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Reviews
Bingo (1998)
Hypnotizing, and some more...
Based on a play, directed by Chris Landreth and animated with the earliest technology, this short film might confuse some viewers. And that's normal, since that's Landreth's personal mark: confusing and overwhelming. Everything might look like a freak show, created specifically to scare you, to brainwash you. But if you look a little bit more into it, you might catch the real message here.
Basically, our main character has been put in a room as a test subject, constantly harrased by the grotesque, unpredictable circus freaks, whose mission is to make believe our main character here that he is someone who clearly he isn't (Bingo the Clown). He stands firmly into the fact that he isn't Bingo, but as time goes by, he starts doubting about himself. In the end, he finally makes a breakthrough, and believes firmly that now he IS Bingo. But then the lights turn on, the test is over and he has proved to be yet another one of the bunch, easily manipulated by the constant pressure to make him believe that he is Bingo.
This is clearly the way the society works like. Everyone wants you to be someone who you aren't. Everyone wants you to do what they want, and in the end, you stop being yourself.
Besides the message (which is free for everyone's own interpretation), the animation techniques and the characters' designs are mind-blowing, sometimes scary, funny, bizarre and awesome. The background is full with colors, stimulating and confusing sounds and hypnotic visions, constantly changing and messing around with your mind.
It's worth to watch, and understand.
Ryan (2004)
Not your average drug addiction story.
If you follow Chris Landreth's work, then you know this is going to be a bizarre, visually outstanding art piece. But "Ryan" makes something completely different. It's a homage to Ryan Larkin's job, another recognized animator, as well as a deep introspection into the hidden dark world of many artists, directors and celebrities, who had to deal with several addictions. Told from the mind-blowing point of view of Landreth, and animated with the style that we all know and love, giving every single character a unique, grotesque aspect, that perfectly symbolizes the wounds in their lifes, reminders of a dark, miserable past. You'll never get tired of wandering in Landreth's creation, you'll never get tired of listening to Ryan's monologues and past experiences, and somehow, you'll get a little bit of nostalgia from the calm soundtrack. You'll get dazzled by the constant tension towards the end, and you'll feel your heart touched, once the end credits have begun. Definitely, the best short film Chris Landreth has ever done.