives are unfortunately more interested in ratings than historical signifigance. Also, while anime is perhaps not to everyone's taste, there are some good titles out there. Most of them are not the ones shown on TV, however. While I don't hate anime, I do prefer stuff like Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes, and I'd love to see Popeye get a good time slot! I think it's a shame that more people don't like the old stuff.

[Matthew Hunter]

I think variety is the key. Not "no more" anime, just "less". Same goes for Scooby Doo and Cartoon cartoons. Obviously, a popular property like Anime, Looney Tunes or Scooby Doo would get shown more often than "The Flintstones", but everything should have a place and a fair chance to get seen and enjoyed. I think they have the WB classic stuff set up just right now, but the other studios like MGM, Fleischer, and Famous are getting the shaft. Now that they've disposed of Late Night Black and white and all but one or two Bullwinkle episodes per week, we lose more classics, and with the Scooby movie and Powerpuff movie approaching, those will get played to death. It's this lack of balance that bugs me, that's what one calls "bad television". Everything should get a chance.
-Matthew

[Jon Cooke]

Originally posted by Howard
While that would be a good idea to put LNB&W on Boomerang, I think that Boomerang tries to focus on cartoons that the "Baby Boomers" would remember, thus the awful name "BOOMERrang". (Actually, I think it was really concieved to give the old HB TV shows a home, and get them off CN.)


I think Boomerang has a lot of promise, and has the potential to be an excellent source for classic cartoons --- both theatrical AND television cartoons --- someday. They already air stuff from the 1980s (not to mention some really oddball Hanna-Barbera stuff from the 1970s), and in April will be adding regular showings of theatrical shorts, so airing black & white cartoons someday could be a possibility.



-Jon

[Pilmedium]

Boomerang needs to cut off all it's theatrical shorts. Who in their right mind would switch to satellite TV just for Boomerang? By airing good cartoons, they make some people upset.
:confused: :mad:

EDIT: I'm still sick of the fact that Boomerang is not widely available. That is part of the reason I want them to cut off the theatrical shorts. The other part is that the fewer cartoons they show on Boomerang, the fewer I miss. This is only my opinion. I hope that answers your question, Jack.

[Jack]

Originally posted by Pilmedium
Boomerang needs to cut off all it's theatrical shorts. Who in their right mind would switch to satellite TV just for Boomerang? By airing good cartoons, they make some people upset.
:confused: :mad:
That makes no sense. Why should they cut off thier theatrical shorts?


Jack :confused:

[Jon Cooke]

Originally posted by Pilmedium
Boomerang needs to cut off all it's theatrical shorts. Who in their right mind would switch to satellite TV just for Boomerang?


I am sure Time-Warner and Cartoon Network would love to see Boomerang become more widely available, too. By airing more of the well-known and popular theatrical shorts, like Popeye, Droopy, and Looney Tunes, the hope is that it will get Boomerang added to more and more cable outlets.


-Jon

[Thad Komorowski]

What we need to see is more cartoons from the other studios, like the other Paramount, Terrytoon, Universal, and DePatie-Freleng cartoons. Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, and Popeye have been seen on TV for more than ten years, but the same can't be said for characters like Casper the Friendly Ghost, Woody Woodpecker, Mighty Mouse, and the Pink Panther.


-Thad

[Cartman]

Also don't forget Willie Whopper, Flip the Frog, The Fox and Crow, or Felix the Cat.