2D

A-Z

Written by andy 29th May 2009, 2:05pm

Posted in: 2D, Channel 4, Reviews

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Director: Sally Arthur, 2007

Best Short Short award at Bradford Animation Festival 2008, best Documentary at Rushes Soho Shorts.

This film is about Mrs P, eccentric artist and creator of the essential A-Z map of London. She lost herself in the streets of London, so we don’t have to. I still get lost in London, but that’s probably a combination of dyslexia and laziness on may part. This is an interesting story. How did Mrs P manage this incredible task?  Sally Arthur brings the question to life with imagination and wit. Set to the cool Music of Ollie Davis (some kind of Jazz Philip Glass), you feel the rush of facts and figures, the perpetual motion of the protagonist. This fast moving collage of drawings, cut-outs and hand drawn lettering is a breathless glimpse at the life of Mrs P and the chaos of 1930s London. She wore out shoes, wrestled with the seemingly endless stream of streets, place names and landmarks of London. She filled notebooks by the dozen but she did it. This short film is a fitting tribute to an unsung hero of the modern age.  Oh and in case you were wondering (I know I was) Mrs P’s real name is Mrs Phyllis Pearsall.

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Babies of the Future

Written by andy 29th May 2009, 12:05pm

Posted in: 2D, Reviews

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STEP 1: Select your baby of the future. STEP 2: ENJOY!

This mini gemlette frankly terrifies me. This should be terrible; it doesn’t exactly have high production values, its not really clear what its about and its kind of gawkily put together but I find it strangely compelling. It works and it makes me laugh but it’s a scary laugh.  BABIES OF THE FUTURE is a sort of lo-fi, dystopian ad parody. The voices are frightening. The dialogue is warped and the pace is manic. Together it has a feverish quality, which combines all the weirdness of a David Lynch with all the shortness of 1 minute. 

We are in the presence of a kind of twisted genius here. I suspect Mozen (the creator of this oddment,) could sell cheese to the lactose intolerant if he chose to enter the annals of advertising. Why does it terrify me? Because, I don’t know why, but I WANT A BABY OF THE FUTURE!

You should also check out SLAP, sheepstory, the ruler, That Guy TV Show, Really Real? by Mozen.

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The Village

Written by andy 29th May 2009, 12:05pm

Posted in: 2D, Reviews

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1992 Director Mark Baker

I love the sinister vibe of this 1992 classic. This is the story of an isolated village where everyone seems to have something to hide. Anyone thinking of moving to the country should probably watch this. 

If like me, you’re a highly suspicious individual, you’ll love the air of suspicion, distrust and the all round twitchy-curtain vibe, except there are no curtains. Anyway, there’s a lot of people peering from windows and ducking out of sight. Watching it makes me marvel at how quickly and skilfully we learn about the Village and its inhabitants. The economy of the storytelling is wonderful to behold. Nothing is wasted. There is very little dialogue. But it’s all there: an alcoholic priest, a nosey old lady, murder, love, seduction, injustice and gold.

The Village was made using traditional cel animation (1992 was before the web, scary!). Anyway, the hand drawn quality gives it a cool storybook feel. A charming black comedy.  

You should also check out Jolly Roger by Mark Baker, who went on to co-create Peppa Pig.

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Dogg

Written by madevi 29th May 2009, 12:05pm

Posted in: 2D, Channel 4, Reviews

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I have a confession to make.

I am a dog spotter. Every few days I go down to the park just to watch them running around, tongues lolling, ears flapping, their ridiculous spindly legs flailing about uncontrollably. They are so silky, with their shiny, gleaming coats glistening in the sunlight, but also so very, very stupid. THE BALL IS STILL IN MY HAND, FOOL! It never gets old.

Watching the Brothers McLeod’s mini series “Dogg” is a similarly pleasant experience. From the creative duo who brought you spam poetry, a trainee ninja, and, errr, animated sticks, come the delightful tales of Dogg, a fleet-footed, yappy canine. Dogg goes about his daily doggy business, but with distinctive human flair. He wears spectacles and has a rather jaunty hat. He also has a pogo stick, and visits a Museum of Egg, but you’ll have to watch all three episodes to get the full story.

If I had a dog, I would want it to be Dogg. I would groom its spotty fur and take it for walks in the stylishly understated, colourful backgrounds. I would feed it long links of sausages, and we could have long, yappy conversations about dog related things: sticks, tails, the lack of adequate toilet facilities. Sadly I’ll have to make do with the occasional trip to the park, and, on rainy days, hope that episode 4 is on its way.

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