Great timing - just this week my NYU class talked about early animation. This will be an additional read.
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I have been acquainted with her work for many years--a largely forgotten artistic genius. I particularly love her "Magic Flute". Thank you for this article.
4
Beautiful work she did
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Delightful to be made aware of this overlooked talent - but it would have been nice to have the clip of "Jack and the Beanstalk" in full!
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@Planetary Occupant
Here's a link to the full version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZIw4LbNF5o
4
Thank you for a great article about an even greater "overlooked" artist. I never knew about Lotte Reiniger and am amazed by her art form. Her technique, precision and the magical beauty of her work defy anything generated by computer animations. I wish I had known about her sooner and am grateful I do now.
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There is a wonderful museum of her work in Tubingen Germany.
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Lotte is iconic and a perpetual inspiration.
4
Such a great article! I never knew about Lotte, but after seeing the images I am convinced that her silhouettes were the inspiration for silhouette's used in "The Tale of the Three Brothers" in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
9
Thank you, NY Times for jogging my memory of these amazing and wonderful images. It was probably either WOR Channel 9 or WPIX Channel 11 that telecast these phantasmagorical films almost 65 years ago...I used to watch them on a Dumont TV! They created an indelible impression. That's how powerful they were.
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Or, it could have been WOR Channel 5!
3
WOR was channel 9, I believe 5 was WNEW.
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@Howard Weiner
These images have been in my memories of childhood as well. For a long time, I couldn’t tell whether these memories were real or something I conjured up in a dream! Thanks for confirming that I actually did see these little masterpieces as I was growing up . What a far cry they were from mighty mouse and Tom and Jerry cartoons!
4
Thank you for remembering this multi-talented groundbreaker. A long neglected, indeed forgotten, cinema pioneer.
13
Excellent summary, thank you to the writer. But the headline is misleading. She is still overlooked although maybe this belated obit will generate some interest.
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