Cartoons of the 1960s – the best animated movies feature the work of Chuck Jones, who ensured characters were "not realistic, but believable"

The best cartoons of the 1960s include some of the biggest movie releases we still love today, including The One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), The Sword in the Stone (1963) and Mary Poppins (1964). But, there was more to animation in the 1960s than Disney. In this feature I ask filmmakers and animators working today, including the Chuck Jones Family and DNEG Animation, to name the cartoons of the '60s that got them into film.

For some background, the 1960s was a time of ever-evolving international animation production. Japanese, Chinese and Russian animation continued to be produced as it did across Europe. In the USA, the Walt Disney Animation Studio continued to produce a series of lavishly realised new movies in what would be the final decade of Disney’s life, one of which is The Jungle Book that appears on this list. For more of what came before, read my list of the best cartoons of the 1950s.

In east Asia, Japan continued to produce animated features and TV series and, in one case, a movie was produced that we might now consider to be a true antecedent to the work and aesthetic of Studio Ghibli. Read more about Japanese animation in our list of the best anime TV series and movies and draw inspiration from the best anime characters to draw.

The most familiar forms of animation, then, remained a fixture and it’s worth noting that more ‘experimental’ animation continued to be produced. Two animators to acknowledge here are Norman McLaren and Caroline Leaf, whose work has been a major contribution to the language of animation. If this list inspires you, then read our guides to the best animation software and the best laptops for animation. To help, read our Blender tutorials for tips and advice.

01. Jason and the Argonauts

(Columbia Pictures, 1963)

Animation and live action dynamically dovetail in the Greek mythology adventure, Jason and the Argonauts. The classic stop-motion animation was produced by Ray Harryhausen whose name now stands as legendary in the animation and visual effects firmaments. (Read our exclusive look inside Ray Harryhausen's sketchbook for insights into how this legendary artist worked.)

Will Becher, currently Stop Motion Lead at the Aardman Academy, says of the film that, "The fight scene with the skeletons has been a touch point for so many young animators over the years. When Ray Harryhausen came to visit Aardman during filming of Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, he brought along one of the surviving skeletal puppets in a little travel case (in the shape of a coffin). He explained how his father had initially helped him build the metal frame inside each character and kept it very small so the bones could be dressed on top."

For Robyn Luckham VFX Animation Director at DNEG, "This film, and all of Harryhausen's work, was a major part of my childhood. The animation had a quality of timing and cadence which was very much in line with modern VFX animation. They had weight, scale and timing that was not seen in any 2D animations at the time."

For Jennifer Harlow, Animation Director at DNEG Animation, "Harryhausen’s techniques, like multiple exposures and detailed puppet work, were game changers for stop-motion".

02. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

(MGM Animation, 1966)

An American Christmas-movie classic, this was the first film adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It’s a vividly realised film that was directed by Chuck Jones, the legendary animator who wrote, produced and directed many of your favourite Warner Bros. cartoons, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.

Of the movie, Craig Kausen, of the Chuck Jones Family, comments that, "The characters in the book were all just black-line character drawings and decisions needed to be made about general character redevelopment and colours. All of these, Chuck developed on his own."

Craig adds: "Chuck always said that for him starting with character was the most important thing. The nuances that he always brought to a piece of animation that made the characters believable; not realistic, but believable."

03. The Jungle Book

(Walt Disney Animation Studio, 1967)

An adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book stories, the film was a challenging one for Walt Disney to fashion with his animation team. Disney wanted to move the adaptation away from the more sombre tone of the source material to something more lighthearted. In his biography of Disney, entitled Animated Man, historian Michael Barrier notes that Walt wanted the adaptation to emphasise: "More laughs. More personality stuff".

For Jennifer Harlow, Animation Director at DNEG Animation, the film is "… a defining example of character animation. The animators thoughtfully captured the essence of human emotions while respecting animal anatomy. The characters’ movements, such as Baloo’s playful swaying during Bare Necessities or Kaa’s deliberate, slithering gestures and shrugs when interacting with Shere Khan, convey personality and feeling without sacrificing realism."

For Robyn Luckham, VFX Animation Director at DNEG: "The Jungle Book had a huge impact on my love of animation and creature animation. They could be an animated character but still retain the realism of the animals they portray, more so than I had seen in other Disney or animated films".

04. Yellow Submarine

(United Artists, 1968)

Yellow Submarine is a fantasy movie, directed by George Dunning, in which The Beatles must contend with the threat of the music-averse Blue Meanies, and it's a pop cultural icon.

The film was produced at the high point in the first wave of Beatlemania. For Shaun Magher, animator and now Course Leader of Course Director BA (Hons) Digital Animation, MA Feature Film Development at BCU: "If a film was ever of its time, it is Yellow Submarine. It's now iconic art-style, created by Heinz Edelmann, helped establish the trippy feel of the film. The film employed some stellar talent, including one of my favourite animators, the great Paul Dries".

Jennifer Harlow, Animation Director at DNEG Animation, says: "What really stands out to me in Yellow Submarine is its intentional bold and abstract art direction. The most memorable part is how the visual effects make you feel like you're in a completely different reality, where kaleidoscopic backgrounds essentially overwhelm your senses".

For Robyn Luckham, VFX Animation Director at DNEG, "Yellow Submarine is an example of how you can experiment very easily with animation, and it can still be accessible to an audience".

05. The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun

(Toei Company, American International Pictures, 1968)

Directed by Isao Takahata, The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun is a fantasy movie that focuses on a boy named Horus who wields a special sword and seeks to defend a Norse village from an evil wizard.

This animated movie is a striking precursor to the kinds of films that Studio Ghibli would go on to be so recognised for; for example Isao Takahata would go on to direct the films Grave of the Fireflies and The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

Isao Takahata observed in a piece that he wrote called The Fireworks of Eros, included in the book Starting Point, 1979-1996, that the pleasures of animation allowed the audience, "To become one with the protagonist, to experience his or her adventure, be mentally and emotionally stimulated, empathise with his or her sincere, dedicated or admirable disposition..."

Is your favourite animated movie from the 1960s on our list? Let us know what cartoons from the 1950s you love in the comments below.