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Henry's Cat purruses the latest collection of UK short animations. Directors Sam Arthur, Shynola, Ste McGregor, Lynn Fox, Tim Hope, Funky Porcini/Team Alcohol, Run Wrake, Julian House/Intro, Johnny Hardstaff, Sam Brown, Alex Rutterford, Foreign Office. The animated world allows the creation of some of the most imaginative pop promos conceived, ranging from bizarre twisted imagery, to reinterpretations of the world we live in. Once more, British outfit Shynola are leagues above the competition, producing four of the best animations in this program. The first is for Morcheeba, a story of love and revenge, brilliantly told using seaside photo stands. Their work for Lambchop is entirely different, featuring block print art of leaves floating down a stream. Another U-turn is made for the enjoyable Junior/Senior tune, Move Your Feet, resembling early computer games. Of the four, the best is the last, Eye For An Eye by UNKLE, a short story of the collapse of utiopia and the horrors of war. It is sad, funny and touching, easily the best in the showcase. Of the other artists, the most impressive videos are Sam Arthur's voyage of sad cuteness that is Poor Leno for Röyksopp, Ste McGregor's entrancing wildlife comedy for Midfield General and Julian House's low-fidelity promo for Gil Scott Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. Personally, I loved the Alexander Rutherford video for Autechre's Ganz Graf, but admit this has a lot to do with musical taste. The rest seem to fall into one of two traps, either giving too much face-time to the artists - the worst offender being the Tim Hope video for Coldplay - or being technically brilliant but extremely dull, most irritatingly in the case of Funky Porcini and Team Alcohol. Altogether, as a collection of promos, Mirrorball McLaren Animation is rather good. If you overlook some of the less impressive pieces, you can get real enjoyment out of it, especially from the superlative work by Shynola, managing to be moving and beautiful without being sentimental or derivative. |
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