Universal Animation Golden Age

The Universal Animation Golden Age, also known as the Universal Animation Hand-Drawn Era or Universal Animation's Hand-Drawn Era, refers to the beginning of the Universal Animated Features canon and most of the films received positive reviews and were moderate box office successes. It is predicted that the era started when Universal Studios made their first in-house animated feature without the participation of Amblimation, beginning with the film Ama and the Mysterious Crystal in 1997, and ending in 2004 with the studio's first feature-length computer-animated film Computeropolis, which is also said to be the start of another era known as the Universal Animation Dark Age. However, it should be noted, by animation historians, movie critics and Universal fans, that Computeropolis is sometimes considered a part of the Universal Animation Golden Age for a multitude of reasons.

The animated films released during this period include Ama and the Mysterious Crystal (1997), Galaxion (1999), Paint World (1999), Mistress Masham's Repose (2001), Me & Mobo (2002), and Magina (2003).

History

 * Further information: Universal Animation Studios § History

In late 1990, Gingo Animation co-founder Michael Wildshill met with then-President of MCA Sid Sheinberg to discuss the creation of a feature animation division, an offer which Wildshill immediately accepted. Universal Feature Animation was officially established on May 23, 1991 to produce theatrically released animated feature films to rival Disney's animated features. John Cohen was brought in to head the new division, which was set up in a building on the Universal Studios lot. To build the talent base, Wildshill brought over artists from Gingo and its feature animation department, while Cohen recruited some of the staff from Walt Disney Feature Animation. Some of Gingo Feature Animation's artists in North Hollywood came to Universal Feature Animation in early 1994 when their first feature was in post-production, with the rest doing so in the following year when Gingo Feature Animation was merged into UFA.

In October 1994, in the wake of critical and box office success of Gingo's animated feature, Romeo and Juliet and the box office failure of Amblimation's animated feature We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story in 1993, Universal announced a full slate of animated projects in development at its Feature Animation department: Ama and the Mysterious Crystal (then titled Legend of the Magic Crystal), an adaptation of T. H. White's Mistress Masham's Repose, Galaxion (then titled Salmagundi), and Oceanic (which got later shelved).

The first of Universal's animated features was Ama and the Mysterious Crystal (1997), a fantasy adventure featuring the voice talents of Christina Ricci, Hank Azaria, and Patrick Stewart. Directed by Michael Wildshill, Ama received positive reviews from critics and was a success at the box office, which overpowered Disney's summer release for that year, Hercules. Ama established Universal as Disney's then-first major competitor in feature-film animation. Animation production for Ama was primarily done at the new Universal feature animation studio, although much of the work was outsourced to animation studios around the world.

In 1999, its next film, Galaxion (1999), received mixed reviews and under-performed at the box office. In the same year, Gingo's Paint World, UFA's third animated feature, was released to critical and financial success; it grossed over $452 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film of the year as well as the second highest-grossing animated film of the year behind Toy Story 2.

The fourth animated feature from Universal Feature Animation, Mistress Masham's Repose (2001), received a positive reception from critics and audiences but under-performed due to little marketing and fanfare.

The studio's next film, Me & Mobo (2002), received a positive reception from critics and audiences. However, the studio decided to rush its release to September with a rushed marketing push. UFA's next feature Magina, released in 2003, received mixed reviews from critics and under-performed at the box office which led to a growing perception that hand-drawn animation was becoming outdated and falling out of fashion in favor of the increasing popularity of computer animation, so UFA decided the same year to exit hand-drawn animation business after the next two of total seven hand-drawn films.

Upon the unsuccessful release of Magina, Universal laid off most of the employees at the Feature Animation studio in Universal City, downsizing it to one unit and beginning plans to move into fully computer animated films. A handful of employees were offered positions doing computer animation. Subsequently, on April 17, 2003, Universal Feature Animation officially announced they were becoming a fully CGI studio, now with a staff of 460 people and began selling off all of its traditional animation equipment.

After Magina, the studio dived into the Universal Animation Dark Age.