Saturday, November 23, 2019
If you are on the West Coast, a reminder about this weekend in Anaheim! Wes and Ness will have signed Rankin/Bass books and a limited supply of Rankin/Bass hats exclusive here! I also see that my dear friend Shag will be there and Dave Perillo, who has done some cool pieces! This is the place to be in Anaheim!
Friday, November 22, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
My first book, The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass: A Portfolio, was released 22 years ago November 20th! I was at the Newberry Library for the Museum of Broadcast Communications signing books in Chicago and Arthur Rankin, Jr. was with Don Duga at the School of Visual arts in New York signing books 🎅 #thursday #rankinbassproductions #november20 🦃 — with Wes Garlatz.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
I hate to report this! Was hoping for at least a decent release. Universal is the worst company for the early Rankin/Bass specials. Another botched job. Loud buzzing on audio, no improvement on print, missing sound effects, etc. Fades to black in the middle of scenes (Three times). There is no menu or extras either for $18. 25 minutes of bad content. Returning my copy. Reminds me of the edited version that came out of Here Comes Peter Cottontail last spring and the awful blu Ray's of 2018/2019. Who is minding this store? #rankinbassproductions
Monday, November 18, 2019
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Why have the Rankin/Bass TV Specials lasted so long?
I have already done a dozen radio and magazine interviews this holiday season! The hosts and writers always ask: Why have the Rankin/Bass TV Specials endured the tests of time? The answer is complicated and I have written entire books about each special. It always starts with the writing. Romeo Muller, Jr. created all of the characters in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and gave Rudolph the personality that we all identify with. In essence, he created the Rankin/Bass Universe in the same way that Stan Lee's writing created the Marvel Universe (Stan Lee settled with Marvel in 2005). He created all of the characters names, personalities, The Island of Misfit toys, etc. The whole thing! I love talking about it and the people involved with the Muller Estate are wonderful! Good things are coming to them!
Paul Coker, Jr. Designed the Rankin/Bass universe post Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He is the most responsible for the Rankin/Bass look and especially the look of Frosty. I would compare him to Jack Kirby, the artist that created the look and design of most of Marvel's Well known characters. The Kirby estate finally settled with Disney/Marvel in 2014, the same year Arthur Rankin, Jr. passed away. Arthur Rankin passed on many interesting things pertaining to legal issues to me, before he passed concerning all of the Rankin/Bass Universe.
Designer Antony Peters is the other party that Created the Rankin/Bass Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer universe, as he designed all of the characters in the same way Kirby designed Marvel's. He gave Rankin/Bass' Rudolph his pointy eyes and the elves the GE Light Bulb noses. The entire look of the cast of Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, from the Island of Misfit Toys, Hermey the Dentist, The Bumble, Yukon Cornelius, etc. came from the pen of Tony Peters. Tony and I met up in New York and Had many long conversations before his passing. He loved the Rudolph book I put together and his estate is wonderful too!
I love talking about the history of Rankin/Bass Productions and will be doing much more of it during the Holidays as Frosty turns 50 and Rudolph 55! I am setting up many radio, television, magazine, newspaper, podcast, etc. interviews!
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