The artistic history of the great animation innovator, Max Fleischer.

In the history of American animation, one of its greatest innovators and producers was Max Fleischer. Beginning in the 1910s with his invention of the revolutionary rotoscope technique merely the first of their innovations that made Max and his brother, Dave, a major force in the art. This film covers the history of Fleischer Studios that developed their own style with a special urban, and often surreal, tone that made them one of Walt Disney's most distinguished early competitors. With such characters like Betty Boop, Popeye and Superman, the Fleischers had years of success, until increasing film censorship, misguided artistic ambition, pressure from their distributor, Paramount, and personal problems forced them to lose their distinctive voice and ultimately their studio although their influence continues today.—Kenneth Chisholm