Thursday, May 26, 2011

R. O. Blechman Interview

Over at The Comics Journal website, Jeet Heer interviews designer, illustrator and animation director R. O. Blechman. Blechman talks a bit about the production of The Juggler of Our Lady at Terrytoons and his disappointment at never getting to direct a feature.

6 comments:

Brubaker said...

I remember talking to Blechman about the Juggler short and his feelings to it.

He essentially said there were things he would have done differently had he directed it, but he said it was an okay film, adding "what's done is done"

Michael Sporn said...

Had they done the film today there would be no attention to the Cinemascope format that Al Kouzel used incredibly well. Bob Blechman only owns an old 16mm print of the film in a flattened format. I wonder if he even remembers the use of Scope for it.

Brubaker said...

Somebody was selling a 16mm Tech Scope print of the "Juggler" short few months back. I still regret not bidding on it.

(I've seen faded Eastman prints of the short being offered in various places. Surprisingly they ARE in Scope, although the color's all gone)

roconnor said...

Bob is very proud of the fact the Juggler was made in Cinemascope. He'll point it out whenever the film is screened in any other format.

It was a courageous use of white space by Kouzel that gets lost in 4x3 projection.

The MoMA, I believe has a Cinemascope print in their collection.

Floyd Norman said...

An awesome film. I remember seeing it as a kid growing up in Santa Barbara and I was amazed that such a film could even be produced.

Brubaker said...

Tee hee, I'm just amused that Floyd used the word "awesome" :)