Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Indie Shorts Poll

Dear readers – up until now, Pat and I have been writing our blog faithfully for your pleasure and never asked for anything in return. Well that's got to stop!


I have a request to make of you all.


I know our audience is filled with fans of animation since that's what I write about. In any case, I'm doing an unofficial poll. I want to find out what short, independently animated U.S. Films are the most popular of all time – so I'm asking all of you to make a list of your top 5 indie cartoons and send them to me. After one month of compiling these shorts, I will announce the top vote-getter right after New Year's.

Remember, they have to be made in the good ol' U.S. Of A. and they must be independent – Sadly no Tex Avery or Bob Clampett films qualify.

Below is MY list of favorite shorts – I'm not going to include Pat's or my own films since that would be too self-serving... But you can!


      1. Bambi Meets Godzilla (Marv Newland)

      2. Sinking of the Lusitannia (Winsor McCay)

      3. Billy's Balloon (Dan Hertzfeldt)

      4. Roof Sex (Pes)

      5. Asparagus (Susan Pitt)

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20 comments:

  1. UnknownDecember 1, 2010 at 7:48 PM

    here's the list i was able to pull together:

    1) Lupo the Butcher (Danny Antonucci)
    2) Rejected (Don Hertzfeld)
    3) Life in Transistion (John Dilworth)
    4) Geri’s Game (Jan Pinkava)
    5) 9 (Shane Acker)

    I'm kind of surprised that most of my favorites aren't even American, and I wanted to include them so badly!

    ReplyDelete
  2. BrubakerDecember 1, 2010 at 7:56 PM

    Here's mine:

    1. Rejected (Don Hertzfeldt)
    2. Puppet (Pat Smith)
    3. The Shooting of Dan McGrew (Ed Graham Jr.)
    4. 25 Ways to Quit Smoking (Bill Plympton)
    5. It's the Cat (Mark Kausler)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Patrick SmithDecember 1, 2010 at 8:19 PM

    -The Janitor (Vanessa Schwartz)
    -Your Face (Bill Plympton).. had to.
    -Son of Satan (JJ Villard)
    -Box Man (Nirvan Mullick)
    -The Dot and the Line (Chuck Jones).. wait.. does that count?

    didn't realize how many of my favs are'nt from US until now.. makes this very difficult.

    ReplyDelete
  4. YodaDecember 1, 2010 at 8:28 PM

    1.push comes to shove, bill plympton
    2.drink, pat smith
    not trying to flatter you guys.. just the truth.
    3.family ties, joanna quinn
    4.rejected, don hertzfeldt
    5.9, shane acker

    ReplyDelete
  5. ChrisDecember 1, 2010 at 8:35 PM

    This is super hard without being able to pick any Canadians or Pixars! So of what's left, here's mine in no order. Yep, lots of Hertzfeldt.

    1) How to Kiss (some guy named Bill Plympton)
    2) Frankfilm (Frank Mouris)
    3) Rejected (Don Hertzfeldt)
    4) Billys Balloon (Hertzfeldt)
    5) I'm so Proud of You (Hertzfeldt)

    ReplyDelete
  6. JackhalfaprayerDecember 1, 2010 at 11:19 PM

    1)The Street Sweeper - ??? French short, absolutely stunning. Hard to find. Featured on Liquid Television.
    2)Aeon Flux - "War" - Peter Chung
    3)A quoi ça sert l'amour? - Louis Clichy
    4)Niti (Strings) - Ivan Maximov
    5)Madame Tutli-Putli - Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jaime EkkensDecember 2, 2010 at 10:33 AM

    In no particular order:

    1) Santa the Fascist Years - Bill
    2) Dirty Birdy - Dilworth
    3) Meaning of Life - Herdtzfeldt
    4) Game Over - Pez
    5) War - Chung

    Other international films:
    Madame Tutlie-Putli - Lavis and Szczerbowski (Canada)
    Dreams and Desires - Quinn (Wales)
    Ryan - Landreth (Canada)

    ReplyDelete
  8. diego cumplidoDecember 2, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    I've not seen lots of indie shorts from the U.S, but here's my list:

    1) "Singles" Rebecca Sugar
    2) "Your Face" Bill Plympton
    3) "Rejected" Don Hertzfeldt
    4) "Yellow Cake" Nick Cross
    5) "Always, Only, Ever" Barbara Benas

    ReplyDelete
  9. diego cumplidoDecember 2, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    Wait, "Yellow Cake" is from Canada or the U.S?

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownDecember 2, 2010 at 3:04 PM

    I just realized that "Lupo the Butcher" is a canadian short film! Again, why is it so hard to find ones in america?!

    So I'll replace it with "Eat" by Bill Plympton (its made such an impact that I use it as influence on my work, not directly though).

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousDecember 2, 2010 at 8:29 PM

    MADAME TUTLI-PUTLI!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcdzdHoDvkg

    ReplyDelete
  12. roconnorDecember 3, 2010 at 3:27 PM

    Great question, Bill.

    And a tough one to answer.

    1) Eggs -John Hubley
    2) Joy Street -Suzan Pitt
    3) Enter Hamlet -Fred Mogubgub
    4) Son of Satan -J.J. Villard
    5) Sinking of the Luisitania -McKay

    Coming in close:
    Unicorn in the Garden (UPA, doesn't count), Abraham & Issac (Blechman -with a great Pete Seeger soundtrack), The Critic (Pintoff), Bridgehampton (Canemaker), The Further Adventures of Uncle Sam (Mitchell/Case), Evil of Dracula (Colburn), Frank Film (Frank Morris)... Must stop with runners up... too many great...films...

    ReplyDelete
  13. The SoDakDecember 5, 2010 at 12:23 AM

    Yikes - a tough one indeed..today they'd be - in no particular order:

    1.Learn Self Defense, Chris Harding
    2.Bambi Meets Godzilla, Marv Newland
    3.Western Spaghetti, PES
    4.25 Ways to Quit Smoking, Bill Plympton
    5.Space War, Christy Karacas

    ReplyDelete
  14. jcDecember 5, 2010 at 8:20 AM

    billy's balloon don hertzfeldt
    drink pat smith
    roof sex pes
    son of satan jj villard
    your face bill plympton

    ReplyDelete
  15. NateDecember 8, 2010 at 7:18 PM

    Your Face, Bill Plympton
    Mister Smile, Fran Krause
    Billy's Balloon, Don Hertzfeldt
    The Dirdy Birdy, John Dilworth
    Bar Fight, Christy Karacas & Stephen Warbrick

    In case any of these don't qualify my next choices are:

    Game Over, Pes
    War, Peter Chung

    This is a great idea, by the way. It's exposing me to some films I hadn't seen.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lee Marvin NewlandDecember 12, 2010 at 2:29 AM

    Dear Bill and Patrick,

    Is this where we list our 5 favourite, independent animated short films?

    FURTHER ADVENTURES OF UNCLE SAM, Bob Mitchell/Dale Case
    YOUR FACE, Bill Plympton
    FURIES, Sara Petty
    WORMHOLES, Stephen Hillenburg
    IT'S THE CAT, Mark Kausler

    Please put Oscar Grillo's blog site on your list:
    www.grillomation.blogspot.com

    Marv Newland

    ReplyDelete
  17. LINDA kDecember 14, 2010 at 11:30 PM

    1) Milton - Mike Judge
    2) 9 - Shane Acker
    3) Rejected - Don Hertzfeld
    4) Bambi Vs Godzilla - Marv Newland
    5) Billy's Balloon - Don Hertzfeld

    ReplyDelete
  18. DezsterJanuary 4, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    1) Feed the Kitty - Merrie Melodies
    2) Billy's Balloon - Don Hertfeld
    3) Roof Sex - PES
    4) Man/Dog Discussion - Dan Haskett, Sesame Street
    5) Down to the Bone - Peter Ahern

    ReplyDelete
  19. jessicaJanuary 7, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    SALLY CRUIKSHANK - Quasi at the Quackadero
    FRAN KRAUSE - Mister Smile
    DON HERTZFELDT - Everything Will be OK
    PES - Western Spaghetti

    ReplyDelete
  20. Indian PharmacyDecember 20, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    I think that we have to talk about the relevance of Winsor McCay as his works in Little Nemo in Slumberland .McCay's pioneering early animated films far outshone the work of his contemporaries, and set a standard followed by Walt Disney

    ReplyDelete