La tortue rouge (Michaël Dudok de Wit, 2016)

Dugometražni prvenac višestruko nagrađivanog holandskog animatora Mišela Dudoka de Vita vizuelni je trijumf, a kako trenutno stoje stvari, i najbolji animirani film 2016. Veličanstvena u svojoj jednostavnosti, ova belgijsko-francusko-japanska koprodukcija rezultat je devetogodišnje posvećenosti koja se ogleda u svakom brižljivo skrojenom frejmu.

Odbacujući dijaloge, de Vit sigurnim i laganim potezima slika arhetipsku priču o ciklusu života i smrti koja deluje kao da postoji od praiskona, a koja se može posmatrati iz najmanje dva ugla. U isti mah, ona je oda ljudskoj istrajnosti i alegorija o turbulentnom odnosu ništavnog čoveka prema ćudljivoj Majci Prirodi ili šire posmatrano, misterioznoj Vasioni.

Usredsređuje se na brodolomnika koga prvi put susrećemo u nezavidnoj situaciji, među divljim i teškim talasima koji prete da zdrobe svaku kost u njegovom telu. Na njegovu sreću, dospeva na obalu pustog ostrva gde započinje (sizifovsku) borbu za goli opstanak sa kojom svako može da se poistoveti. Dok ga pratimo u potrazi za izlazom, uviđamo da su njegovi snovi bliski našim i osećamo gnev prema misterioznoj sili (kako kasnije saznajemo, džinovskoj crvenoj kornjači) koja mu lomi splavove. Nakon osvete junaka, film dobija bajkovitu/mitološku dimenziju koja sa sobom donosi niz novih univerzalnih tema prožetih simbolima čija značenja autor ne nameće, već prepušta gledaocu da ih otkrije. 

Kontrastom između znalački iskorišćenog negativnog prostora i likova (protagoniste, 'Venere' koja se rađa iz oklopa mrtvog gmizavca, kao i njihovog sina) čiji dizajn je oslobađen suvišnih detalja, de Vit naglašava monumentalnost okruženja koje, kako u zatišju, tako i tokom bure, oduzima dah. Zelenilo bujne vegetacije, plavetnilo nedoglednog mora, toplina zalaska sunca i srebrom optočene noći stvaraju čistu poeziju u slikama koje, u potpunoj harmoniji sa eteričnom muzičkom pratnjom, pružaju nezaboravan gledalački doživljaj. A neodoljiv retro šarm Crvena kornjača duguje zrnastoj teksturi minimalističkih kompozicija i samoj animaciji koja najčešće odaje utisak da je izvedena kakvom tehnikom majstora starog kova.

Obavijena prozirnim velom melanholije, ova "nema", ali iskrena fantazija je poput moćne tihe vode iz čuvene sprske izreke, a savršen je par podjednako divnoj podvodnoj avanturi De profundis.

Muzički predah uz öOoOoOoOoOo

Kako ne voleti bend (zapravo, duet) koji svoje ime Chenille (Gusenica) opisuje duhovito-slikovito, bešavno spajajući obilje različitih, najčešće nesrodnih žanrova na svom debiju Samen? (A da ne spominjemo to što je i sam naziv albuma eklektičan, budući da znači 'seme', 'zajedno' i 'isto' u prevodu sa nemačkog, holandskog, odnosno škotskog.)

Iza jednostavnog omota skriveno je dvanaest kompleksnih avangardnih numera u kojima se sudaraju, prepliću i nezaboravni "eargasm" izazivaju pop, rock, disco, hardcore, neo-classic, electronica, R&B, death, black & sympho/gothic metal, uspostavljajući krajnje neobičnu (apstraktnu?) atmosferu. Već i sami naslovi pojedinih pesama (Meow Meow Frrru, Purple Tastes Like White, Chairleg Thesis) nagoveštavaju "sređeni haos" koji pevačica Asphodel i multiinstrumentista Baptiste Bertrand stvaraju sa neverovatnom lakoćom u snažnom naletu kreativnog ludila, a uz pomoć studijskog bubnjara Aymerica Thomasa.

Samen koji će vas voziti od Nežnosti, preko Gneva, do Bezobrazluka i nazad možete preslušati preko zvaničnog stream-a Apathia Records-a.

Taste of Old-School Anime and Mamoru Oshii's Works

In case you like retro animation, check out my list of twenty old-school anime that you might have missed, and if you are into (or haven't been introduced to) Mamoru Oshii's oeuvre, then click for the twelve of his best works that are not Ghost in the Shell (at Taste of Cinema). 

 

(Patlabor movies are not included, because I find them uninvolving on many levels. And Urusei Yatsura 'dyptich' is also omitted, since I'm not very fond of the original author Rumiko Takahashi's style.)

Avalon (2001)

M (Part II)

"M" as madness, moonlight, multi-dream...

 (click to enlarge)

Danijel Kiš as Blu / Sanja Kokanov as She / Branko Radaković as Mr. M

M (Part I)

"M" as maiden, malice, mystery, Mephisto, monstrosity, mind-trip...

The first half of a fantasy comic M which is based on a low-budget short film Lice istine (The Face of Truth) by Branko Radaković.

(click to enlarge)

To be continued...

Crumbs (Miguel Llansó, 2015)

Prior to high-fiving the Universe, both literally and metaphorically, the Spanish-born director Miguel Llansó takes us on a surreal adventure across the post-apocalyptic landscapes of Ethiopia. As his unlikely hero Candy (Daniel Tadesse) attempts to find a way to board a mysterious hovering spaceship, we are treated to one of the most deliciously absurd cinematic experiences.

In the world where human race has significantly decreased and mass production, globalism and consumerism have taken their toll, Candy lives with his pregnant darling Birdy (Selam Tesfayie) in an abandoned bowling alley. They worship and pray to Michael Jordan in a small shrine decorated with artificial flowers and keep a low profile from Nazi (who probably doesn't even know the meaning of the word) and other human scavengers. After Candy sees something (actually, someone, as we later find out) through the hole of a ball machine, he decides to visit the Witch (Shitaye Abraha) and ask her for advice... or rather, divination. Armed with a toy sword (a replacement for the previously lost Ninja Turtle talisman), the protagonist starts his bizarre journey. 

Only sixty-something minutes long, Crumbs compensates its simple plot and archetypal characters with idiosyncrasies which seem like emerging from the Afrofuturistic dreams of Alejandro Jodorovsky, Terry Gilliam, David Lynch and Llansó's compatriot Sergio Caballero. A prominent use of pop-cultural artifacts as the objects of great spiritual and historical value plays a big part in this sardonic, mythopoeic and self-ironic satire on idolatry and human stupidity. The ultimate stage in the downfall of ill-informed mankind is portrayed as a low key sci-fi film - simultaneously sad, funny, bold, weird, even philosophical in its irreverence.

The author's twisted sense of humor is complemented by the naïve, yet committed performance of the non-professional cast who contribute a lot to the feature's unique charm. Their "playground" is reminiscent of the Zone from Tarkovsky's Stalker with dilapidated objects scattered around sulphurous wastelands and lush, dense greenery that points at the Earth's recovery from its sparse inhabitants. Also memorable are the beautiful wide-screen cinematography (kudos to Israel Seoane) and the brooding ambient score by Atomizador, in an almost seamless synthesis.

Attila Marcel (Sylvain Chomet, 2013)

Delightfully odd and subtly whimsical, Attila Marcel marks a live-action debut for the acclaimed French animator Sylvain Chomet who brought us The Triplets of Belleville and The Illusionist. It is a story of a brilliant and traumatized man-child pianist, Paul (Guillaume Gouix, charmingly weird), who hasn't spoken a single word since the age of two, when he witnessed both of his parents' deaths. 

Raised and overprotected by his late mother's spinster sisters (Hélène Vincent and Bernadette Lafont, both having a whale of a time), Paul is tortured by nightmares which hold the key to his most horrid childhood memory. With a little help from his shrewish hippy spiritualist neighbor Madame Proust (Anne Le Ny in a heartfelt performance) and her special herbal tea, he will finally be able to open the door to his troubled past.

As his green-and-sad-eyed protagonist walks or rather, "trips" the road of self-discovery, Chomet spins a bittersweet coming of (belated) age tale and touches upon the themes of loss, love, family, illness, death, imposed wishes, domestic violence and the healing power of art. With a quirky blend of gentle, melancholic farce and hallucinogenic, candy-colored musical numbers he evokes the pleasant feeling of nostalgia and takes a considerable risk by sugar-coating some serious issues.

A major part of his eccentric dramedy's strength lies in the matching costume and production design, both decidedly retro-chic and imbued with meanings. (The contrast between the stifling orderliness of Paul and his aunts' apartment and the liberating chaos of Madame Proust's indoor garden is emphasized for good reason.) But, also powerful is the impact of magic-realist touches, such as the frog orchestra and the unforgettable amalgam of professional wrestling and tango.

Even though Chomet is better at directing the illustrated "frolics", his venture outside the comfort zone doesn't fall flat. Attila Marcel will probably strike a chord or two with the fans of Jeunet and/or Gondry.

Mezame no Hakobune (Mamoru Oshii, 2005)

Nastao povodom Svetske izložbe 2005, a prikazan u paviljonu "Planina snova", Mezame no Hakobune (u bukvalnom prevodu, Barka buđenja, prema međunarodnom naslovu Otvori svoj um) enigmatična je "muzička drama" u tri čina - amalgam naučnofantastičnih elemenata, mitoloških i religijskih referenci.

S obzirom na upečatljivost digitalne verzije, da se pretpostaviti da je sam događaj od pre jedanaest godina pružao nezaboravan doživljaj. Na početku, vidimo zupčanike u vidu mandala koje verovatno predstavljaju unutrašnjost kakvog kosmičkog sata (ili nečeg sličnog), a potom i šest svetlosnih kugli koje velikom brzinom stižu na tečnu planetu. U "igranom" delu prologa susrećemo se sa tri božanske figure (sa glavama životinja) koje neme stoje u šumi obavijenoj maglom - po svoj prilici, reč je o generalima boginje Pan.

Poglavlja koja slede nazvana su po njihovim imenima, (ribolikom) Šo-Ho, (pticolikom) Hjakin i (psolikom) Ku-Nu, a odvijaju se u kraljevstvu vode, vazduha i zemlje. Dok plutamo među morskim stvorenjima, lebdimo iznad serafim-golubice ili šetamo u društvu pasjeg kentaura, lagano nas obuzima osećaj iskonskog spokoja i oslobođenosti od gravitacije.

Umirujućoj atmosferi značajno doprinose opuštajuće nijanse plave boje i Kavaijev eterični skor kojim dominiraju opojni napevi sa snažnom etno-nabojem u izvođenju hora od sedam članica. (Ako volite saundtrek za Ghost in the Shell, velika je verovatnoća da ćete obožavati ovaj za Mezame no Hakobune.) A epilog, prožet zvukom cevastih zvona, otkriva Pan koja podseća na japansku boginju Benzaiten.

Teme koje se tiču ekologije, napredne tehnologije, kontroverznih genetičkih modifikacija (šifra: štenad i novorođenčad) i porekla života isprepletene su u moćnu, nenarativnu i nešablonsku fantaziju koja deluje kao san apsulutnog entiteta.