Wells dismantles the myth that animation is merely "technical." He introduces the idea of "plasmaticness" (a term from Eisenstein)—the ability of animated forms to defy physical laws. This chapter is essential for anyone writing a thesis on surrealism in animation.
Here is a detailed breakdown of why this book matters, what is inside it, and how to ethically use the digital version for your research. Before the late 1990s, film theory largely ignored animation, treating it as a lesser cousin of live-action cinema. Paul Wells changed that. He argued that animation is not a genre (like horror or comedy), but a distinct medium with its own language.
If you have ever argued that “animation is not just for kids,” or tried to analyze Spirited Away alongside Looney Tunes , you have likely danced around the work of Paul Wells . His seminal book, Understanding Animation (1998), remains a cornerstone of animation studies. But for students, indie animators, and film buffs, finding and using the PDF version of this text is both a necessity and a challenge.