“Kirikou and the Sorceress” – (74 minutes, France/Belgium/Luxembourg, 1998 NR)
This is lighter fare, of the kind both grown ups and children (though not too small) would enjoy for both its lessons and visuals. This is the third of Michel Ocelot’s animations we have watched and while all three are distinct and original, there is a common humanistic thread to his tales that is enchanting. Ocelot’s background covers virtually every aspect of animation from background artist to director, producer and narrator.
See a scene here:
I don’t believe his name is well known here, although he certainly is widely recognized in his field.
This film is very pleasant visually, almost soothing, inspired in part by the paintings of French artist Henri Rousseau.
But it also shows that Ocelot himself spent some of his childhood in West Africa, and his style is very clearly identifiable if you’ve seen some of his other films, such as “Azur et Asmar” or “Princes and Princesses”. His backgrounds and details clearly show his wide ranging interest in art, from ancient Egypt to the 18th century Japanese artist Hokusai.
He typically uses stylized silhouettes, cut-outs really, although in “Kirikou and the sorceress” characters have a “classic” two-dimensional look, as opposed to current trends in three-dimensional computer animation.
The movie was dubbed in English, in South Africa, which gives them all interesting voices, certainly not caricatural.
In “Kirikou and the sorceress”, this fantasy loosely based on a West African folk tale, Kirikou is an extraordinary newborn who knows no fear, and quickly learns lessons about humanity as he tries to save his village from the sorceress and other dangers. Lessons about blame, weakness and the perception of evil among others.
There is nudity, female breasts which Ocelot refused to airbrush, and this caused the film to be released in some countries years after being made. A sequel was made in 2005, “Kirikou and the wild beasts” which continues the adventures of a grown up Kirikou.
“Kirikou and the sorceress” gets 5 jellybeans.
One Reply to “Midnight Movie Madness”