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Day 94 of 365 of
my year long challengeWeek 14: Miyazaki Week
In honour of Hayao Miyazaki's upcoming 75th birthday, films that have inspired the world and films that have inspired the man.
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This animated short is one hell of an example of why I love animation.
Crac tells the story of a rocking chair from its former life as a great tree to its place in the home of a farming family.
Crac is a simple idea that could work in no other way. It's an experiment in ideas and, more importantly, in form. The short is largely voiceless and simply features a more than fantastic soundtrack flowing through it. There is no need for voice, instead, the film is told through its visuals and this is what works so well. We come to know this rocking chair's entire life and witness the intimate moments of family and joy it has seen.
The animation itself is undeniably stunning. Featuring a fluid and almsot sketchy style, the animation relies upon our imagination to fill in the blanks. Outlines, scenery and movement are not always entirely filled in, instead, the stop motion watercolours give us enough to see the image (and only the main image) but not enough to warrant too much detail on the animators part. It's gorgeous to behold and a joy to watch.
Crac is not a short overloaded with detail, layers or story. It is instead, a short focussed on the light story it tells through its fluid and expressive watercolours. This is animation at its purest ideal and what a joy it is.
