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Best of the Best - Strange Tales of the Imagination

Best of the Best - Strange Tales of the Imagination

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Product Info Reviews

Features:
  • Color
  • Closed-captioned
  • Animated


Description:

All the National Film Board of Canada shorts on this disc earned Oscar nominations, and "Neighbors" (1952) won an Academy Award. Norman McLaren, who founded the animation unit of the NFB, used pixilation (stop motion photography of live actors), to present a pointed tale of human aggression in "Neighbors." An important film in the history of animation, it helped to establish the international reputation of the NFB. Most of the other films involve unusual techniques. "Hunger" (1974) by Peter Foldes remains a landmark of early computer animation, although modern audiences may find it ugly and heavy-handed. Ishu Patel uses a complex array of media and technical tricks to present a ravishing vision of an enchanted Moghul palace and the wondrous bird that inhabits it in "Paradise" (1984). Sadly, the lack of a coherent story weakens this lovely film. More satisfying is Patel's "The Bead Game" (1977), in which he manipulates thousands of tiny glass beads to present a series of striking images of evolution and destruction. "This Is the House That Jack Built" (1968) and "What on Earth!" (1967) use the simplified graphics pioneered by UPA and the Hubley Studio to spoof problems of Western civilization, although "What on Earth!" seems fresher and funnier more than 30 years later. Unrated, it is suitable for ages 10 and older: brief nudity, violence, and adult themes. Complete contents: 1. "The Big Snit," 2. "This Is the House That Jack Built," 3. "Special Delivery," 4. "My Financial Career," 5. "Neighbors," 6. "Paradise," 7. "Hunger," 8. "The Bead Game," 9. "La Salla," 10. "What on Earth!" --Charles Solomon
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