I happened upon this film the other night, fresh (!) back in Phuket from Burma. Tired though I was, and the film was perhaps a quarter of the way through, I was absolutely mesmerised by it.
First, I was trying to guess the actors' voices. Second, I was captivated by the don't laugh "acting" skills of the marionettes.
Granted, there were no facial expressions, no morphing/animatronics/etc but still there was a warmth to these carved blocks of wood. BTW I was brought up watching Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, et al) and now realise that I have retained a soft spot for filmic puppetry.
Perhaps that is part of the attraction of the film for me, the fact that it is reminiscent of half a dozen long-forgotten puppet programmes generally from Eastern Europe, as I recall shown during the school holidays when it was probably raining.
Gentle despite the violence in the story moving and entrancing.
Watch it if you can through child's eyes.
First, I was trying to guess the actors' voices. Second, I was captivated by the don't laugh "acting" skills of the marionettes.
Granted, there were no facial expressions, no morphing/animatronics/etc but still there was a warmth to these carved blocks of wood. BTW I was brought up watching Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, et al) and now realise that I have retained a soft spot for filmic puppetry.
Perhaps that is part of the attraction of the film for me, the fact that it is reminiscent of half a dozen long-forgotten puppet programmes generally from Eastern Europe, as I recall shown during the school holidays when it was probably raining.
Gentle despite the violence in the story moving and entrancing.
Watch it if you can through child's eyes.