If Mickey only knew...

Oh yea, cartoons...  something that seems so simple, but at the same time... something so complex. They are often the first introduction to television for us. Many of my childhood memories are of animation... from Disney films to Tom 'n' Jerry - I was hooked.

Even though that was long, long ago... in a galaxy (or state...) far, far away... not a whole lot has really changed. Today's younger generations are largely the same - albeit the characters and technology have changed a bit...

But at one time,  animation's future was doubtful. At one time, folks thought that maybe live-action tv shows would force animation into oblivion. That there could be no place in the movie world for these gems....

(Dallas Morning News 12/30/1973)

Far from fading away (even up against 9 gazillion satellite & cable channels and action adventure blockbusters), I think a strong argument can be made that animation has grown stronger. Today there are short kids cartoons, adult only cartoons, feature-length computer generated animated films, and, now, a surge of 3-D animated films. Sure, the technology has changed - but that's true of everyday life as well. I mean, seriously, I can now be text messaged on my mobile phone when the house door is unlocked! So, of course the animation world has changed... sort of...

Because even if the tools of the trade are more advanced and next-gen... the result is really the same: a child's laugh, a few tears of sadness or joy, and an escape from a stressful, busy life...