Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Who Watches The Watchmen? I Do.

(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

It's been a while. Been very busy finishing up a great pilot for Nickelodeon among too many other things. Glad to have a chance to push pixels again...

Just got the Ultimate cut of Watchmen on Blu Ray. Inititally I was going to do a version of the original graphic novel lineup and then do the movie version for comparison. But then I realized what a kickass job Zach Snyder and his team did adapting and perfecting the original colors to the screen. Such an amazing palate. John Higgins' use of secondary colors in the comic really grounded the screen adaption as an off center version of a superhero reality. Purple and yellow baby.

Really love this movie, though it's far from perfect. I'm not sure that geeks of the world realize how good they got it.

The extended cut is a bit much. The inclusion of the Black Freighter anime is interesting, ranging from passable to intrusive to really jarring. They may call it an ultimate cut, but it's far less successful than the theatrical version. I guess I have to watch the extended cut (without The Black Freighter) to see if that's any good. I appreciate the added detail of deleted live action scenes, but I'm opposed to filmmakers releasing multiple cuts. I believe there should be one version of a movie, period. Hear that Peter Jackson?!

Regarding the animation of TBF, I don't get the stylistic choice. It's trying very hard to be Frank Miller/300-esque, but not succeeding. I found Dave Gibbons' original style so evocative and grim and it would have fit so well with Zach's movie. (see the Watchmen Motion Comics) Why didn't they just do it in that style? What's there is not very strong and certainly feels out of place with the richly realized live-action film it's supposed to integrate with. It's interesting to watch, but it doesn't really work as part of the Watchmen movie.


Tuesday, August 18, 2009

What is this???

(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

Friday, August 7, 2009

Nobody Dies in the Cartoon...


(click image to enlarge)

There were way too many characters in the original cartoon series to keep track of. These are the 20 that made an impression on me.

I don't have high hopes for the new movie but will check it out, hoping they've captured at least some of the fun the original show had. And I hope whenever a Cobra plane blows up, each badguy parachutes to safety. Well... Actually, I don't hope that.

(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Old Rocket

(Copyright 2008 Sam Levine)

One year ago I had my first comic story published as part of Who is Rocket Johnson? , an anthology created by mostly Disney Feature Animation story artists and directors. It was a lot of fun and a great challenge writing, drawing and painting a comic story. Posted here is the first of 6 pages. It's a little story about one rocketbot's epic escape to freedom when his home planet is eaten by a giant monster.


Saturday, August 1, 2009

NINE DUDES ON A ROAD TRIP


(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)



Friday, July 31, 2009

SWEENEY TODD PIXELS






Always loved Sweeney Todd. The Burton film was a little too dark and lacked some comedy and fun but I loved the huge theatrical score and the muted color.  Up top is my pixel version of the original stage production staring Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou -- lighter, funnier yet still awesomely dark. Nice muted late-70's palate too...  

(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

P I X E L F O R M E R S







I like experimenting with reducing characters to their simplest form.  Here are some classic transformers, pixelized.  The top one has tiny flesh-colored guys, 2 pixels high that represent human scale. 

(Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Blogging at Comicon. Or.. Comiblogging. Blogicomming. Blogicon. Yeah...




So here I am. Comicon 2009. I have nothing to say other than this is my tenth year here I think. I bought some toys and I'm chasing my 2 boys now and then. Kind of love coming here. But it's exhausting.  

Above is the worst photo from comicon ever taken and shared on a blog. It's that short nerdy guy from G4 who talks like French Stewart or something. Saw John Lithgow at the hotel yesterday. He was smiling, happily taking pictures with folks.

Going back to the floor now.  Wish me luck.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

I like Transformers

I like toys. And transforming toys are even better. And toys based on transforming toys that don't transform are cool too. This is Robot Heroes Rodimus riding Transformers Animated Oil Slick.  

Oh. And about that new Transformers movie.  What a mess. :(

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Self Portrait '99











Drew this of myself while working at Disney Feature Animation on the unreleased production called Wild Life. (Copyright 2009 Sam Levine)

My First Blog Post!

This is my first post.  Not sure what I'm going to use this blog for.  We'll see what it evolves into. Thanks for stopping by.  ~Sam

Don't know what this whole area is for

Watch this space, because it will soon have lots of amazing stuff. For example Bold type like this. Different colored words! Amazing things are in store for this box of text. Do not doubt this. Okay I lied. Nothing happening here.