Customer Reviews

Doing Their Bit: Wartime American Animated Short Films, 1939-1945

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This book is a must for anyone interested in animation history, because it focuses primarily on Hollywood cartoons produced during the years surrounding World War II. All the major studios, from Disney to Warners produced animated cartoons that in some way or another touched on the European conflict, and stepped up production when the war approached their native soil.

The cartoons would often be morale boosters for those who had family fighting the war, and topical humor would be found in cartoons poking fun at Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito, although many would also make light of situations on the home front - women in the work force, rationing, war bonds, etc.

Complete essays discussing different periods of WWII give examples of the rise of wartime references and their eventual disappearance when the war ended. A very thorough list of cartoons is featured with plot summaries and notes of what type of topical references appear in the films.

Reading this book gives one a surprising look at the social impact of cartoons produced during these years, and since many of these cartoons contain what are considered nowadays racial caricatures, it is certain to make you look at cartoon animation in a whole different perspective from much of the tripe that passes for animation today. If you own books by Leonard Maltin or Jerry Beck, this is a perfect companion.

I am an avid History of Animation educator. I love reading and learning about the Hollywood studios of the 30's and 40's to see how thier studios worked and animated. This book was incredibly inspiring and informational. It has a nice range of studios depicted in the time period and how each contributed to the war effort. The book selects multiple cartoons from this era and explains the hidden use of propaganda in the shorts. It also depicts what the animators and studio teams had to go through to even work on the shorts! Absolutely amazing, greatly filled with information.

Brilliant book. It arrived earlier than expected......and by coincidence it was the author who mailed it to me; so that's a bonus. Excellent!