Les Triplettes de Belleville
Sylvian Chomet, 2003
4.5 Stars
I’ve never been one to hide my distaste for French cinema.
Indeed, on a recent trip to Paris,
I was labeled a philistine by some of my closest friends simply because I would
rather succumb to the fate of a Piranha
3D extra than be made to sit through Amelie
again.
As such, I was somewhat skeptical of Manami’s recent
endorsement of the French animation Les
Triplettes de Belleville. Heaven forbid I should have to endure yet another
Francophilic couple of hours of overated “art”.
I’m glad to say that on some occasions my arrogance is
utterly misplaced.
Les Triplettes de
Belleville is a charming little animation which follows the tale of young
Champion, a cyclist trained by his overbearing grandmother, set to win the Tour
de France. During the race, however, he is kidnapped by the mafia to take part
in a bizarre gambling experiment, and it is up to grandma, with the help of the
titular triplets (a trio of jazz singing, frog eating old dames), and an hilariously
overweight bloodhound to rescue him.
Told silently through pantomime and slapstick, the story is
utterly absurd, but somehow one of the most heartwarming animations I’ve ever
had the pleasure to watch. The artwork is a peculiar mix of 2D and CGI, with
beautifully realized backdrops perfectly clashing with the most grotesque of caricatures
(who, in the most self-deprecating I’ve ever seen in animated film, all look
outstandingly French!). A flavour of the
Miyazaki air is abundant, and as such it is
clear to see why this was a sleeper hit in Japan.
With toe-tapping music throughout, and a dinner scene to
rival The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,
this is certainly a little cinematic gem I’m glad to have been introduced to…
Perhaps France
deserves another chance…
Hmm…
No comments:
Post a Comment