VGFacts

We all love cartoons. Be it from Disney, Pixar, hell even from people who aren't either who do their own thing. To create something that is for the sake of entertainment that can be explored with the world of art. Now. In this day in age. The only type of animated feature you can see in an American movie theater are animated movies geared for children. So. Why not make an animated feature film, but for the audience of a PG13 or an R rating? Say that around anyone. And you'll be answered to a ton of nos, freak outs, along with stuff like 'that's not gonna work' and 'nobody is willing to make a movie thats a cartoon for adults since animation is JUST FOR KIDS'.

Since the dawn of television, America has stuck with the belief that animation of any kind is geared just for children only. That's been boggling my mind ever since I heard about it the first time around when I was in high-school. Europe and Japan respect the art form of animation and know that it's for both audiences. While America on the other hand is still sucking their thumbs while crying in the dark corner repeating 'it's just for children, it's just for children'. Back in the day, the golden age of animation day. Disney didn't just focus on children, they focused on both audiences. Walt Disney knew that in order to keep the audience entertained, there needed to be things that would work for both the children in the audience as well as the adults that were in the audience as well. Nobody was willing to do something extreme for animation(e.g having sex scenes, characters cursing, characters getting hurt and dying on screen) since it 'didn't feel right'. Believing that to the point where it was almost considered as a sin for the animation business. It wasn't until animator Ralph Bakshi proved that animation could be more than a kids fare with his debut feature animated film Fritz the cat(based off of the underground comic book from Robert Crumb). It was a surprise success. Nobody saw it coming. Both its success, as well as Fritz opening doors to endless possibilities on what couldn't be done before in animation. It led for a short time of animation studios even making animated feature films for adults. Some were successful, while others became cult classics. Nowadays. Animation that is made for the PG13 and R rated audience is hard to come across by in America. Only because animation studios believe that it isn't considered profitable.

However, when there is a spark of light at the end of the tunnel, in the end there's always darkness at the end of it. It ends up getting a limited release or just being released at film festivals. Its not much since studios aren't willing to risk wasting money on something that isn't made for a family friendly audience. While family friendly animated features make money, it's a gamble when it comes to marketing an animated feature that isn't family friendly. One feature that comes to mind that ALMOST had a theatrical release that is an adult cartoon is Rob Zombie's The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. In the end when the movie was finished, Rob and Starz entertainment had a falling out since Starz didn't know how to market the film since they didn't think nobody would pay to see a 2D animated feature film that was made for adults. There was one movie that was released theatrically that was rated Pg13, and that movie was 9. Which was released in 9/9/09, and it was marketed to remind people that it wasn't a kids movie. Since then. Nobody's made an animated film for the PG13 or R rating since. Until now. A trailer for Seth Rogan's new movie, Sausage Party, is being labeled as 'the first R rated cartoon'(those people who say that dont have the slightest clue about animation to know that Fritz was the first R rated cartoon, despite being X rated back in the day, its considered as a hard R rated feature).
 
However. I have very low expectations for it since Seth Rogan NEVER made me laugh. I've waited for someone to make an R rated animated feature film that wasn't based off of a cartoon in years, and Sausage Party was the best they could do out of all the pitches that were pitched to the studios? If this fails. Not only will this push back the chance of adult animation returning to the cinemas, but it will also show that Seth Rogan will be the second Seth(since Seth macfarlane) to give adult animation a bad name. I do hope that it does well enough box office wise so that we can see studios be more open minded about producing animated features that are not just for children. I know The Goon would be a much better 'First R rated CGI cartoon' compared to this, but sadly, Eric Powell isn't popular enough compared to Seth Rogan and his comedies that follow the same formula over and over again.
Would anyone on here would like to see studios allow PG13 and R rated theatrical animated features to be released? I am certain that there is profit in that since people are likely sick to death of having to take their kids to a dumb Dreamworks movie. As well as there being people who like animation would want to see something completely different that isn't made from either Europe or Japan.

Eh, variety is a nice thing. If we can get some good anime movies or such around here that tilt towards the dark end of things, I wouldn't be complaining.

I haven't looked into this 'Sausage Party' movie much, so I can't really comment on the specific example. But what I will comment on, Cool, is this particular line of yours:

Quote:[...]and Sausage Party was the best they could do out of all the pitches that were pitched to the studios?

You bring up a really interesting point. There are plenty of popular adult cartoon franchises out there in the television format, either in recent years or currently playing. The biggest one I can think of is Archer. It's very popular from what I understand and has recently either been renewed for a 7th season or has started its 7th season. So why not an Archer movie?

I will say though that your remarks definitely show the different between the East and the West. If you look up a list of R-rated animated movies almost all of them are Anime movies, Akira, Jin-Roh, Appleseed, Patlabor, etc. The Western animation titles on such lists are either an animated tie-in/spin-off to something that was already rated adultish or something that's on the list because it has animated stuff in it but is still primarily/partially live-action (like Cool World). The few exceptions are, as you said, Seth Macfarlane type of stuff or the Heavy Metal series, really; or independent stuff. And y'know, that South Park movie, of course.

Now, like I said with the Archer idea - and as you touched on with the Fritz the cat info - I think the best chance is to get take IP that would work well as an R-rated animated film.

You seem to be passionate about this issue, Cool, can you think of any IPs that would make good animated films? I don't...actually have TV so I don't really have a whole lot of personal resources to draw on. =/

I haven't seen but parts of either, but Heavy Metal and Heavy Metal 2000 come to mind. BUT, that's been 25 years and 16 years, respectively.
I don't have much in mind for what would make a good R-rated (PG-13) cartoon movie, but Grand Theft Auto could do well imo.
I would try to think of some books that could be converted to animated movies for this, but alas, I don't read enough. I got nothin'.

(03-27-2016, 02:16 AM)SamuraiGaiden Wrote: [ -> ]SamuraiGaidenYou bring up a really interesting point.  There are plenty of popular adult cartoon franchises out there in the television format, either in recent years or currently playing.  The biggest one I can think of is Archer.  It's very popular from what I understand and has recently either been renewed for a 7th season or has started its 7th season.  So why not an Archer movie?

I was mostly talking about the lack of original material for feature length films when it comes to adult cartoons Samurai. When it comes to tv shows that are based off of adult cartoons, studios know that there is an audience from those shows since its popular(like Archer and Rick and Morty). I don't know if an Archer movie will happen or not. I don't even believe it's been considered or not. I do know that at one point there was consideration for a Family guy movie and a new South Park movie(which from what I've gathered would have been the finale of Family guy). As for South Park, a new film was just in consideration. Looks like nothing has came off of the drawing board for those two yet.

(03-27-2016, 02:16 AM)SamuraiGaiden Wrote: [ -> ]I will say though that your remarks definitely show the different between the East and the West.  If you look up a list of R-rated animated movies almost all of them are Anime movies, Akira, Jin-Roh, Appleseed, Patlabor, etc.  The Western animation titles on such lists are either an animated tie-in/spin-off to something that was already rated adultish or something that's on the list because it has animated stuff in it but is still primarily/partially live-action (like Cool World).  The few exceptions are, as you said, Seth Macfarlane type of stuff or the Heavy Metal series, really; or independent stuff.  And y'know, that South Park movie, of course.

Yeah, if you look at the animation on films that produced in both America as well as Europe and Japan. You'll find that Japan and Europe have more adult(if you're not counting hentai since that's more of erotic stuff then the average PG13 and R rated stuff) cartoons compared to America. Europe and Japan see animation as the art form that it truly is. While American animation studios don't want to take a risk with marketing/producing an animated film that isn't for children. In most cases, adult animated films usually suffer from bad management from the studios. Such as butchering the idea that was originally pitched only to make it similar to something that was already popular(Cool World suffered that and it made Ralph Bakshi vow never to work for any Hollywood studio again after his experience with being backstabbed by paramount). I don't consider Seth Macfalane's cartoons as 'adult' animation to be completely honest. Since its just childish. All of his cartoons follow the same lead, have stuff in there for the sake of being there, and are poorly animated I might add. Independent animation doesn't seem to be marketed well in the USA since its not from say Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, or even Blu sky for that matter. They all stand out like a sore thumb compared to what Disney and the other guys produce.

(03-27-2016, 02:16 AM)SamuraiGaiden Wrote: [ -> ]Now, like I said with the Archer idea - and as you touched on with the Fritz the cat info - I think the best chance is to get take IP that would work well as an R-rated animated film.You seem to be passionate about this issue, Cool, can you think of any IPs that would make good animated films?  I don't...actually have TV so I don't really have a whole lot of personal resources to draw on. =/

I have a few IPS in mind that would make good R rated animated films. Conker's Bad fur day(that would really give Disney and Pixar a run for their money on how 'animation is for kids' since Conker was parodying the whole 'games are for kids' crap). Leisure Suit Larry(I know I would personally love to do this if I was even famous since Leisure Suit Larry is perfect for an R rated comedy since its just about a guy trying to get laid but only to have things backfire on him in the process an animated film based off of this game would surely work much better for animation then it would for live-action). As for comics, I hate Fairyland would make an awesome animated film for an R rating. Along with The Boulevard of Broken Dreams(which is a great graphic novel, although I can mostly see that working out as a live-action/animated film like Roger Rabbit and Cool World). Lastly(since I save the best for last) an R rated animated film of Tank girl(that's more true to the comics with this animation style that it had in the live-action movie) as well as an animated film of Max Payne with the veins of Ralph Bakshi's Heavy Traffic and Coonskin would work just fine with me.

Looks like Deadpool may have given The Goon a second chance
http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/deadpool-the-goon/

Sausage Party is the bane of all good R rated animation. That said, you don't see a lot of Computer animated/CGI films with r ratings and even PG13 is rarer than it should be. More or less, I think rather than waiting for a good CGI adult or young adult animated film, stick with anime. There's plenty of good films there and honestly because they aren't trying for real life looking, anything like how CGI animation does, it's probably a better place for it.

I want to revise something that I said in a previous thread. I think the adult comedy is a dieing art. When someone says R rated comedy, I'm thinking Animal House and the Blues Brothers. When I think of comedies that came out in the 2000's/10's? Borat and it's series of films, Wedding Crashers, and Scary Movie and IT'S series of sequels and spin-offs and copy cats. None of these even hold a candle to the likes of the National Lampoon series (which I might add was remade, but I've never seen it and nobody talks about it any more.... or at all). It's gotten so bad that I had to be reminded of Zombie Land and The Hangover (the later I thought was going to be like any other adult comady, but liked once I saw it), but then I had to remind them about The Hangover II, which while not being a bad movie out right, shows that Hollywood needs to try harder.

It honestly surprises me that good PG-13 com are easier to find. Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Pirates of the Caribbian, Anchorman, Bruce Almighty, and The Simpsons movie, and that's just limiting myself to the 2000's/10's. I could bring up Back to the Future, Men in Black, Forest Gump, Mrs. Doubtfire, Austin Powers, The Mask (one of my favrate movies) and many, many others, but I think I made my point. So why is it easier to make a PG-13 movie then it is to make one rated R? Maybe it has something to do with sex, drugs, and alcohol (the concepts, not the song). I looked up two lists for this reply: one for PG-13 movies and one for R-rated ones, but I kept getting Sex comedies. Are we engraved to look for sex and drugs in R movies?

I bring up comedies because if we are to get more R rated animated movies, they are going to be comedies (as shown with Sausage Party). This would be a double edged sword as we would be getting more adult movies that can be good but are most likly going to have the South Park, Family Guy, and Amarican Pie type of humor that is ruining the Adult Comedy. If we are going to get more adult animations, I would just drop the idea of ever making animated comedies. We could easily make a great movie out of drama, action, or any other genre.

For those who are not in the know; The Killing Joke is recieving R rated movie adaptation for home market:

I'm not super fond of the art style, personally...but having Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill back on the job is perfect for finally getting an animated version of The Killing Joke.

Well, I would love to because I am free and I finished my favorite series by Andy Yeatman as well. This is the time I am ready to watch anything interesting. I miss his shows a lot because there was so much to learn from it. My favorite one was Project Mc2.