My former colleague Dave Borthwick, who has died of pneumonia after a long illness, aged 65, was one of the world's leading animation directors. He pioneered a unique style mixing stop-frame models and pixilated live actors.
Dave was born in Bristol, and graduated in graphic design from the West of England College of Art (now the University of the West of England) in 1969. He went on to design and operate light shows and multimedia lighting which made extensive use of 2D animation techniques. Six years with the Crystal Theatre, a Bristol-based experimental theatre company, were followed by a postgraduate radio film and television course in 1977 at Bristol University, during which he made Recent Fiction, a live action film.
Dave worked as a cameraman in the film and TV industry in Britain and Denmark. He directed a music video for the Korgis in 1979 and short films for the BBC and Danish TV.
Dave was born in Bristol, and graduated in graphic design from the West of England College of Art (now the University of the West of England) in 1969. He went on to design and operate light shows and multimedia lighting which made extensive use of 2D animation techniques. Six years with the Crystal Theatre, a Bristol-based experimental theatre company, were followed by a postgraduate radio film and television course in 1977 at Bristol University, during which he made Recent Fiction, a live action film.
Dave worked as a cameraman in the film and TV industry in Britain and Denmark. He directed a music video for the Korgis in 1979 and short films for the BBC and Danish TV.
- 2/12/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
NEW YORK -- Most movies that aren't screened for the press fall into the horror or teen comedy genres, but the Weinstein Co. has broken the mold with "Doogal", an animated children's film. Clearly hoping that their "Hoodwinked" lightning will strike twice, the distributor opened the film Friday without advance screenings. The inevitable result: seedy-looking critics, unaccompanied by children, attending afternoon screenings and inspiring suspicion among anxious parents.
Based on a British stop-motion animation TV series titled "The Magic Roundabout", this Americanized CGI adaptation is strictly for the small-fry set, lacking the visual style, wit or imagination necessary to entice adult viewers.
The film chronicles the adventures of its titular character (voiced by Daniel Tay), a shaggy-haired mutt who tries to save the world from the evil clutches of evil wizard Zeebad (Jon Stewart). He's aided in his adventures, which involve trekking across oceans, mountains, Molten Lava, etc., by a typically anthropometrical group of friends, including a guitar-playing rabbit (Jimmy Fallon), a lovestruck snail (William H. Macy), a clumsy train (Chevy Chase) and a singing cow (Whoopi Goldberg).
Also aiding in the quest is a spring-legged magician, voiced by Ian McKellen (who has some experience in these sorts of things).
Butch Hartman's American screenplay adaptation includes the usual quota of pop culture references (Blue Man Group, "CSI", etc.), but it's not surprising that neither the script nor the bland visuals exactly come up to Pixar levels. Indeed, the key frame animation, based on three-dimensional models, is rudimentary, with none of the characters proving visually arresting.
Still, children of a certain age will find it reasonably engrossing, though it should be pointed out that their biggest laughs were inspired by a flatulent moose (Kevin Smith).
No less than four Oscar nominees and winners are among the eclectic voice cast, with Judi Dench providing her elegant tones for the narration. As for Stewart, well, as "Death to Smoochy" indicated, he should keep his day job.
"Doogal" is preceded by an amusing Oscar-nominated animated short, "Gopher Broke".
Doogal
A Weinstein Co. and Pathe Pictures presentation
in association with the U.K. Film Council and Pathe Renn, Pricel, France 2 Cinema and Canal Plus A Film Action SPZ Entertainment/bolexbrothers production
Credits:
Directors: Jean Duval, Frank Passingham, Dave Borthwick
Screenwriter: Paul Bassett Davies, with additional material by Tad Safran
Co-writers: Raoff Sanoussi, Stephane Sanoussi
U.S. screenplay adaptation: Butch Hartman
U.S. executive producers: Butch Hartman, Matt Landon, Eric Robinson
Executive producers: Francois Ivernel, Cameron McCracken, Jill Sinclair, Jake Eberts
Associate producers: Claude Gorsky, Linda Marks, Bruce Higham, Andy Leighton, Vertigo Prods.
Music: Mark Thomas
Additional music: James L. Venable
Cast:
Train: Chevy Chase
Narrator: Judi Dench
Dylan: Jimmy Fallon
Ermintrude: Whoopi Goldberg
Soldier Sam: Bill Hader
Brian: William H. Macy: Zebedee: Ian McKellen
Florence: Kylie Minogue
Moose: Kevin Smith: Zeebad: Jon Stewart
MPAA rating G
Running time -- 80 minutes...
Based on a British stop-motion animation TV series titled "The Magic Roundabout", this Americanized CGI adaptation is strictly for the small-fry set, lacking the visual style, wit or imagination necessary to entice adult viewers.
The film chronicles the adventures of its titular character (voiced by Daniel Tay), a shaggy-haired mutt who tries to save the world from the evil clutches of evil wizard Zeebad (Jon Stewart). He's aided in his adventures, which involve trekking across oceans, mountains, Molten Lava, etc., by a typically anthropometrical group of friends, including a guitar-playing rabbit (Jimmy Fallon), a lovestruck snail (William H. Macy), a clumsy train (Chevy Chase) and a singing cow (Whoopi Goldberg).
Also aiding in the quest is a spring-legged magician, voiced by Ian McKellen (who has some experience in these sorts of things).
Butch Hartman's American screenplay adaptation includes the usual quota of pop culture references (Blue Man Group, "CSI", etc.), but it's not surprising that neither the script nor the bland visuals exactly come up to Pixar levels. Indeed, the key frame animation, based on three-dimensional models, is rudimentary, with none of the characters proving visually arresting.
Still, children of a certain age will find it reasonably engrossing, though it should be pointed out that their biggest laughs were inspired by a flatulent moose (Kevin Smith).
No less than four Oscar nominees and winners are among the eclectic voice cast, with Judi Dench providing her elegant tones for the narration. As for Stewart, well, as "Death to Smoochy" indicated, he should keep his day job.
"Doogal" is preceded by an amusing Oscar-nominated animated short, "Gopher Broke".
Doogal
A Weinstein Co. and Pathe Pictures presentation
in association with the U.K. Film Council and Pathe Renn, Pricel, France 2 Cinema and Canal Plus A Film Action SPZ Entertainment/bolexbrothers production
Credits:
Directors: Jean Duval, Frank Passingham, Dave Borthwick
Screenwriter: Paul Bassett Davies, with additional material by Tad Safran
Co-writers: Raoff Sanoussi, Stephane Sanoussi
U.S. screenplay adaptation: Butch Hartman
U.S. executive producers: Butch Hartman, Matt Landon, Eric Robinson
Executive producers: Francois Ivernel, Cameron McCracken, Jill Sinclair, Jake Eberts
Associate producers: Claude Gorsky, Linda Marks, Bruce Higham, Andy Leighton, Vertigo Prods.
Music: Mark Thomas
Additional music: James L. Venable
Cast:
Train: Chevy Chase
Narrator: Judi Dench
Dylan: Jimmy Fallon
Ermintrude: Whoopi Goldberg
Soldier Sam: Bill Hader
Brian: William H. Macy: Zebedee: Ian McKellen
Florence: Kylie Minogue
Moose: Kevin Smith: Zeebad: Jon Stewart
MPAA rating G
Running time -- 80 minutes...
BERLIN -- Germany's X Filme, the team behind art house hits Good bye, Lenin! and Andreas Dresen's Summer in Berlin, have joined forces with the U.K. producers behind British children's classic The Magic Roundabout for a stop-motion animation feature based on Gilbert Shelton's cult comic Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. The project, titled Grassroots, was announced Monday at the Berlin International Film Festival. Celluloid Dreams will handle world sales. Shelton has written the script with Paul Davies. Dave Borthwick (Roundabout) is attached to direct. Bruce Higham, Andy Leighton and David Lascelles will produce on the U.K. side with X Filme's Andro Steinborn.
- 2/13/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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