Sundae in New York

You know how some awards are won just because the other contestants served as no real challenge? Well, that's how this one made me feel. It is about a wacky looking character taking a tour around New York while "singing" to the song of the same name. This claymation has not aged terribly well considering its length of 4 minutes and not having much to offer besides some celebrity appearances and a cheap laugh that was more of a smirk instead at a point where you won't even remember.

Watch it if you find it only to see how the academy has screwed up on the occasions they have otherwise avoid it. There really isn't much to offer in this round.

A diminutive Mayor Ed Koch finally gets his SUNDAE IN NEW YORK after spending the day extolling the joys of the Big Apple.

Jimmy Picker's short (less than 5 minutes) claymated film is both fast moving & very enjoyable. Look sharp to catch all the amusing cameos. Vocal characterizations are by Scott Record, who sings `New York, New York.'

Winner of the 1983 Oscar for Best Animated Short.

Good old Ed Koch. In a nicely one claymation feature, Ed takes us on a pedestrian journey through the Big Apple. We see lots of cool celebrity faces along the way and Ed does the words to New York, New York. Just a few minutes of fun. What more can we ask.

Just a year before SUNDAE IN NEW YORK won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, another claymation short was nominated (THE GREAT COGNITO). And while I hated THE GREAT COGNITO though respected it artistically, I felt much more satisfied when I watched SUNDAE IN NEW YORK. You see, it isn't that I hate all claymation--just the horribly fast pace and "in your face manner" of the previous film. So what was better about SUNDAE? Well, the speed was slower and more leisurely--encouraging the viewer to take in all the cute backgrounds and characters (such as Alfred E. Newman standing in a group of New Yorkers). The gentleness of this film was pretty infectious and was significantly more interesting that the standard style of animation that dominated in the early 80s (which was usually very cheap--with a very low cel count). The only negative wasn't even related to the animation and that was the sound of the guy singing "New York, New York"--his voice wasn't close enough to Ed Koch's (who he was obviously imitating) and it was also pretty hard on the ears! Still, a nice effort and a film that is a standout in quality.

This short won the Academy Award for Animated Short and probably deserved to win. It shows an Ed Koch figure taking the viewer on a somewhat bizarre, often funny, tour of New York, peppered with familiar faces all done in clay and to the tune, "New York, New York". Glad to see it still available on World's Greatest Animation (excellent compilation-I recommend it highly). Most recommended.