ABSTRACT
It seems obvious and self-evident to speak of a relationship between fantasy cinema and the medium of animation. Many of the canonical works of fantasy cinema have been animated, whether in the form of the enduringly popular fairy tale adaptations produced by the Walt Disney Studio (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs [David Hand, 1937], Cinderella [Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske, 1950], Frozen [Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, 2013]), or in the recent turn towards high fantasy filmmaking in Hollywood franchises such as Harry Potter (2001–2011), The Chronicles of Narnia (2005–2010) or The Hobbit (2012–2014), which depend on the latest advancements in CGI animation. Many pioneering animators have similarly drawn from pre-existing works of fantasy fiction to expand the unique technical capabilities of the animated medium. Ray Harryhausen drew from Greek myths and legends in his stop-motion work on Jason and the Argonauts (Don Chaffey, 1963) and Clash of the Titans (Desmond Davis, 1981), as well as the folklore of the Arabian nights in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Nathan H. Juran, 1958), just as Czech experimental animator Jan Švankmajer adapted the 2works of Lewis Carroll in his 1987 film Alice. High fantasy epic Willow (Ron Howard, 1988) was the first Hollywood film to incorporate advances in digital morphing technology created by George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic company, while Steven Spielberg’s recent blockbuster The BFG (2016)— based on the 1982 fantasy novel by Roald Dahl—employs motion-capture performance techniques within its extensive armory of visual effects. Animation has continued to play an important role in defining our collective expectations and experiences of fantasy cinema, just as fantasy has often served as an inspiration throughout the rich legacies of animated filmmaking.
