ultramatt2000-1 Before Gamera, before, Godzilla, before Mighty Joe Young, before King Kong. And way before, the Pink Panther, Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, there was a dinosaur named Gertie. She was the first cartoon character and the first movie monster. Audience were thrilled when she appeared on screen as if people saw King Kong and laughed at her silly antics as if they saw Mickey Mouse's silly antics. It is basically started out as a bet and Windsor McCay won the bet. The movie is such an admirable landmark milestone in animation history, there was an ice-cream stand in honor of the dinosaur at Disney MGM Studios (now called Disney Hollywood Studios) in Florida. She made a cameo appearance in the comic book adaptation of "Dinosaurs Attack" and the movie LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND (1991). The cartoon got referenced in an episode of ENCYCLOPEDIA where the dinosaur was designed and animated by Joey Ahlbum. In a world where classic cartoon characters are making a comeback for the new generation, I think it is time for Gertie to make a comeback don't you think? Give the cartoon a watch, it is pure family fun. Not rated, but a "G" would be nice.

Michael_Elliott Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) *** 1/2 (out of 4)This Winsor McCay film starts off very much like his first as McCay and a friend are inside a dinosaur exhibit when the artist says he could make them walk. The friend and others at a local club laugh at him so he makes a bet that he can bring a dinosaur to life. A month later McCay displays Gertie, a lovable dinosaur who will do whatever he says. I will admit that the start of this film is a tad bit slow because we've already seen this same opening in an earlier film. With that said, there's no question that this is a very important film and one that is a must see. The most amazing thing to me about this film is how much life McCay is able to give Gertie. There's not a single frame where you feel as if you're watching a bit of animation because the director does such a nice job at bringing her to life and making her seem so real. The animation includes Gertie doing various tricks, a dance and a few other things but we also get a sea serpent that shows up. The animation looks incredibly strong and we're given some great humor throughout. I hate using the word cute but that's exactly what this film is and it's so impressive that even those who can't stand older movies should be drawn into it.

Eumenides_0 I will always remember Winsor McCay as the creator of Little Nemo in Slumberland, one of the most beautiful comic strips ever made. McCay was an amazing artist who loved playing with technique; his 'Nemo' strip displayed his boundless imagination in terms of perspective, panel layout, colors, architectural detail, movement and size. He was arguably the greatest comics artist that ever lived, even better than Will Eisner and Jack Kirby.Gertie the Dinossaur is renowned for being one of the earliest animated movies. But I don't think it comes close to reaching the beauty of one 'Nemo' strip. The movie is about a host interacting with a dinosaur, prompting it to perform tricks to amuse the audience. The drawings aren't spectacular and the tricks aren't imaginative; what Gertie does could mostly be done by a pet dog. Historically it may have a lot of value, but it did nothing for me in terms of entertainment.

ackstasis Often erroneously touted as the first animation film ever made (J. Stuart Blackton's 'An Enchanted Drawing' of 1900 takes that title, at least in America), Gertie the Dinosaur remains, to this day, a charming example of early animation. The live-action segments bookending the animation scenes involve a group of real-life animators portraying themselves, as one of them, Winsor McCay, bets George McManus that he can make a "Dinosaurus" live again by a series of hand-drawn cartoons.Six months – and ten thousand hand-drawn cartoons – later, McCay is ready to show off his hand-made creation. During dinner, McCay introduces his young, playful female Apatosaurus (?) named Gertie. She emerges somewhat tentatively from her cave, before proceeding to swallow a rock and then an entire tree. As McCay gives her instructions from off-screen, Gertie attempts to follow them, though her endless enthusiasm for mischief often leads her master to scold her. Gertie's playful persona is further explored when Jumbo, a passing Woolly Mammoth, threatens to steal her limelight. Though warned not to hurt the little creature, Gertie doesn't hesitate in picking up poor Jumbo by the tail and hurling him into the lake.McCay's vision of a dinosaur – allegedly the first time that one had appeared on film – is a little scientifically shaky (I don't expect any dinosaurs to have been able to dance on their hind legs for any prolonged period of time), but I'm more than willing to forgive this in such an early film. What is a Woolly Mammoth doing back then, you may even find yourself asking? The trick is to completely shut out what we all know more than ninety years later, and to just appreciate what a stunning achievement this piece of animation actually was.Just as the film explicitly states, the animation of Gertie required about ten thousand hand-drawn images (by both McCay and his assistant, John A. Fitzsimmons, who traced the backgrounds), which they inked on rice paper and mounted on cardboard. In the film, it took McCay six months. But, we might ask, shouldn't he have wagered something a little more valuable than just a single dinner? George got off easy, I say!