Don Bluth
Encyclopedia
Donald Virgil "Don" Bluth (born September 13, 1937) is an American
animator
and independent studio owner. He is best known for his departure from The Walt Disney Company
in 1979 and his subsequent directing of animated films such as The Secret of NIMH
(1982), An American Tail
(1986),The Land Before Time
(1988), and All Dogs Go to Heaven
(1989), as well as his involvement in the laserdisc
game Dragon's Lair
. He is also often credited for providing competition to Disney, and forcing them to improve from their streak of lackluster film efforts to the films that would make up the Disney Renaissance
.
, the son of Emaline (née Pratt) and Virgil Ronceal Bluth. His great-grandfather was Latter Day Saint leader Helaman Pratt
, and politician Mitt Romney
is his second cousin. He grew up with a brother and eventual collaborator, Toby Bluth
. Bluth received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Brigham Young University
, and became one of the chief animator
s at The Walt Disney Company
in the 1960s. He first started as a directing animator for The Rescuers
, 101 Dalmatians, The Fox and the Hound and as an assistant director on Sleeping Beauty
and The Sword in the Stone, for all of which he was uncredited. He would not return to Disney until in the 1970s, when he was an animator on Robin Hood
, The Rescuers
, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
and Pete's Dragon
. His last involvement with Disney was the 1978 short The Small One
. Along with fellow animators Gary Goldman
and John Pomeroy
, he set out in 1979 to start his own animation studio, Don Bluth Productions. He drew a few (uncredited) scenes for The Fox and the Hound
and The Black Cauldron
but left early in production.
, and this led to work on an animated segment of the live-action film Xanadu
(1980).
The studio's first feature-length animation
was the critically acclaimed The Secret of NIMH
(1982), an adaptation of the award winning children's book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
. His movies tend toward rougher and more energetic portrayals than that of Disney films. Often, his films also contain a mystical element, with mysterious, unexplainable forces at work throughout them.
Teaming up with Rick Dyer, Bluth then created the groundbreaking arcade game
Dragon's Lair
(1983), which let the player control a cartoon
-animated character on screen (whose adventures were played off a laserdisc
). This was followed in 1984 by Space Ace
, a science-fiction
game based on the same technology, but which gave the player a choice of different routes to take through the story (Bluth not only created the animation for Space Ace, he also supplied the voice of the villain, Borf), and Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
, a sequel which was very rare in arcades
.
Sullivan Bluth Studios
was an animation studio established in 1985 by animator Don Bluth. The studio initially operated from an animation facility in Van Nuys, California, but later moved to Dublin, Ireland to take advantage of government investment and incentives. Mr. Bluth and his colleagues also started an animation course at Ballyfermot Senior College.
, Bluth's next project instead turned out to be An American Tail
(1986), which at the time of its release became the highest grossing non-Disney animated film of all time, grossing $47 million in the United States and $84 million worldwide. The second Spielberg-Bluth collaboration The Land Before Time
(1988) did even better in theaters and both are now widely considered animation classics. The main character in An American Tail (Fievel Mouskewitz) became the mascot for Amblimation
while The Land Before Time was followed by twelve direct-to-video sequels.
Bluth broke ties with Spielberg before his next film, All Dogs Go to Heaven
(1989). Although it had only moderate theatrical success, it was highly successful in its release to home video, becoming a cult classic
. Nonetheless, by the end of the decade and through the 1990s Bluth films such as Rock-a-Doodle
(1991), Thumbelina
(1994), A Troll in Central Park
(1994), and The Pebble and the Penguin
(1995) were all critical and box office failures.
140 million worldwide and gained favorable critical reviews, in part because it used well-known Hollywood stars as its voice talent and stuck closer to long-proven Disney formulas: a sassy and resourceful princess
driven to become more than she is, a cruel and conniving villain who uses dark magic, a handsome and endearing love interest, and a comic-relief sidekick. Anastasia was produced at Fox Animation Studios
in Phoenix, Arizona
, which established 20th Century Fox
as a Disney competitor.
Still, Bluth's troubles continued when he directed the futuristic space adventure Titan A.E.
(2000) which failed badly at the box office. The film made less than $37 million worldwide despite an estimated $75 million budget and served as the last traditionally animated film released by 20th Century Fox in theaters until the release of The Simpsons Movie
.
In 2000, after the studio's third film Bartok the Magnificent
(released direct to video as a spin-off of Anastasia and the only sequel directed by Bluth), 20th Century Fox Studios decided to shut down the Fox Animation Studio facility in Phoenix.
(2002) yielded mixed results, with critics both praising and panning the controls and storyline. However, the visuals were widely enjoyed, using groundbreaking cel-shading
techniques that lent the game a hand-animated feel. Don Bluth and Gary Goldman are currently seeking funding for a film version of Dragon's Lair.
Bluth and Goldman continued work in video games when they were hired to create the in-game cinematics for Namco
's I-Ninja
, released in 2003.
In 2004, Bluth did the animation for the music video
"Mary
", by the Scissor Sisters
. The band contacted Bluth after having recalled fond memories of the sequence from Xanadu.
In 2009, Bluth was asked to produce storyboards for, and later to direct, the 30-minute Saudi Arabian festival film Gift of the Hoopoe. However, he ultimately had very little say in both the animation and content of the film, and asked that he not be credited as the director or producer. Nonetheless, defying his request, he was still credited as the director, possibly to improve the film's sales by attaching his name.
On February 3, 2011, it was announced that Bluth and his game development company Square One Studios
is working with Warner Bros.
Digital Distribution to develop a modern reinterpretation of the 1983 arcade classic, Tapper
. The new version will be titled Tapper World Tour
.
On March 22, 2011, Anastasia was released to Blu-ray Disc
. The high-charting release, as well as an increase in sales for other Bluth-directed titles, has sparked interest for a return to his as-yet unconfirmed 12th directorial feature.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
and independent studio owner. He is best known for his departure from The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
in 1979 and his subsequent directing of animated films such as The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
(1982), An American Tail
An American Tail
An American Tail is a 1986 American animated adventure film directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The film tells the story of Fievel Mouskewitz and his family as they immigrate from Russia to America for freedom. However, Fievel gets lost and must...
(1986),The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time is a 1988 American animated adventure film directed and co-produced by Don Bluth , and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall....
(1988), and All Dogs Go to Heaven
All Dogs Go to Heaven
All Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 Irish-English animated film directed and produced by Don Bluth and released by United Artists. The film tells the story of two dogs, Charlie B. Barkin and his loyal best friend Itchy Itchiford...
(1989), as well as his involvement in the laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
game Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair is a laserdisc video game published by Cinematronics in 1983. It featured animation created by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth....
. He is also often credited for providing competition to Disney, and forcing them to improve from their streak of lackluster film efforts to the films that would make up the Disney Renaissance
Disney Renaissance
The Disney Renaissance refers to an era beginning roughly in the late 1980s and ending in the late 1990s, during which Walt Disney Animation Studios returned to making successful animated films mostly based on stories that were known to many, restoring public and critical interest in Disney.The...
.
Early life and the Disney years
Bluth was born in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, the son of Emaline (née Pratt) and Virgil Ronceal Bluth. His great-grandfather was Latter Day Saint leader Helaman Pratt
Helaman Pratt
Helaman Pratt was an early leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico.-Family:...
, and politician Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
is his second cousin. He grew up with a brother and eventual collaborator, Toby Bluth
Toby Bluth
Fred "Toby" Bluth is an American painter and Animation Director of Disney fine art, who has worked on many Disney films as a Background Artist and Production Designer...
. Bluth received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, and became one of the chief animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
s at The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
in the 1960s. He first started as a directing animator for The Rescuers
The Rescuers
The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on June 22, 1977. The 23rd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization headquartered in New York and shadowing...
, 101 Dalmatians, The Fox and the Hound and as an assistant director on Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)
Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault...
and The Sword in the Stone, for all of which he was uncredited. He would not return to Disney until in the 1970s, when he was an animator on Robin Hood
Robin Hood (1973 film)
Robin Hood is an 1973 American animated film produced by the Walt Disney Productions, first released in the United States on November 8, 1973...
, The Rescuers
The Rescuers
The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on June 22, 1977. The 23rd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization headquartered in New York and shadowing...
, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is the 22nd full-length animated film produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on March 11, 1977....
and Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film from Walt Disney Productions and the first Disney film to be recorded in the Dolby Stereo sound system...
. His last involvement with Disney was the 1978 short The Small One
The Small One
The Small One is a Christmas animated short film created by Walt Disney Productions and was originally released to theaters in the United States by Buena Vista Distribution Company on December 15, 1978, before the 1978 re-release of Pinocchio. It started off as a children's book, by Charles...
. Along with fellow animators Gary Goldman
Gary Goldman
Gary Wayne Goldman is an American Film Producer, Director, Animator, Writer and voice actor, he is well known for working on films with Don Bluth like Anastasia, An American Tail and The Land Before Time...
and John Pomeroy
John Pomeroy
John Pomeroy is an American animator who has worked for several major studios, including The Walt Disney Company and Sullivan Bluth Studios...
, he set out in 1979 to start his own animation studio, Don Bluth Productions. He drew a few (uncredited) scenes for The Fox and the Hound
The Fox and the Hound (film)
The Fox and the Hound is a 1981 animated feature loosely based on the Daniel P. Mannix novel of the same name, produced by Walt Disney Productions and released in the United States on July 10, 1981...
and The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron (film)
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
but left early in production.
Early critical success
When leaving Disney, Bluth brought several other Disney animators with him to form a rival studio, who like Bluth were allegedly upset with how the Disney animated features had "lost their charm" at the time. This new studio, Don Bluth Productions, demonstrated its ability in its first production, a short film titled Banjo the Woodpile CatBanjo the Woodpile Cat
Banjo the Woodpile Cat is a 1979 animated short television film directed by Don Bluth. It follows the story of Banjo, an overly curious and rebellious kitten who, after getting into trouble for falling from a house to see if he could land on his feet, runs away from his woodpile home in his owners'...
, and this led to work on an animated segment of the live-action film Xanadu
Xanadu (film)
Xanadu is a 1980 romantic musical fantasy film written by Marc Reid Rubel and directed by Robert Greenwald. The title is a reference to the poem "Kubla Khan, or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is quoted in the film. Xanadu is the name of the Chinese province...
(1980).
The studio's first feature-length animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
was the critically acclaimed The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
(1982), an adaptation of the award winning children's book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a 1971 children's book by Robert C. O'Brien. Illustrated by Zena Bernstein, it won the 1972 Newbery Medal. A film adaptation, The Secret of NIMH, was released in 1982....
. His movies tend toward rougher and more energetic portrayals than that of Disney films. Often, his films also contain a mystical element, with mysterious, unexplainable forces at work throughout them.
Teaming up with Rick Dyer, Bluth then created the groundbreaking arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair is a laserdisc video game published by Cinematronics in 1983. It featured animation created by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth....
(1983), which let the player control a cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
-animated character on screen (whose adventures were played off a laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
). This was followed in 1984 by Space Ace
Space Ace
Space Ace is a laserdisc video game produced by Don Bluth Studios, Cinematronics, and Advanced Microcomputer Systems...
, a science-fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
game based on the same technology, but which gave the player a choice of different routes to take through the story (Bluth not only created the animation for Space Ace, he also supplied the voice of the villain, Borf), and Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp is a 1991 laserdisc video game by Don Bluth. It is regarded as the first "true" sequel to Dragon's Lair. It takes place years after the timeline of the original Dragon's Lair. Dirk has married Daphne, and the marriage has produced several children...
, a sequel which was very rare in arcades
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
.
Sullivan Bluth Studios
Sullivan Bluth Studios
Sullivan Bluth Studios was an American animated film production company established in 1985 by animator Don Bluth. Bluth and several colleagues, all of whom were former Disney animators, left Disney in 1979 to form Don Bluth Productions, later known as the Bluth Group...
was an animation studio established in 1985 by animator Don Bluth. The studio initially operated from an animation facility in Van Nuys, California, but later moved to Dublin, Ireland to take advantage of government investment and incentives. Mr. Bluth and his colleagues also started an animation course at Ballyfermot Senior College.
Affiliation with Steven Spielberg
His next film would have been an animated version of East of the Sun and West of the Moon, but was never made as the financial resources were drawn back. Teaming up with producer Steven SpielbergSteven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
, Bluth's next project instead turned out to be An American Tail
An American Tail
An American Tail is a 1986 American animated adventure film directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The film tells the story of Fievel Mouskewitz and his family as they immigrate from Russia to America for freedom. However, Fievel gets lost and must...
(1986), which at the time of its release became the highest grossing non-Disney animated film of all time, grossing $47 million in the United States and $84 million worldwide. The second Spielberg-Bluth collaboration The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time is a 1988 American animated adventure film directed and co-produced by Don Bluth , and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall....
(1988) did even better in theaters and both are now widely considered animation classics. The main character in An American Tail (Fievel Mouskewitz) became the mascot for Amblimation
Amblimation
Amblimation was the animation production arm of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and was active from 1989 until about 1997.The feature animation studio was located in London, England, UK...
while The Land Before Time was followed by twelve direct-to-video sequels.
Bluth broke ties with Spielberg before his next film, All Dogs Go to Heaven
All Dogs Go to Heaven
All Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 Irish-English animated film directed and produced by Don Bluth and released by United Artists. The film tells the story of two dogs, Charlie B. Barkin and his loyal best friend Itchy Itchiford...
(1989). Although it had only moderate theatrical success, it was highly successful in its release to home video, becoming a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
. Nonetheless, by the end of the decade and through the 1990s Bluth films such as Rock-a-Doodle
Rock-A-Doodle
Rock-a-Doodle is a 1992 American animated re-telling of Edmond Rostand's comedy, Chantecler. This film was directed by Don Bluth, produced by Goldcrest Films for The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and originally released in the United States on April 3, 1992.-Plot:Chanticleer is a proud rooster whose...
(1991), Thumbelina
Thumbelina (1994 film)
Thumbelina is a 1994 American animated film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman from a screenplay by Bluth based on Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina. The film was produced by Don Bluth Entertainment and was released to movie theaters by Warner Bros...
(1994), A Troll in Central Park
A Troll in Central Park
A Troll in Central Park is a 1994 animated feature-length film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, creators of films such as Thumbelina, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven. It was released on October 7, 1994 by Warner Bros...
(1994), and The Pebble and the Penguin
The Pebble and the Penguin
The Pebble and the Penguin is a 1995 animated musical film, based on the true life mating rituals of the Adelie Penguins in Antarctica, produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film was released to theatres on April 11, 1995 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States and...
(1995) were all critical and box office failures.
Work at Fox Animation Studios
Bluth scored another hit with Anastasia (1997), which grossed US$United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
140 million worldwide and gained favorable critical reviews, in part because it used well-known Hollywood stars as its voice talent and stuck closer to long-proven Disney formulas: a sassy and resourceful princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
driven to become more than she is, a cruel and conniving villain who uses dark magic, a handsome and endearing love interest, and a comic-relief sidekick. Anastasia was produced at Fox Animation Studios
Fox Animation Studios
Fox Animation Studios is an American animation production company located in Phoenix, Arizona and is a division of 20th Century Fox. After the bankruptcy of Sullivan Bluth Studios in Ireland in 1994, animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman returned to the United States and were hired by 20th Century...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, which established 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
as a Disney competitor.
Still, Bluth's troubles continued when he directed the futuristic space adventure Titan A.E.
Titan A.E.
Titan A.E. is an American animated post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman released in 2000. The title refers to the spacecraft that is central to the plot, with A.E. meaning "After Earth."...
(2000) which failed badly at the box office. The film made less than $37 million worldwide despite an estimated $75 million budget and served as the last traditionally animated film released by 20th Century Fox in theaters until the release of The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
.
In 2000, after the studio's third film Bartok the Magnificent
Bartok the Magnificent
Bartok the Magnificent, also known as Bartok the Great, is a spin-off to the 1997 film Anastasia, which features Hank Azaria as the voice of Bartok. This film was released on VHS and DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on November 16, 1999, and was re-released in 2005 along with Anastasia...
(released direct to video as a spin-off of Anastasia and the only sequel directed by Bluth), 20th Century Fox Studios decided to shut down the Fox Animation Studio facility in Phoenix.
Recent work
A recent attempt to capitalize on Dragon's Lair nostalgia by releasing the video game Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the LairDragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair
Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair is an action-adventure video game released in 2002 by Dragonstone Software. The game is based on Cinematronics' 1983 laserdisc arcade game Dragon's Lair, and follows a similar story; the hero, Dirk the Daring, must enter the evil wizard Mordroc's castle to...
(2002) yielded mixed results, with critics both praising and panning the controls and storyline. However, the visuals were widely enjoyed, using groundbreaking cel-shading
Cel-shaded animation
Cel-shaded animation is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make computer graphics appear to be hand-drawn. Cel-shading is often used to mimic the style of a comic book or cartoon. It is a somewhat recent addition to computer graphics, most commonly turning up in video games...
techniques that lent the game a hand-animated feel. Don Bluth and Gary Goldman are currently seeking funding for a film version of Dragon's Lair.
Bluth and Goldman continued work in video games when they were hired to create the in-game cinematics for Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
's I-Ninja
I-Ninja
I-Ninja is an action video game developed by Argonaut Games and published by Namco. It was released for the PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube...
, released in 2003.
In 2004, Bluth did the animation for the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
"Mary
Mary (song)
"Mary" is a song by American rock band, Scissor Sisters, and is the fourth track on their eponymous debut album . It was released as a single in October 2004 in the UK, peaking at #14 in the UK Singles Chart....
", by the Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
. The band contacted Bluth after having recalled fond memories of the sequence from Xanadu.
In 2009, Bluth was asked to produce storyboards for, and later to direct, the 30-minute Saudi Arabian festival film Gift of the Hoopoe. However, he ultimately had very little say in both the animation and content of the film, and asked that he not be credited as the director or producer. Nonetheless, defying his request, he was still credited as the director, possibly to improve the film's sales by attaching his name.
On February 3, 2011, it was announced that Bluth and his game development company Square One Studios
Square One Studios
Square One Studios is a US-based video game developer and publisher, located in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 2010 by Michelle Bizzarro, Don Bluth and Gary Goldman and currently employs about 10 people....
is working with Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Digital Distribution to develop a modern reinterpretation of the 1983 arcade classic, Tapper
Tapper
Tapper, also known as Root Beer Tapper, is a 1983 arcade game released by Bally Midway. The goal of the game is to serve beer and collect empty mugs and tips.-Overview:...
. The new version will be titled Tapper World Tour
Tapper World Tour
Tapper World Tour is an arcade game for Apple's iOS and is a modern reinterpretation of the classic arcade game Tapper, released in 1983 by Bally Midway. Players take the role of a bartender with the goal of serving drinks and collecting empty glasses and tips from a demanding group of...
.
On March 22, 2011, Anastasia was released to Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
. The high-charting release, as well as an increase in sales for other Bluth-directed titles, has sparked interest for a return to his as-yet unconfirmed 12th directorial feature.
Bluth as an author
Bluth has also authored a series of books for students of animation: 2004's The Art of Storyboard, and 2005's The Art of Animation Drawing. Additional books are planned.Bluth as an educator
In early 2009 Bluth launched his own website, DonBluthAnimation.com, in which he focuses on animation education through video tutorials, short films and live video seminars.As director and/or producer or animator
- Sleeping BeautySleeping Beauty (1959 film)Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault...
(1959, assistant animator, uncredited) - Goliath IIGoliath IIGoliath II is an animated short film, produced by Walt Disney Productions and was released on January 21, 1960. It was the first time the Xerox process was used in a Disney cartoon. Sterling Holloway narrates this cartoon film, starring Kevin Corcoran. It was released to theaters in the U.S.,...
(1960, filmography, uncredited) - 101 DalmatiansOne Hundred and One DalmatiansOne Hundred and One Dalmatians, often abbreviated as 101 Dalmatians, is a 1961 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith...
(1961, filmography, uncredited) - The Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the Stone (film)The Sword in the Stone is a 1963 American animated fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney and originally released to theaters on December 25, 1963...
(1963, assistant director, uncredited) - Fantastic VoyageFantastic Voyage (TV series)Fantastic Voyage is an American animated science fiction TV series based on the famous 1966 film directed by Richard Fleischer. The series consists of 17 episodes each running 30 minutes. It was run on ABC-TV from September 14, 1968 through January 4, 1969. The series was produced by Filmation...
(1968, TV series, layout artist) - Archie And His New Pals (1969, TV special, layout artist)
- Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies (1971, TV series, layout artist)
- Journey Back to OzJourney Back to OzJourney Back To Oz is a 1974 animated film and the official sequel to the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz. It is loosely based on L. Frank Baum's second Oz novel, The Marvelous Land of Oz, although Baum received no screen credit. However, the Wizard was nowhere to be found, at least in the...
(1974, layout artist) - Robin HoodRobin Hood (1973 film)Robin Hood is an 1973 American animated film produced by the Walt Disney Productions, first released in the United States on November 8, 1973...
(1973, character animator) - Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974, short film)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohThe Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohThe Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is the 22nd full-length animated film produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on March 11, 1977....
(1977, short film) - The RescuersThe RescuersThe Rescuers is a 1977 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on June 22, 1977. The 23rd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization headquartered in New York and shadowing...
(1977, directing animator, uncredited) - Pete's DragonPete's DragonPete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film from Walt Disney Productions and the first Disney film to be recorded in the Dolby Stereo sound system...
(1977) - The Small OneThe Small OneThe Small One is a Christmas animated short film created by Walt Disney Productions and was originally released to theaters in the United States by Buena Vista Distribution Company on December 15, 1978, before the 1978 re-release of Pinocchio. It started off as a children's book, by Charles...
(1978, short film) - Banjo the Woodpile CatBanjo the Woodpile CatBanjo the Woodpile Cat is a 1979 animated short television film directed by Don Bluth. It follows the story of Banjo, an overly curious and rebellious kitten who, after getting into trouble for falling from a house to see if he could land on his feet, runs away from his woodpile home in his owners'...
(1979, short film) - XanaduXanadu (film)Xanadu is a 1980 romantic musical fantasy film written by Marc Reid Rubel and directed by Robert Greenwald. The title is a reference to the poem "Kubla Khan, or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which is quoted in the film. Xanadu is the name of the Chinese province...
(1980, animated sequence unit, animator) - The Fox and the Hound (1981, animator)
- The Secret of NIMHThe Secret of NIMHThe Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
(1982) - Dragon's LairDragon's LairDragon's Lair is a laserdisc video game published by Cinematronics in 1983. It featured animation created by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth....
(1983, video game) - Space AceSpace AceSpace Ace is a laserdisc video game produced by Don Bluth Studios, Cinematronics, and Advanced Microcomputer Systems...
(1984, video game) - The Black CauldronThe Black Cauldron (film)The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
(1985, directing animator) - An American TailAn American TailAn American Tail is a 1986 American animated adventure film directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The film tells the story of Fievel Mouskewitz and his family as they immigrate from Russia to America for freedom. However, Fievel gets lost and must...
(1986) - The Land Before TimeThe Land Before TimeThe Land Before Time is a 1988 American animated adventure film directed and co-produced by Don Bluth , and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall....
(1988) - All Dogs Go To HeavenAll Dogs Go to HeavenAll Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 Irish-English animated film directed and produced by Don Bluth and released by United Artists. The film tells the story of two dogs, Charlie B. Barkin and his loyal best friend Itchy Itchiford...
(1989) - Dragon's Lair II: Time WarpDragon's Lair II: Time WarpDragon's Lair II: Time Warp is a 1991 laserdisc video game by Don Bluth. It is regarded as the first "true" sequel to Dragon's Lair. It takes place years after the timeline of the original Dragon's Lair. Dirk has married Daphne, and the marriage has produced several children...
(1991, video game) - Rock-a-DoodleRock-A-DoodleRock-a-Doodle is a 1992 American animated re-telling of Edmond Rostand's comedy, Chantecler. This film was directed by Don Bluth, produced by Goldcrest Films for The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and originally released in the United States on April 3, 1992.-Plot:Chanticleer is a proud rooster whose...
(1991) - ThumbelinaThumbelina (1994 film)Thumbelina is a 1994 American animated film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman from a screenplay by Bluth based on Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina. The film was produced by Don Bluth Entertainment and was released to movie theaters by Warner Bros...
(1994) - A Troll in Central ParkA Troll in Central ParkA Troll in Central Park is a 1994 animated feature-length film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, creators of films such as Thumbelina, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven. It was released on October 7, 1994 by Warner Bros...
(1994) - The Pebble and the PenguinThe Pebble and the PenguinThe Pebble and the Penguin is a 1995 animated musical film, based on the true life mating rituals of the Adelie Penguins in Antarctica, produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film was released to theatres on April 11, 1995 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States and...
(1995) - AnastasiaAnastasia (1997 film)Anastasia is a 1997 American animated musical film produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. It was the first feature film to be released by Fox Animation Studios....
(1997) - Bartok the MagnificentBartok the MagnificentBartok the Magnificent, also known as Bartok the Great, is a spin-off to the 1997 film Anastasia, which features Hank Azaria as the voice of Bartok. This film was released on VHS and DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on November 16, 1999, and was re-released in 2005 along with Anastasia...
(1999) - Titan A.E.Titan A.E.Titan A.E. is an American animated post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman released in 2000. The title refers to the spacecraft that is central to the plot, with A.E. meaning "After Earth."...
(2000) - Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the LairDragon's Lair 3D: Return to the LairDragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair is an action-adventure video game released in 2002 by Dragonstone Software. The game is based on Cinematronics' 1983 laserdisc arcade game Dragon's Lair, and follows a similar story; the hero, Dirk the Daring, must enter the evil wizard Mordroc's castle to...
(2002, video game) - MaryMary (song)"Mary" is a song by American rock band, Scissor Sisters, and is the fourth track on their eponymous debut album . It was released as a single in October 2004 in the UK, peaking at #14 in the UK Singles Chart....
by the Scissor SistersScissor SistersScissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
(2004, animated segments of music video)
Collaborations
Don Bluth casted certain actors in more than one of his films.| The Secret of NIMH The Secret of NIMH The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,... |
An American Tale An American Tail An American Tail is a 1986 American animated adventure film directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The film tells the story of Fievel Mouskewitz and his family as they immigrate from Russia to America for freedom. However, Fievel gets lost and must... |
The Land Before Time The Land Before Time The Land Before Time is a 1988 American animated adventure film directed and co-produced by Don Bluth , and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall.... |
All Dogs Go to Heaven All Dogs Go to Heaven All Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 Irish-English animated film directed and produced by Don Bluth and released by United Artists. The film tells the story of two dogs, Charlie B. Barkin and his loyal best friend Itchy Itchiford... |
Rock-a-Doodle Rock-A-Doodle Rock-a-Doodle is a 1992 American animated re-telling of Edmond Rostand's comedy, Chantecler. This film was directed by Don Bluth, produced by Goldcrest Films for The Samuel Goldwyn Company, and originally released in the United States on April 3, 1992.-Plot:Chanticleer is a proud rooster whose... |
Thumbelina Thumbelina (1994 film) Thumbelina is a 1994 American animated film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman from a screenplay by Bluth based on Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina. The film was produced by Don Bluth Entertainment and was released to movie theaters by Warner Bros... |
A Troll in Central Park A Troll in Central Park A Troll in Central Park is a 1994 animated feature-length film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, creators of films such as Thumbelina, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven. It was released on October 7, 1994 by Warner Bros... |
The Pebble and the Penguin The Pebble and the Penguin The Pebble and the Penguin is a 1995 animated musical film, based on the true life mating rituals of the Adelie Penguins in Antarctica, produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film was released to theatres on April 11, 1995 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States and... |
Anastasia Anastasia (1997 film) Anastasia is a 1997 American animated musical film produced and directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. It was the first feature film to be released by Fox Animation Studios.... |
Bartok the Magnificent Bartok the Magnificent Bartok the Magnificent, also known as Bartok the Great, is a spin-off to the 1997 film Anastasia, which features Hank Azaria as the voice of Bartok. This film was released on VHS and DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on November 16, 1999, and was re-released in 2005 along with Anastasia... |
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| Hank Azaria Hank Azaria Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief... |
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| Judith Barsi Judith Barsi Judith Eva Barsi was an American child actress. She was small in stature and often played characters younger than her actual age... |
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| Tim Curry Tim Curry Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.... |
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| Dom DeLuise Dom DeLuise Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise... |
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| Phillip Glasser Phillip Glasser Phillip Glasser is an American actor and producer. He is best known for the role of Fievel Mousekewitz in the animated films, An American Tail and An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, and the television series Fievel's American Tails.In the late 1990s he played the role of Eugene in NBC Saturday... |
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| Tawny Sunshine Glover Tawny Sunshine Glover Tawny Sunshine Glover is an American actress. She did voiceovers in two Don Bluth Movies. She was the voice of Gnatty in Thumbelina, and the voice of Rosie in A Troll in Central Park. It appears she hasn't done any more acting since.-Filmography:... |
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| Kelsey Grammar | ||||||||||
| Danny Mann Danny Mann Daniel "Danny" Mann is an American voice actor, writer, singer, musician, and production manager. He is best known for his voice of Hector from Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats, Freeway, Cloudraker and Lightspeed in Transformers, Backwoods Beagle in DuckTales, Kaltag in Balto, Ferdinand from Babe,... |
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| Pat Musick Pat Musick Pat Musick is an American voice actress. She is the mother of Mae Whitman.-Television roles:* 2 Stupid Dogs - Additional Voices* The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda - Additional Voices... |
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| Michael Nunes Michael Nunes Michael John Nunes is an American actor who worked for Don Bluth for a few years until Don and his partner, Gary Goldman left to work for 20th Century Fox when they began to work on the film Anastasia. He played L'il Bee in Thumbelina and Beany in The Pebble and the Penguin .-External links:... |
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| Christopher Plummer Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five... |
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| Charles Nelson Reilly Charles Nelson Reilly Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game.... |
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| Will Ryan Will Ryan Will Ryan is an American voice actor and producer–writer–composer, well-known for singing about the American West. In the late seventies he teamed up with Phil Baron as Willio and Phillio. They had regular gigs on television, radio and comedy clubs and universities throughout the US... |
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| Frank Welker Frank Welker Franklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:... |
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Further reading
- John Cawley, The Animated Films of Don Bluth, 1991, Image Publishing, ISBN 0962750853 (Out of Print)
- John Grant, Masters of Animation, 2001, Watson-Guptill Publications, ISBN 0823030415
External links
- Official site
- The Dot Eaters entry on Bluth and the development of Dragon's Lair
- Remembering NIMH An interview with Don Bluth Studios about the making of The Secret of NIMH
- Animation Legend Don Bluth Interview Part 1. Man vs. Art Episode 28 Aug. 15, 2010
- Don Bluth Interview pt. 2 plus Webcomic Diva Onezumi Hartstein. Man vs. Art Episode 29 Aug. 22, 2010)