Animation
Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model, and then photographing the result. When the frames are strung together and the resulting film is viewed at a speed of 16 or more frames per second, there is an illusion of continuous movement (due to the persistence of vision). Generating such a film is very labour intensive and tedious, though the development of computer animation has greatly sped up the process.
Here Alice has assembled all the very best of this craft; scroll below alphabetically or search using the sub-categories in green on the left. 'Family Animation', 'Classic Animation', 'Cult Animation' or 'JapanAnime'.
Right: Nick Park's endearing Wallace and Gromit.
The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
6.9/10
Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Gonzo the Great, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Joan Rivers, Art Carney, James Coc...
Fresh out of drama school, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and the entire cast of Kermit's musical - "Manhattan Melodies" - head for the Big Apple with plans to t... Read more
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)
5.3/10
Director: Kirk R Thatcher
Starring: Ashanti , Jeffrey Tambor, Queen Latifah, David Alan Grier, Quentin Tarantino, M...
The muppets take on the Yellow Brick Road with Ashanti as Dorothy, Queen Latifah as Aunt Em and David Alan Grier as Uncle Henry. When Dorothy lands i... Read more
The Mysterious Cities of Gold (1996)
8.8/10
One of the best-loved animation series' of the last 30 years, 'Mysterious Cities of Gold' was a French/Japanese collaboration, was dubbed into English... Read more
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005)
7.8/10
Director: Anthony Lucas
Set in a world of iron airships, this stunning silhouette animation tells the story of Jasper Morello, a disgraced aerial navigator who flees his plag... Read more
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
8/10
Director: Henry Selick
Starring: Danny Elfman, Paul Reubens, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara
A wonderfully bizarre and visually stunning Yuletide treat from Tim Burton, who uses stop-motion animation to tell the story of Jack Skellington, the... Read more
The Nine Lives Of Fritz The Cat (1974)
5.4/10
Director: Robert Taylor
Starring: Skip Hinnant, Reva Rose, Voices Of, Bob Holt
This sequel to the notorious original finds the hippie feline in the '70s. Now on welfare with a nagging wife, he smokes dope for escape, and fantasiz... Read more
The Nutcracker Prince (1991)
6.8/10
Director: Paul Schibli
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Phyllis Diller, Peter O'Toole, Voices Of
The Nutcracker (the voice of Kiefer Sutherland) was a young prince who was turned to wood when the evil Mousequeen (the voice of Phyllis Diller) cast... Read more
The Original Pink Panther Cartoon Collection (1964)
Director: Various
Starring: Mel Blanc
Thanks to a last minute hunch of Blake Edward's and the DePatie-Freleng animation team, the suave, sophisticated and literal feline, the 'Pink Panther... Read more
The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)
6.7/10
Director: Peter Lord
Starring: Hugh Grant, Imelda Staunton, Jeremy Piven, David Tennant, Martin Freeman
Fun-filled computer-animated adventure from Aardman ('Wallace and Gromit", "Chicken Run") focuses on the Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant), an ine... Read more
The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists! (Blu-ray) (2012)
6.7/10
Director: Peter Lord
Starring: Hugh Grant, Imelda Staunton, Jeremy Piven, David Tennant, Martin Freeman
Fun-filled computer-animated adventure from Aardman ('Wallace and Gromit", "Chicken Run") focuses on the Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant), an ine... Read more