By this point we are all aware that I am essentially a child in a man’s body. Not so much because I act immature, though I do have my moments, but this young age of mine revolves more around my enjoyment of toys, cereal, and cartoons. Today I would like to focus on that last one.

But Hart, you can’t talk about cartoons. It’s Oscar week!

Well, crappy exposition device, I’m glad you bring that up. The Oscars have a rich history of cartoons, but this is the first time in almost twenty years, and only the second time ever, an animated feature has been nominated for the top prize of Best Picture. That’s kind of a big deal, though it would have meant more if there were still only 5 nominees instead of the 10 they’re going with this year

The film nominated for best picture this year is Pixar’s Up. And it has every right to be there. My guess is it’s not going to win, but dammit if it’s not going to try. Despite the weirdo looking people, and the far fetched fantasy (yes I realize that if it’s fantasy it’s already far fetched, but I really liked the alteration), Up has every thing expected from a Best Picture film; drama, a wonderful story, likeable characters, and most importantly heart. There has only been one other time when a cartoon has made me feel as happy and as sad as Up did, and that’s the episode of “Futurama” with Fry’s dog. Those who have seen that episode know what I mean. That episode is like the Brian’s Song of cartoons.

Leave it to Pixar to be the ones to make the next animated Best Picture nominated movie. The success of Toy Story and Pixar’s following mastery of the new standard of animation ultimately lead to an animated feature award. Though this category is kind of a joke, I mean Jimmy Neutron, Treasure Planet, and Shark Tale? C’mon. There were scores of 2D animated movies released before the aughts that were better than those yet received no recognition. But I guess those of us who appreciate the art of drawing, inking (tracing), coloring, and shading as well as enjoying the escape cartoons offer didn’t get a voice before 2001.

Though there have been a few special recognitions giving in the Oscar’s history for animated achievements. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs got one in 1938 essentially for being the first, no real merit to the film. Then all cartoon movies were ignored for the next 50 years, regarded as children’s fare. When Milhouse’s parents got a divorce on “The Simpsons,” his dad was fired from the cracker factory for being single; their reasoning was, “Crackers are a family food. Happy families. Maybe single people eat crackers, we don’t know. Frankly, we don’t want to know. That’s a market we can do without.” Animated features were like the single people to the Academy’s cracker factory. Yeah, I think that’s the metaphor I’m going with.

But seriously, not a single cartoon for fifty years deserved the attention of the Academy? Even a movie starring Cher got some love during this time. CHER!

It took a breakthrough, like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, with its combination of live action and animation before the Academy would even think about cartoons again. Let’s just forget the fact that in the 1940s Song of the South used this same technique of live action and animation. But that movie was inherently racist so no one paid attention, except the NAACP.

I guess my final summation here is that despite being 27 years old, I love cartoons. But I, like the Academy, expect more from them. They can’t just be bright colors and zany noises to distract children for an hour and a half. Animation is an incredible art form and I would love to see it utilized to its full potential the way Up has done. This change would allow the art direction and costume design to be the only joke categories the Oscar has. Maybe Up will take home the statue and change things, or maybe I’ll get over it and go back to Scooby Doo reruns. The latter seems more likely.

See ya in toon town…

lee.s.hart@crujonessociety.com

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