Put together by Mike Judge (Beavis & Butt-Head) and Don Hertzfeldt, The Animation Show, Volume One compiles 17 animated shorts (as well as forgettable introductory, intermission, and closing pieces). Most notable among the entries are three 2003 Oscar nominees: “The Rocks” (Germany), a beautifully-animated parable about a pair of rocks observing the rise and fall of Western civilization; “Mt. Head” (Japan), an excellent oddball short about a reclusive man with a cherry tree growing out of his head that attracts scads of people; and “The Cathedral” (Poland), an impressive-looking CGI-animated short about a man entering an eerie forest cathedral that looks a lot like a contemporary RPG video game cut-scene. Also worth noting are the 2002 Oscar nominee “Fifty Percent Grey,” a CGI-animated Twilight Zone-style hellish preview of the afterlife; a trio of dysfunctional family portraits in claymation from Australian Adam Elliot (“Brother,” “Cousin,” “Uncle”); the computer-animated National Film Board of Canada piece “Aria” (a haunting retelling of Madame Butterfly with dolls); and animation virtuoso Bill Plympton's nature vs. civilization parable “Parking.” DVD extras include audio commentaries, motion tests, art galleries, and more. With more than half of the shorts well worth watching, this compilation (although it duplicates three titles from 75th Annual Academy Awards Short Films [VL Online-4/04]) is recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)
The Animation Show, Volume One
(2004) 101 min. DVD: $24.95. Animation Show (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 19, Issue 5
The Animation Show, Volume One
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