Remember Claymation? All those Will Vinton creations from the 1980s and ’90s? Vinton’s clay creations were heavily ingrained in pop culture, from the California Raisins to The PJs. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he and his puppets disappeared. So what caused the downfall of a studio that produced so many memorable shorts, shows, and movies? Claydream promises to answer that questions.
The Glamour & The Squalor writer/director Marq Evans brings together Bill Plympton and the artists of Will Vinton’s studio to discuss the career of the late stop-motion magician. Did commercial success lead to the downfall? The trailer points to that possibility. Claydream has been playing at various festivals and cinemas, but this trailer makes me think it will soon be available via VOD. Altitude Films uploaded the trailer earlier this month but failed to list a release date. So all we know right now is that Claydream is “coming soon.”
A modern-day Walt Disney, Will Vinton picked up a ball of clay and saw a world of potential. Known as the “Father of Claymation,” Vinton revolutionised the animation business during the 80s and 90s. But after 30 years of being the unheralded king of clay, Will Vinton’s carefully sculpted American dream came crumbling down.
A lot of Vinton’s works can be found on YouTube, at least in part. The Claymation Christmas, East, and Halloween specials are available on a DVD, but the quality isn’t the best. Why no Blu-rays? Maybe there’s a rights issue that’s covered in the documentary. Will Vinton’s amazing but somewhat depressing The Adventures of Mark Twain can be streamed on Prime Video. The animated segments from Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker are pretty easy to find without sitting through the rather dull documentary segments.
Thankfully, my favorite Will Vinton special was the Claymation Comedy of Horrors is online:
Which was your favorite? Let us know below.
[Source: Altitude Films]ClownfishTV.com strives to be an apolitical, balanced and based pop culture news outlet. However, our contributors are entitled to their individual opinions. Author opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of our video hosts, other site contributors, site editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. This website contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. We disclaim products or services we have received for review purposes, as well as sponsored posts.
