Phil Tippett is the stop motion god of this decade. He worked on the original Star Wars trilogy, RoboCop and Jurassic Park. And while his work on the latter film might have spelt the end of traditional stop motion effects, that didn't keep him from making Mad God, which is advertised as "thirty years in the making," And I understand why, as no producer or film distributor would want to touch this religious allegory, let alone finance it. But fans can see it on the big screen, in select regions, and stream it on Shudder. And the film is worth watching, whatever the format, thought I'd suggest catching it on the big screen if you can. Because it's visually amazing.
What's happening here? I'm not sure, but it looked great on the big screen.
The film starts with the fall of the Tower of Babel, a symbolic representation of man's hubris against God. Or maybe nature. The film is never clear about that. But it doesn't matter. After the tower's fall, the film follows an unnamed soldier descending from the sky into what might be the nine circles of Hell, in order to wreck another attempt by humanity to...
Reach enlightenment, challenge God, become too big for their britches. I have no idea (I have to admit, Dante's Divine Comedy is still on my to-read list, so I've little to back up the earlier reference). Again, this is a first look at a masterpiece, and my opinions could change upon subsequent viewings. But whatever allegories the film is setting up, the execution is AMAZING. And that opinion will never change.
Tippett's work on the film is Oscar worthy. It's the most amazing animated feature I've seen in years. And while the creatures don't rival the empathy you might experience in a Harryhausen film, their execution is truly breathtaking. The unnamed soldier movements are so perfect, you sometimes forget he's a stop motion creation. And the creature designs are so well done and executed, they will leave the audience stunned.
Yeah, this critter is right up there with scary clowns, in my opinion. Screw that f'er.
Look, I'm sure whatever Tippet was referencing will resonate differently for members of the audience. You might not catch all the allegories in the story, but Mad God is worth checking out, especially on the big screen. I saw it at the Hollywood Theatre and the audience was silent during the entire running time, except for an occasional gasp and a round of applause as the credits rolled.
It might be the last stop motion film you'll ever see in theaters, and well worth any puzzlement you might experience due to the plot. Just sit back and watch a master at work, as we'll likely never see such a film on the big screen again.
Unless we're very lucky. And I'm keeping my eye open for such other masterpieces.
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