Hello.
I was just thinking about films in general and how much of their quality (or lack thereof) is attributable to the director. Obviously, people like Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg have a large influence on all aspects of their films, but in some cases the director merely serves as someone for hire. Kubrick’s Spartacus is one example.
Well, I was thinking about this is different for animated films today. In the past, Walt Disney served as a kind of “director” for all his films. As well, shorts directed by Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett clearly bear their signatures. These days, Pixar films seem to be the only animated films that each have a unique directorial vision. (I am of course not counting independent or foreign features.) John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Brad Bird each seem to have their own “take” on things, and different stories to tell. Of course, for Pixar’s first four features, there was a bit of intermigling, but I at least see in each of them a certain, distinct style.
Other animated features do not seem to have this. Understand, I am not criticizing their quality, though that is true in many cases. I am only observing that there seems to be a disconnect between a given director and the films s/he makes. The biggest exception I can find in John Musker and Ron Clements. Each of their films is clearly directed in a certain style, with certain humor. I suppose Don Bluth is like this also, though I must admit I am not an impartial judge on him because I frankly don’t care for any of his films except for NIMH. One could argue for Chris Wedge maybe…
Now that I’ve ranted about the exceptions, I guess I’ll have to provide some examples of the instances of a lack of directorial vision. I personally like the films of Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. All three of their films are “serious” by Disney standards. Yet there is a subtle schizophrenia in their films between seriousness and comedy that is fragmented. For example, the comic furniture battle in Beauty and the Beast is followed by the intense Gaston/Beast confrontation. Frollo and the gargoyles of Hunchback seem to come from different planets. Now, I absolutely love these films to death, but these are aspects that I recognize could be used by someone to argue against these films. For a clearer gap that regards quality, see Roger Allers in The Lion King and Open Season or Simon Wells in The Prince of Egypt and We’re Back!. (Although the talented Brenda Chapman also directed Prince). Could the studio or producer be the larger influence in these films?
I could go on about the abundance of multiple directors in feature animation, but I’ve gone on too long already and now I have to see if anyone cares about this like I do, or if I’m crazy…