How Long Has Animated Film Been Around?
Over the past decade, we have seen an explosion in animated films that are not necessarily categorized as “kids’ movies.” Some might even refer to many of these films as “adult-oriented entertainment.” This is totally fine if you want to call them that! If you enjoy watching funny scenes or stories that appeal to your deeper emotions, then there is no reason to feel like you can’t watch something that isn't quite kid friendly yet.
There are so many different types of animations out right now it is hard to know what kind of film fits into which genre. A recent trend has been for filmmakers to create their own subgenres; examples include New Genre Films (NGFs), Superhero Animation, Horror Mashups, and More.
We will be talking about some of the more well known NGFs here but first let us discuss how long this medium of cinema has been around.
The Three Little Pigs
Many consider Disney to be the king of animated films, with their consistently high quality products that have featured ever-changing stories, characters, and settings. With over 100 feature length animations under their belt, they are certainly worthy of such praise.
But while some may give them the title of “the world’s favorite movie franchise,” it is important to note that this isn’t always the case. For instance, many people don’t know what the term animation actually means.
It is not necessarily drawn pictures or plastic models moving around on screen (though those types of movies exist as well). An animated film can also be referred to as an animated series, long narrative video, or even interactive story experience.
The Little Mermaid
Many people consider Disney’s 1989 film, The Little Mermaid, to be the very first true animated feature-length movie. It was not only that, but it also launched what many refer to as the “tween animation era.” While some may argue that features such as Aladdin and The Lion King were already in this category, no one can deny that The Little Mermaid ushered in an era of films designed for children of all ages.
Not only did the setting emphasize themes like love, friendship, loyalty, hope and faith, but it also featured strong, powerful female characters! Even more impressive is how much merchandise the movie has spawned over the years.
The Little Mermaid now boasts of having sold around $1 billion in ticket sales and Merchandise alone! That includes board games, clothing, lunch boxes and even furniture. Not bad for a movie about a half hour long starring a fish girl with pig feet!
These types of applications show just how successful The Little Mermaid still is today. And while there have been other movies like it since then, The Little Mermaid will always hold a special place in everyone’s heart as the pioneer of its genre.
Beauty and the Beast
Many consider Beauty and the Beast to be one of the greatest animated films ever made, with its lovable characters and catchy music making it very popular since its release in 2017. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay!
Beauty and the Beast was first released as a short film back in 1987. However, it wasn’t until years later that it got the recognition and praise it has now. The movie took nearly twenty-five years to get here though, so why is this such a big deal?
Because it shows how much longer animation can survive! While there have been many successful movies using other formats before (think Toy Story or The Lion King), none had truly experienced success like animators did during the golden era of cartooning - the nineties.
That’s when we were given classics like Ratatouille, The Iron Giant, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Jungle Book, Despicable Me, and Madagascar! These are just a few examples of what I called the “golden age” of cartoons; powerful, rich stories told through engaging visuals and great soundtrack songs.
Toy Story
In 1995, director Peter Seaman (The Nightmare Before Christmas) released his first short film, titled Toy Story. Since then, he has continued to make more of these “story-telling” films, creating an animated franchise that has won over many fans across all ages.
Many consider him to be one of the greatest filmmakers of our time, with his work being recognized by both professional organizations and popular culture. He is also known for using clever storytelling techniques to create engaging content that people can connect with.
He once said of his style, quote: "I don't draw from other styles; I have no models or references." This statement really set off alarm bells for some because it implies that he creates his movies out of nothing but his imagination!
But this isn’t the case at all. His creativity doesn’t come completely out of nowhere - he often draws inspiration from real life experiences, things that happen around him, and even dreams. All of these influence what he puts into his films and how they are conveyed to the audience.
Star Wars
Many consider The Empire Strikes Back to be the best movie in the franchise, but there is one thing that makes it stand out above all others- its incredible soundtrack! There are eight songs in the film, with most people choosing to focus on just one or two. But none of these tracks work well alone so it’s best to listen to them as a whole.
Harry Potter
Many consider The Wizard of Oz to be the first true animated feature, but that’s not quite correct. That movie was actually made in 1939, almost ten years before anyone could have predicted it would become an iconic staple of cinema culture.
The very first fully-fledged cartoon ever filmed is now considered a classic. Released in 1900 by French filmmaker Georges Méliès, A Trip To The Moon features computerized puppets traveling through space aboard a rocket ship. It was later reworked into what we know as Luna Park, one of the earliest examples of animation being used to tell a self-contained story with characters who interact with each other and settings within the frame.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was released in 2001, making it the newest entry in our list of top five animated films. But many people forget that its predecessors include 1993’s Toy Story 2 and 1994’s Aladdin, both of which received great reviews and are included in most lists of Pixar Studios’ greatest works.