Adult Animation Revolution: New Documentary Spotlights ‘The Forgotten Story Of UPA’
by Tito W. James
Animation Mavericks: The Forgotten Story of UPA is a documentary directed by Kevin Schreck about the origin of the innovative legacy of UPA animation. The studio’s use of minimalism and abstraction influenced legendary cartoon creators like Genndy Tartakovsky and Craig McCracken. Artists of any discipline can learn from UPA that less is more. The documentary also covers the clash between animation studios in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. The anti-Communist McCarthyism UPA faced has disturbing parallels to contemporary cartoons caught in the crossfire of the culture war. Much like Pencils Vs Pixels, which showcased the bygone beauty of hand drawn feature animation, Animation Mavericks seeks to spotlight the experimentation, brilliance, and charm of UPA.
