| A 1-minute sample of the 13-minute short film by Michel Ocelot, completed in 1979. The complete film, in a much clearer, more recent transfer and with English subtitles, is available on the French DVD 'Les Trésors cachés de Michel Ocelot,' which is region 2 and PAL and can be imported from online shops such as Fnac or the French Amazon. This sample was found at the production company's page www.aaaproduction.fr This is Ocelot's first proper film (his first professional work being the 'Gédéon' TV series broadcast in 1976) and it exhibits what I find most appealing about his art: since at least the 1960s, prettiness in animation has been associated with conformity, with the Disney tradition, while to be considered individualistic, one has to be grotesque, like Looney Tunes, Jan Švankmajer, Tim Burton and so on. Just because this tradition has always been the "other," less famous one, people don't recognise it as being a tradition just like the Disney one. Ocelot's films like 'Les Trois Inventeurs' and 'Azur et Asmar' are individual and alternative /because/ they are so pretty, not despite it. They belong to another tradition, much less prominent today, which includes Lotte Reiniger, Jiří Trnka, Be-PaPas and some of the staff surrounding 'Princess Tutu.' For stills from other parts of the film, see www.awn.com www-viz.tamu.edu and www.top-parents.fr 'Les Trois Inventeurs' is © 1980 aaa production. |
