Neighbours (Nachbarn)

This eight minutes film is the most know work of animation and experimentation wizzard Norman McLaren. It is as fresh as it was en the early fifties, and also as much disturbing. But the message is (sadly) still OK today. The story is about two friendly neighbourgs taking some fresh air near their fence. Suddenly a flower grows. And the two men kill each other for knowing which side of the land belongs the flower. All this without words, but with experimental music that McLaren had draw on the movie tape.

Neighbours is an amazing and sometimes vicious animated masterpiece.

This film is amazing. Truly amazing.

The knack for animation seems to be one of Canada's greatest gifts, so I guess that would make Norm McLaren the most generous man at the party. This piece is visually stunning; watching the characters cascade across the screen with the help of stop-motion techniques is a thing of beauty. The awkward, electronique-esque soundtrack conjures up, and speaks for, every single emotion that McLaren is trying to get across visually. In eight minutes, McLaren develops the two male characters, and their emotions, better than a feature length Hollywood production could in two hours. Could he have made it longer? Sure...but he said all he needed to say in the few minutes he worked with...namely, "Love Thy Neighbour". If you can't find this Oscar winner (for Best Animation Short oh so long ago) you are really missing out on something magical. A thing of beauty, and a Canadian gem. Thanks, Mr. McLaren.

Two neighbours emerge from their homes to sit on deck-chairs reading the same newspaper - with polar opposite headlines, before they become captivated by a dandelion that appears on their shared lawn. Curious, they investigate then both engage in some energetic and slightly surreal acrobatics around their garden followed by a slight "discussion" as to the ownership of the flower. Their peaceful co-existence is now threatened by a picket-fence! Is it the end of a beautiful friendship? Well only a fence-post duel and some fisticuffs might decide - assuming, of course, the watching plant decides to stick around or even survives for long enough! There's no dialogue but a quirky and lively, synthesised, soundtrack helps this daft, slightly slapstick, caper along entertainingly to a rather brutal and destructive denouement that did raise a smile. The moral? Well, love thy neighbour of course!

...and a war. after 66 years late, it remains surprising, fresh and fascinating. not only for the mix of stop-motion and live-actin but for a sort of magic who escape from explanations. it is the film who reminds the feelings at the circus show from childhood. and that does it more than amusing. but a trip in time, discovering a real usefull lesson about friendship and the meanings of war. so, a flowe. and two men.