Heavy Metal (1981)

In my attempt learn more about animation I have been watching a series of “underground” animated movies. Today I had the pleasure of experiencing the infamous Heavy Metal film, after and hour and thirty minutes I was the happiest I have been this week as it was finally over.This animated anthology film, pays tribute to the Heavy Metal magazine, consists of nine risque comedy, sci-fi, action, fantasy and horror stories. Each story is loosely connected to the others by a single ubervillain — a talking green orb called the Loc-Nar.

Fig1: Movie Poster Art

Let me start by saying that I do understand the appeal and the reason why some might love this film to pieces. Perhaps I would have enjoyed this more if I was high, but I feel the main reason as to which I couldn’t take this seriously let alone enjoy the film was because I am female. This movie caters to the male demographic and arguably contains everything that a generic white male heterosexual man loves. That is big guns, big boobs, violence, sex and a classic rock soundtrack. All this content is recycled again and again throughout the film in an unapologetic and politically incorrect manner to say the least. At this point I realize that this is not a film to be taken seriously and the viewer needs to try and appreciate it for what it is, an all over the place crazy fun thing to watch on a guy’s night (probably). With little to no consistency and a testosterone filled humor I do not think I will be coming back for seconds.

Fig2: ASS

Fig3: BOOBS

Fig4: MEAT

Thankfully thought not all was terrible, there are still things that I enjoyed. These mainly have to do with the art style and animation technique used in the movie. The aesthetic of the movie reminded me of comic book illustrations that have been brought to life. Each segment in the anthology is presented with a different aesthetic, from the surrealism of the opening title sequence, to the superhero caricature of Captain Sternn. Due to that some animations felt stiffer than others maybe even bulky to me especially the opening sequence. It is also important to note that the film showcases stunning examples of rotoscoping, an old-school technique that’s something of a spiritual predecessor to today’s motion-capture animation. Models were filmed on a set, then traced frame-by-frame onto film.

Fig5: Segment 1

Fig6: Segment 5

A selection of movie art that I liked in particular:

Fig7: Movie BG1

Fig8:Movie BG2

Fig9:Movie BG3

Fig10:Movie BG4

Furthermore even thought this film wasn’t particularly to my liking I do understand the impact it had when it first got released. During that time it was popular belief that animation was a kids thing, clearly that is an opinion that has changed after its release which caused some stir. In addition some of the ideas and settings featured were ahead of time its time and even today they remain a great source of inspiration for current and future films. A good example is The Fifth Element which borrows heavily from Heavy Metal for its characters, themes, set, costume and prop design.

Fig11: Alien in Heavy Metal Film

Fig12: Alien in the Fifth Element

Overall this has been a productive experience and I am glad I gave Heavy Metal a choice. As I previously mentioned the variety of settings and words I got exposed do will surely come in handy at some point in the future. Even thought I didn’t particularly fancy this film I will continue to expose myself to underground animation movies in order to learn as much as possible.

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References:

Film School Rejects. (2009). Movies We Love: Heavy Metal. [online] Available at: https://filmschoolrejects.com/movies-we-love-heavy-metal-60c7ea245c01 [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig1: https://images.alphacoders.com/173/173661.jpg  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig2: http://www.angelfire.com/music6/walteregan/AnimationCountdown/Gifs/74heavymetal.gif  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig3: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e7/80/8a/e7808a6f21afdd8371c1034e11252f50.gif  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig4: http://www.thepoxbox.com/contentimages/heavymetal1981_5.gif  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig5:  http://putlocker.is/watch-heavy-metal-online-free-putlocker.html (screenshot)  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig6: https://endofthegame.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sternn.jpg  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig7:  http://putlocker.is/watch-heavy-metal-online-free-putlocker.html (screenshot)  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig8:  http://putlocker.is/watch-heavy-metal-online-free-putlocker.html (screenshot)  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig9:  http://putlocker.is/watch-heavy-metal-online-free-putlocker.html (screenshot)  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig10:  http://putlocker.is/watch-heavy-metal-online-free-putlocker.html (screenshot)  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig11: http://animatedviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/heavy7.jpg  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig12: https://projectedrealities.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/fifthelement_219pyxurz.jpg  [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

 

Fantastic Planet (1973)

Having plenty of free time around those heat filled summery days, I decided to put my time in good use and better familiarize myself with the context introduced by the history of animation lectures. Today I will be taking  a look at Fantastic Planet, this is by no means an extensive/ detailed study of the film I am going refer to the things that stood out the most for me and do a bit of further reading on the film’s symbolism etc.

Fig1: Original movie poster art 

“This futuristic story takes place on a faraway planet where blue giants rule, and oppressed humanoids rebel against the machine-like leaders.”  René Laloux’s mesmerizing Fantastic Planet is one of the landmarks in European sci-fi animation, released in 1973.

This movie seems to be a classic in the history of weird cinema and for good reason. The art style is very peculiar as it uses cut out animation for its medium. The end result gives not only an eerie look but a bizarre motion to the characters and the world, almost as if a picture book has come to life. Even thought the film is animated there is minimal movement with each frame and the action sequences feel very rigid at best. Still Its unique art style set it apart of world famous animators of the time (Walt Disney, Hayao Miyasaki) and established a benchmark for an animated sci-fi film that addressed adult themes.

Fig2: The headphones of knowledge

Fig3: Dragg imitating the human appearance

The fact that humans are the size of ants gives a whole new physiological perspective to the film, since our kind in that world is being haunted and even faces extinction through  pesticide. Watching tiny humans picked off, swallowed whole, or crushed by massive aliens contraptions was very disorienting and bizarre. I was reminded of my earlier days when used to play around with bugs were I would poke and step on them. The thought of humans, being in that position was very disheartening. As people we feel secure in our size and intelligence but truth is we are much more fragile and vulnerable than we like to admit.

Fig4: Dragg that pushes female Om away

Fig5: Vacuum cleaner that eats Oms

 

The landscape of this “fantastic planet” is ruled by its own physics and unique species most of who are very dangerous to the humans. To me the environment was both horrifying and mysterious. Throughout the film we are introduced to some of the natural laws that exist in that habitat, such as the crystals that form in the morning and can break away with the sound of a whistle. Or creatures and plants that trap each other for food.

Fig6: Crystals that break with whistles

Fig7: Animal that traps a bird and kills it

The blue skinned creatures, the Draags are ethereal beings which has meditation as the center of their society. During the meditation process the Draags are send to an “out of body trip” in which their consciousness appears to float and travel far away from their body.  This element really important as it makes them more than mindless human killing machines which they may appear like. Their presence and practices remain even after the plot has been resolved signaling their existence to be much more substantial than a “fight for power tribe”, a simplistic archetype which can be found in many dystopian narratives.

Fig8: Body changes during meditation

Fig9: Floating Draggs during meditation

Plenty of symbolism can be seen in the film but right now I am going to talk about the one that made the most sense to me. The Om, with their wild, natural lifestyles seemed to be in constant clash with the industrial and civilized Draags. The war between the cold, yet mystical Draag and the wild, vital Om may be meant to say something about a conflict deeply embedded within our own society. To me it seems like a clash between nature and technology or more like the difference in the Hippie ideology in contrast to Globalization.

Fig10: Hippie culture

Fig11: Industrialization

In the end as bizarre as it may have been “Fantastic Planet” has been a very interesting movie and I am glad I watched it. Even thought it was less than coherent sometimes and hard to follow I believe it was a very successful introduction to the dystopian setting and the symbolism and values it entails.

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References:

 

Weird Fiction Review. (2013). Knowing the Alien: René Laloux’s “Fantastic Planet” | Weird Fiction Review. [online] Available at: http://weirdfictionreview.com/2013/04/knowing-the-alien-rene-lalouxs-fantastic-planet/ [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Senses of Cinema. (2005). Fantastic Planet. [online] Available at: http://sensesofcinema.com/2005/cteq/fantastic_planet/ 

Fig1: http://cromeyellow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Fantastic-Planet-Poster-thumb.jpg [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig2: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/10fe2fdb58671de2385f90e569e48d292e1f6674aae7765c673b6e7041f5c8d8.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig3: https://media.giphy.com/media/38Rjk1543og8w/giphy.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig4: https://media.giphy.com/media/Dv6bjddAPwvte/giphy.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig5: https://media.giphy.com/media/cERnIY1TTSgYo/giphy.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig6: http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/4421715/fantastic-planet-whistle-o.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig7: http://i.imgur.com/twOF97k.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig8: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly82xw0UDx1qdjhrgo1_500.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig9: http://33.media.tumblr.com/28e72e946a8da2bbd8fe0524ef658ac7/tumblr_nucdejfKFj1qc3ju8o9_540.gif [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig10: http://www.mortaljourney.com/main/wp-content/uploads/Love_Not_War_Sign_thumb.jpg [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].

Fig11: https://spottedtoad.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/factorias_5.jpg [Accessed 9 Sep. 2016].