The Animation Show: Volume 3 – Presented by Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt (Comedy Central DVD)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: C     Extras: C+     Shorts: B-

 

 

Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt continue their aspirations of bringing great animation from unknown artists to the masses.  The animation in this collection is from a wide range of artists, from all over the globe with an array of different styles.  This reviewer once again feels the animation that the inspirational duo has brought to the table is insane, innovative, creative, at times disturbing, and just overall wonderful.  To be 100% honest this reviewer had never heard of any of the artists on this set besides Judge and Hertzfeldt, but many of the artists’ styles seem familiar, yet fresh.  For a summation of this reviewer’s opinion on Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt’s previous work please refer to the review of The Animation Show: Volumes 1 and 2:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4877/The+Animation+Show:+Volumes

 

 

The shorts all have their own individual style that uses such mediums as Claymation, live-action, pencil work, strict color animation, and combinations of everything in between.  Some of the shorts are comical (many) whereas others take a more serious and mellow route that is also a nice change of pace.  Whereas this reviewer honestly loved every creative endeavor on this set, he could not help but think that all he wanted was some new Beavis and Butt-head episodes after viewing the new ‘teaser’ introduction by Mike Judge that brought back the ‘frog baseball’ duo.

 

The seventeen shorts available on this Third Volume include:

 

Beavis and Butt-head Introduction (Mike Judge)

Rabbit (Run Wrake)

City Paradise (Gaelle Denis)

Everything Will Be Ok (Don Hertzfeldt)

Collision (Max Hattler)

Astronauts (Matthew Walker)

Carlitopolis (Nieto)

No Room for Gerold (Daniel Nocke)

Guide Dog (Bill Plympton)

One D (Mike Grimshaw)

Tyger (Guilherme Marcondes)

Versus (Francois Caffiaux, Romain Noel, and Thomas Salas)

Learn Self Defense (Chris Harding)

Abigail (Tony Comely)

Shuteye Hotel (Bill Plympton)

Dreams and Desires (Joanna Quinn)

Game Over (Pes)

 

 

One of this reviewer’s personal favorite on this set includes Game Over by Pes that is a nice homage to classic video games that gamers across the board will find fun and creative as they watch the odd use of food and other various objects in the creation of this stop-start animation.  The other favorite on this set (excluding Judges and Hertzfeldt’s works) is Learn Self Defense by Chris Harding that has an unusual style to its comical edge.  Picking out these favorites is not to say this entire set isn’t wonderful, these are just merely highlights of the overall excellent presentation.

 

The technical aspects of this set are on the same level as the previous release in that they remain fluid and vibrant even in the face of having so many different styles present.  The picture is from short to short remains clear and crisp with good colors when applicable; but one must also still keep in mind the rough intention of many of the shorts.  The picture presentations again vary according to how the original short was presented, but most remain color balanced and overall good.  The sound again is a simple Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo that is adequate and does not detract, but does have issues of balance this reviewer having to turn up and down the volume based on each shorts needs.  Judge and Hertzfeldt stick with some solid extras again on this set with the inclusion of various interviews with the different artists, full length text interviews, and most excitingly for old school MTV animation fans an ‘introduction to MTV’s The Max.’

 

For hardcore animation fans this set is a must have, because it is a chance to see something new and exciting while still getting that old school Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt edge we have all learned to enjoy.

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II