Foreign Animation Thread (Past / Present / Future)

[Lnds500]

I am creating this thread to have a place when we can post opinions or news about animated films produced outside of the US. I know Japanese and UK films have a strong following in here but output from other countries is either mentioned in passing or not mentioned at all.

[Lnds500]

I'll make a start with Hieronymus Bosch

The Dutch feature film in development Hieronymus, based on the life and art of the celebrated painter Hieronymus Bosch, moves on after its pitching at Cartoon Movie, Lyon (6-8 March 2013).


Hieronymus is an 85-minute animated feature project in development, directed and written by Erik van Schaaik (and produced by The Drawing Room, Netherlands). On the very first morning of this year's Cartoon Movie(March 7) the Dutch feature-length animated film Hieronymus was presented to 700+ producers, distributors, broadcasters and sales agents.

Eccentric teenager Jerome Bosch, who lives in the city of Den Bosch, is an aspiring artist in a corrupt medieval world held in a stifling grip by a witch hunting priest. When the demonic monsters from Jerome's nightmares come alive, he has to face all his fears to free the city.

This interesting Dutch project is the second gestating feature (after the Loving Vincent project by Breakthru Films) to focus on a visual artist's life and nightmares, and promises some scary moments.

Development on Hieronymus started back in 2010 when acclaimed animator, writer and director Erik van Schaaik (Vent, Phantom of the Opera shorts) approached producer Jiek Weishut from The Drawing Room, Baarn.

Wilbert Plijnaar, known for his work on Ice Age, Shrek and Despicable Me, amongst others, is supervising on the storyboard and animatic.

Hieronymus was pitched (project in concept) at the Cartoon Movie European forum for feature films (6-8 March, Lyon, France).

The first look (concept visuals & poster) are promising:

Hieronymus is supported by the Dutch Film Fund, Dutch public broadcaster AVRO and the Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation.

It has its own, bare-bones website, http://hieronymus-movie.com/ and a Facebook page.

via Zippy Frames

[celticmoon]

^ Hadn't heard of that one... Looks like it could be interesting.

Anyway, I'm hoping some of the foreign animated films distributed by GKIDS last year will get BD releases, despite none of them being nominated for Best Animated Feature. I would import, but they're usually region locked with no English subtitles/voice tracks.

Zarafa, The Rabbi's Cat, and Le Tableu all look pretty interesting. I was pleasantly surprised that they released Michel Ocelot's Tales of the Night on BD earlier this year, so hopefully those will be coming soon as well.

Also, last year's Ernest and Celestine seems to be a pretty big hit that's being recieved quite well, so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a Best Feature Nomination for this year and a subsequent US BD release. Hopefully it gets a decently sized theatrical release.

In recent year's, some theaters around me have gotten Chico & Rita and The Illusionist, but I can't recall any other foreign animated films besides the Ghibli films distributed by Disney.

[Lnds500]

Originally Posted by celticmoon

^ Hadn't heard of that one... Looks like it could be interesting.

Anyway, I'm hoping some of the foreign animated films distributed by GKIDS last year will get BD releases, despite none of them being nominated for Best Animated Feature. I would import, but they're usually region locked with no English subtitles/voice tracks.

Zarafa, The Rabbi's Cat, and Le Tableu all look pretty interesting. I was pleasantly surprised that they released Michel Ocelot's Tales of the Night on BD earlier this year, so hopefully those will be coming soon as well.

Also, last year's Ernest and Celestine seems to be a pretty big hit that's being recieved quite well, so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a Best Feature Nomination for this year and a subsequent US BD release. Hopefully it gets a decently sized theatrical release.

In recent year's, some theaters around me have gotten Chico & Rita and The Illusionist, but I can't recall any other foreign animated films besides the Ghibli films distributed by Disney.

I am planning on expanding the number of foreign animated films I watch. I grew up watching mostly Disney films but I had some VHS movies made by Toei in partnership with a Soviet animation studio and they were fantastic. I've managed to find them online and I keep watching them every once in a while. Makes you wonder how they could have ended up if history had been kinder to them. Through them I learned to appreciate foreign studios, even when the animation is "weird" or not on par with American productions.

I have Ernest and Celestine and all the rest you mentioned on my watchlist as well . Another one I'm interested in is the Russian The Snow Queen. I plan on watching that one before Disney's Frozen.

[Monterey Jack]

Austrailia's Mary & Max (2009) is a truly wonderful, moving film about long-distance friendship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ3vlMO-Z-I

[celticmoon]

Originally Posted by Lnds500

I am planning on expanding the number of foreign animated films I watch. I grew up watching mostly Disney films but I had some VHS movies made by Toei in partnership with a Soviet animation studio and they were fantastic. I've managed to find them online and I keep watching them every once in a while. Makes you wonder how they could have ended up if history had been kinder to them. Through them I learned to appreciate foreign studios, even when the animation is "weird" or not on par with American productions.

I have Ernest and Celestine and all the rest you mentioned on my watchlist as well . Another one I'm interested in is the Russian The Snow Queen. I plan on watching that one before Disney's Frozen.

Yeah, I've been trying to catch as many foreign animated films as I can for the last few years, but they're pretty hard to come across, so its great that GKIDS seems to be picking up more and more releases in the last couple of years. Hopefully they backtrack a bit and help bring some older ones to BD.

Also, many films that got DVD releases in the US and have received BD releases in other territories seem to be failing to get BD treatment, and I'm starting to wonder if they're ever going to happen... Triplets of Belleville, Kirikou and the Sorceress, and such are fairly big films that warrant BD releases.

As for foreign animation being "weird" at times, I can appreciate different styles, so I like it. In terms of them not being on par with American productions, I don't really see it at all with hand-drawn animated films, but it definitely is the case for CG animated films, which makes me less inclined to be interested in them. For example, that Snow Queen movie that you posted about.... I have only seen some promotional material and screens, but somehow it doesn't interest me much. I should probably at least check out a trailer though. On the other hand, the 2011 French CGI film, A Monster in Paris looks quite good. It's coming to BD next month, so I'll probably check it out once it hits $15 or so.

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Austrailia's Mary & Max (2009) is a truly wonderful, moving film about long-distance friendship.

I've been meaning to see this... It's been on my wishlist for a while. I have only heard good things about it. Gotta check it out soon!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

Austrailia's Mary & Max (2009) is a truly wonderful, moving film about long-distance friendship.

[Show spoiler]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ3vlMO-Z-I

That looks cool. Thanks for sharing. Netflix has it on Blu-ray too. Added.

[SquidPuppet]

Three of my favourites....

Killer animation. Unbelievable skies, clouds and floating planets.



Very adult. About PTSD and repressed wartime memories. Looks great too.



R rated for some nudity. Romance, music and a great story in general...

[Lepidopterous]

In order of preference:
L'illusioniste
Chico & Rita
Persepolis
The Secret of Kells
Mary and Max
Triplets of Belleville

[TJS_Blu]

I'd love to see The Monkey King: Uproar In Heaven.



If you consider stop-motion as animation, Kooky looks like a good one too.



I was pleasantly surprised when Tales of the Night(Les Contes de la nuit) got a US release (even though its 2D of a 3D theatrical), now all I need to do is find time to watch it.

[celticmoon]

I just discovered this one, but this Korean production (yet to be released) looks BEAUTIFUL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSNS_vOIRFQ

A French adaptation of Jack London's White Fang was canceled a few years ago, but has apparently gone back into production with the goal of being released during Winter 2014. The following is the original trailer released a few years back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56HhCx6A-go

Tomm Moore's follow up to the Oscar nominated Secret of Kells seems like it will finally see the light of day. They're aiming for a release in the latter half of 2014. The following is the "conceptual trailer" that has been around pretty much ever since Kells was released:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2aDh05nqMI

[Lnds500]

Review is up

[Gerby]

I like a lot of past foreign animation especially stop motion.
Anything by Jan Svankmajer, Karel Zeman, Wladislaw Starewicz, Jiri Trnka, Jiri Barta is required viewing IMO.
Flaklypa (1975) - also known as 'Grand Prix'...a fantastic norwegian racing car stop motion movie.
The Adventures Of Prince Achmed (1926) - cut out silhoetted animation...this one is available on blu ray from BFI.
The Legend Of The Sacred Stone (2000) - amazing Tawainese martial arts puppet movie.

[celticmoon]

Originally Posted by Lnds500

Review is up

Really want to see this one! I'm on the fence as it's $20.57 at ImportCDs, which isn't bad compared to Amazon, but is over my general threshold for a BD purchase.

Originally Posted by Gerby

The Adventures Of Prince Achmed (1926) - cut out silhoetted animation...this one is available on blu ray from BFI.

I didn't know this was out on BD! If it doesn't get a US release soon, I may need to import.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by celticmoon

Yeah, I've been trying to catch as many foreign animated films as I can for the last few years, but they're pretty hard to come across, so its great that GKIDS seems to be picking up more and more releases in the last couple of years. Hopefully they backtrack a bit and help bring some older ones to BD.

Also, many films that got DVD releases in the US and have received BD releases in other territories seem to be failing to get BD treatment, and I'm starting to wonder if they're ever going to happen... Triplets of Belleville, Kirikou and the Sorceress, and such are fairly big films that warrant BD releases.

As for foreign animation being "weird" at times, I can appreciate different styles, so I like it. In terms of them not being on par with American productions, I don't really see it at all with hand-drawn animated films, but it definitely is the case for CG animated films, which makes me less inclined to be interested in them. For example, that Snow Queen movie that you posted about.... I have only seen some promotional material and screens, but somehow it doesn't interest me much. I should probably at least check out a trailer though. On the other hand, the 2011 French CGI film, A Monster in Paris looks quite good. It's coming to BD next month, so I'll probably check it out once it hits $15 or so.



I've been meaning to see this... It's been on my wishlist for a while. I have only heard good things about it. Gotta check it out soon!

I was really really surprised by A Monster in Paris - highly entertaining.

Tales of the Night was shown theatrically in 3D, - why? the whole point and visual structure is that's supposed to look flat and two dimensional.

[Thomas Guycott]

While not on Blu-ray or Region 1 DVD, the 1981 Hungarian film Fehérlófia (Son of the White Mare) by Marcell Jankovics is like nothing else, especially the first 15 minutes.

Feherlofia (Son of the White Mare) - YouTube

(Turn on CC for English subs)

Movies like this make me wish Criterion would start picking up animated films, or create an animation-friendly label.

[celticmoon]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

Movies like this make me wish Criterion would start picking up animated films, or create an animation-friendly label.

Never heard of the film, but wow, it looks amazing. I'll have to take the time to watch it soon.

And I agree with the Criterion comment. That would be great if there was an animation-friendly label, or even just a line from an entirely different company that would treat the films with the same respect and care as Criterion does theirs. There are so many animated films that I would like to see on BD that I'm not too hopeful about, and I'm sure there are many more worth seeing that I've never even heard about.

[W0m6at]

Originally Posted by Gerby

I like a lot of past foreign animation especially stop motion.
Anything by Jan Svankmajer, Karel Zeman, Wladislaw Starewicz, Jiri Trnka, Jiri Barta is required viewing IMO.
Flaklypa (1975) - also known as 'Grand Prix'...a fantastic norwegian racing car stop motion movie.
The Adventures Of Prince Achmed (1926) - cut out silhoetted animation...this one is available on blu ray from BFI.
The Legend Of The Sacred Stone (2000) - amazing Tawainese martial arts puppet movie.

Great to see love for Karel Zeman, Ladislaw Starewicz and Lotte Reiniger. Some other names there that I recognise, some that I don't. Thanks for posting. :-)

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

For those not in the know, Watership Down is finally getting a UK release near the end of October.



Also, I'm surprised I haven't come across this thread before.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by celticmoon

Really want to see this one! I'm on the fence as it's $20.57 at ImportCDs, which isn't bad compared to Amazon, but is over my general threshold for a BD purchase.



I didn't know this was out on BD! If it doesn't get a US release soon, I may need to import.

The Painting is totally worth the high price - amazing movie.

Now im on the fence with The Rabbi's Cat, since i hear it's episodic and the story isnt that great.