The Greatest Film Never Made ? | The Thief and the Cobbler

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  • Опубліковано 19 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 679

  • @Stevem
    @Stevem  5 років тому +1493

    RIP Richard Williams :(

    • @poweroffriendship2.0
      @poweroffriendship2.0 5 років тому +27

      Well, you still remember me as Herman111 from last year? I hate to say this but I found out that he died. He's with Stan Lee and Stephen Hillenburg sitting on the clouds of peacefulness.

    • @poweroffriendship2.0
      @poweroffriendship2.0 5 років тому +15

      *"I am your number one fan"* That's what I said.

    • @omegafilmcorporation
      @omegafilmcorporation 5 років тому +11

      Gosh!! I cannot believe one of the greatest animators of all time is dead. He'll never be forgotten. Rest in peace Richard Williams!!!! :'(

    • @brollowz2912
      @brollowz2912 5 років тому +9

      I feel so bad, trying to make a movie for 30 years and to get kicked out. That’s just considered depression!! But at least it was finished

    • @omegafilmcorporation
      @omegafilmcorporation 5 років тому +5

      Yeah I agree!! It's not just that, but it also reminds me for when I used to many too many unfinished movies back in 2015! I haven't documented them yet, but as I can tell, I remembered making over 20 unfinished/unplanned movies, which is very annoying. But to be honest... what a huge shame that a creator got kicked out of his own project!! So shocking!!!! :O

  • @mostverticalproductions4808
    @mostverticalproductions4808 6 років тому +2153

    I still stand by The Thief and the Cobbler being the absolute peak of animation. The fact Williams was shafted out of his own magnum opus is an absolute travesty.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +119

      Technically as far as animating on 1s (for the most part) it's up there.
      I'm not sure if I'd call it the best of the best in terms of only animation. I'd want to see far more animated features before that but there are some of the best sequences I've ever seen within it, at least in the first half and the colour palette is fantastic

    • @pony7653
      @pony7653 5 років тому +80

      Most Vertical Productions I get what you’re saying but Williams broke contracts, went overbudget and didn’t respect deadlines multiple times during the 25 year production. You can’t expect producers and studios to just throw him the money under no condition. After Roger Rabbit, Warner Brothers gave him $50 million and 3 years to finish the movie, a movie that was being made for more than 2 decades already. Williams had his underpaid team working 60 hours per week, fired a lot of people and made no significant progress. Warner Brothers was already spending money promoting the movie and Williams knew that if he didn’t finish on the deadline, he would lose control of the project. Is it the studio’s fault that Williams took the money but was not respecting the terms of the contract he signed? He made the same mistake before with two other producers but he was gambling a lot of money with Warner and suffered the fatal consequences.
      If Williams wanted to make this at his own pace, he should’ve financed the project himself, even if it took another 10 years to complete, instead of carelessly risking his passion project.

    • @curtmarch9294
      @curtmarch9294 5 років тому +2

      Sorry but this animation sucks

    • @tobbs5410
      @tobbs5410 4 роки тому +8

      @@pony7653 He actually did for the first couple of decades, but I think he realised that if he wanted to make it even better, and get it done quicker he would need some help. He used whatever money he made from doing commercials, title sequences etc. to help fund the feature. The first person to come forward with interest in funding it was an actual Saudi Arabian Prince.

    • @animeswitch
      @animeswitch 3 роки тому +2

      @@curtmarch9294 you know nothing of true animation and beauty

  • @snager80
    @snager80 6 років тому +829

    i saw this in theaters with my friend's entire birthday party, like 8 kids and a mom or two. in the theatrical cut, when the thief was stealing the the golden spheres off the roof, he says like 'with this one, im getting a private island' and 'with this one, im getting a small country' or something. then he picks up the BIGGEST one and says 'with this one. ohhoho. im going to disneyland, baby!' which i mean i cant remember ever laughing so hard in my life.

    • @ZiddersRooFurry
      @ZiddersRooFurry 6 років тому +61

      You saw the Miramax cut.

    • @Sonicsgirl13
      @Sonicsgirl13 5 років тому +5

      @@ZiddersRooFurry The best cut

    • @jmorell3840
      @jmorell3840 4 роки тому +41

      @@Sonicsgirl13 no

    • @StrawberryFeildsforNever
      @StrawberryFeildsforNever 4 роки тому +14

      Sonicsgirl13 no❤️

    • @mercyfabian4885
      @mercyfabian4885 4 роки тому +5

      I LOVED Jonathan Winters as the Thief. I know it came from the Miramax cut but he was truly my favorite in that entire movie.

  • @tobbs5410
    @tobbs5410 6 років тому +1191

    Can I just say that the thumbnail for this video is absolutely adorable? Am I the only Tack lover?

    • @jadeburket1579
      @jadeburket1579 6 років тому +94

      Recobbled Cobbler i literally only watched this part by prt for him. I just like his little no speak and pale face

    • @2doot
      @2doot 6 років тому +67

      ngl, I never knew what this movie was but I remember seeing it on movie channel when I was flipping channels and I absolutely loved Tac. He was so adorable, and aside from the interesting art style sparking my curiosity, I remember I kept watching because I wanted to see more of that character.

    • @jmachero5852
      @jmachero5852 6 років тому +19

      2D's blue-ty shorts His design just... amazed me.

    • @juicebox7372
      @juicebox7372 6 років тому

      I saw you type this same thing on a different channel.

    • @pkeetrypt7654
      @pkeetrypt7654 6 років тому

      Of course Andy is your pfp

  • @aurea.
    @aurea. 6 років тому +594

    I have a weird history with this movie myself. Before I even knew it existed, I had memories of this bizarre film I seemed to have watched as a very young child but just couldn't remember. The most prominent ones were of golden balls being reflected in a green character's eyes and that same character going up some crumbling stairs against a dark background. After a lot of research, I finally found the movie, and sure enough, those scenes were there (both featured the Thief), but the rest that I remembered seeing were either very different from the actual ones or completely fabricated. Memory is a strange thing.
    Also, I just can't imagine having a passion project of over 30 years being taken away from me right before its completion and then essentially transformed into a ripoff. Williams and his team deserved better.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +45

      They did but that's the business it doesn't respect creative talent although one could argue that Williams was irresponsible with the production and schedule, so it was only a matter of time

    • @Tina-sw5dy
      @Tina-sw5dy 6 років тому +10

      I’ve had the ex’s act same experience, I don’t know where I saw the film, but i know I was really little when I did

    • @thealchemistking4063
      @thealchemistking4063 6 років тому +9

      @Martha G. @@Stevem once again humanity disappoints me, showing its true repulsive colors of greed and avarice. will it ever change? I don't know. all I know is that im atleast gunna try with the little power I have in my own life, I suggest we all do our part. especially in the name of people like these who fall victim to the cruelty of corporate

    • @Kaboomboo
      @Kaboomboo 6 років тому +6

      Same! I had odd memories of it that resurfaced when I was in high school. I did a lot of research and came across its extensive history. This was like early 2005, such a long time ago.

    • @gamergirl209
      @gamergirl209 6 років тому +5

      I also remember watching this as a small kid. My mom often found wierd Disney knock offs to show us at the library and I know I watched this before the age of ten, but all memories are hazy and disconnected

  • @thetramp123
    @thetramp123 6 років тому +503

    The recobbled cut is still a masterpiece though.

    • @dinkmartini3236
      @dinkmartini3236 5 років тому +3

      Did you make a joke? You said "reCOBBLEd." An accident or are you being clever? Hmmmmmmmmmm?

    • @MaJeeDooo0010
      @MaJeeDooo0010 5 років тому +49

      @@dinkmartini3236 it's actually the title of the fan made polished version (but not all of it is polished)

    • @m.syauqiabdurahman2798
      @m.syauqiabdurahman2798 4 роки тому +4

      @@MaJeeDooo0010 but there is probably a mark 5 ver where some of the rough animation will be fully animated .

    • @GreenTimeEagle
      @GreenTimeEagle 4 роки тому

      Personally I can appreciate the pioneering work of pseudo camerawork by hand, like wow it's like nothing I've ever seen, even in CGI..
      That said the constant inputs of various unfinished storyboards, in progress animations etc is HIGHLY jarring for me and largely ruins it for me.

    • @mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072
      @mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 2 роки тому +1

      @@GreenTimeEagle what are you talking about?

  • @ComposingGloves
    @ComposingGloves 6 років тому +50

    The fact that the cobbler says only one line in the entire movie was really impressive to me. Idk, I've never experienced the feeling I had when the character finally spoke. This set the movie aside in my mind as one of the greats. So many tropes completely smashed.

  • @Rodschach
    @Rodschach 5 років тому +55

    Aladdin is the Comedy. The Thief and the Cobbler is the Tragedy.

  • @iampinball3669
    @iampinball3669 6 років тому +213

    Williams and all his crew being kicked out pissed me off so much

    • @thethiefhistorian3873
      @thethiefhistorian3873 3 роки тому +4

      Technically, not all of his crew was kicked off. A team of Williams animators headed by Neil Boyle kept working on the movie, even after Calvert's change in direction. Mainly they just completed incomplete Williams animations.

  • @SaraWhiteButtersScotch
    @SaraWhiteButtersScotch 5 років тому +92

    Rest in Paradise, Richard. ❤️

  • @FilmmakerJ
    @FilmmakerJ 6 років тому +541

    And this, my friends, is why we don't put our passion projects in the financial hands of third parties.
    Crowdfunding has similar downsides and obligations too. So best thing to do, especially with animation, is to self-finance. But on top of that, maybe don't go as crazy for perfection as Williams did. Cause even with the lavish, immaculate, almost unattainably fluid animation he achieved, he still clearly scrapped good work, and made a film that was longer than it ought to have been with all of it's poorly executed humor. With a more rational approach, this film could have been completed in the 1980s, in a comparatively shorter but still hefty amount of time. Akira managed to be completed, Fantasia managed to, Rintaro's Metropolis managed to, even Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. This film could have, and should have been completed. It now stands as the poster-child for unfinished masterpieces. Perhaps someday, other 2D animators will come along to try and fill in the gaps, just like the Recobbled Cut did with the rough animation and storyboards.

    • @yaykaboom
      @yaykaboom 6 років тому +3

      Perfection my ass, the animation sucks, the character designs are forgettable. You "artists" are so full of yourselves. Yeah if you want to make something that only you'll enjoy use your own god damned money. If you expect me to pay for shit content only you enjoy then dont expect me to pay or let alone fund for it.

    • @alukslice
      @alukslice 6 років тому +16

      Good joke. Right?

    • @appleglassjuice11
      @appleglassjuice11 5 років тому +50

      @@yaykaboom My favorite part is that literally no one agrees with you.

    • @buisnessmahn6642
      @buisnessmahn6642 5 років тому +17

      AppleGlassJuice
      He clearly has, or had, some beef with artists

    • @appleglassjuice11
      @appleglassjuice11 5 років тому +23

      @@buisnessmahn6642
      Probably thought he could get free art and got mad when he learned what a commission was.

  • @wizardofarts1276
    @wizardofarts1276 5 років тому +141

    I loved watching the Thief and the Cobbler. The cobbler was so cute I loved him immediately. And the Thief was hilarious to me. Also a bit annoying sometimes but that was his role.

  • @1MarmadukeFan
    @1MarmadukeFan 5 років тому +164

    I think "Death of the Author" theory has been harmful to the role of artist's in retrospect. As long as we have the ability to preserve historical works of art, we will also be able to preserve information about the artists who created those works and why. Yes, a work of art can gain new significance over time or mean something different to an audience than the artist intended, but the artist's purpose is still the guiding force of the work existing and having any ability to speak to anybody.

    • @trashbasket11
      @trashbasket11 2 роки тому +5

      Why not both?

    • @bon.9296
      @bon.9296 2 роки тому

      Yes this theory is absolute dog shit meant to deprive creator's of their own genius and most of all effort. It's marxist garbage distilled.

    • @geniusreference
      @geniusreference 7 місяців тому

      Always happy to find you somewhere

  • @lukeperkins1024
    @lukeperkins1024 6 років тому +198

    Such an underrated animator!

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +15

      If you can check out his latest work the Prologue so visceral and stylish

  • @Chud_Bud_Supreme
    @Chud_Bud_Supreme 6 років тому +239

    Great video, and I'm glad Williams is still around and doing what he loves.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +19

      He lives in close to me. I sent him letter while writing this but never heard anything

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +10

      Should of just @ him on twitter to be honest ahahah

    • @poweroffriendship2.0
      @poweroffriendship2.0 6 років тому +4

      Well, why won't you take a visit to him? You could greet him, right?

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +10

      I mean he's a busy man and unless I have his blessing I wouldn't want to go track him down or anything, I mean I could be anyone to him, if he's ever game I wouldn't mind doing bit of a Q&A, although now this vid is done, I'm not in any rush to.

    • @poweroffriendship2.0
      @poweroffriendship2.0 6 років тому +2

      What does he say to you and what is his latest project?

  • @brollowz2912
    @brollowz2912 5 років тому +28

    4:28 god those black and white tiles hurt my eyes, Richard Williams is such an amazing animator if he can make my eyes hurt. That is amazing!!

  • @kawaiigoomy3487
    @kawaiigoomy3487 5 років тому +24

    I feel perfectionism can move us to create wonderful things, but can also cause us to struggle and come to a standstill. Though, in the end, is it really possible to reach perfection?
    Great video, Richard Williams was an amazing animator. R.IP.

  • @HinataChick38
    @HinataChick38 6 років тому +73

    I own 'Persistence of Vision' on DVD. I was fascinated by Richard William's style of animation and how smooth every scene he made were. When it got to the part where the project was taken, I felt really bad for him. I also felt bad for having Aladdin as my favorite movie as a kid, but I do remember renting Miramax's The Thief and the Cobbler a few times and watching it at my grandma's house many times. I loved Miramax's The Thief as a kid and I still love it now, but I think i'd love it even more as an adult if Richard William's intended version was the one released. Thank goodness I'm not alone in wanting to see his version completed.

    • @Tripp1993
      @Tripp1993 6 років тому +2

      Oh, yeah. I think there should be a few more screenings of Williams' Moment in Time and with Harvey Weinstein banned from his company, I have no doubt that this should be completed and dedicated to the people who helped circulate the footage. Plus, if completed for real, put an introduction to see what we're about to watch in the cinema. In theory, could it work.... somehow?

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +9

      I will say Richard has no interest in finishing the film for real, he's moved on now he even said he wasn't bothered about a home release just because of the amount of effort it would take and he isn't getting any younger. Although I would love to get a home release for his version, incomplete as it may be.

  • @cardigansarecool
    @cardigansarecool 6 років тому +104

    I was skeptical and admittedly kinda annoyed when it seemed like you were going to go in the “The Thief is overrated” angle, BUT you explained your thoughts very well and in the end I totally agree with you. I still think it’s a minor tragedy that it was never completed, but I think the allure of it being this “unfinished masterpiece” can make it easy to overlook the flaws

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +15

      I would have loved to see it finished, it's sad the only way you can experience the film in the way it's suppose to be seen is via a fancut.

    • @mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072
      @mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 2 роки тому +1

      @@Stevem link? Lol

  • @rndmpinkiepie64
    @rndmpinkiepie64 6 років тому +35

    This was one of the most spectacular and beautiful films I've seen in so many years. It's just hypnotizing and marvelous, even if the storyline for it isn't perfect, I still recommend it to anyone who loves animation and it breaks my heart that, to find a digital or physical copy of the movie, is either expensive or impossible

  • @JacuzziFlats
    @JacuzziFlats 4 роки тому +8

    my grandmother has this on vhs and when i saw it i was mezmorized. its truly a master piece even if wasnt finished. I have a very strong attachment to this movie. Rest In Peace Richard Williams and your work

  • @lexlixatkwa7nelson3
    @lexlixatkwa7nelson3 3 роки тому +10

    I loved this movie as a kid, it was so wild yet simple at the same time, and I loved the way the characters moved and the way the cobbler, though he doesn't say much, speaks through his sewing and art. As a kid I rarely talked and was pretty quiet so this film was a comfort one for me, I dont care how well it did or didnt do in box office its a good movie for arts sake

  • @shawnmulligan2894
    @shawnmulligan2894 6 років тому +626

    So Disney stole Thief and the Cobbler in the form of Aladdin?
    Why am I not surprised

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +231

      A company so gripped by copyright law and yet grabs all their ideas from other people

    • @MrBlizzetta
      @MrBlizzetta 6 років тому +71

      same with lion king

    • @michaeldougherty6036
      @michaeldougherty6036 6 років тому +68

      @@Stevem Why do you think they are so tightly wrapped in a defensive web of copywrite law? Thieves expect everyone else is a thief.

    • @--Paws--
      @--Paws-- 6 років тому +19

      There was also an anime of Aladdin in the 80's. The small details in the Disney film and missing plot holes are filled in the anime movie, Disney took liberty of including.

    • @GreyWolfLeaderTW
      @GreyWolfLeaderTW 5 років тому +19

      @@MrBlizzetta The creators of the Lion King pointed out that they had never even heard of Kimba until after the Lion King was released. It was only when the films were compared by members of the public and brought it to the attention of the creators that they realized how similar the stories were. And when you are telling Heroic Journey Myth tales, there are naturally going to be direct parallels because they are directly tapping into the same basic mythological narrative structure, even when the people making the material are separated by time, space, and even knowledge of the others' existence.
      Anime in the late 1980s and early 1990s was a *TINY* niche market, and unless it was Speed Racer, virtually no Americans had seen an anime from the 1960s or earlier (and Kimba was from that early era of anime).

  • @CaptainUnusual
    @CaptainUnusual 3 роки тому +5

    "Art without a message is just decoration." Well, it's 2021 - and I could go for more decorations.

  • @Layzjordy
    @Layzjordy 2 роки тому +2

    This was my absolute favorite movie as a child. I have Richard Williams to thank for helping to expose me to greatness at such a tender age. There was nothing like this movie when I was young. Such a creative genius. Rest in power!

  • @lorenfarr2870
    @lorenfarr2870 6 років тому +32

    this was a fantastic, well researched, and tender documentary.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +1

      Thank you Lauren , I'm not sure why this video is getting so many views now but I'm glad people are enjoying them

  • @e32b61
    @e32b61 5 років тому +2

    This video gets it right. I hate that people have a tendency to create narratives of events like these that follow such a predictable path: there’s always got to be a villain and a hero; an underdog has to battle the forces that stifle creativity. There is no villain in this story. A brilliant artist who excelled at animating tried to take on roles he could not handle, a patron gave him money, and eventually the money ran out. That’s it.
    The entire time I was watching this, I thought, “He’s simply not a filmmaker,” and then Williams himself confirms it when he says, “I’m a figure artist who got sucked into animation.” Being a filmmaker means being a leader, a business partner, a creative head, and a storyteller. As this video points out, we should be grateful for what exists. Williams is probably grateful that someone had confidence enough to finance as much as they did. If he could have stayed under budget, on time, and made a movie with a compelling narrative, we’d have a better overall film. Being a passion project from a man who didn’t consider himself a career feature-length filmmaker, he wouldn’t have cared if it flopped and been his last feature. Just as long as he got to do it his way. If you were the head coach of a basketball team, would you put a player on the court who said, “I don’t care if we win as long as I get to play today,”?
    But we want to see Warner Brothers or Disney as villains because without that angle of right vs wrong, good vs evil, integrity vs corruption, without them the back story isn’t compelling. And then what are we left with? Just a series of events in one man’s respectable career and the movie itself... and the movie itself is a bit of a drag.

  • @noelle3780
    @noelle3780 4 роки тому +63

    I noticed something in the recobbled version's character design/writing- The thief is a clear example of antisemitism in early animated villains. He's not a bad character, but it's odd to watch once you spot it.

    • @a.evelyn5498
      @a.evelyn5498 2 роки тому +4

      Impact left by WWII, still felt by those like me - even though in my 20s - with a Jewish grandfather who fought in the war.

    • @MalakaiXed
      @MalakaiXed 2 роки тому +4

      It's weird though because the Thief is a caricature of Richard himself

    • @JDoe-gf5oz
      @JDoe-gf5oz 7 місяців тому

      It's funny that you see a thief and immediately think he must be Jewish.

  • @ciaoprando412
    @ciaoprando412 4 роки тому +8

    In Italy the dubbing youtuber community came toghether to make It known in Italy by dubbing It , a youtuber named 151eg obtained the legal right to do so by the guy who reconstructed the movie.
    It was epic

  • @huntercuddles
    @huntercuddles 6 років тому +26

    Wonderful video, The Thief and the Cobbler for all it's faults as an actual movie, is endlessly fascinating from a behind the scenes standpoint and you brought that across beautifully.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому

      Thank you Kindly

  • @zedocta3855
    @zedocta3855 3 роки тому +3

    I had the thief and the cobbler on VHS when I was a kid and I loved it I watched it to the point where the tape no longer worked

  • @TheMrCos1
    @TheMrCos1 6 років тому +2

    I remember my parents had to buy a second VHS copy because I burnt the first one from watching it over and over, it had something mesmerizing. Now I have discovered the great story behing my childhood's favorite movie and I'm amazed to learn about the struggle between an artist's masterpiece and the corporate reality that drives bigscreen animation. Thank you sir for the work you've done.

  • @Elia04Ita
    @Elia04Ita 4 роки тому +24

    An Italian community of youtuber are translating this film right now

  • @nikkigagliano3438
    @nikkigagliano3438 4 роки тому +5

    This was me and my sisters favorite movie when we were kids. We rented the vhs from the local video store so much that they gave it to us 😢

  • @MrTigroz
    @MrTigroz 6 років тому +23

    “Antz... vs Bug’s Life... but worse.” That about sums it up.

  • @sanbell
    @sanbell 5 років тому +25

    The ultimate example of development hell.

  • @marcoperez8935
    @marcoperez8935 5 років тому +9

    RIP Richard Williams

  • @saltysoap4963
    @saltysoap4963 3 роки тому +3

    Holy crap I remember this movie! I used to rewatch it everyday as a kid- I remember being entranced by the visuals, and loving the way the characters looked- this video gave me a giant slap of nostalgia :,)

  • @vollmar98
    @vollmar98 6 років тому +46

    Looking forward to when this channel gets more recognition!

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому

      Me too ahahah

  • @ryanatkinson2978
    @ryanatkinson2978 6 років тому +30

    Wow, that animation is amazing. It puts Disney to shame.
    I was very impressed with The Secret of Kells. It's an independent movie that's visually amazing. The story is okay.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +5

      Secret of Kells was a good time check out the studios other films they've went places since that one

    • @GreyWolfLeaderTW
      @GreyWolfLeaderTW 5 років тому +3

      Not quite. Many of the animators who worked on The Thief and the Cobbler would go to work for Disney in the 1980s and 1990s. Their work there would be a continuation of what they learned studying and making the Thief and the Cobbler.

  • @xXMaoKittyCatXx
    @xXMaoKittyCatXx 5 років тому +8

    The animation of this film is amazingly outstanding, very well done review

  • @gabrieldjatienza6971
    @gabrieldjatienza6971 5 років тому +27

    A print was briefly shown in Manila, March 1994...this version thankfully had no Jonathan Winters dubbing...I might be one of the few humans to have watched it on the big screen.

  • @aboodsart
    @aboodsart 4 місяці тому

    It will remain one of my favorite animated movies for how impressive the animation was, you could feel the passion in every frame and I hope to own a cel of it one day.

  • @anxietywave8735
    @anxietywave8735 6 років тому +2

    Thief and the Cobbler is an amazing film. The pinnacle of underrated movies

  • @maxszymmie
    @maxszymmie 3 роки тому +1

    This film was my childhood. I watched it like every week and I've probably seen it like 40 times by now.

  • @nicavocadobinz
    @nicavocadobinz 4 роки тому +1

    I watched this movie at Church Day Camp when I was in third grade. I was completely taken by this movie. Still think of "Attack... Attack ... A Tack !" Just brilliant.

  • @megandunklin6147
    @megandunklin6147 4 роки тому +1

    This movie was my childhood. This film, Cats Don't Dance, and A Nightmare Before Christmas I watched every night on replay. I went thru several VHS copies of it from overplaying it so much.

  • @msk-qp6fn
    @msk-qp6fn 4 роки тому +3

    It's been a while since I watched this but I really enjoyed it when I watched it. The visuals were spectacular and the movements were all so fluid it made my jaw drop. The characters, while not compelling or interesting or spicy as the ones who are used to, all had a quaint charm to them. I loved the way Tack looked at the princess and vice versa. I also loved it when I found out that Tack's skin darkened due to this exposure to the sun. Ooooh the detail!
    But my favortie moment is probably when Tack FINALLY speaks in the movie and I realize his voice is the same as the narrators! Should have been obvious but I was still pleasantly surprised and loved it nevertheless!!

  • @madrugaiden2317
    @madrugaiden2317 6 років тому +3

    One of the best animation channels on youtube, keep up the good work

  • @takahashierik
    @takahashierik 6 років тому +288

    So it's essentially a movie made for animators and hardcore animation fans, but not very appealing to general audiences? Maybe it would work better as a series of shorts than a full theatrical picture, imho. But it's still an amazing achievement nonetheless.
    Also, some criticism: in the Roger Rabbit scene and the Thief climax scene in the video the audio is much louder than when you're narrating. I get that you probably did that on purpose, but I felt it was kind of annoying

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +30

      Well here's a quote from Williams,
      “It’s not an artistic wank
      It's a blockbuster film
      The ego trip of Dick Williams”
      So it wasn't made for a hardcore audience it cost far too much for that. It was supposed to be a family film it just doesn't excel in that area. It was thought at the beginning it might work better as shorts but it ended up as a film. I believe it would of made a better collection of shorts.
      I'll try and keep the audio levels more consistent in the future.

    • @5fingerjack
      @5fingerjack 3 роки тому +1

      My kids loved the Thief & the Cobbler.

  • @alabasterindigo
    @alabasterindigo 5 років тому +2

    I haven’t seen the Thief and the Cobbler in about 10-13 years. Damn.
    Great video.

  • @NephtaliValdez
    @NephtaliValdez 5 років тому +3

    RIP Mr Williams! Thank you!

  • @waterlily7075
    @waterlily7075 6 років тому +1

    I was breathless during the final climax of the film where the evil base is being destroyed and the theif is just taking his good ol fucking time, dear god its engraved in my memory.

  • @Blk_Jezuz8430
    @Blk_Jezuz8430 4 роки тому +1

    I remember watching this beautiful film in 1998 before The Rugrats movie came on in theaters I remember it like it was yesterday!!

  • @tirone7520
    @tirone7520 5 років тому +3

    Its fun that you used Rimsky-Korsakovs Scheherazade in your video. Very fitting.
    Good video!

  • @dri8402
    @dri8402 4 роки тому

    OMG OMGOMGOM I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL TODAY AND WHEN LOOKING AROUND I SAW THE THUMBNAIL AND I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW HAPPY I AM YOU MADE THIS BECAUSE I SAW THIS MOVIE AS A KID AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH BUT I DIDN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OR KNEW HOW TO GOOGLE IT AND HERE IT IS AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY

  • @trinitygarcia1711
    @trinitygarcia1711 3 роки тому +2

    I remember watching the movie in Netflix like in 2010-2012 before removing it, it was unique in it's own way that me love as a kid. Now that I know the movie I can rewatch this again.

  • @roboticle117
    @roboticle117 6 років тому +2

    I dont know If I remember seeing previews for this movie on a VHS tape, like the type of trailers they had before the movie would start, but this hit me in the nostalgia for real

  • @michivallieres8334
    @michivallieres8334 2 роки тому

    Found this (and your video on Mockingbird) when doing an animation deep dive and this is absolutely my new favourite YT channel. I honestly cannot believe it took me so long to find you!

  • @Ben-mo2mc
    @Ben-mo2mc 3 роки тому

    I loved this movie when I was younger, I still have a copy of it I think it's about time I dust it off and rewatch it thank you.

  • @ravensilvertounge3274
    @ravensilvertounge3274 6 років тому

    The Thief and the Cobbler was one of my favorite films as a child!!!!! I was always sad when no one knew it

  • @Sarahmint
    @Sarahmint 6 років тому +1

    Wow, Thank you for introducing me to this film. I finally saw it (what is left of it) on youtube "TheThiefArchive" and loved it. I only was concerned that it's time is passed as I noticed 2 negative stereotypes in the film that would not make it out of the launch in this day and age. Glad it was completed despite those two things. If you didn't notice them, then that is a good thing.

  • @samuelfarris1949
    @samuelfarris1949 3 роки тому +3

    Richard Williams may have been a master of animation, but he let his passion for the subject and his Magnum opus get in the way of developing himself practically as a businessman. Had he'd been more realistic with his choices, he would have not tried to squeeze putting animators on ''Cobbler'' in-between having to do commissioned work as a priority. He couldn't bring himself to say ''Okay, I'm not ready yet to bring 'Cobbler' into the film I want it to be. I'll just shelve it for the time being, and develop the concept in spare time to myself while I familiarise myself with a strong animation team and gain experience on other work.' That way Williams could have developed better as a businessman whilst giving himself ample opportunity to make sense of his personal project to a point where he felt the time was right to find interested backers and pursue production. Regards, Samuel Farris.

  • @jade3866
    @jade3866 3 роки тому

    Unlocked memory!! Me and my siblings used to love this movie when we were kids 😢

  • @Jellyfish790
    @Jellyfish790 3 роки тому

    I remember watching this movie when I was really young and I really just found it and I gained my love for it again. I fell in love with it’s amazing animation.

  • @lorddirt5532
    @lorddirt5532 6 років тому

    I completely forgot about this movie and This randomly popped up on my feed like a blast from the past.

  • @SaviIassics
    @SaviIassics 4 роки тому

    This was one of my Staples as a child, thank you for sharing

  • @marinbel
    @marinbel 6 років тому

    OH MY GOD IT'S THIS MOVIE!! I watched this SO many years ago on TV and thought it was just so gorgeous looking! But I never knew the title of it, and went searching for hours. I even thought maybe I imagined this movie because it seemed so hard to find, and as it turns out, it is! But then I see this video in my suggestions, and I'd recognize Tac (Tack?) anywhere! I audibly gasped when I saw the thumbnail. BLESS! :)

  • @michivallieres8334
    @michivallieres8334 2 роки тому

    The Thief & the Cobbler is one of my favourite animated films (despite some of the flaws? you mentioned in your video). The exquisit animation and wonderful voice acting, not to mention the humourous Jonathan Winter paired with the brilliant Vincent Price, will always hold a very dear place in my heart. As a animation and cinemaphile Canadienne I was very lucky that the CBC had so many interesting, wonderful animations growing up - legends such as Frédéric Back, Aleksandr Petrov, and Yuri Norstein. I am so pleased that Williams was amoung them.

  • @klatuk4u1
    @klatuk4u1 5 років тому +2

    Yeah what you said at the end is amazing~ Zig Zag alone is worth the time to watch the clips~

  • @dilligent10
    @dilligent10 3 роки тому

    As one truly enriched through and by art in its many forms,I want to thank you for your work. Thank you.

  • @StormyHotwolf88
    @StormyHotwolf88 5 років тому

    The Thief and the Cobbler was a major subject of discussion when I was in college. It's such a sad, painful tale.

  • @tokio_beats
    @tokio_beats 6 років тому

    This channel is golden, you deserve so much more

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому

      Thank you so much!
      I'm working on my next video, I'm trying something a little different so it might take a bit longer

  • @mistafay
    @mistafay Рік тому

    Elemental, your days are numbered.
    On a completely unrelated note, no one expected a movie about balls to be the absolute best! Not even I! And I didn't even know the premise of The Thief and the Cobbler the 1st time I learned about it on Wikipedia!
    You really have to get on my good side to get an 11/10, but this movie absolutely deserves it. 👍
    📚The Story
    A story about 3 golden balls sounds like a sproutpost, but Williams was able to make it absolutely spectacular! There's a subplot of Zigzag wanting to take over the kingdom, and another subplot with the One-Eyes. The subplots can be easily ignored and thought of as part of the story! That's just how good it is! This is the most TED-talky I will evr get.
    🎥The Animation
    Alright, Elemental and Spider-Verse have good animation, BUT THIS!? How the living heck were they able to do this? This animation is so complex that I can say it's animation at its finest! But note, I watched the Recobbled Cut AND the Miramax version, so there are times when *WHOOP* it's now some rough animation! Or *WHOOP* it's now storyboarding! But I just think that adds on to the experience.
    😀The Characters
    The characters are actually a really solid addition to the movie! Let's start with the best character in all of cinematic history, Tak. I love this kooky little goofball! Tak carries some random tacks in his mouth but never seems to do anything with them except be hilarious comic relief. And now, the thief, who shall be *nameless.* Where do I even start with the Thief? (THIEF: I'm going to Disneyland!) Oh yeah that. I cannot get enough of this goofy lad. Especially the scene where he was about to steal from an old lady who lady reaches her GIANT MAN HANDS through her tunic and beats the ever-loving blumock out of him! That made me feel extreme adrenaline and it should with you! And then HE, ZIGZAG, the PUMPKIN KING! Without a doubt the best villain in all of cinematic history. Oh and by the way Tak is a meme in and of himself
    So yeah, overall it gets my Leonhardt Seal of Approval plus some extra praise.
    Story: 10/10
    Animation: 12/10
    Characters: 10/10
    Total: 11/10

  • @CryptoJordanVR
    @CryptoJordanVR 5 років тому +1

    Wow... this is... very sad. 😢 I had no idea that's what the history of this movie was. It's a tragedy that this movie did not get to be made the way it was supposed to. May Richard Williams rest in peace.

  • @helloiforgotmypassbutgoogl2755
    @helloiforgotmypassbutgoogl2755 5 років тому

    I remember watching this movie on vhs as a chlid, I loved this movie I grow up with this film and I'm sad to hear what happen to Richard Williams

  • @dornravlin
    @dornravlin 4 роки тому +3

    What you said about Yum Yum frustrates me shes beautiful and brave and saves the cobbler and goes out of her way to save the city. Yum Yum is not plane

  • @mmc5279
    @mmc5279 6 років тому

    Richard Williams, Genius Animator! we should't grief what never was but be happy from what we have...

  • @Jowahotz90
    @Jowahotz90 5 років тому

    I remember watching a movie on VHS and before the movie there were previews obviously, well this movie was in there and it fascinated me and I was like 7-10 years old at the time, I just recently thought about it again and have been watching stuff like this

  • @alhenriq
    @alhenriq 5 років тому

    what a great summary of what I believe is the most monumentous art work ever...thank you

  • @christophersanchez7731
    @christophersanchez7731 3 роки тому

    I seen this in this year and realize more than ever how surreal
    This all is
    Williams is sadly gone as of 2019, gone never truly realizing his Magnum Opus. He was still successful but perhaps the Thief was one of his regrets
    It does seem tragic, that to work for 30 years on a project that’s in limbo, only to beaten to the punch by another successful film, and to finally have it released in a cheapened final copy
    But Williams is akin to Walt Disney himself, Disney was an innovator who was one of the pioneers who started the modern entertainment industry itself
    They and others inspired so many artists and companies to rise and build a pantheon of names of entertainment that we know and love today
    Even if the Thief was Incomplete, it and its creator even today continued to inspire new generations of would be innovators and fans alike
    I never got to watch the original movie when I was a child, only remembering the promo fresh in my mind, only got to watch the UA-cam cuts of it in the last decade, and maybe it’s for the best
    As an adult, learning about all this now, I can fully appreciate what Williams and this movie represents
    Let fans continue to try to dream in completing a work that may never be truly completed or appreciated, let it continue inspire from its nonsucess
    In the end, whether it ever gets completed or not, it ironically fulfilled a reason why it never was completed by William’s hand, his dream of animation and inspiration at its finest qualities
    Thank you for making all this possible for me to understand it now

  • @sky44david
    @sky44david 6 років тому

    Thanks for this excellent honoring documentation of such a great figurative animator.

  • @AshtonColby
    @AshtonColby 4 роки тому

    It is such an incredible piece of art! I love it. I think I actually don’t mind that it cuts that way it does. There is something very interesting about it. I loved this movie as a kid. It was fascinating more than any film I had seen before.

  • @EBThisThat
    @EBThisThat 3 роки тому +1

    I need to see this ! I never did but I love films that have such smooth animation and is aesthetically pleasing !

  • @synthkittenn
    @synthkittenn 4 роки тому

    I don’t know how I saw this movie as a kid but I did and I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. I remember being head over heels in love with the princess and I even remember having a dream where I was Tack😭this is absolutely a phenomenal movie, if only it had gained the popularity it deserves

  • @tohmuyan9053
    @tohmuyan9053 5 років тому +1

    I just want to say this channel doesn’t get enough credits for the quality of content it is producing.

  • @quinnfletcher3906
    @quinnfletcher3906 3 роки тому +1

    This film was a central part of my childhood.

  • @reddeath1117
    @reddeath1117 3 роки тому

    I'm sorry but everytime I watch the persistence of vision I cry. I feel so much pain and sorrow for Richard Williams.

  • @tealeaf8374
    @tealeaf8374 4 роки тому

    I was addicted to this movie as a child.

  • @xijaxxijax6072
    @xijaxxijax6072 6 років тому +16

    I was on a cruise in the year 2003..... November. Carnival.
    This movie was one of the ONLY features played. Lmmfao

    • @xijaxxijax6072
      @xijaxxijax6072 6 років тому

      M.E?????

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +3

      Was it the Miramax version? maybe they found it in a cereal box on the ship ahahhaah

    • @xijaxxijax6072
      @xijaxxijax6072 6 років тому

      Stevem idk....it was on the cruise, idky it was/how it was or WHY it was, but I saw it. 100+ times.

    • @xijaxxijax6072
      @xijaxxijax6072 6 років тому

      Maybe legally the only place it could be played
      ... international water...lol but it could be true.
      Or maybe a MANDELA EFFECT
      ???😨

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому +2

      Back in the day they used to give out copies of Thief in cereal boxes so it might of just been on board because it was a cheap family film they found. Who knows its a true mystery of our time.

  • @WhitneyDahlin
    @WhitneyDahlin 3 роки тому +1

    I f**king LOVE this movie! My mom rented it from the library on tape when my sister and I were kids and we watched that movie so much and thought it was so funny my mom hunted down our own copy of it and got it for us xD

  • @kurlykayla9013
    @kurlykayla9013 6 років тому +3

    This deserves more views.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому

      Haha feel free to spread it about if you like

  • @ravioli-bamboli
    @ravioli-bamboli 3 роки тому

    I didn’t think anyone else watched this movie, it’s good to know I’m not alone

  • @Reverse_Cowgirl-cat
    @Reverse_Cowgirl-cat 3 роки тому

    When I first saw the thumbnail it looked very familiar, but I couldent place it... then as I'm watching the video it all started becoming even more familiar and it was like I had this big AH-HA moment! Thanks for reminding me of this.

  • @Sarahmint
    @Sarahmint 6 років тому

    Timely the way you produced this video at the time of his death.
    Subscribed as this is something I'm proud to learn of, his creations.

    • @Stevem
      @Stevem  6 років тому

      Williams is dead ???

  • @BAGELMENSK
    @BAGELMENSK 5 років тому +1

    The most remarkable thing about this movie is that those in charge of it were so blind as to not see it's potential.

  • @PeriwinkleFairywinkle
    @PeriwinkleFairywinkle 2 роки тому

    I was so obsessed with this movie as a kid I remember my dad was always kinda upset that every time we went to go rent a movie I, without fail ALWAYS chose this movie, I think he felt bad bc he wanted to buy it for me but we only ever found it for rent.

  • @mardefondo1774
    @mardefondo1774 4 роки тому

    im crying so hard. what an amazing artist

  • @sadworms3849
    @sadworms3849 5 років тому

    I remember watching this as a child and loving it!

  • @davidcisneros998
    @davidcisneros998 6 років тому +1

    Thank you Richard Williams