Jack Zander

Movies

Gnomes
Producer
A family of gnomes preparing for the wedding of their eldest son must engage in a battle of wits with an enemy family of vicious trolls.
Gnomes
Director
A family of gnomes preparing for the wedding of their eldest son must engage in a battle of wits with an enemy family of vicious trolls.
SynthaVision Sample Reel
Animation
Synthavision was an early computer CGI technology developed by MAGI (Mathematical Applications Group, Inc.), and one of the first systems to implement a ray-tracing algorithmic approach to hidden surface removal in rendering images, using solid primitives with combinatorial operators rather than the polygons or wireframe meshes that most CGI companies use today. This demo sampler was directed by golden age animator Jack Zander and designed by Joanne Mitchell, and showcases the technology and its capabilities through short segments of experimental animation and colorful compositions.
SynthaVision Sample Reel
Director
Synthavision was an early computer CGI technology developed by MAGI (Mathematical Applications Group, Inc.), and one of the first systems to implement a ray-tracing algorithmic approach to hidden surface removal in rendering images, using solid primitives with combinatorial operators rather than the polygons or wireframe meshes that most CGI companies use today. This demo sampler was directed by golden age animator Jack Zander and designed by Joanne Mitchell, and showcases the technology and its capabilities through short segments of experimental animation and colorful compositions.
Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter
Director
Popeye, Olive Oyl and all other King Features comic strip characters are invited on a cruise hosted by Professor Grimsby, a man who hates laughter
Rats in Spats
G-Man
Live-action short directed by Irv Spence.
The Yankee Doodle Mouse
Animation
As Tom and Jerry stage their typical fight sequences, the patriotic soldier theme of the title is evidenced by such things as a carton of eggs labeled "Hen Grenades"; Jerry dropping light bulbs from an airplane like bombs; and Jerry sending a telegram with the message "Sighted Cat - Sank Same." Musical phrasings from various patriotic war songs are heard throughout.
The Lonesome Mouse
Animation
Jerry crashes a vase onto Tom's head, which gets Mammy to throw Tom out. Jerry at first revels in his freedom, but soon tires of this, and, under a flag of truce, hatches a plan with Tom.
Sufferin' Cats!
Animation
Tom fights with another cat over Jerry.
Fine Feathered Friend
Animation
Chased by Tom around the barnyard, Jerry takes refuge under a hen, who, in her nest, is sitting on eggs. Tom has to figure out ways to get Jerry out from under the protective hen.
Puss n' Toots
Animation
Tom is playing with Jerry when a cute lady cat is delivered to Mammy for her to take care of. Tom is smitten at first sight.
Dog Trouble
Animation
Tom's chasing Jerry when he runs right into a sleeping dog and the two of them must work together to fend him off.
Fraidy Cat
Animation
Tom hears a ghost story on the radio and is spooked by it; Jerry notices this and takes advantage of it, using a variety of tricks to scare Tom.
The Night Before Christmas
Animation
It's snowy and cold outside, and warm inside where Jerry squeezes past a mousetrap to cavort under a present-laden Christmas tree. Mistaking the sleeping Tom for a plush toy, Jerry wakes him and a mad chase ensues.
Romeo in Rhythm
Animation
This cartoon is by Rudy Ising, and is the last of a long line of black animal musicals done at MGM in the late 30s and early 40s.
Home on the Range
Animation
To the sound of the title song being sung by a campfire, a cow and her calf are bedding down for the night. The calf is frightened by a shadow, until it's revealed to be a jackrabbit. He follows the rabbit deep into the woods, but neither of them notices the wolf following until it's too late for the calf. The calf is trapped in a niche under some rocks, which the wolf quickly digs out. The wolf is closing in on the calf when the rabbit tries to distract him, to no avail.
Puss Gets the Boot
Animation
Jasper is given an ultimatum by his master: break one more thing and you're out. Rodent Jerry does his best to make sure that his tormentor "gets the boot".
Jitterbug Follies
Animation
Count Screwloose and J.R. the Wonder Dog are promoting a $10,000 swing contest. They plan to skip town with the entry fees, but a menacing thug from the "Citizens for Fair Play" convinces them otherwise. The contestants: A singing hippo, "Mother Goose" who starts out as an old woman, then sheds her disguise to reveal a pretty girl, and a fan-dancing ostrich. Throughout, a couple of penguins are heckling. The ostrich proves wildly popular, and Screwloose fears he'll have to give the prize to her, when he gets an idea. He dresses J.R. up as the ostrich and sends him out, but the penguins use a box of sausages to expose the dog. The crowd runs Screwloose and J.R. out, and they grab a ride on a train where the penguins are waiting for them.
Petunia Natural Park
Animation
As a narrator describes the scene, we watch the whole Katzenjammer clan camping in the park of the title, a composite of several national parks in the western USA. There are several spot gags, including Mama taking a picture of a bear and ending up being photographed by several bears. Mama has a run-in with the law for picking a flower; The Captain has his own for feeding a bear, which turns out to be a ranger/cop in disguise.
What a Lion!
Animation
The Captain and Inspector are hunting lions in Africa, though their attempts to sneak up are hampered by alarm clocks and squeaky shoes. Fortunately, there's a lion ready for them: it's the boys, dressed in a lion costume, with an "ah-ooga" horn for the roar. They're soon chasing the Captain, when their costume gets stuck and pulled off. The captain comes in to the costume after them, but the boys manage to tie him up. Before long they've run into a real (sleeping) lion. They provoke it (in costume), and get its head stuck in a hollow log. Then they go taunt the Captain again and bring him over to the log, where the lion is still stuck; he whacks it with a board and pulls it out, then tries to remove the costume when the boys walk up behind him. The inevitable chase starts slowly, then speeds into a cave.
Blue Monday
Animation
The Captain, after much wrestling with his alarm clock, finally wakes up to discover there's no buttons (for suspenders) on his ding-busted pants. He chews out Mama; she tells him if he doesn't like the housekeeping, he can do it himself, and storms out. What follows is pretty much the usual bunch of man-keeping-house jokes: a voracious vacuum, an overflowing sink, crashing dishes, and a dozen crises at once. And still no buttons on the pants.
Cleaning House
Animation
Mama has everyone working on spring cleaning, or so she thinks; in fact, everyone's slacking off in various ways. The Captain is the only one to get caught and face her wrath, though. To escape, he fakes illness, but the boys catch him at it. Mama calls the doctor; the boys intercept him and impersonate him. They get revealed, but so does the Captain, and Mama puts him to work doing everyone's job.
The Mechanical Cow
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 25 June 1937.