Marv Newland: visionary.
I’d been thinking about Marv Newland lately because I was talking to Dan Meth and Lee Rubenstein about his innovative film Anijam, which featured Marv’s original character Foska interpreted by 22 directors. We did a lot of work together in the 80s, and it got me to thinking about what a complete visionary he is.
As a director Marv’s an original. Everyone knows Bambi Meets Godzilla, his very first film (what a way to start!). A unique and relentlessly provocative point of view inhabits every piece he does. (One of my faves: Sing Beast Sing, with a soundtrack by Chicago blues singer Willie Mabon.) And who else could have brought Gary Larson’s The Far Side to film with more a more perfect touch?
As an artist, every drawing Marv does is funny, quirky, and original. As I look over pencil drawings I’ve collected of his over the years I realize he just can’t help himself.
And as a producer? Marv’s the champion. Need I say much more than Danny Antonucci’s Lupo the Butcher or J. Falconer’s Dog Brain? Or dozens of others?
The more I thought about it the more upset I was that most of Marv’s work wasn’t on contemporary video anywhere. So, I’m thinking we should start Channel Frederator DVD just to rectify the situation.
Check Marv Newland out whenever you can. He’s the greatest.
–Fred
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On August 20th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I wouldn’t have found out about Marv, if Frank Terry, our dean of Animation over at Calarts, wouldn’t have loaned me his copy of Anijam. Which, coincidentally Frank participated in.
Marv has done some awesome work.
-jx!
On August 21st, 2006 at 12:00 am
Marv rocks. I saw him and his “Ancient Animated Commercials” show at FMX in Stuttgart this Spring. He’s also a Luddite, with no email and no web presence. It’d be great if Frederator released a Marv DVD, and even better if there were some way to watch excerpts and/or see artwork online.
On August 21st, 2006 at 12:00 am
You know Nina, he’s driving me crazy with this no email thing because it makes it harder to post his artwork. But I’m calling him right now to get some, and I’m going to scan some that I have and post it tonight or tomorrow. And darn it! We *will* release the DVD, I can almost promise you that right now. (Almost, because, of course, I better ask Marv first.)
On August 22nd, 2006 at 12:00 am
Marv is one of my heros. I was actually lucky enough to be instructed by him. I was in total awe when I met him. I was also lucky to see his film Tete a Tete a Tete before it had sound. Not many people around like him! He truely is the greatest.
On September 27th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Just to clarify what Steve said, “there are not many people around like him”, cause we all know Marv rocks our boat like no other. I read that wrong the 1st time and know how Steve feels about Marv, so I had to make certain it was taken right. I also had the pleasure of having Marv as an instructor, in Steve’s same class none-the-less. His existence has kept my dreams of meaningful animation alive.
On September 9th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I hope you can do a DVD, since I can’t really lend folks my Laserdisc of “The Rocketship Reel” anymore: nobody but me has anything it’ll play on, and just raving about his stuff doesn’t do much good…
On September 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Oh, I’ll love to use the books, animation desks, art supplies, production equipment and other assorted strange goodies for The Old Mill Film Club’s New Animation and Visual Effects Department. It will be located in the halls of Old Mill High School, located at 600 Patriot Lane in
Millersville, MD. To Contact Me, Call (410) 987-2549, or send a letter to timgeocity@hotmail.com. and to contact The School call (410) 969-9010. Thanks!
On September 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
And Oh, One more thing, Marv. Donate two copies of Phil Tippett’s 10-minute experimental film, Prehistoric Beast and the 1985 CBS TV Christopher Reeve special, Dinosaur! to me.
On September 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
oh viva fisa!
On September 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Marv is one of the truest doods I have ever met. His appreciation of fresh design inspired me to push my animated work using my own style and not give a hoot what anyone thinks. We need more Marvs to keep this industry fresh. Marv is seriously the best
On September 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am
one of the main reasons that the ottawa animfest is so great is it gives you all a chance to remind yourself WHY you got into this industry in the first place AND to see people you know, love and admire - that puts Marv on thre top of my list. i get to see him about every ten years or so, and each time it’s as though no time has passed. y’know he’s mad - no one holds onto that level of enthusiasm without a healthy affliction of insanity. . .
On October 27th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Being reminded I loved “Sing Beast Sing”, not only for it’s timing, but because the beast was named after the town I grew up in.
“The Rocketship Reel” cover you’re showing in the blog is actually the Parade Video re-release from ‘97 (most of Parade’s titles were often excercise/fitness vids of limited appeal, though they did bother going the extra effort in bringing over a few episodes of the “Force Five” crap that would only appeal to the hardcore anime fan who remembers how silly those dubs were). That was the tape I once had too (and bought at Musicland that no longer exist these days). Early on there had been a different VHS release that might’ve been provided by International Rocketship themselves, as well as a LaserDisc through Lumivision.
Being reminded of seeing “Bambi Meets Godzilla” on a dozen VHS tapes over the years, from blooper compilations to a nice front-end to the crappy “Godzilla: 1985″ tape. Of course with the net, the film can find a second life through the newbies that might discover it like anything else.
Shame Marv is that hard to reach. I would’ve loved asking him to sign a cel of The Toledo Mung Beast I bought off eBay a while back. That was worth every penny!
On May 13th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
[…] and Panel Coordinator) and put neat bow on things, she’s worked a lot with our great friend Marv Newland at International Rocketship. Del.icio.us!Digg This!Facebook!reddit!Stumble […]
On May 13th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
[…] about filmmaker Marv Newland several times over the past year got us in phone touch for the first time in the 21st Century and […]