I viewed an animation by Norman McLaren titled “A Phantasy”. One of the definitions of phantasy that I found is “imagination unrestricted by reality” and the pretty much sums up this piece for me.
This film is nearly 60 years old and seems old-fashioned in comparison to what we see today. I’m not sure it would hold the interest of young viewers as it takes its time to unfold and doesn’t really seem to ‘go’ anywhere. It is composed of additive and subtractive animation and has a very simple soundtrack that utilizes a saxophone and some sound effects. The music helps set a light, whimsical tone that is in contrast to the dark and moody images.
This composition appears to be more an artistic expression than any kind of discernable narrative, at least to my eyes. I found it reminiscent of a Salvador Dali painting come to life. The entire frame is well used and the color palate is rich but muted and there are no characters per se. It opens onto a landscape dotted with some large rock-like objects in the foreground. Action is introduced via shapes that enter from the sides. These shapes continuously morph and supply all the action, sometimes producing recognizable objects; a bird, a clock, or a butterfly. The middle portion is devoted to circular objects that fluidly move in and out of formations in space, not unlike a Busby Berklee or Rockette routine. Ultimately these shapes settle back into the landscape below to complete this surreal piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjl0i_p_pow
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