Illustrator
14/07/2007
“Colonel Cosmic”, Destination Earth © 1956.
Martian dissidents learn that oil and competition are the two things that make
Being an artist/Illustrator I have a keen interest in all aspects of art, Illustration, and animation, particularly animation, art etc. from the 1950’s through to the late 1960’s. I guess has a child growing up in the sixties I was privileged to experience first-hand the emergence of a wealth of creativity brought about through a variety of different mediums.
TV, Comics, magazines, advertising – all seemed to have influenced me in some small way and succeeded in leaving their lasting impressions upon my life – it’s no small surprise then that after having a keen interest in UFOLOGY particularly that from the 50’s,60’s I should love the simplicity of the animated character called "Colonel Cosmic,"depicted in this recent Illustration.
This small Martian character is taken from a classic short animated educational film entitled Destination Earth © 1956 sponsored by The American Petroleum Institute, directed by the late Carl Urbano and produced by John Sutherland Productions.
The film is an animated classic, slightly reminiscent of the creative, Hanna-Barbera style. It tells the story of a space traveller from Ogg, a statist society on Mars, who travels to Earth to find the technology needed to repair the limousine used by Ogg the Magnificent, leader of the Oggs. Once on earth, the alien concludes that oil and free-market competition are the keys to long-term prosperity. He brings this knowledge back to Mars, to galvanising effect.
Propaganda yes! – But wonderfully entertaining with superb traditional, ‘old school’ animation.
So, sit back in your easy chair, follow the link and watch Destination Earth, the 1956 film that the American Petroleum Institute wanted you to see -- so much so that they even buried a copy in
Link:
"Destination Earth" © 1956 (American Petroleum Institute film preserved by the Prelinger Archive)
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