Of Stars and Men

Of Stars and Men
Opening titles
Directed byJohn Hubley
Written byHarlow Shapley (original book)
Produced byJohn Hubley
Faith Hubley
StarringMark Hubley
Hampy Hubley
Narrated byHarlow Shapley
Distributed byBrandon Films
Release dates
  • April 28, 1964 (1964-04-28) (New York City premiere)[1]
  • May 13, 1964 (1964-05-13) (general release)
Running time
53 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Of Stars and Men is a 1964 American animated documentary film directed by John Hubley, based on the 1959 book of the same title by astronomer Harlow Shapley, who also narrates.[2][3] It was produced by Hubley and Faith Hubley and has been cited as an example of an "animated documentary".[4]

Premise

The film tells, in documentary style, of humankind's quest (in the form of a child) to find its place in the universe, through themes such as outer space, physical matter, the meaning of life and the periodic table.

Release

The film was first screened during a conference at MIT's Visual Department.[4] The film's public premiere was on April 28, 1964, at New York's Beekman Theater, along with a collection of Hubley/U.P.A. shorts (Moonbird and Gerald McBoing-Boing among them) which preceded its showing.[1]

Reception

The critical reception was uniformly positive.[4]

Variety wrote: "John and Faith Hubley have concocted a beguiling, absorbing animated look at man and his place in the universe in this medium length pic. ... Shapley's concise and friendly commentary, delivered by himself, and the clear and expert visuals make the points with eye appeal and investiveness. Humor is also laced into it. Animation is deft as well as creative with a fine employment of color. It is an excellent use of the medium."[5]

Boxoffice wrote: "John Hubley, who helped create the tremendously fascinating Mr. Magoo ... has teamed with his equally talented wife, Faith, in a meticulous adaptation of scientist Harlow Shapley's (he doubles as narrator) book, which thoughtfully explored the status of modern man in the universe."[6]

TV Guide wrote: "Evolution and man's place in the universe are explored in this charming animated fable. ... Though the ideas expressed in the story are familiar, the presentation is pure visual delight. The stylized pictures are brimming with humor and also carry a touch of pathos.[7]

Disputes about genre

The film's genre was a matter of contention among festival curators: at the Venice Film Festival, Of Stars and Men was placed in the live-action feature category, while at the San Francisco Film Festival, it competed in the documentary category and won an award.[4]

Home media

Of Stars and Men received a VHS release from Buena Vista Home Video in July 1990, and had its DVD debut from Image Entertainment nine years later, as part of a compilation of Hubley productions.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Review of Of Stars and Men by Bosley Crowther (1964, April 29). The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2007. (Registration required to read.)
  2. ^ "Of Stars and Men". American Film Institute Catalog. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  3. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (3rd ed.). New York: Checkmark Books. p. 207. ISBN 978-0-8160-6600-1.
  4. ^ a b c d DelGaudio, Sybil. If Truth Be Told, Can Toons Tell It? Documentary and Animation. Film History 9:2 (1997) p. 189-199
  5. ^ "Of Stars and Men". Variety. 224 (1): 16. August 30, 1961. ProQuest 1014817304.
  6. ^ "Of Stars and Men". Boxoffice. 85 (13): a11, a12. July 20, 1964. ProQuest 1673776924.
  7. ^ "Of Stars And Men". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  • Beck, Jerry (2005), pp. 181–2. The Animated Movie Guide. ISBN 1-55652-591-5. Chicago Reader Press. Accessed May 23, 2007.
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