This Week in the Mercury

Film Shorts

Film

Film Shorts

In Which We Hit It and Quit It


A Month of Letters

Books

A Month of Letters

Mary Robinette Kowal's Hand-Written Challenge



  |  

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Film Fantastic Planet this Weekend!

Posted by Ned Lannamann on Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 3:19 PM

fantasticplanet1.jpg
I'd never seen Fantastic Planet (La Planète Sauvage) until very recently, and I couldn't be more excited that it's playing this weekend at Fifth Avenue Cinema (on the PSU campus). The bizarre animated movie has been described as a mixture of Salvador Dali, Hieronymous Bosch, and Terry Gilliam, and that drool-inducing assessment is not far off.

fantasticplanet2.jpg
Check out the trailer, and read more after the jump.


The 1973 film is a collaboration between French and Czech animators, and it's based on a science fiction novel by Stefan Wul called Oms en Série, but the movie's theme has a lot to do with Czechoslovakia's occupation by Soviet forces in the late '60s, which brought about the close of the Prague Spring era.

In the film, a race of blue giants, called Draags, co-exist with the human-like Oms (presumably a variant of the French word for man: homme). Oms are either considered by Draags to be mice-like pests or are kept captive as cute little pets. The Draags are an enlightened, intelligent race with a sophisticated government and extensive rituals of mediation. Yet they consider Oms to be inferior beings, perhaps because of their size. (Cue allegory.)

fantasticplanet4.jpg
The story holds up completely, in the classic sense of science fiction as parable for current-day issues. But the imagery is what's really amazing. Although the animation itself is choppy and primitive, the drawings are nothing short of spectacular, and the unorthodox pace of the movie feels hypnotic in tandem with the surreal art.

There's also a swanky '70s progressive rock score, which is awesome and hilarious at the same time. (Madlib sampled the shit out of it.) If you're so inclined, you can find the whole movie on YouTube, but the opportunity to see it on the big screen shouldn't be missed.

fantasticplanet5.jpg
Fantastic Planet will be showing at Fifth Avenue Cinema (510 SW Hall) in 35mm, in French with English subtitles.

Fri Jan 9 & Sat Jan 10 at 7 & 9:30 pm, Sun Jan 11 at 3 pm, $3 (FREE for PSU students, $2 for other students, seniors, & children)

 

Comments (8) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
This movie creeped me out a little when I saw it as a kid (~age 12). I'd like to see it again despite (or because of?) that.
Posted by Totalnerd on January 8, 2009 at 4:47 PM · Report
2
I watched this the first time I got stoned.

Nothing has beat that experience.
Posted by jew on January 8, 2009 at 5:25 PM · Report
3
You forgot to add that it was the first animated film to be nominated for the Palm D'Or at Cannes (it won a Special Award, instead, according to IMDb). One of my favorite, favorite sci-fi flix.
Posted by voodoolily on January 8, 2009 at 7:15 PM · Report
4
Yes. This was played quite a bit on Night Flight in the mid eighties. It was an English-dubbed version that I think is now hard to find. Night Flight was an amazing oasis tv show for shut-ins, potheads and shut-in potheads back in the day.
Who knows how many brains got permanently bent during that great show's run?
Posted by rich23 on January 8, 2009 at 8:25 PM · Report
5
I Love love love this movie! I was also first exposed to it on Night Flight all those years ago (when cable TV was fun). Although, I wasn't a shut it, it was a good way to spend a Saturday night without spending money. Of course... the pot helped.
Posted by Beer Batter on January 9, 2009 at 12:13 PM · Report
6
Love, love, love this movie! I think I too first saw it on Night Flight back during that brief late 80's-early 90's period when cable TV was actually had something to offer (and it was affordable).
Posted by Beer Batter on January 9, 2009 at 2:52 PM · Report
7
Just got back from a screening of this, and I echo the enthusiasm of Ned (and Beer Batter, and rich23, and voodoolily, and etc.)--this is pretty awesome. Plus, Fifth Ave. Cinema is super cheap, AND they have free popcorn. Definitely worth checking out this weekend, especially if you're in the mood to see blue aliens' boobs. AND WHO EVER ISN'T, I ASK.
Posted by Erik Henriksen on January 9, 2009 at 8:45 PM · Report
8
Went last night-- that was strange and totally awesome. Thanks for the heads up!
Posted by tk. on January 11, 2009 at 11:48 AM · Report

Add a comment

Our Friends

Our Enemies

/images/adoftheweek.gif

ad of the day

The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.go


post an ad

All contents © Index Newspapers, LLC

115 SW Ash St. Suite 600
Portland, OR 97204

Contact Info | Privacy Policy | Production Guidelines | Terms of Use