Runaway

Fans of animated films from the National Film Board of Canada (and who isn't?) will enjoy the latest whimsical entry from one of the masters, Cordell Barker (The Cat Came Back, Strange Invaders), in which an unfortunate series of events (a train conductor is bit by a dog, after which a coal-shoveling junior officer takes charge) sends a locomotive into serious overdrive on a challenging track with lots of ups, downs, and bends. In characteristic near-narration-less style (the few lines and wonderful sound effects by the conductor are voiced by legendary NFB animator Richard Condie, who made Getting Started and The Big Snit), Runaway mixes black-and-white and color animation while following the wild slapstick journey of the train, which steadily loses cars—except, of course, for the first-class passengers near the front, who never stop partying and bat nary an eyelash over the miserable fate of their fellow blue-collar travelers, until their own lives are threatened (death having a habit of paying scant attention to class distinctions). Deftly mixing subtle comic touches with broad humor, Runaway is an enjoyable ride. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)