Drawn to Sound

Looks at music and sound in animation films since World War II, from producers in the USA, Japan, and France - from Animal Farm (1954) to Happy Feet (2006), Yellow Submarine (1968) to Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), Spirited Away (2001) and Les Triplettes de Belleville (2003). Animation films are widely consumed in the general population and the study of animation films has blossomed. But music and sound are often marginalized, despite the significance of music, voice talent, sound design and effects for both the films and their marketing. Drawn to Sound unpacks animation film sound and music tracks, and contextualises them within the screen and music industries. Focusing on feature-length, widely-distributed films released in the post-WW2 period, the book highlights work from key centres of animation production, such as the USA, the UK, Japan, significant studios including Disney, Aardman Animation and Studio Ghibli, and major auteurs like Tim Burton. Chapters by animation experts such as Paul Wells and Daniel Goldmark and by film music authorities including Philip Hayward, Ian Inglis and Janet Halfyard offer international perspectives on the history and aesthetics of music and sound in animation film. Contributions from authors in Japan, Australia, England, the USA and Canada explore animation soundtracks, their creators and their production approaches. Different disciplinary perspectives from music, media, cultural and animation studies offer models for future analysis. As the first of its kind, this anthology is an invaluable resource for students, teachers and researchers in film, animation, music and media studies.