I've ALWASYS wanted
to own an
animation cel - and now I do! This past weekend at the
MontrealComic-Con, I had the pleasure of meeting
Bob Camp: Co-Creator and Creative Director
on the
Ren & Stimpy Show (among many
other animated projects he has contributed his talent to).
Bob was a true gentlemen, quite willing to
share his enthusiasm from the show to myself and other fans. Among them, he
disclosed an interesting story behind my favorite R &S episode, 'Haunted
House'.
The cel I purchased is from the episode 'Stimpy's Fan Club'
from the second season. I recognized where the cel was from immediately. Bob
(and the woman he shared his table with whom I gather to be his wife or
partner) expressed they both secretly wanted to keep it. I assured them it was
going to someone who will very genuinely enjoy it.
In the episode, Ren's jealousy of Stimpy's fan letters (and
suppression after Stimpy recruits him to reply to his letters) drives him
toward madness while Stimpy sleeps soundly. The scene is dark and reminiscent of
(and quite possibly influenced by) Macbeth's monologue after killing King
Duncan from Shakespeare's play:
Macbeth.
The Ren & Stimpy Show was noted for it's off model continuity.
Ren briefly has five digit anatomical hands for emphasis. The line is: "With these hands..."
The back of the cel. On cels, the character outlines were traced or printed
on the front and painted on the back (so you wouldn't see brush strokes). This
is actually a two cel setup - Ren's hands and body are on two separate layers. The background is a colored photocopy, not the original painted background.
Signed by Bob Camp. RS - 303 is a label for Ren & Stimpy
(the show) and 303 is the scene number.
A-4 (arms 4th drawing), R-2 (Ren, second drawing) and BG -
114 is the where the BackGround appeared in the episode.
Certificate of authenticity.
The exact frame I now proudly own as it was shot and broadcast. On
the DVD, the frame occurs 13 minutes into the episode.
