McCay Movie Reviews

Gertie the Dinosaur:
One of the first bit of animation that we watched. To start it was nothing special. The live action part of the animation wasn't that great. I understand that its used to explain to the audience of yesteryear how animation came along. It seemed like really cheesy, bad comedy that went on for a bit but it was the animation that we were waiting for.

The Animation, as you can see is very well done and detailed but I did feel that the looping went on for to long. For example, just try and count how many times Gertie does that dance thing. Its a lot and I get the feeling that it was used to extend the time. Mind you, back in the day, wouldn't he have had to draw the animation frames separately?

The Sinking of the Lusitania:
This one was very different then the ones we saw before as it followed a much more sombre story that doesn't in anyway give it self to a comedic approach.

The animation is a lot more striking in this piece that the others by Winsor McCay. The smoke effect in the piece is fantastic. I still watch it back thinking 'did he really draw that smoke?'. Its a tragic piece of cinema about a tragic event in history. The sad thing is, I had never heard of this event till now.

Little Nemo:
And we end Winsor McCay with his very first piece: Little Nemo (No, not the fish) I can't really gather a story around this piece or who the hell Nemo is but its great to watch none the less:

96. 96 years ago this was made. The fact that this animation was produced so long, cements Winsor McCay as a great animator. As I said before, I can't get a story out of it but the movement and the transformation of the characters is brilliant. It really catches the essence of animation.