ABD 4/20 Party: Fantastic Animation Festival (1977)

Presented by Animation Breakdown! Co-presented by dublab! Grab yer stash and make a dash to ABD’s 4/20 celebration! We’ll admit it: “Stoner Appeal” is a box we endeavor to check when programming Animation Breakdown. Like Doritos, Dark Side of the Moon or Disneyland, animation is one of those things that just reaches a whole ‘nother level under the influ – uh, under the right conditions. Every animated film is an immersive world conjured from the void, solely begotten of its creators’ imaginations. Animation’s uncanny power to transport and transfix intrepid trippers is exactly what the producers of 1977’s Fantastic Animation Festival had in mind. This feature-length anthology of far-out films from around the globe toured cities and college towns, turning audiences on to incredible independent animation before Spike & Mike or Liquid Television came along. Impeccably curated with clear consideration for the “smokey set”, selections include the cult classic Bambi Meets Godzilla; a Yellow Sub-esque take on Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow”; future Tron director Steve Lisberger’s psychedelic student film; Jordan Belson’s breathtaking Light; two early shorts by Claymation maestro Will Vinton (including the Oscar-winning Closed Mondays); an unofficial Pink Floyd music video so mindblowing that the band hired its creator – and many more! A remarkable time-capsule from our favorite era, Fantastic Animation Festival planted the stoner seeds for everything ABD aspires to be. Turn on, toon in, and drop out with us for an incredibly rare screening on 35mm!