KAREL ZEMAN: CZECH ANIMATOR'S "FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE"

Beginning in 1955, Karel Zeman began work on what would become six significant motion-pictures combining animation and live-action for science-fiction classics, half of which were based on the works of Jules Verne. The first was Journey to the Beginning of Time, inspired by Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, which tens of thousands of children remember watching in the 1950s on a Chicago regional children's television program. The film was screened in segments in serial format.

This was followed by Facing the Flag (1958), emulating the original illustrations for Verne's novels, also known as The Fabulous World of Jules Verne. This was followed by three Verne escapes that science-fiction fans are always seeking out to watch: The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962), The Stolen Airship (1967) and On the Comet (1970). Filmmakers Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam credit Zeman's work as a partial influence on their craft. 

Very little has been documented about Zeman and his work until the recent issue of Filmfax (issue #157) was released on newsstands this past month. Woodson Hughes put together a fabulous magazine article containing numerous behind-the-scenes photos and historical perception of the films he produced. His films were recently restored from archival elements and released on DVD. And in 2015 a documentary was released about Zeman. It seems his work was always appreciated and now brought to the attention of mass media for rediscovery. I recommend you subscribe to Filmfax magazine, and be sure to grab the recent issue with Woodson Hughes' article.

http://www.filmfax.com/page1/page1.html