PARAMOUNT CARTOONS

Asifa-Hollywood’s screening this month is for the real die-hards. I’ll be showing about a dozen 1940s-50s Paramount cartoons in 35mm Technicolor on Saturday afternoon at the AFI Campus on Western Avenue.Paramount’s cartoons – produced by the staff of Fleischer Studio veterans, under the generic name of Famous Studios – get an undeservedly bad rap. While it’s true that none of their cartoons were ever nominated for an Oscar, and that they didn’t produce a Chuck Jones or Tex Avery-like talent, nor developed a unique house style of their own (even Terrytoons did that), the Paramount shorts are slick, well produced entertainments, drawn, painted and voiced by some of the best East coast talent (including Bill Tytla, Steve Muffatti, Dave Tendlar, and Jim Tyer). It hasn’t helped their reputation that their films, if seen at all, are presented in faded worn 16mm prints.So be warned. These aren’t cartoon classics – though there is a lot of good stuff in here to be sure. If you want to just kick back and watch some good old fashioned animated mayhem – check your brain at the door and join us Saturday at 3pm at the AFI.