Title: a missed opportunity
Review: As much as I like Jerry Beck I wish he hadn't sold himself out with this overly sanitized "Spike and Mike approved" version of their festival's history. Here we just get an extended regurgitation of Spike and Mike's self glorifying press release along with many pretty photographs. I used to attend this festival in my college days and have friends who've worked behind the scenes, so I really wished this book showed some actual guts. Where's the sex and the drugs and the seedy backstage goings-on at the festival? Why is there no mention of the festival's universal stunning decline in quality in recent years? Why is there no accounting for all the animators that allegedly refuse to submit work to, much less even speak to, this festival anymore? That's the book I'm still waiting to read! If you're a casual fan not interested in animation history and just want to look at pictures, I guess this book would be for you though.
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