It took 40 years, but I finally got around to watching the animated movie everyone had kinda recommended I should watch. Time doesn't really change your perception of a piece of art, but one can look back into a prism and see just how they would have fallen for the piece of art back in the day. Fourteen year old me would have loved it, while 44-year old me finds it interesting and nostalgic. Go figure.
So how do I critique such a work? Do I go back in time and compare it to it's cool temporaries, the 2D Era of Disney and the rotoscoped images of Rankin-Bass? From the point of view, the animation holds up fairly well, even if it looks choppy in some spots. This was the era before the 80s cartoon boom created a uniform, simplistic approach to animation that was meant to be broad and cater more toward selling toys. And 14-year old me can certainly say one thing....it's like the animators idea of the ideal female body was incepted right out of my pubescent head.
What I didn't realize was the story would be an anthology. While a couple of the stories seemed rather silly, there was some cool storytelling that would be perfect for the sci-fi and medieval imagery that metal bands were using in those times. Plus a story about an orb that stirred up evil where ever it went was like an old Rush album from the 70s. This format did have an added benefit at least. With a slow and often times disjointed story, the anthology style did allow you to engage in different stories.
Is this film a triumph of animation? Depends on your age, I guess. Is it essential viewing for all rock and metal lovers? Of course!
So how do I critique such a work? Do I go back in time and compare it to it's cool temporaries, the 2D Era of Disney and the rotoscoped images of Rankin-Bass? From the point of view, the animation holds up fairly well, even if it looks choppy in some spots. This was the era before the 80s cartoon boom created a uniform, simplistic approach to animation that was meant to be broad and cater more toward selling toys. And 14-year old me can certainly say one thing....it's like the animators idea of the ideal female body was incepted right out of my pubescent head.
What I didn't realize was the story would be an anthology. While a couple of the stories seemed rather silly, there was some cool storytelling that would be perfect for the sci-fi and medieval imagery that metal bands were using in those times. Plus a story about an orb that stirred up evil where ever it went was like an old Rush album from the 70s. This format did have an added benefit at least. With a slow and often times disjointed story, the anthology style did allow you to engage in different stories.
Is this film a triumph of animation? Depends on your age, I guess. Is it essential viewing for all rock and metal lovers? Of course!