John Carter Of Mars

[sugarraykirk]

What a shame this was never completed. The books are great fun.

[TheHampton14]

This looks freakin awesome! Why wasnt it released?!?

[KronnangDunn]

I love this. But I understand why it didn't stick with the suits. It was waaaay to advanced for its time. Would have been LEGENDARY had it been released...

[TwitchWasHere]

so cool. :D

[EuropeanAnimation]

It's interesting to see this sort of primitive real looking people in animation. In the 30's they seemed to be quite simple, in a way that few are inspired to imitate. In the 40's there's more people who are overwrought and haphazardly animated with jarringly inconsistent details.

[daregularperson]

@EuropeanAnimation I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean in the 30s and 40s, people looked "cartoony"? And it seems like you are demeaning 30's and 40s animation - correct me if I'm wrong, but your comment is hard for me to decipher at this late hour.

[EuropeanAnimation]

@daregularperson The attempts at the most realistic looking human characters in 30's and 40's animation were crude compared to later attempts. Call it demeaning if you like, they simply didn't have the experience to do it very well. Here, a 30's attempt, and the characters are rubbery, approximating people as primitive anatomy figures. Later attempts in the 40's I've seen are more distinctive with more crudely done, individualized anatomy.

[daregularperson]

@EuropeanAnimation Ah, ok, gotcha. Thanks for offering a clarification. :)

[EuropeanAnimation]

@daregularperson I think it looks good viewed for its time period and wish that it had gotten made. When I call it crude, I'm comparing it with other sensible efforts, not crappy rotoscoped ones like Ralph Bakshi's. Bakshi should have known better by that time period.

[daregularperson]

@EuropeanAnimation Haha, yeah, Ralph Bakshi has done some crappy rotoscoping - he usually seems focused on grittiness and double on cheapness anyway. As for this particular clip, they do at least seem to be moving fluidly, although not too lifelike.

[jay55also]

@EuropeanAnimation With Bob Clampett's work,I think you would have to compare this stuff with the original Superman cartoons of the 1940's by fleischer ,like the Popeye cartoons and the Gulliver's Travels feature animated movie.

[Porly62]

This looks fucking amazing...The color-palette, the animations...brilliant.

[rockhammer85]

They should still do an animated version of the books - and stick at it. That's really the only creative form besides prose that could do the adventures justice and capture their magical other-worldliness.

A film will only overreach itself with charmless, blatantly synthetic CGI, and resort to every little modern action cliche from the stubbly, sweaty, intense lead, to every fight having crappy, rapid-fire-editing and middle-of-an-earthquake camera-work.

[peopleintrees]

stunning!

[LuvRemyanJack]

wish they would've got to finish the project. oh well, good news is TAYLOR KITSCH is gonna play john carter in 'john carter of mars' when its released in 2012. this is gonna be good!

[crazymoron010]

was at the movie set today, got a leaked pic of it. no big deal or anything

[flapdoodle64]

This was made the same year as the 1st Flash Gordon serial. The 2nd serial was made in 1938 and for some reason, Universal studios moved Flash Gordon from planet Mongo to Mars. I suspect Universal wanted to steal the Fleishers' thunder.

[o82774]

The rotoscope looks awful. American animators should know how to draw without depending on tracing or direct reference. Anime has its flaws but at least they DRAW.

[Mysterwright]

@o82774 Your comment makes no sense. You're comparing apples to oranges. Did they make Anime at that time? No. Who inspired Astro Boy? Mickey Mouse. He's even considered the Mickey Mouse of Japan. if its awful, its because its just a mock up. Its not a finished cel fit for production. They presented this for a meeting.

[o82774]

@Mysterwright

What you say is true. BUT dependency on rotoscope is a sure sign of an inability to DRAW. Certainly not being able to draw is a hndicapp that ineveitable gurantees an inferior product.

That being said there has been beautiful rotoscope animation but I still consider it inferior to their drawn couterparts.

[EjPwned]

They are producing a movie out of this...

[nicktheofficeninja]

@EjPwned Pixar is not producing a film from that. They're producing a film based on the books. What you saw there was Bob Clampett's attempt to make an animated film based on the John Carter of Mars series. It's like the old Fleisher's version of Superman. Have you seen those?

[Ramubay]

The technology and censorship prevented an accurate film version until most recently, however so many filmmakers have stolen major scenes (George Lucas, James Cameron, Ridley Scott, etc...) that most people today would call it a rip off of Star Wars or Avatar.

[totoro1591]

Yeah... the original is ripping off the rip off... people can be so short-sighted... really looking forward to the new movie set for 2012 release...

[Ramubay]

@totoro1591 Its difficult because ERB's books mentions "cruisers", "Jeddas", and a mostly naked princess sitting at the feet of what is described in the book to be very similar to Jabba the Hut. The Princess of Mars introduces Avatars in what would be a horror film if they ever got around to that one. Its difficult for people who haven't read them to get how this is all in a backdrop of Gladiator contests and still only scratch the surface of the content. I still don't think it can be filmed.

[totoro1591]

@Ramubay Well they're sure going to make a try, and I for one hope they don't fall on their faces... and they are making it PG-13 so I don't think it will be too censored from the original...

[Ramubay]

@totoro1591 True. They are spending 250 million on this and planning a trilogy. The Avatar people are doing some FX. By all accounts this is a full blown effort in the vein of Lord of the Rings which surprised me. The director is a fan of the books and what I have read the story line is as close as one can hope (they are keeping the Civil War time frame thankfully).

[totoro1591]

@Ramubay Yeah... like I said; It really looks like it's going to be good. There was an interview somewhere with Mark Strong (he's awesome) about playing the villain in the movie... he said something about Andrew Stanton (director of the movie) seeing Avatar and probably really wanting to 1-up them... as integral as he's been at pixar I think he can do it.

[Ralokone]

@totoro1591 i cant say that it will be hard to one up avatar

but there is the risk tht the giant aliens, and the multilimbed animals will raise the red flag in people, thus calling john carter a rip off.

despite the fact that a princess of mars will be hundred years old by the time the movie comes out

thats not a joke, the book is damned near that old.

i refuse to believe james cameron cobbled together avatar in anything less than a weekend

[totoro1591]

@Ralokone I agree completely! And people need to read more books... Avatar is more of a rip off of Ferngully than anything else... as for ignorance... sometimes funny, but also tragic... kinda like how nobody knows how vastly different the OZ books are from the 1939 movie...

[Ralokone]

@totoro1591 i believe it is likely that avatar will be exposed for the fraud that it is when JCOM comes out, when everyone points out how much of a ripoff it isnt

didnt much care for the 1939 movie of oz, havent read the books

all i know is that the good which is evil

read the cracked.com article about it

[totoro1591]

@Ralokone Though I loved "The Wizard of Oz" (movie) when I was a kid I think the thing I liked best was the music, not so much the movie itself... I kinda find I don't like the movie anymore... despite how much a lot of other people like it.

Are you saying Glinda is a villain? Anyway... I don't care about the movie... I only care about the books, and only the ones written by L. Frank Baum.

I also hope JCOM will stomp on Avatar.

[h8uall66]

This is really impressive. Thanks for uploading it.

[DE4DF1SH]

Just go to Barnes & Noble or something and look for the book "A Princess of Mars." There's plenty in print - I bought mine there

[Ramubay]

Buy the book with the first three novels included because its written as a trilogy with loose ends tied-up in the third. The other novels that follow are more of a spin-off involving his son, daughter and others. HIGHLY recommend the recent book "JOHN CARTER OF MARS (LIBRARY OF WONDER)" which includes all three (A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars and The Warlord of Mars). The illustrations and forward are excellent. Its on Barnes & Noble site, maybe on others.

[MythicDude]

I've wanted to read these books for awhile now. I can't find any in book stores and on the internet.

any suggestions?

[christo930]

It looked good as animation, but at the advertising at the end, it looks like they were just looking for talking points. It looks like they were going to try to put every single book into 1 film and that would be too much. I can't imagine the bowman and the headless people in the same film. ( I can't remember what they were called. i know the bodies were called rikors, but I can't remember the heads name).

[KentAllard]

Those are individual titles. It'd have been a series, like Fleischers Superman

[harveydents]

Too bad they didnt make these, they would have been awesome!! THey look ALOT like the Fleisher Superman!! I cant wait till 2012 Taylor Kitsch as JOhn Carter and Willem Dafore as Tars Tarkus!!

[GreenGestalt]

Wow! Last I heard Disney bought the rights to this and more or less just sat on this for decades... Now with computers, it could be either live action or regular animated so easily... But are they going to sit on the rights until it becomes for the most part totally out of living memory except for a few niche interests?

[jderek2005]

Green, it's already out of living memory except for a few niche interests.

[KiCreativeStudios]

Coooooooooooooooooooooooool!!

I've been looking for this for ages!

BTW - Frank Frazetta's John Carter is always the best far as I'm concerned!

[SailorBarsoom]

I never would have guessed Willem Dafoe, but I have to say I think he's a good choice.

[SailorBarsoom]

Andrew Stanton's "John Carter of Mars" begins filming in November. Taylor Kitsch is cast as John Carter, Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris, and Thomas Haden Church is cast in "a very dramatic role," though we don't know who. I'm guessing that he will voice Tars Tarkas.

Now I referred to this as "Andrew Stanton's John Carter of Mars." We can only hope that, when it's finished, it will still be "Edgar Rice Burroughs's John Carter of Mars."

[Andybucker]

Yes, I pray that people will not forget who indeed wrote the books... :-o

[Andybucker]

Caor from Ireland

[ReplicantMan]

From what I heard, it will be very much faithful to Burroughs' vision.

Supposedly, it will be a trilogy of three films, the first one (called JOHN CARTER OF MARS) being based on A Princess of Mars coming in 2012

The Gods of Mars will follow in 2013-14

And then, the final chapter in the trilogy coming around 20116 will be The Warlord of Mars, in which Carter becomes ruler of Barsoom.

[SailorBarsoom]

I know it's just a typo, but I couldn't help but grin. There are times I've wondered if we'd have to wait until 20116 to see this.

But thanks for the info.

[ReplicantMan]

Yeah, I meant to say 2016. Perhaps maybe it'll even be like the Lord of the Rings trilogy being released one year apiece- 2012, 2013, and 2014

[pandorino666]

It's clearly rotoscoped. And looks genial.

[Khultan]

Nah, you're all wrong about me in that regards, Shiro, which for that matter, you misunderstanding seems to be your lot in life.

[Khultan]

'If you mistook a complete stranger for a friend of yours....' You lost ANY merit with this lame logic.

[Khultan]

Kenshiro28, are you kidding me? You MUST be kidding me. You're thumbing me down and declaring me a jerk for scorning this reviled practice?!?

[Khultan]

You missed your chance to stake your claim in legacy: Schlesinger, you poor, non risk taking, unimaginative, dim witted sap.

[Khultan]

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end-I am totally electrified by what I've seen. I KNOW I've heard that name somewhere before, Bob Clampett, and this is from an attempt to do an animated JCOM? WOW!!!! Fmatson, props and big ups to you, I swear, thank you so much. You deserve to get your name hooked up. I design letters, man.

[marcusunlimited]

Wow, amazing art, what movement, AND what an incredible idea for a movie. Really surprised this hasn't been modernized a bit (lose the speedo's) etc. Hey I bet Bruce Timm would do a great job with this.

[inkswithbrush]

That was Awesome. Would have been a treat to see if finished.

[Timesobserver]

It's a shame they didn't do a lot of "serious" cartoons like this one back then, but I guess there wasn't much call for it.

[DarkLordG3OriginalMe]

Burroughs books ROCK!!

[freakystyley73]

this was truly amazing work for the 1930's.

that octoped run cycle at 1:27 is amazing for the time!!

[freakystyley73]

Pixar are making a version of "John Carter Of Mars" at the moment. can't wait!

[orinn24]

but it's a movie!!!!not 3d i think

[carmanfr]

Wow! Amazing animation!

[maxevry]

Beautiful. Oh what could have been!

[Rosetheribtickler]

wow.

Hand drawn. Beautifully animated. Beautifully painted. Epic scale.

Just wonderful. What would these shorts or a feature film have done? Probably inspired so much more creativity than actually was.

Thank you so much. I'd heard of these but had never seen it.

[theonetruekirk]

@ramtha

Please don't ever wish for Lucas or Spielberg to ruin such a wonderful piece.

[GreatestMovieEverMad]

Imagine the change in the film world if sci-fi action cartoons were the first feature length animated filmes. Thanks for the upload.

[severian2k2]

This would have been wonderful if fully realized. I guess we'll just have to wait for PIXAR's live action and CG film to arrive in 2011 to finally see Barsoom in all it's barbaric glory. 2011... 98 years after "A Princess of Mars" was first published.

[ramtha9]

I have read a lot of the John Carter series. A movie about The Warlord of Mars would be fantastic! Maybe George Lucas or Steven Spielberg would be remarkable in the drivers' seat of such a project!

[cha5]

I really wish we could have gotten an animated John Carter serial like this back in the 1930s.

[gigiranalli]

Fantastic document!! It's great to see some animation drawn by Bob Clampett!!! This test impressed me more than the later Fleisher's "Superman" and it's a pity Clampett couldn't find a producer who put money into this project!!

[royfielding]

Awesome Job...

Roy

[helrod]

wow those would have changed the world.

[TServo2049]

Amazing. And remember that the Fleischers wouldn't make Superman until five years later...

[dejathorus]

I hope pixar live up to the power of these great stories and do not turn them into a kids show. That was great thaks for posting.

[TIM6669]

Wow! This looked so great!

[Trybrow]

homana homana homana that was rockin!

[woodears]

Sorry, that should read 1936. Schlesinger did not want to try anything new, or do science fiction.

[woodears]

That's Bob Clampett narrating the video. He showed this footage to Leon Schlesinger of Warner Brothers in 1935. Schlesinger rejected Clampett's proposal for longer films with this remark: "A cobbler sticks to his last."

[fmatson]

That's pretty much how I understand it as well.

The clip is from when Clampett was taking it to various Cons during the early 70's (I believe).

[klg19]

The rotoscoping is so elegant--what beautiful work. What a sin this didn't get made!

[Khultan]

Klg19, it's stated by Bob there is no rotoscoping done. It's all pure hand work, unless noted otherwise. I'm going to thumb you down.

[klg19]

You're giving me a thumbs down for actually complimenting it? THAT's cold. Not to mention rude.

[Khultan]

You're 'complementing' it , where does it even suggest that there is rotoscoping. I'll take it back, if you can show me this.

[CorporalDanLives]

Absolutely beautiful work, the thoat run cycle is incredible.

[SailorBarsoom]

That running thoat gets me every time.

[jussts]

Wow... the martian riding the thoat looks amazing.

[jt7010]

Pixar will make this movie by 2010! WOW!