Articles on Animation &Norshtein 04 Oct 2007 07:53 am
Norstein
- I started the day watching an interview with Yurij Norstein. It was a very inspirational 
viewing for me. (As a matter of fact, this site, Animatsaya In English, is a must read for anyone interested in Russian animation – and you should be. There’s just so much to read/view on it.) But back to the interview.
Norstein had just acted as a judge on the 12th Open Russian Festival of Animated Film back in March of 2007. (I assume this interview has been out there for some time.)
Some few parts of the interview really caught my attention. Here he’s asked about current films in production and their quality:
- Norstein: The very essence of animation that had been laid down in the 1950s is missing from today’s feature film. So, we cannot see too many films today of true quality.
Q: What is the essence of animation which is gone? Is it possible to formulate in words that which has gone?
N: Empathy is gone, sincerity is gone… hardship is gone. For me this is very important. Psychology is gone. The school of gesture is gone; classic gesture. In their place is discreteness, which is very quickly and easily understood, and just as quickly and easily forgotten.
That’s the essence of the problem. Isn’t it?
Then he’s asked to comment on Petrov‘s most recent film, My Love, and I think he offers an excellent answer.
- Q: … let’s begin with Petrov’s film ["My Love"]. Unfortunately the name “Petrov”, I think, the rest of the world probably knows better than we do?
N: No, he’s also known over here, of course.
… he received an Oscar for the film “The Old Man and the Sea”. Which incidentally was made in Canada, not here.
Q: There’s an unusual technique, as I understand.
N: The technique is something. He has an unusual technique – I can’t say that he invented it, animating with paint on glass, I think it was invented by Caroline Leaf. She made the first film, in 1978. It was called “The Street” [watch the film], and it was a wonderful film in its time. Some story by a Jewish writer [Mordecai Richler], I don’t remember now, I don’t know… this was an event then. Sasha was certainly aware of this film. He wonderfully… I think that in animated filmmaking today few draw like him, and maybe nobody does. He’s a complete virtuoso in this respect. And his first film “The Cow” [see my earlier post about Petrov] was an immediate phenomenon. It was a diploma work and a full-fledged film at the same time, and incidentally was nominated for an Oscar. What’s surprising is that __________Petrov model sheet for My Love.
it DIDN’T win. Now that was one film which
should have won, because it was in all respects a NEW film. Of a new psychology. Well, it’s sufficient to say that it was an adaptation of Platonov, you see? This already speaks of the quality of the animation. The film which he has just made – it received the Grand Prix, and I think won another two categories… but… I should really speak with Sasha about it, because the virtuosity is the same. The same glamour. But I think there are things in cinema more important than certain moments, than a simple showcase of mastery…
Q: So basically… you wished for depth?
N: I wished for depth. I wished for… economy. I wished for, on some occasions, humility, when virtuosity gives way to something more deep, psychologically more important.
The interview also talks extensively about Norstein’s film in progress, The Overcoat.
Apparently, this film is in full production again and a half hour should be completed this year. (The total running time will be about 65 mins.) He expects to release that 30 mins. when they’re complete.
To watch or read the full interview go here.
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_________Norstein’s The Overcoat
