Hubley Studio

The Hubley Collection - Volume 1

The first volume of a three-disc survey of the films of the innovative Hubley Studio offers two of their best known shorts: the Academy Award-winning "Moonbird" (1959) and the Oscar-nominated "Windy Day" (1967). In these shorts, independent animators John and Faith Hubley explored new ways of presenting a child's world through film. They recorded their children's voices as they spun out fantasies to create a giggling, rambling soundtrack. In "Moonbird," two brothers prowl their backyard by night, seeking to capture the shy moonbird. Two sisters spend an summer afternoon at the seashore, playing games and speculating about what the future may hold for them in "Windy Day."

The upbeat "People, People, People" (1975) examines the history of human habitation in North America, from 17,760 B.C. to A.D. 1976. Benny Carter's genially propulsive score helps the filmmakers present even unpleasant aspects of history with imagination and good humor. In "Enter Life" (1981), carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms assemble to form the molecules essential to all life in a series of chemical reactions that suggest a microcosmic dance. "Amazonia" (1989) draws on indigenous myths to present a plea to save the rapidly vanishing Brazilian rain forest. --Charles Solomon

This volume includes Enter Life (1981), Upside Down (1991), Who Am I (1989), Blake Ball (1988), Time of the Angels (1987), People, People, People (1975), W.O.W. Women of the World (1975), Amazonia (1989), Yes We Can (1988), Moonbird (1959), Tall Time Tales (1992), Windy Day (1967), Cloudland (1993).

Hubley Collection, Vol. 2

The second volume in this three-disc set exploration of the work of the Hubley Studio showcases the films of two generations of animators. Based on a book by former Chicago University president Robert Maynard Hutchins (who also serves as the film's narrator), the relatively little known "Zuckerandl!" (1968) satirizes the pomposity of academic presentations. The imaginary philosopher Alexander Zuckerandl propounds the theory that the aim of all life is to get through it without sensation and therefore without pain. Words and images combine to satirize the folly of a life not only unexamined but unlived. "Cockaboody" (1973) offers some charming animation of the stylized figures of two little sisters as they play and argue through their bedroom and bathroom. When the younger sister throws a temper tantrum, it appears as a cloudy, threatening monster. In "Hello" (1984), three semi-abstract extraterrestrial musicians embark on a mission to Earth, sending bubbles containing messages of peace to the planet's inhabitants. "Her Grandmother's Gift" (1995) examines the changing ways in which women present information to their daughters about their bodies and the emotional resonance found in an increased honesty. --Charles Solomon

Volume 2 includes Seers and Clowns (1994), Sky Dance (1979), Cockaboody (1973), Hello (1984), Step by Step (1978), Rainbows of Hawai'i (1995), The Big Bang and Other Creation Myths (1981), Zuckerkandl (1968), Whither Weather (1977), Her Grandmother's Gift (1995).

Art and Jazz in Animation: The Cosmic Eye

Beginning in the mid-'50s, the husband-and-wife team of John and Faith Hubley broke new ground in animation with their explorations of complex ideas, cutting-edge graphics, and jazz soundtracks. When jazz was still largely marginalized as an art form in America, the Hubleys worked with Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, and Lionel Hampton. For visual inspiration, they looked to the paintings of Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Klee, and Modigliani. Their short films are very different from Hollywood cartoons. The translucent, semi-abstract figures who embrace in The Tender Game suggest the emotions of two young lovers, rather than their physical motions. In Adventures of an *, a child and his father shift between stylized humans forms and patterns of lines as they explore their evolving relationship. The Academy Award-winning The Hole, a debate between two construction workers on the folly of the nuclear arms race, features improvised dialogue by Dizzie Gillespie and George Mathews. Faith Hubley's The Cosmic Eye is a feature-length compilation of earlier material, linked with new animation. The Hubley films are adult in the best sense of the word: not sexually explicit or gruesomely violent, but thoughtful, imaginative reflections on serious themes. --Charles Solomon

For 40 years, John and Faith Hubley have expanded our appreciation of the universe with animated films of insight and wit using the musical talents of the finest jazz artists of all-time, including Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Dudley Moore and Benny Carter. Featured in this four hour volume: the feature-length "The Cosmic Eye"--three musicians from outer space bring a message of peace to our planet; Academy Award nominees "Voyage to Next"--Mother Earth and Father Time observe the state of life on our planet--and "Of Men and Demons"--the gods of rain, wind and fire team up to ruin a simple farmer's tranquil life; and Oscar-winner "The Hole"--two construction workers debate the fate of the world from under the streets of New York. Also includes: The Tender Game, Eggs, Urbanissimo, Harlem Wednesday, Adventures of an *, The Hat, Dig, Of Stars and Men.

The Hubley Collection: Everybody Rides the Carousel

The third volume of "The Hubley Collection" contains three of the innovative studio's most unusual and interesting works. Based on the writings of psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, "Everybody Rides the Carousel" (1976) examines the stages of human personality development. "A Doonesbury Special" (1977) was the last film on which John and Faith Hubley collaborated, and it was their last Oscar nominee. Created with Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Garry Trudeau, this neglected television special brings to life the situations that appeared in the strip during the '70s: the football huddle, dinner at Walden Commune, the day-care center, etc. The familiar characters--Mike, Mark, Joannie, and Zonker--examine their present lives and how the legacy of the political activism of the '60s has affected each of them. In "My Universe Inside Out" (1996) Faith Hubley reflects on her own life and work, including her distinctly odd childhood, her life with John, their children, and the personal films she's made since his death.

The Hubleys use the medium of animation to explore often challenging ideas and find humor in quirky, personal ways. Their films are completely unlike the slapstick cartoons of the Hollywood studios but remain extremely satisfying in their own way. --Charles Solomon

The Hubley Studio has created some of the most innovative and challenging animation in the history of the art form. Beginning with the partnership of John and Faith Hubley, and continuing with Faith and Emily Hubley, they have received countless awards and international acclaim. The Hubley magic now can be enjoyed in all its glory on DVD. Included in this collection are "Everybody Rides the Carousel" (1975, 72 min., mono), a profound and joyous excursion through life, plus the Academy Award-nominated "A Doonesbury Special" (1977, 26 min., mono), based on Garry Trudeau's brilliant comic strip, and "My Universe Inside Out" (1996, 25 min., stereo), Faith Hubley's animated self-portrait intercut with a parallel story of the universe.