Animated Features Before Snow White(Part 1)

Although it has often times been called the first animated feature, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs was actually the ninth animated feature. Snow White still remains one of the most important films in animation history, and a true masterpiece. What I am doing here is not trying to take away from the importance of Snow White but rather to call attention to these historically, and often times artistically important films that deserve more attention.

 The first two animated features, El Apostol (1917) and Without a Trace (1918) are unfortunately both lost films. Both are from Argentina and directed by Quirino Cristiani. Both films were political satires featuring both traditional and cutout animation. Sadly because these films are lost there is not much more to say about these films. This helps show the importance of film preservation.

In 1926 the earliest existing animated feature film was released, and it is a masterpiece. This is The Adventures of Prince Achmed, directed by Lotte Reiniger.  This film was made using silhouette animation, which is animation in which the characters are only visible through black silhouette, in this movie that is accomplished through cardboard cutouts. Collaborating with Lotte Reiniger on this film are Berthold Bartosch (Who in 1932 would make a masterpiece of an animated short called The Idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ2jRrSb5QA), Carl Kosh (assistant director on 1937's La Grande Illusion), and Walter Ruttman (director of Berlin: Symphony of a Great City and assistant director on Triumph of The Will). This film is a very loose adaptation of 1001 Arabian Knights. The animation still remains quite impressive today, and often times down-right beautiful. The story while fairly simple is engaging and entertaining. This is not just a film to view for historical reasons, but also because it is a very good movie that has held up to the test of time.

 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fke4p

The fourth animated feature film is another lost film. This film is Peludópolis. It is another Argentinian film directed by Quirino Cristiani. This film is also another political satire. Released in 1931, this is the first animated feature film with sound.  

...To be continued

-Michael J. Ruhland