The Ant Bully

Post by **Ben** » July 27th, 2006, 4:30 pm

I still can't understand why someone doesn't put out the granddaddy of all animated bug movies, Max Fleischer's "MR BUG GOES TO TOWN" (aka "Hoppity Goes To Town") from 1942.

It's a great, great feature, a lot of fun and as good as anything Disney put out in the mid forties.

Post by **PixarVixen** » July 28th, 2006, 5:29 pm

I just got back from seeing The Ant Bully. It was so cute!

I loved the character design and environments. The score was sweet, too. I wanna get the theme song downloaded.

One of the neatest parts of the movie was actually the end credits. They were spread throughout beautifully painted ant tunnels. I stayed to watch all of it, which I could tell really bugged the usher (didn't notice the pun until now LOL).

And for those of you who didn't like the idea of Nicholas Cage voicing an ant, he actually did a decent job.

~~=oP

Post by **James** » July 28th, 2006, 5:51 pm

Just got back too. It was surprisingly not bad. Not great by any means, but good. A few too many similarities to Antz and A Bug's Life. The happy ending wrapped up a little too neatly. Cage's voice acting seemed very out of character for the ant he was playing. And definitely a "kids movie"

. But overall not too bad!

Post by **Ben** » July 28th, 2006, 5:55 pm

How does it compare to the book?

Post by **James** » July 28th, 2006, 5:56 pm

Not quite front page news on its release date, but here's something fun:

Ant Bully ins out in theaters today and what better way to get in gear than with the Ant Bully Ant Squashing Game online! Please visit http://www.squashthebully.com/ where you can stick up for ants everywhere and squash some ant bullies!

Post by **PixarVixen** » July 28th, 2006, 7:20 pm

James wrote:The happy ending wrapped up a little too neatly.

I know what you mean. It's kinda (can't think of a good word...silly?) when something ends with everyone giggling. I dislike that.

~~=oP

Post by **Ben** » July 29th, 2006, 3:06 pm

Don't most of the Harry Potter films end that way?

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 29th, 2006, 10:40 pm

Jim Hill Media has THREE Ant Bully articles:

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/roger_col ... /4554.aspx

I still can't understand why someone doesn't put out the granddaddy of all animated bug movies, Max Fleischer's "MR BUG GOES TO TOWN" (aka "Hoppity Goes To Town") from 1942.

It's a great, great feature, a lot of fun and as good as anything Disney put out in the mid forties.

Wasn't there also a black-and-white "grasshopper and the ant" short from Disney which basically adapted the original fable? (and had the original Goofy voice actor playing the Grasshopper?) I forget the name.....

Post by **Meg** » July 30th, 2006, 8:06 am

Jim Hill Media has THREE Ant Bully articles:

But isn't...y'know...that site supposed to focus around Disney?

Post by **Ben** » July 30th, 2006, 8:53 am

Vi, there was the "Grasshopper And The Ants" Silly Symphony, but it wasn't in black and white.

Pinto Colvig (voice of Goofy) vocalised the Grasshopper and even sang Goofy's signature tune, The World Owes Me A Livin', in the short. It's a good one!

Post by **ShyViolet** » July 30th, 2006, 8:40 pm

I think I might have seen it on Vault Disney, which sometimes showed color cartoons in B + W because it was through the Mickey Mouse club, which was B + W.

Post by **Meg** » July 30th, 2006, 8:52 pm

Wasn't there also a black-and-white "grasshopper and the ant" short from Disney which basically adapted the original fable?

Man, there's a movie out there about grasshopers and ants but I can't remember the name of it...

Post by **ShyViolet** » August 1st, 2006, 2:35 pm

In general insects don't make very good cartoon characters because their true form is not exactly appealing (flies have like a thousand eyes!)

I think that's one reason Ant Bully is having trouble at the Box Office. That and the constant comparison to Antz and ABL.

Also, notice that the most successful bug animation has altered the bug form to look much cuter and more appealing. (Antz was successful but not nearly as much as A Bug's Life.)

And the original designer of Jiminy Cricket has said that he first designed Jiminy to look much more like a bug, but he looked ugly and unappealing, so he went through many changes until he basically just looked like a little man.

Code Horror · Post by **Code Horror** » August 19th, 2006, 4:15 pm

Funny thing is, I knew The Ant Bully would lose to Miami Vice.

Post by **ShyViolet** » August 19th, 2006, 11:38 pm

The joke with the kid unknowingly drinking certain....fluids grosses me out no end.

The ants in A Bug's Life were very simple and cute in appearance while the ones in Antz were more detailed and had more human characteristics. The ants in The Ant Bully seem like a cross between the two kinds IMO.

I think going the "cute" way rather than realistic is the right thing to do...IE "Bee Movie" from DreamWorks....(it doesn't look at all like a bee-made Jerry Seinfeld.)

http://www.icicom.up.pt/blog/take2/bee_movie.jpg