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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 791.4572 EAN: 9780312283834 ISBN: 0312283830 Label: St. Martin's Griffin Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 480 Publication Date: November 20, 2001 Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Studio: St. Martin's Griffin Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Although Rocky and His Friends remains the cleverest and best-loved cartoon series of the baby boom era, information about the creation of the program is notoriously hard to come by. Jay Ward declined to give interviews in his later years, key artists have died, and virtually nothing survives from the hastily organized studio in Mexico City where much of the animation was done. Despite these handicaps, Australian actor Keith Scott, the voice of Bullwinkle in the 2000 film, has assembled an impressively complete studio history. Unlike other television cartoon producers, Ward and his partner, writer and voice actor Bill Scott, insisted on making shows they thought were funny. The witty scripts, read by a cast of superb voice artists, remain as entertaining today as they were when Rocky debuted in 1959. And, as Scott documents, what occurred off-camera was often just as zany. The Coney Island Film Festival, a lavish publicity stunt to promote "Fractured Flickers," Ward's send-up of silent films, turned into a spectacular disaster when a rainstorm drenched the park--and the guests. The book has some weaknesses: there are only a few black-and-white illustrations, and Scott fails to address the impact of the cartoons--Matt Groening has frequently cited them as an influence on The Simpsons. The often repetitious text would have benefited from judicious editing. These caveats aside, The Moose That Roared will delight the legions of vociferous fans whose love for Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle, Super Chicken, Fred, and the rest of the Jay Ward characters continues, 40 years after Rocky began its initial run. Also available: the original cartoons on VHS, the large-format episode guide The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book, and Fractured Fairy Tales, updated by an Entertainment Weekly writer. --Charles Solomon Product Description: The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show featured some of the wittiest, most inspired, and relentlessly hilarious animation ever created. The legendary Jay Ward and Bill Scott produced the gleeful wonder and cumulative joy that transcended the crude drawings and occasionally muddy sound. Jay Ward was the magnificent visionary, the outrageous showman, while Bill Scott was the genial, brilliant head writer, coproducer, and all-purpose creative whirlwind. With exclusive interviews, original scripts, artwork, story notes, letters and memos, Keith Scott has written the definitive history of Jay Ward Productions. The Moose That Roared tells the story of a rare and magical relationship between two artists wildly, exuberantly ahead of their time, and a fascinating account of the struggle to bring their vision of bad puns and talking animals to unforgettable life. Average Rating:
 Rating: - A must for die-hard fansI agree with the general consensus of reviews that the book is too wordy. I'm a huge Moose And Squirrel fan, but I haven't actually managed to plow thru the whole book yet. If you have the videos of the cartoons, seen the movie with Jason Alexander and Rene Russo, and interrupt meetings at work with "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!! But that trick never works...", then you Need this book. If not, just get it from the library. That said, you just can't get this info anywhere ... Read More Rating: - And Now For Something You'll REALLY Like!Contrary to some other reviews here, I found Mr. Scott's book to be an easily readable, fascinating and fun look into the life and work of Mr. Jay Ward. Mr. Ward was a man about whom little has been written before this. Mr. Scott does an admirable job, in my opinion, of telling his story and renewing interest in his work. I, for one, will be buying every Rocky & Bullwinkle DVD there is to buy, chiefly on the strength of the memories resurrected for me by this book. Mr. Ward ... Read More Rating:  - The Moose That Snored?I really, really wanted to like this book. I was a huge fan of Jay Ward, Bill Scott and the gang who brought us Rocky and Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right and the rest. I've shopped at the Dudley Do-Right Emporium and own a Super Chicken animation cell. Unfortunately, Keith Scott's true enthusiasm for the subject matter pushes this book about 100 pages beyond what would have been a more reasonable length. I admire his pluck, but wish I had those three hours of my life ... Read More Rating: - Might overwhelm the reader on a first look; it's funnier, easier going when revisitedSome reviewers have found that Keith Scott's monumental tribute to Jay Ward Productions contains almost too much information to be easily enjoyed. The book deals with the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" TV cartoons only in part; to put the R & B phenomenon into context, Scott takes the reader back to Jay Ward's early days, then details the challenging and often harrowing path Ward took through life: a traumatic, near-fatal accident; unscrupulous business associates; impossible working conditions; constant interference ... Read More Rating:  - Good topic, terrible readIn the hands of A.J. Liebling or Jane Kramer, this would have been an excellent book. After all, the subject is superb. But being a Red Sox fan doesn't make you a good hitter, and being a Jay Ward fan doesn't make you witty. Keith Scott has no literary style. The book has none of his subject's wit. It is as if a writer tried to describe Rembrandt by telling you where he bought his paints. The book should have been edited down by at least half. Watch Jay Ward's reruns; forget this boring book. |
