“The Hand” (1965) by Jiří Trnka would probably been seen as subversive by the communist government because at the time of the film the soviet invasion was happening, the soviets didnt love the type of free thinking the film in their minds would help with the resistance. The film drew power from its metaphor of the relationship between the artist and the state. This view scared the communists. The portrayal of the State to Artist relation was a critique of totalitarianism and all the visual symbolism made the state scared for the strength of their control of artistic expression. The large hand in the film was scary and represented oppression, the artists home is shown as a cage and the characters where manipulated by strings, all these visuals meant to scare the people into seeing what was really happening. They communist party obviously would want that, it makes them look so bad.
marcelle
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In “Bust the Axis” (UK/US, 1943) and “Momotarō no Umiwashi” (“Momotaro’s Sea Eagles,” Japan, 1943) the animation dehumanizes the enemy. It makes them look like bumbling fools, still dangerous enough to fight but weak enough to beat. The animation is exaggerated with crazy stereotypes, they mock cultures to create a big distinction between “us” and them.
In “Bust the Axis” (UK/US, 1943) the enemy is Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito. They are portrayed is idiots. The Axis is almost incompetent and just bad at theres jobs, they animate them courtly running away at times. Stereotypically Hirohito has some crazy racist East Asian facial features (squinted eyes, buck teeth, glasses). They made Hitter crazy and his mustache hilarious and Hirohito as way too fat. They animate the enemy as laughable and cowardice. They are easily beaten and lack any form of dignity. Their animation wile simple it’s just mean to the enemy. They look and act stupid.
In “Momotarō no Umiwashi” (“Momotaro’s Sea Eagles,” Japan, 1943) the enemy is American and the British but at times it means like it’s really just the west. They are depicted of twisted demons with great technology that they only use for even. They are drawn as animals (bears and bluebirds). Stereotypically their Western characteristics consist of big heavy builds and big nosed. They act like animals who are lazy or drunk. The animators make them very ugly with dark color pallets, they also make them also incompetent. They are never ready for an attack, They are arrogant and un coordinated and just like Bust the Axis” (UK/US, 1943) they are depicted as very weak.
Many of the films we saw this week show stereotypical versions of the enemy. Watch “Bust the Axis”, made in the UK directed by an American and “Momotarō no Umiwashi”. How is the enemy portrayed in each of these films? What negative stereotypes are depicted? What means are used in terms of drawing style and movement? What are the behaviors demonstrated by the characters?
Both war cartoons rely on some pretty obvious enemy stereotypes. “Bust the Axis” makes fun of the Axis powers with over-the-top caricatures, the Germans with those pointy helmets, Italians with huge noses, and Japanese characters with really racist features like buck teeth and yellow skin. They move all jerky and clumsy, portrayed as cowardly losers. Meanwhile, “Momotarō no Umiwashi” does the same thing to Westerners, giving them massive noses and stiff movements, showing Americans and Brits as corrupt colonizers who get easily beaten by the graceful, honorable Japanese characters. The animation styles really hammer home these differences – with heavier lines and darker colors for villains in the American film, and sharp, angular features for the Western bad guys in the Japanese one. Classic propaganda techniques from both sides.
Pauvre Pierrot (Emile Reynaud, 1892)
Im drawn to this film because its cute and simple but inna a very complex way. I like the story the sounds. How there is one setting and only to characters but without words you can learn so much about them and the plot. I love the colors and how it resembles that of a painting and I know it was painted but it gives Salvador Dali.
-What material was used
-Who Emile Reynaud is
-The music
I chose Dopey and Sleepy, wile all the dwarves have there big ol cheeks that pop right off the sides of there face, Sleepy has his all droopy and his entire face is like this. First we see his teeth and he only has one and that kinda gives him a sleepy baby appearance but his entire face is almost melting as he yawns. His eyes open and blink at different times and he is the only dwarf with crazy eye bags. Dopey seems youngest, he doesn’t have any facial hair like the other dwarves, his cheeks are also less big and red. His ears seem to be the biggest feature he has. He sits a smiles wile others talk and seemingly just looking happy to be here. He seems very nice but he doesn’t talk.. unlike all the other dwarves because well he never tried. He is just so cute.
We have seen that many early animated films, particularly in the US, were based on print comics. Why do you think that is? What was there about comics that would make them an appropriate subject for film?
Comics are literally 2d animated stories. It is a form of visual storytelling where you have a narrative, images depicting movement and emotion, suspense, a mimic of motion drawn out between slides. Also around this time there were already famous comic characters getting publicized so it was easy to use those characters in animation to test the waters. I made it easier for animators to gain attention and then money for more animations. Comics were so over exaggerated already, with facial expressions and character design. The over the top visuals made it almost seen right to bring these to life. People already had these comics as a constant in their life so the source material was already wanted and there why not grow on it.
Can you imagine being an audience member at one of Gaspard Robertson’s “Fantasmagorie” shows in 1797? What do you think your reaction would have been? Can you think of any form of entertainment that would elicit the same emotions today? (Re-)read/watch these resources for inspiration:
I don’t think I can imagine how that would have felt. I think since I was born in an age of so many new innovations coming and going so fast it’s hard for me to put myself in their shoes. I do Bellevue it was probably amazing and jawring but also beautiful, I would put it past the audience to laugh or cry at such simple art. I think now a days something that could invoke the same emotion is obviously ai, i feel like there are more than just that but thats the first that comes to mind. Ai brings so many new emotions and wile it is growing in realism so fast i feel like it definitely gives the same vibe, something new known to be impossible not even 10 years ago.
One of my favorite movies is “Fantastic Planet” This 1970s sci-fi film with amazing world building and eye catching animation. We watch a planet sometime in the future; rabid animals unlike anything you can imagine roam free hunting and eating each-other connected by this beautiful setting filled with wild almost sentient plants. The film plays on themes of: slavery, animal cruelty, the connection between the fear and stigma of education within lower-class communities, corrupt or ill informed government officials and the impact on everyone they lead-all within an hour and 12 min movie about this little alien girl, her human pet, and “government official” father.
Fantastic Planet (French: La Planète sauvage; Czech: Divot planeta, lit. ’The Wild Planet’) is a 1973 French-language experimental independent adult animated science fiction art film, directed by René Laloux and written by Laloux and Roland Topor, the latter of whom also completed the film’s production design.
Please tell us a bit about yourself. What is your name? Why did you pick this course? Is there a particular genre/era/type of animation you’re interested in learning more about? What is your major? What are your career goals? Include a few fun facts about yourself (hobbies? pets? favorite food?)
Hello i’m Marcelle. I picked this course, wile I am a science major, because first I need the credits but also because I love old animation. A lot of my favorite movies are older and or animations. I hope to minor in art or film history. I also adore film ant all the intricacies that come with it. I have always listened and washed breakdowns of movies and how each frame builds a world. My career goals is I believe to get my medical degree but for now I would still like to dabble in film and art because of its importance to me. Fun facts hmmmm I have a turtle, use to have to but the one I have now killed the other one. Again I love art, i draw and paint n stuff. I love Korean Caribbean and East Asian food also exited for this class lol !! bye nice meeting u
