28th Annie Awards Presented This November

By Steve Fritz     October 16, 2000

About a month back I ranted about the Emmy Awards. The fact is, the entertainment industry always treats animation as a red-headed stepchild. This is in spite of the fact that half the top ten box office films, as well as the longest running sitcom, are all animated.

The proof is when it's award time. I'll have a heart attack if THE SIMPSONS ever wins an Emmy for Best Comedy. I'll be in my grave before an animated feature film wins an Oscar for Best Picture (and I come from a particularly long-lived family). In my opinion, it was a momentary lapse of good taste when Chuck Jones won a lifetime achievement award from the Academy, and Oscar is not known for good taste.

As such, the animation industry takes care of its own. About 50 years ago, the cineastes of France formed an organization called ASIFA. Translated, it means the International Animated Film Society. Two very strong chapters developed in the United States, one in New York City, the other in Hollywood. Put simply, anyone who's anybody in animation belongs to this society. Every year the Hollywood chapter presents an award simply called the Annie, and it's a prized possession on any animator's shelf. There's some very worthy entries in this year's 28th Annie Award presentation.

Time and space doesn't permit me to go over all 30 different categories one can win an Annie for. I will do the highlights. This is as good a way to review the year so far as any.

Here goes:

Category #1: Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Home Video Production

SCOOBY-DOO AND THE WITCH'S GHOST - Hanna Barbera-Warner Bros. Animation
STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS WAKKO'S WISH - Warner Bros. Animation
BARTOK THE MAGNIFICENT - 20th Century Fox Animation
MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS - Walt Disney Television Animation
AN EXTREMELY GOOFY MOVIE - Walt Disney Television Animation

Probably the weakest category in this field. I can think of a few Japanese entries that could have blown any of these nominees off the map. That said, I'll give it to the Goof. At least he was good for some solid 'larfs.'

Category #2: Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature

FANTASIA 2000 - Walt Disney Pictures
TOY STORY 2 - Walt Disney Pictures-Pixar Animation Studios
THE ROAD TO EL DORADO - Dreamworks SKG
CHICKEN RUN - Pathe, Aardman & Dreamworks SKG
TITAN A.E. - 20th Century Fox Animation

Where the home video front was awful, this group is exceptional. I'd have replaced ROAD TO EL DORADO with Michel Ocelot's superb KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS. Push coming to shove though, I'm giving it to Don Bluth's TITAN A.E. It was an astounding science fiction experience and included a number of incredible scenes I probably won't forget for a long, long time. But if TOY STORY 2 or CHICKEN RUN get it, I won't complain.

Category #7: Outstanding Achievement in a Daytime Animated Television Program

RECESS - Walt Disney Television Animation
ANGRY BEAVERS - Nickelodeon Animation Studios
BATMAN BEYOND - Warner Bros. Animation
WARNER BROS' HISTERIA! - Warner Bros. Animation
MICKEY MOUSEWORKS - Wait Disney Television Animation

A mixed bag here. BATMAN BEYOND, MICKEY MOUSEWORKS and the much underrated RECESS all deserve nods. I'm just sitting here wondering what happened to such entries as STARSHIP TROOPERS, BEAST MACHINES, MEN IN BLACK and BIG GUY & RUSTY, among many others. Heck, Nickelodeon alone has at least a dozen better entries than BEAVERS, ranging from Bill Cosby's LITTLE BILL to the ever-entertaining RUGRATS. And where the hell is ANGELA ANACONDA? This year I'm giving it to RECESS. Check the show out if you haven't yet.

Category #8: Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Program

THE PJ'S - Imagine Television-Will Vinton Studios
FUTURAMA - The Curiosity Co.-20th Century Fox Television
THE SIMPSONS - Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox Television
DEXTER'S LABORATORY - Hanna-Barbera
SPY GROOVE - MTV Animation

Another outstanding category. I would also make room for SOUTH PARK, JOHNNY BRAVO, THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, KING OF THE HILL and a number of others. Even when I'm pushed against the wall, I'd have to split my vote between THE PJ'S and FUTURAMA. But I have no problems with any of the shows in this category.

Category #13: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Television Production

Alf Clausen (Music) - THE SIMPSONS - 'Behind the Laughter'
Dan Sawyer & Fred Newman (Songwriters) - PB&J OTTER - 'Hope Castle'
Walter Murphy (Music) - FAMILY GUY - 'Dammit Janet'
Richard Stone, Steve Bernstein, Julie Bernstein Gordon L. Goodwin & Timothy Kelly (Composers) - WARNER BROS' HISTERIA! - 'Big Fat Baby Theatre'
Stephen James Taylor (Composer) - MICKEY MOUSEWORKS - 'Halloween'

An easy choice only because there's only one choice. Where's Mark Mothersbaugh? What about John Loeffler of POKEMON? Or Shirley Walker of BATMAN BEYOND? The only true heavyweight in this group is the perennial champion Alf Clausen. Guess who gets my vote?

Category #14: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production

James Newton Howard (Music) - DINOSAUR
Randy Newman (Composer, Songs and Music) - TOY STORY 2
Hans Zimmer, John Powell-Elton John & Tim Rice (Music) - THE ROAD TO EL DORADO
Richard Stone, Steve Bernstein, Julie Bernstein, Gordon L. Goodwin & Timothy Kelly (Composers) - STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS WAKKO'S WISH
Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman (Words and Music) - 'Round My Family Tree' - THE TIGGER MOVIE

Another easy selection more due to what's missing as opposed to what's there. For instance, it's one of the few categories for which I would have given a nod to HEAVY METAL 2000. I'll give it to the Sherman brothers for THE TIGGER MOVIE. Randy Newman, my only other consideration, wrote one great new song for TOY STORY 2, and the rest was retread. Based on what's left, 'Round My Family Tree' shines in comparison.

Category #19: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television Production

Garland Testa - KING OF THE HILL - 'Aisle 8A'
Robert Goodman - BATMAN BEYOND - 'Zeta'
Steve Young - OLIVE, THE OTHER REINDEER
Chris Savino - THE POWERPUFF GIRLS - 'Dream Scheme'

I'm casting my vote for OLIVE. It was a witty little X-Mas special produced by Matt Groening and Drew Barrymore(!) that deserved more attention than it got. As far as I'm concerned, all the other nominees had better shows than the ones that were selected. There were also a number of other shows that also had better written single episodes. So it goes.

Category #20: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production

John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Ash Brannon, et. al. - TOY STORY 2
Karey Kirkpatrick - CHICKEN RUN
M. Night Shyamalan & Greg Booker - STUART LITTLE

What truly impresses me is that while TOY STORY 2 needed a small army of writers, CHICKEN RUN only employed one. That said, give it to Kirkpartrick for one of the most exceptionally funny, witty, well written scripts of the last year.

Category #21: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Feature Production

Della Reese - Eema of DINOSAUR
Joan Cusack - Jessie of TOY STORY 2
Tress MacNeille - Dot of STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS WAKKO'S WISH

Normally, I'd never vote for a regular Hollywood actor 'slumming' in the animation world. On the other hand, Cusack's work as Jessie was truly exceptional. Also, I can think of a number of other roles MacNeille's been in that deserve wider recognition. Also, where's the like of Julie Kavner, E.G. Daly or the queen herself, June Foray?

Category #22: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production

Tim Allen - Buzz Lightyear of TOY STORY 2
Armand Assante - Tzekel-Kan of THE ROAD TO EL DORADO
Maurice LaMarche - The Brain of STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS WAKKO'S WISH
Bill Farmer - Goofy in AN EXTREMELY GOOFY MOVIE
Nikita Hopkins - Roo in THE TIGGER MOVIE

The biggest omission is Mark Hamill for his work on Miyazaki's CASTLE IN THE SKY. He would have gotten my vote in a heartbeat. That said, I'll give it to Farmer, who's the true heir to Pinto Gervis as the voice of the Goof.

Category #23: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production

Brittany Murphy - Luanne Platter of KING OF THE HILL
Kathleen Barr - Wheezie of DRAGON TALES
Tress MacNeille - The World's Oldest Woman of WARNER BROS' HISTERIA!
Christine Cavanaugh - Dexter of DEXTER'S LABORATORY
April Winchel - Ms. Finster - RECESS

Another category with more notable exceptions than what's presented. Still, I admire the work of Cavanaugh. Give it to her.

Category #24: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production

Mike Judge - Hank Hill of KING OF THE HILL
David Warner - Ra's Al Ghul of THE NEW BATMAN-SUPERMAN ADVENTURES
Dan Castellaneta - The Postman in OLIVE, THE OTHER REINDEER
Jason Michas - Zak of DRAGON TALES

A lot of major missing names, among them Charlie Adler (Cow, Chicken, Baboon and the Red Guy), Hank Azaria (half the cast of THE SIMPSONS or seems like it), Mark Hamill and Seth McFarlane (Peter, Brian and Huey in FAMILY GUY). That said, I'm splitting my vote between Castelleneta and Judge. Either will do.

JURIED AWARDS

JUNE FORAY AWARD: Linda Simensky, Cartoon Network

This is the lady who's primarily responsible for selecting all those great original shows on Cartoon Network. Before that, she brought the likes of REN & STIMPY, RUGRATS and DOUG among many other shows to Nickelodeon. She's a true fan of animation, with an incredible eye for budding young animation talent. Hard to argue this choice.

WINSOR MCCAY AWARD:

Norman McCabe: A 65-year veteran who was one of the first directors at Looney Tunes, McCabe also worked for Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, DePatie-Freleng, Marvel and Warner Bros. Television Animation. While McCabe never did anything truly exceptional, longevity has to count for something. No gripes here.

Hoyt Curtin: This is the man who composed just about every memorable song or theme for Hanna-Barbera from the 1950s to the 1990s. Among Curtain's credits are the themes THE FLINTSTONES, THE JETSONS, SPACE GHOST, TOP CAT and JONNY QUEST. He was also one of the first TV composers to utilize the Moog synthesizer.

Lucille Bliss: One of the most versatile voice actresses in the business, Bliss vocally created hundreds of characters. Her most notable roles were Crusader Rabbittelevision's first animated starand Smurfette in THE SMURFS.

The Annies will be presented at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 11. For more information, you can check out the ASIFA-Hollywood Website.