BOOKS
- Crafton, Donald. Before Mickey: The Animated Film, 1898-1928. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993. (Davis NC1765.C7 1993)
Crafton addresses the "prehistory" of animation, beginning at the turn of the century during the silent film era and ending where many other treatments begin — the advent of sound in motion pictures and the birth of Mickey Mouse. Written in a more academic tone than other books listed here, the discussion can sometimes read dryly. But all in all, the author manages to translate the wonder that audiences must have experienced at the first sight of these early animated pictures. - Solomon, Charles. Enchanted Drawings: The History of Animation. New York: Knopf, 1989. (Davis Folio NC1765.S63 1989)
Loaded with color illustrations and photo plates, this "coffee-table" volume provides a thorough discussion of the history of cartoon movies mostly in terms of Hollywood. That is, the author concentrates on developments related to popular, widely distributed films with commercial appeal. - Goldmark, Daniel B. and Taylor, Yuval (ed.), The Cartoon Music Book. Chicago: A Capella, 2002. (Music ML2075 .C36 2002)
Through a series of historic and contemporary essays, interviews and republished newspaper and magazine articles, this book provides unique perspectives on the challenges, accomplishments and appreciation for musical compositions created specifically for animated film soundtracks. - Maltin, Leonard. Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons. New York: New American Library, 1987. (Davis PN1997.5.M3 1987)
While Maltin's text is painfully free of criticism, the book nevertheless provides a solid overview of each of the leading Hollywood animation studios from the 1920s to the 1960s. Each chapter is devoted to a different production company and its characters, artists and achievements. - Smoodin, Eric. Animating Culture: Hollywood Cartoons From the Sound Era. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1993. (Davis NC1776.U5 S66 1993)
Author Smoodin is an English professor, and as such, his take on animated short films is an academic one. Rather than focusing discussion squarely on the artists, writers and motion-picture industry, the author uses animation as a lens to examine subjects of politics, gender and social class. While this source can sometimes be a tough read, it is worthwhile for its unique perspective on how cartoons reflect societal trends.
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