after the 1939 animated feature film GULLIVER’S TRAVELS the miami based FLEISCHER STUDIOS released on dec.4 1941 their second feature film – MR.BUGS GOES TO TOWN ( also with the title HOPPITY GOES TO TOWN ). the film opens with an some impressive camera moves down into a 3-D (built) model of new york, going close to street level where the bug-story begins. there are some more highlights, like the tiny characters in the middle of a scary skyscraper construction site. the animation overall is good but the insects are not the most appealing characters. the backgrounds are painted in the traditional watercolor technique, used in most films at that time. only recently I saw an original background and had to color correct all my recreated BG’s, since the faded film I used showed completely wrong colors. the originals apparently were way more colorful. unfortunately there is not too much of the film’s artwork left, even the film is not well known.
© fleischer studios / paramount
my name is hans bacher, – I work as production designer in the animation film industry. for the last 40 years I lived and worked in duesseldorf, london, paris, los angeles, manila and tokyo. now I am professor for film-design at the nanyang techn. university in singapore.
This really is a wonderful film. The Museum of Modern Art in NY screened a newly corrected, pristine print a couple of years back, and the colors were astounding. The film still plays fairly well.
thanks for posting these.In France ,the movie was never edited in dvd,only in a low quality video version.Even “Gulliver” has never been edited in a reniewed copy.Is there any public interested in Fleischer’s work today?!
from hans
the popeye and superman shorts have all been released on DVD in the US in a very good quality.
This is a wonderful film, and it is sad that it is so often overlooked. Thanks for posting these beautiful backgrounds!
wow. thanks for sharing Hans