by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea with Animation Celebration is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
The Oscars may have been months ago, but we finally have the last of our Best Animated Feature, Robot Dreams, releasing domestically.
With that in mind (and, if I’m honest, a DVR recording that will expire before we do this again next year), I figured we’d do a special edition of the underseen Best Animated Feature nominees and cover The Triplets of Belleville.
From writer-director Sylvain Chomet (who also directed The Illusionist, which I covered earlier this year), the film follows a pushy grandmother and the family dog, who have to rescue her grandson after he is kidnapped during the Tour de France. She does so with the help of an aging song and dance team, Belleville Sisters. Like the previous film I covered from Chomet, there’s very limited dialogue. Heck, even when they are speaking French, the subtitles don’t clue you in. It doesn’t need dialogue, though, because the sound design is immaculate. (I think I’ll be hearing that whistle blowing at its syncopated beat when I fall asleep tonight). The score (Benoît Charest, Polytechnique) perfectly sets the tone as needed. At times it can either be stereotypically French or like something straight out of a noir, depending on the scene. The feel can be very Stomp at points, and I mean that in the best way possible. In addition to its nomination for Best Animated Feature, it also received a nod for Best Music, Original Song “Belleville Rendez-Vous,” which is impressive for a song that’s basically nonsense words.
Production company Les Armateurs has helped produce some of the most acclaimed animated features of recent memory, including The Secret of Kells and Ernest & Celestine, and is definitely a company at this point that I’m in on whenever they pop up.
When it comes to the art itself, I loved the feel of Belleville.
From jump, it feels very classic cartoon-y. It even starts off in black and white and gives the impression of it being on film. It’s a little more adult than that image brings to mind, and plays into stereotype (including more problematic tendencies) — which fits when the framing device for the cold open is shown. A Fred Astaire stand-in getting eaten by his shoes in the open is just funny.
When we get into the actual animation style in play for the film proper, the animation is simple, but with little details that give it an extra bit of texture and character. It’s also quite funny. One scene that comes to mind is when the biker grandson is getting his muscles creatively relaxed. Aside from the 2D art, there’s creative “camera work” and 3D blending with the more traditional animation style, as well as some interesting transitions.
The thing I (and the animators) may have had the most fun with, though, is the character design. It’s like something you’d get done by one of those caricature artists you might see at a fair. There’s no shortage of unique silhouettes. The dog is a chonky boy. The minuscule grandmother is a hoot. There are blocky bad guys. There are ridiculous leg designs on our bikers. A waiter that walks like an invertebrate. Other humans at times seem more animalistic than the actual animal. It’s all cartoony to the max — with one of the kookiest villain demises to top everything off.
The patently ridiculous animation fits perfectly with the tone of the movie overall and made this an experience I had a lot of fun with.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. For next month, we’ll be taking a look at the directorial debut of the man behind The Garfield Movie.
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd