This past week I received a wonderful note from a new found friend, Marco Nuti, who is doing a thesis on Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog from the Chuck Jones films of the 50s and 60s.
I am including here the sequence of communication from Marco and my replies because his genuine enthusiasm is incredibly contagious.
From Marco Nuti:
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Dear Craig,
your comunity is a big discover for me, as a fan of warner brothers
cartoon.
My biggest pleasure in those days was the discover of all the Jones's
works, thanks also to a seminary i'm doing here at my university in Pisa.
This year seminary it's all about the relationship between reality and
animation, so i decide to write a little thesis about this subject in the seven
episodes of Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog (1953-1963).
I'm still writing and my
presentation day it's next Thursday, for that day i'll be ready.
In Italy it's very hard to find Universityes ready to spend time on the
history of animation, i guess only in Rome and Tourin we have something.
Here in Pisa the professor of this seminary Mr. Thomas Martinelli it's
doing everything for free, theaching us with passion. In few words not for the
money, but for the love of Animation.
We have some private school in Italy and also some realities where the
animation is developped, but we are still the last.
Chuck Jones and, i guess that if would be possible, i might be the first here in
Italy to dedicate a work to this incredible man.
—
M.
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And my reply:
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Marco,
What a wonderful
message to receive on this day. I am very touched by your interest, your
passion, and your dedication to discovering and sharing more about my
grandfather and his work.
I hope that you will
share your work with me when you are finished.
If there is any
information, materials, or assistance that I can provide, please do not hesitate
to contact me again.
With much
respect,
Craig
PS I thought you would
enjoy seeing a couple of images of works that are in the Chuck Jones museum
collection from ‘Don’t Give up the Sheep.” One is a page from the script and
the other is a preliminary sketch/painting that Chuck did for the Sam Sheepdog.
Please enjoy.
Dear Craig,
i needed two days to realize what i saw in the e-mail you send me.
i almost
cryed and i didn't sleep from happiness.
to tell you thank you.
send you by mail my work as i print it.
really it's amazing what you did for me, with this material my work has a
concrete sense.
the best to do something good.
i really don't remember how i found your site, anyway, i was lookin for
images 'bout Sam and Ralph and out from nowhere your site appeared.
professors would give me the permision to write my final thesis on your
grandfather work.
M.
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I share all of this because I continue to be astounded at the vast impact that Chuck's work continues to achieve.
I hope you have enjoyed this too.
Craig
Wow, what this guy is doing is simple great and interesting, and I can confirm what he wrote: unfortunately in Italy there’s not such great interest in animation history as there’s elsewhere, and that’s preety sad: I understand Europe didn’t have a particularly great animation development as America did in the golden ages of cartoons, but this doesn’t mean that there aren’t persons who have a heartful and genuine interest in this subject!!!
I hope there’ll be more italian university professors who’ll have the interest to share this passion with us students! I’m sure Marco’s going to gain an high mark
Thank you, Silvia, for your comments! We certainly appreciate you and Marco’s interest in the animation of Chuck Jones.
Robert
It’s amazing! Thanks a lot for posting.. It was really interesting to read