An animated co production from France-Canada and Belgium, The Triplets of Belleville tells the story of a champion cyclist who is kidnapped by an underworld crime syndicate during the Tour de France. The grandmother and her trusty dog Bruno who raised and nurtured the kid go on an adventure to rescue her son, along with the help of three former triplets who sang and danced in the roaring twenties.
However, this simple story line is not what draws the viewer in to its greatness, it is the world in which this story plays out that is a slight jolt to the senses in the most wonderful way. The animation is filed with slow plodding but memorable characters, the dog particularly has to be on of the most realistic animals I have ever seen animated. The backgrounds are LITTERED with detail and references; proportions of characters are completely `out of WACK' with the rest of their bodies. The cyclists have drumsticks for legs, a grandma wears one giant platform shoe, the gangsters are menacingly and stupidly square. It's quite ingenious, and I don't think I have seen animation like this ever. The characters feel, look, and particularly the movements are what keeps you watching and glued to the screen as you anticipate what kind of freak oddity you may see next.
There is little dialogue in the film, and to some degree I think that is done on purpose. For the most part you really are suppose to absorb the crazy world these characters inhabit, such as the cities that stretch to teetering heights beyond the clouds, crowds of fat characters, and a delightful restaurant atmosphere that has the most memorable maitre d'.
It's very difficult to put into words what this film is. There is so much subtle sensory overload (if I could use no other word) that it is hard to keep track of everything. But what emerges is a sense of playfulness and sly mockery of just about everything you can imagine. It really is a great piece of eye candy and humorous adventure. Definitely a must see.
Rating 8 out of 10
However, this simple story line is not what draws the viewer in to its greatness, it is the world in which this story plays out that is a slight jolt to the senses in the most wonderful way. The animation is filed with slow plodding but memorable characters, the dog particularly has to be on of the most realistic animals I have ever seen animated. The backgrounds are LITTERED with detail and references; proportions of characters are completely `out of WACK' with the rest of their bodies. The cyclists have drumsticks for legs, a grandma wears one giant platform shoe, the gangsters are menacingly and stupidly square. It's quite ingenious, and I don't think I have seen animation like this ever. The characters feel, look, and particularly the movements are what keeps you watching and glued to the screen as you anticipate what kind of freak oddity you may see next.
There is little dialogue in the film, and to some degree I think that is done on purpose. For the most part you really are suppose to absorb the crazy world these characters inhabit, such as the cities that stretch to teetering heights beyond the clouds, crowds of fat characters, and a delightful restaurant atmosphere that has the most memorable maitre d'.
It's very difficult to put into words what this film is. There is so much subtle sensory overload (if I could use no other word) that it is hard to keep track of everything. But what emerges is a sense of playfulness and sly mockery of just about everything you can imagine. It really is a great piece of eye candy and humorous adventure. Definitely a must see.
Rating 8 out of 10