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Level B1

Animation and the Oscars

We take a look at the relationship between the Academy Awards and animation, from Disney’s Mickey Mouse shorts of the 1920s to this year’s Best Animated Feature Film, Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron.

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 This year’s Academy Awards ceremony was held on March 11 in Los Angeles. Better known as the Oscars, the Academy Awards are the world’s most famous film prizes. They are also the oldest: they were first celebrated in 1929. All except two of the current award categories were established between 1929 and 1948. The two latest additions were Best Makeup and Hairstyling, added in 1981, and, most notably, Best Animated Feature Film, introduced in 2001. The Academy (the organization of film professionals that runs the Oscars) felt there were too few high-quality animated feature films being made before 2001 to justify a prize. Furthermore, there was little competition: the field of feature-length animated films was pretty much a one-horse race, with the Walt Disney Company dominating the scene.

From the golden age of animation to the Disney Renaissance

Walt Disney was a pioneer of animation. In 1928, he created Mickey Mouse, who became the star of a series of highly successful animated shorts. Disney’s work paved the way for other filmmakers who invented their own iconic cartoon characters such as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and the Pink Panther. It was a time of fervid ingenuity known today as the golden age of American animation (1928–1969). Most productions at the time were shorts. The Academy recognized this early on, establishing the Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1930. Animated long-feature films were much rarer. Once again, it was Disney’s company that got the ball rolling. Between 1989 and 1999, a period later called the Disney Renaissance, it produced commercially and critically successful films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Lion King. In 1991, it released Beauty and the Beast which became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Animation was entering a new era.

The rise of animated films

The Disney Renaissance stimulated the production of animated films by other studios such as DreamWorks, Warner Bros, and, above all, Pixar. Once again, the Academy took notice and the award for Best Animated Feature Film was established in 2001. The first movie to win was Shrek by DreamWorks, an ironic, irreverent revisitation of classic fairy tales from the point of view of an ogre. Shrek is symbolic of the evolution of animation, interested in modernizing or turning on their heads old stories and in revamping characters. For instance, in contemporary animation female protagonists are no longer portrayed as damsels in distress waiting for the arrival of a prince charming, but rather strong, independent women capable of navigating a difficult world by themselves. Also, new territories and themes are explored. Pixar films have addressed such diverse subjects as the secret life of toys (Toy Story), old age (Up), ecology and consumerism (Wall-E), and emotions (Inside Out). Thanks to its groundbreaking films, Pixar took the lion’s share at the Oscars, winning 11 times in 18 years.

This year’s winner: The Boy and the Heron

This year’s winner was a Japanese film, The Boy and the Heron by 82-year-old Hayao Miyazaki, who had already won in 2002 with Spirited Away. The Boy and the Heron tells the coming of age of a boy searching for purpose and direction after the death of his mother. His quest leads him into a dreamlike fantasy world where he faces many trials and tribulations. Like Miyazaki’s previous films, The Boy and the Heron celebrates peace, nature and the importance of family and human ties. Miyazaki is considered in a league of his own, a grand old master capable of using animation to explore complex themes and the sweet and sour aspects of life. Interestingly, Miyazaki’s early films served as a source of inspiration for the filmmakers behind the Disney Renaissance.

USEFUL LINKS

1) Here is the official page of the Academy Awards:
https://www.oscars.org/

2) Search the Oscars database for your favourite films:
https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/

3) Watch this short video on the history of Mickey Mouse:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGdLkl1Alpc

4) Watch this BBC interview of Walt Disney from 1959:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMvUrrFLRlg

5) Here is a list of short videos from the Oscars official Youtube channel. There are several snippets of an interview of Hayao Miyazaki from 2009:
https://www.youtube.com/@Oscars/search?query=miyazaki
COMPREHENSION

1) Read the article and complete the sentences with the correct alternative.
1. The Best Animation Feature Film Award was
a. first given in 1929.
b. the second-last award to be added to the Oscars.
c. the last award to be added to the Oscars.

2. Before 2001, the Academy believed that
a. there were too few outstanding animation films.
b. there was too much competition in the field of animation.
c. there were no high-quality animation films.

3. The Golden Age of American animation refers to
a. Disney’s early production.
b. a period of outstanding production of animated shorts.
c. a period dominated by the production of animated feature films.

4. The Award for Best Animated Short Film was established many years
a. before the Award for Best Animation Feature Film.
b. after the Award for Best Animation Feature Film.
c. before the beginning of the golden age of American animation.

5. Beauty and the Beast was produced during
a. the Disney Renaissance.
b. the golden age of American animation.
c. the early era of animation.

6. The film Shrek
a. is not a classic fairy tale.
b. is a classic fairy tale.
c. is a Disney film.

7. Contemporary animation films
a. are anchored in traditional fairy tales.
b. explore very diverse subjects.
c. are full of damsels in distress.

8. The production company that won the most Oscars for Animated Feature Film is
a. Pixar.
b. Disney.
c. DreamWorks.

9. The Boy and the Heron is the story of a boy
a. facing life’s difficulties.
b. trying to save his mother.
c. who lives in his own fantasy world.

10. Miyazaki’s films
a. are carefree.
b. were inspired by Disney’s movies.
c. explore life in all its facets.


VOCABULARY

2) Match each definition with the correct idiom.

get the ball rolling  *  prince charming  *  one-horse race  *  the lion’s share  *  turn on its head  *  damsel in distress  *  a league of his own  *  pave the way  *  sweet and sour  *  trials and tribulations

1. …………………………………………….. = A one-sided contest where one participant has an obvious advantage, resulting in a predictable outcome.
2. ……………………………………………..= To be the first to take action in a particular field or direction, making it easy for others to follow.
3. …………………………………………….. = To start or initiate something, like an activity or a process, often encouraging further action by others.
4. …………………………………………….. = To completely change or reverse something, often in an unexpected way.
5. …………………………………………….. = A young woman in trouble or in danger, presented as helpless and in need of rescue by a hero.
6. …………………………………………….. = An idealized, flawless man, a perfect partner, who often comes to the rescue of a vulnerable female character
7. …………………………………………….. = The largest part of a quantity or amount.
8. …………………………………………….. = The challenges and difficulties that cause suffering encountered during a journey or a process.
9. …………………………………………….. = Used to describe someone who excels in his or her particular field and who is far above everybody else.
10. ……………………………………………..= A combination of contrasting experiences or emotions, both positive and negative, happy and sad.


GRAMMAR – Verbs and prepositions

3) Complete the sentences choosing one of the following verbs and the correct preposition. Remember to put the verbs in the right form.

Verbs:
explain  *  invite  *  wait  *  talk  *  look (x3)  *  care  * listen  *  aim

Prepositions:
to  *  for  *  at  * about

1. Let’s watch the Hollywood stars parade on the red carpet. …………………………………………….. all the extravagant clothes they wear!
2. We …………………………………………….. all the films we saw and tried to guess who would win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
3. The audience …………………………………………….. the presenter to announce the name of the winner.
4. Everybody …………………………………………….. the actor as he walked on stage to receive his award.
5. The film that won the Best Picture Award is really strange! Can you …………………………………………….. it …………………………………………….. me?
6. My friend was in the film! I …………………………………………….. her name in the end credits.
7. The actress was …………………………………………….. the Academy Award ceremony.
8. I think a director shouldn’t …………………………………………….. the opinions of movie critics.
9. I don’t like Hollywood productions. I feel they …………………………………………….. making money rather than making good films.
10. We …………………………………………….. the film’s soundtrack. It’s wonderful!


SHORT ESSAY

4) What’s your favourite animated film? Write a brief synopsis and describe the theme that the film explores. (60-80 words)

5) Give your thoughts on the following quote by Hayao Miyazaki: “we shouldn’t stick too close to everyday reality but give room to the reality of the heart, of the mind, and of the imagination […] We need to be open to the powers of imagination, which brings something useful to reality.” (60-80 words)


DEBATE

6) Pair up with one of your classmates and look at the proposition below; one of you will argue in favour of it and one of you against it.
Proposition: Live-action films are better than animated films.

(Carlo Dellonte
(Image: baona, istockphotos.com)

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