'De Ontbrekende Schakel' (Spetters #1, April 1981), a comic book adaptation of 'Le Chaînon Manquant' ('The Missing Link').
Picha is one of the best-known Belgian animators in the world, most famous for his 1975 Tarzan parody 'Tarzoon: La Honte de la Jungle' ('Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle'). His trademark style consists of sex parody mixed with political-social satire. As a comic artist, he adapted two of his later films, 'La Chaînon Manquant' ('The Missing Link', 1980) and 'Le Big Bang' ('The Big Bang', 1987), into comic books. During the 1960s and 1970s, Picha was notable as an editorial cartoonist with an international career. Although mostly remembered for his adult animated pictures, he also produced more child-friendly animated TV series, such as 'Zoo Olympics' (1990-1991), 'Zoo Cup' (1992-1993) and 'Les Jules... Chienne de Vie' (1996).
Early life and cartooning career
Picha was born in 1942 in Brussels as Jean-Paul Walravens. In the Belgian capital, he also studied at the Saint-Luc School of Arts. His first cartoon was published in the satirical magazine Pourquoi Pas? when the artist was only 15 years old. At age 18, he fell ill with tuberculosis, which left him nine months recovering in a sanatorium, where he spent his time drawing provocative cartoons. Among Picha's graphic influences were Ronald Searle, Charles Addams and Siné. Starting in 1960, he worked as an editorial cartoonist for Belgian newspapers like La Libre Belgique and De Standaard and magazines such as Pan, Spécial and De Nieuwe. In France, his work could be found in Lui and Hara Kiri (nowadays Charlie Hebdo), in Germany in Pardon and in the Netherlands in Vrij Nederland and the Provo paper God, Nederland en Oranje. In the United States, his cartoons appeared in Evergreen, National Lampoon and The New York Times.
Influenced by the free-spirited 1960s, Picha drew many cartoons poking fun at sex, religion and militarism. He also designed posters for public demonstrations. For issue #222 of Spécial (2 July 1969), he made a cartoon depicting Jesus on the cross, surrounded by worshiping nuns. The reason for their adoration only becomes clear on closer inspection: his large penis has also been nailed to the wood. A few days later, the Belgian cardinal Jozef Suenens sent a letter of complaint, warning the editors to never print such offensive cartoons again. Picha later found out the Belgian Catholic Church had put him on a blacklist. According to him, this was the reason why some of his later work, including his animated films and series, weren't as widespread in certain parts of Belgium, "particularly Flanders, where the Catholic Church is more influential than in Wallony".
Still, in later interviews, Picha claimed he wasn't all that interested in politics. At the time, he was working as a political cartoonist because it was the only way a graphic artist could earn a living. Picha also believed that a political cartoon can't change the world, only demystify certain people and taboos in the eyes of readers. His cartoon work was collected in several books, including 'Paranoia' (1970), 'Picha au Club Méditerranée' (1971), 'Chastity' (1973), 'Au Secours' (1973), 'Persona non Grata' (1975) and 'Démocratie Belge' (with Pierre Bartier, 1976).
From: 'Les Chefs d'Oeuvre du Dessin d'Humour' (Anthologie Planète, 1968). Translation: "Shush! The police!! Act like you never saw me..."
TV, film and media appearances
Near the end of the 1960s, Picha worked for the pop music show 'Vibrato' on the Walloon public TV channel RTB (nowadays RTBF). In 1972, he designed the film poster for 'Cartoon Circus', a Belgian documentary by Benoît Lamy about cartoons and comics, in which he also appeared as an interviewee alongside Siné, Roland Topor, Cabu, Jean-Marc Reiser, François Cavanna, Professeur Choron, Gal (Gerard Alsteens), Georges Wolinski, Willem, Joke and Jules Feiffer. Picha also designed the film posters for Benoît Lamy's 'Home Sweet Home' (1973) and Thierry Zéno's 'Des Morts' (1979). As himself, the cartoonist appeared in the 1985 live-action short 'Fumeurs de Charme', AKA 'Requiem Pour Un Fumeur', by Frédéric Sojcher, which also starred the French singers Serge Gainsbourg and Bernard Lavilliers.
Tarzoon: The Shame Of The Jungle
Inspired by the success of Ralph Bakshi's X-rated animated feature 'Fritz the Cat' (1972), Picha turned to animation. His debut film 'Tarzoon: La Honte de la Jungle' ('Tarzoon: The Shame of the Jungle', 1975) is a sex parody of 'Tarzan'. In Picha's version, the so-called "lord of the jungle" is a pathetic loser, whose loin cloth keeps falling down. After being unable to sexually satisfy Jane, she is kidnapped by a man-size jumping testicle. The plot tackles every jungle stereotype in existence, including dangerous animals, oafish safari hunters and hungry cannibals. Besides 'Tarzan', Hergé's 'Tintin in the Congo' is briefly spoofed as well. In a vicious parody of the comic book's pro-colonial tone, Tintin is seen converting black boys to Christianity. When one boy doesn't pay attention, he hits him over the head with his crucifix.
Still, Picha didn't run into copyright troubles with Hergé, but instead with the estate of 'Tarzan' novelist Edgar Rice Burroughs. Picha was sued, but the judge ruled in his favor that the picture was obvious satire. Nevertheless, the animator took the precaution of changing the title and titular character from Tarzan into Tarzoon. Some U.S. prints even completely retitled it as 'Jungle Burger'. They also censored five minutes' worth of material and altered some dialogue. On the other hand, Johnny Weissmuller, Jr., son of the iconic Tarzan actor, took the film in good fun. He even voiced Tarzoon in the American dub. Other celebrities featured in the American dubbed version are comedians John Belushi, Bill Murray and Christopher Guest. Despite the controversy, 'Tarzoon' was an international cult hit. In 1977, the Dutch comic artist Paul Schuurmans also drew a pornographic 'Tarzan' parody comic, titled 'Tarzoen - 1001 Sex Avonturen'. Despite a similar title and premise, it had nothing to do with the Picha film.
'Tarzoon' film poster.
The Missing Link
During the 1980s, Picha released two more animated features. 'Le Chaînon Manquant' ('The Missing Link', 1980) is set during the Stone Age, where a pink, hairless cavechild is rejected by his tribe and adopted by a Brontosaurus and a Pterodactyl. The picture had higher production values and had many of the same elements that made 'Tarzoon' a success. The film spoofs both the evolution theory and clichés about prehistory, including the idea that cavemen and dinosaurs lived during the same "era". The dirty sex jokes were back as well. Two notable animators who worked on 'The Missing Link' were Nic Broca and Carine De Brab.
Nevertheless, 'The Missing Link' wasn't as successful as 'Tarzoon'. Picha also adapted 'Le Chaînon Manquant' into a comic strip, first published in Pilote issue #M78 (November 1980) and then serialized in Jan Bucquoy's magazine Spetters under the Dutch title 'De Ontbrekende Schakel' (1981). Dargaud additionally released it as a comic book.
The Big Bang
Seven years later, Picha brought out a new animated feature, 'Le Big Bang' ('The Big Bang', 1987). Contrary to his previous pictures, 'Le Big Bang' was not a parody, but an original story. The dystopian story is set after World War III, when most of the world's civilization has been destroyed. Russia and the United States have created a new state named the U.S.S.R. Although it seems that the two superpowers are now at peace, they still declare war on another country, inhabited by only women, Vaginia. God feels a new war is lurking and sends a garbage man to stop the Earthlings. 'Le Big Bang' featured political satire, though fans of sex comedy weren't forgotten. When the picture was translated into English and ran in British film theaters, censors cut scenes in which God swears and has sex with his wife on a cloud. Again, Picha adapted 'Le Big Bang' into a comic book, published by Albin Michel. Unfortunately, the film failed to make an impression at the box office, putting Picha's cinematic career on hold for the next 20 years.
Snow White, the Sequel
In 2007, Picha returned to animated features by directing 'Blanche-Neige, La Suite' ('Snow White, The Sequel'), a self-declared "sequel" to Walt Disney's 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', made 70 years earlier. Following his trademark style, the picture was another sex parody. Though, contrary to what the picture's promotional campaign claimed, it was hardly the first new animated feature based on 'Snow White'. Picha couldn't claim that he was the first creator of a pornographic animated parody of 'Snow White' either. In 1973, David Grant and Marcus Parker-Rhodes made the 11-minute animated short, 'Snow White and the Seven Perverts' (also known under its German title 'Schneeflittchen unter den Sieben Bergen', 1973), which features orgies between Snow White, the Dwarfs and the Prince. This short was also included in Bruno Mattei's live-action film 'Sesso Perverso, Mondo Violento' (also known as 'Perversione del Sesso', 1982). 'Blanche Neige, La Suite' flopped at the box office, marking the end of Picha's animation career.
Animators
Among the notable animators who worked on Picha's animated films have been Carine de Brab, Jean-Marie Borbouse, Nic Broca, Touïs, Borge Ring and Nicole Van Goethem, the latter most famous as the director of the Academy Award-winning short 'A Greek Tragedy' (1985). Picha's films were co-scripted by Pierre Bartier, a journalist previously known for scripting Guy Peellaert's comic strip 'Les Aventures de Jodelle' (1966).
TV animation
Apart from making cartoons aimed at adults, Picha has also made more child-friendly animated series for television, including 'Zoo Olympics' (1990-1991) and 'Zoo Cup' (1992-1993), which respectively spoofed the Olympic Games and the World Cup Association Football with anthropomorphic animals partaking in the events. The only recurring character is a snake journalist, Jean-Baptiste Le Pied, who comments on each game. 'Zoo Olympics' premiered on the French premium TV channel Canal+ and was later broadcast on La Cinquième and Le Télétoon, as well as in Dutch on the Flemish public TV channel TV2 (nowadays Ketnet). The idea of animals playing a sports game wasn't entirely new, though. In 1971, the Walt Disney Company produced the live-action film 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks', which has an animated segment in which a group of animals play a football match. And in 1980 Steven Lisberger directed the animated TV film 'Animalympics' (1980), which featured various animals participating in the Olympic Games.
Another children's TV series by Picha, 'Les Jules... Chienne de Vie' (1996), starred two unfortunate dogs, both named Jules, and their canine friends. The series was broadcast on Canal+ and then re-aired on France 2, France 3 and Canal J. In Québec, Canada, it aired under the shortened title 'Les Jules'. In 1996, writer Jean Cheville and illustrator Nadine Forster adapted four episodes into a series of illustrated books for Lombard. In cooperation with Média-Film, Saban International and Raymond Leblanc's Belvision studio, Picha was also involved with an animated TV adaptation of Paul Cuvelier's comic strip 'Corentin',n: 'Les Voyages de Corentin' (1993-1998). Jean van Hamme served as screenwriter.
From: 'Picha 1' (Éditions MEET, 1965).
Recognition
In 1959, Picha received the annual Salon des Humoristes Award. In 1964, he won the International Prize during the first edition of the International Cartoon Festival of Knokke-Heist. Three years later, in 1967, he won "Best Political Cartoon" at the first edition of the International Cartoon Festival of Montréal.
Legacy and influence
Together with Raoul Servais, Picha is the best-known Belgian animator worldwide. However, Picha's body of work is much smaller and his pictures never received an award. Of all four releases, only 'Tarzoon' brought in a huge profit and remains his best remembered film. In general, critics have often dismissed Picha's animated films as random, low-brow and puerile pictures. His animation career also overshadowed his work as a comic artist and cartoonist. To this day, there hasn't been a book reprint or DVD collection of his cartoons yet.
Nevertheless, Picha was an influence on Jean-Louis Lejeune, Marec, Philippe Moins and Nicole Van Goethem. Picha's daughter, Mona Walravens, is active as a movie actress.
Documentary about Picha
For those interested in Picha's life and career, the documentary, 'Mon Oncle d'Amérique est Belge' (2006), directed by Éric Figon and Picha's niece Françoise Walravens, is highly recommended.
Translation: "This isn't a sleazy movie!"