Tyrus (film)

Tyrus Wong immigrates to the U.S. from Guangzhou as a boy.{{cite news|title=Tyrus: His Art Inspired Bambi, His Life Will Inspire You|url=https://gooddocs.net/products/tyrus|publisher=Good Docs}} Though living in poverty, his father, encourages Wong's unique talent for drawing. Inspired by the art of the Song dynasty and abstract Western painters like Picasso and Whistler, Wong employed simple brushstrokes, using watercolors and pastels, to create lush forests and green meadows. His philosophy of abstraction (fewer strokes) allowed him to connect with viewers' imaginations, as his work would suggest images while viewers' minds would fill in the rest.{{cite news|author=Jon Hogan|title=A Documentary on Tyrus Wong, a Long-Ignored Illustrator for Disney and Warner Bros|url=https://hyperallergic.com/386395/a-documentary-on-tyrus-wong-a-long-ignored-illustrator-for-disney-and-warner-bros/|publisher=Hyperallergic|date=23 Jun 2017}} His work eventually caught the eye of Walt Disney, who hired Wong as an illustrator at Walt Disney Studios. Wong's style became the blueprint for the visual look and feel of the film of Bambi, constituting all its background art. After an abrupt dismissal from Disney, Wong would go on to become a fine artist, a storyboard artist, and muralist as a means of providing for providing for his family; however, he became a kite designer to fulfill himself artistically. Wong's storyboards helped set the tone and drama for films such as Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), William Goldman's Harper (1966) and Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch. Despite working as in Hollywood for nearly 30 years, the racist attitudes of the time prevented his contributions from being acknowledged until the 21st century. Wong died at the age of 106 on December 30, 2016, the oldest-known living Chinese American artist at the time of his death. He is now widely regarded, at Disney Studios and among illustrator communities, as "a Legend."{{cite news|author=M.V. Moorehead|title=Film Review: Tyrus at No Festival Required|url=https://www.phoenixmag.com/2017/07/11/film-review-tyrus-at-no-festival-required/|publisher=Phoenix|date=11 Jul 2011}}

Pamela Tom was inspired to make Tyrus after watching Bambi with her daughter. In the behind-the-scenes documentary that followed, she learned of Wong:

{{blockquote|...the animators kept referring to this Chinese American artist named Tyrus Wong. I thought, 'A Chinese American artist in the 1930s? I need to find out more about this person.'{{cite news|author=Michael Miller|title=Newport film fest's 'Bambi' provides inspiration for 'Tyrus' documentary|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/tn-dpt-me-0424-tyrus-20160422-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|date=22 Apr 2016}}}}

Tyrus was produced by Tom, Gwen Wynne, and Tamara Khalaf.

Tyrus premiered on September 8, 2015, at the Telluride Film Festival. It had its U.S. national release on September 8, 2017, as a part of PBS's long-running series, American Masters.{{cite episode|title=S31 Ep7 Tyrus|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/tyrus-about-the-film/8917/|series=American Masters|network=PBS|date=8 Sep 2017}} The film has screened at numerous film festivals across the world.{{cite web|title= Tyrus|url=https://asianworldfilmfest.org/tyrus|publisher=Asian World Film Festival|access-date=22 Feb 2021}}

Good Docs labeled the film a "tour-de-force."

[https://sightlinesmag.org/ Sightlines Magazine] – "Creativity Will Out: Seven Arts Documentaries To Watch"https://sightlinesmag.org/creativity-will-out-seven-arts-documentaries-to-watch

AARP – "Influential Asian American & Pacific Islander Movies"{{Cite web |title=Influential Movies and Documentaries featuring Asian Americans |url=https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-2018/asian-american-movies-documentaries.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=AARP |language=english}}

[https://www.phoenixmag.com/ Phoenix Magazine] – "Film Review: Tyrus at No Festival Required"{{Cite web |date=2017-07-11 |title=Film Review: Tyrus at No Festival Required |url=https://www.phoenixmag.com/2017/07/11/film-review-tyrus-at-no-festival-required/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=PHOENIX magazine |language=en-US}}

Eugene Weekly – "Bambi's Secret"{{Cite web |title=Bambi's Secret – Eugene Weekly |url=https://eugeneweekly.com/2016/04/28/bambis-secret/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=eugeneweekly.com}}

Parade – "American Masters to Showcase the Life and Work of Tyrus Wong, Disney Animator and Artist"{{Cite news |title=American Masters To Showcase the Life and Work of Tyrus Wong, Disney Animator and Artist |language=en |work=Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays |url=https://parade.com/600112/rielyhaven/american-masters-to-showcase-the-life-and-work-of-tyrus-wong-disney-animator-and-artist/ |access-date=2023-08-04}}

[https://mymodernmet.com/ My Modern Met] – "Tyrus Wong, the Chinese-American Artist of Disney's "Bambi" Finally Gets Recognition He Deserves"{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Jessica |date=2017-09-08 |title=Tyrus Wong, the Chinese-American Artist o Disney's "Bambi" Finally Gets Recognition He Deserves |url=https://mymodernmet.com/tyrus-wong-disney-bambi-artist/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=My Modern Met |language=en}}

LA Times – "Newport film fest's 'Bambi' provides inspiration for 'Tyrus' documentary"{{Cite web |last= |date=2016-04-22 |title=Newport film fest's 'Bambi' provides inspiration for 'Tyrus' documentary |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/tn-dpt-me-0424-tyrus-20160422-story.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Daily Pilot |language=en-US}}

Orlando Sentinel – "'Bambi' turns 75; PBS salutes unsung artist"{{Cite web |date=2017-08-21 |title='Bambi' turns 75; PBS salutes unsung artist |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv-guy/os-et-bambi-turns-75-pbs-salutes-artist-20170821-story.html/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}}

Animation Magazine – "Tyrus Wong Documentary Premieres on PBS September 8"https://www.animationmagazine.net/2017/08/tyrus-wong-documentary-premieres-on-pbs-september-8/

Hyperallergic – "A Documentary on Tyrus Wong, a Long-Ignored Illustrator for Disney and Warner Bros"{{Cite web |last=Leckert |first=Oriana |last2=Hogan |first2=Jon |date=2017-06-23 |title=A Documentary on Tyrus Wong, a Long-Ignored Illustrator for Disney and Warner Bros |url=http://hyperallergic.com/386395/a-documentary-on-tyrus-wong-a-long-ignored-illustrator-for-disney-and-warner-bros/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Hyperallergic |language=en-US}}

Cartoon Brew – "PBS To Air Documentary About 'Bambi' Production Designer Tyrus Wong (Watch Trailer)"{{Cite web |last=Amidi |first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |date=2017-08-22 |title=PBS To Air Documentary About 'Bambi' Production Designer Tyrus Wong (Watch Trailer) |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/documentary-2/pbs-air-documentary-bambi-production-designer-tyrus-wong-153011.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Cartoon Brew |language=en-US}}

KTLA – "New PBS Documentary About Tyrus Wong, Chinese American Artist Behind Disney's Bambi"{{Cite web |date=2017-09-07 |title=New PBS Documentary About Tyrus Wong, Chinese American Artist Behind Disney's Bambi |url=https://ktla.com/morning-news/new-pbs-documentary-about-tyrus-wong-chinese-american-artist-behind-disneys-bambi/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=KTLA |language=en-US}}

[https://caamedia.org/ CAAM Media] – "'Tyrus' Documentary Airs on American Masters Sept 8"{{Cite web |last= |date=2016-02-24 |title="TYRUS" Film Shines the Spotlight on the Chinese American Behind "Bambi" |url=https://caamedia.org/blog/2016/02/24/tyrus-film-shines-the-spotlight-on-the-chinese-american-behind-bambi/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=CAAM Home |language=en-US}}

[https://www.nonfictionfilm.com/ NonFiction Film] – "director Pamela Tom On Her Tyrus Wong Doc: Centenarian Artist 'Transforms Ugliness Into Beauty'"{{Cite web |title=105-year-old artist subject of new doc |url=http://www.nonfictionfilm.com/1/post/2016/05/director-pamela-tom-on-her-tyrus-wong-doc-centenarian-artist-transforms-ugliness-into-beauty.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=NON FICTION FILM |language=en}}

Huffington Post – "Tyrus Wong, The 'Bambi' Artist Who Endured America's Racism, Gets His Due"{{Cite web |date=2017-09-06 |title='Bambi' Artist Who Endured America's Racism Finally Gets His Due |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tyrus-wong-american-masters-film-pbs_n_59afc6fae4b0354e440dd2bc |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}

CBS – Sunday Morning – "'Bambi' artist Tyrus Wong"{{Cite web |date=2017-01-08 |title="Bambi" artist Tyrus Wong |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/bambi-artist-tyrus-wong/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

Slate – "A New Documentary Celebrates the Life of Tyrus Wong, Bambi'sOverlooked Innovator"{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Aisha |date=2017-09-07 |title=A New Documentary Celebrates the Life of Tyrus Wong, Bambi's Overlooked Innovator |language=en-US |work=Slate |url=https://slate.com/culture/2017/09/tyrus-celebrates-the-life-of-bambi-animator-tyrus-wong-video.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |issn=1091-2339}}

Front Row Center – "American Masters Celebrates Bambi Artist Tyrus Wong"{{Cite web |last=Trojan |first=Judith |date=2017-09-08 |title=American Masters Celebrates Bambi Artist Tyrus Wong |url=https://judithtrojan.com/2017/09/08/american-masters-celebrates-bambi-artist-tyrus-wong/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=FrontRowCenter |language=en}}

Artsy – "Why the Artist behind Disney's 'Bambi' Still Influences Animators Today"{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2017-09-06 |title=Why the Artist behind Disney's "Bambi" Still Influences Animators Today |url=https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-artist-disneys-bambi-influences-animators-today |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Artsy |language=en}}

[https://caamedia.org/ CAAM Media] – "'TYRUS' Film Shines the Spotlight on the Chinese American Behind 'BAMBI'"

{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100114161035/http://www.diginmag.com/ Dig In]}} – CAAMFest Opening Night: TYRUS & Red Carpet Interviews{{Cite web |date=2016-03-13 |title=CAAMFest Opening Night: TYRUS & Red Carpet Interviews |url=http://www.diginmag.com/2016/03/12/caamfest-opening-night-tyrus-red-carpet-interviews/,%20http://www.diginmag.com/2016/03/12/caamfest-opening-night-tyrus-red-carpet-interviews/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=www.diginmag.com |language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

[https://caamedia.org/ CAAM Media] – "Memoirs of a Superfan Vol. 11.5 – A Flower Grows"{{Cite web |date=2016-03-11 |title=Memoirs of a Superfan Vol. 11.5 – A Flower Grows |url=https://caamedia.org/blog/2016/03/11/mosf-11-5-a-flower-grows/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=CAAM Home |language=en-US}}

KQED – "A Background Artist Comes to the Fore in CAAMFest's 'Tyrus'"{{Cite web |date=2016-03-09 |title=A Background Artist Comes to the Fore in CAAMFest's 'Tyrus' |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/11387523/tyrus-wong-a-background-artist-who-comes-to-the-fore |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=KQED |language=en-us}}

SF Chronicle – "CAAMFest makes bold to bring filmgoers to Mission"https://www.sfchronicle.com/movies/article/CAAMFest-makes-bold-move-to-bring-filmgoers-to-6866055.php?t=5897db20ea331b8bde

SF Examiner – "Rich, varied program for CAAMFest 2016 opens with TYRUS"

Filmmaker Magazine – TYRUS at HIFF{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Jason |date=2016-02-03 |title=A Showcase for Pacific Islands Filmmakers: The Hawaii International Film Festival at 35 {{!}} Filmmaker Magazine |url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/97030-a-showcase-for-pacific-islands-filmmakers-the-hawaii-international-film-festival-at-35/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Filmmaker Magazine |language=en-US}}

SDAFF – "Tyrus Wong…More Than a Brushstroke of Genius"

San Diego Tribune – "Broad Scope at San Diego Asian Film Fest"{{Cite web |last= |date=2015-11-04 |title=Broad scope at San Diego Asian Film Festival |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-broad-scope-at-asian-film-fest-2015nov04-htmlstory.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}

Awards Daily – "Oscar Contenders Emerging Out of Telluride"{{Cite web |date=2015-09-06 |title=Oscar Contenders Emerging out of Telluride |url=https://www.awardsdaily.com/2015/09/06/oscar-contenders-emerging-out-of-telluride/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Awardsdaily |language=en-US}}

Awards Daily – "Top Five Films I Missed At Telluride"{{Cite web |date=2015-09-08 |title=Top Five Films I Missed at Telluride |url=https://www.awardsdaily.com/2015/09/08/top-five-films-i-missed-at-telluride/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Awardsdaily |language=en-US}}

KCET – Artbound – "Chinese Brushstrokes in Hollywood: The Works of Tyrus Wong"{{Cite web |last= |date=2013-01-08 |title=Chinese Brushstrokes in Hollywood: The Works of Tyrus Wong |url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/chinese-brushstrokes-in-hollywood-the-works-of-tyrus-wong |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=KCET |language=en}}

Smithsonian Magazine – "How Disney's 1942 Film Bambi Came to be Influenced by the Lush Landscapes of the Sung Dynasty"{{Cite web |last=Stevens |first=Joann |title=How Disney's 1942 Film Bambi Came to Be Influenced by the Lush Landscapes of the Sung Dynasty |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-one-man-drew-1942-bambi-180949466/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2531928 Tyrus on IMDb]
• [http://caamfest.com/2016/films/tyrus/ CAAM Fest 2016]

Category:2015 films

Category:Films about Chinese Americans

Category:American independent films

Category:Documentary films about painters

Category:Documentary films about Asian Americans

Category:Documentary films about the film industry

Category:2010s English-language films

Category:2010s American films