With Michael Dudok De Wit creating his "The Red Turtle (2016)" as his major feature animation film, I thought of watching some of his earlier short animation films.
These are very unique to him. You'll notice when reading the relevant reviews.
The monk and the fish (1994) [Animation, Short, Musical]
Michael Dudok de Wit
Atmosphere, music and animation reminds of the childhood cartoon memories in the 90's. Reminds of "The princess and the cobbler (1993)".
Animation is very beautiful. It looks like a simple watercolor art making it a eye friendly art.
Music with the art makes it a beautiful cartoon because each and every movement of art have a flute or traditional music making it an amazing work of animation.
Overall a more poetic and artful depiction of short animation on obsession and a very simpler perspective to it.
The short film video I watched which is available in Youtube.com (search it from the title) has a description with the director where he discusses the art, music amd story boards giving us a broader perspective on art.
References
· - Image: The monk and the fish (1994). Format : (Jpg) Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110547/mediaviewer/rm104798976 (Accessed at : 2017/01/14)
Father and Daughter (2000) [Animation, Short, Drama]
Michael Dudok de Wit
This short animation won the academy award for best short film in 2001.
Like his beautiful animation in the 1994, "The monk and the fish" reflects upon the unique heartfelt childlike animation of the director, but this time rather than humour it deeply roots to the human element with music and his expansive landscape artwork.
In this his father leaves her daughter to sea ad her daughter daily visits the ocean.
We see the reflections of sorrow embedded to the animation with music and art. The art movements awakens the emotions.
A moment where a filmmaker flourishes in his own tradition, this film is one of them.
Elements like "Time" is grasped in a majestic manner by the film maker.
References
· - Image: Father and Daughter (2000). Format : (Jpg) Available at : http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/FatherAndDaughter (Accessed at : 2017/01/14)
The aroma of tea (2006) [Animation, Short]
Michael Dudok de Wit
An experimentation of infusion of Mr. Dudok de wit's tradition of animation in a massive way expanding the embedded nature of animation with great violin music into extreme abstraction of his animation is commendable.
In my opinion in the outer perspective this short animation may reflect on the preparation of tea and a microscopic vision of one tiny tea particle moving around the hot tea water.
Or like always this may reflect the smaller and tiny nature of human life as depicted in his other short films in a niche or micro perspective in my opinion in comparison to the external world or universe as per the animator.
References
· - Image: The aroma of tea (2006). Format : (Jpg) Available at : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1145424/mediaviewer/rm3594849280 (Accessed at : 2017/01/14)
The purpose of watching these were to have a great experience watching "The Red Turtle" (2016).
