Die Fliege

If one could put a camera on a fly and follow it, what would you see. Here, of course, is an effort to create the fly's milieu so the animators can work around it. For a three minute film, it must have taken incredible discipline to put the fly in places that become interesting. This is remarkable, considering it is a 1980 feature.

We have to be careful when watching old works because we tend to look at works that, for example, are 40 years old today. The légy doesn't have a plot in itself, however, the ability to show a fly's POV so masterfully is what probably earned it the Oscar.

The winner of Best Animated Short Film at the 53rd Academy Awards depicts a fly flitting about, all told from the insect's point of view. I understand that Ferenc Rofusz wasn't allowed to leave Hungary to attend the Academy Awards, but someone accepted the Oscar for him. Anyway, "A Légy" ("The Fly" in English) is a clever cartoon. Rofusz probably didn't have a lot of resources, but he had the talent, and that's what you really need to turn out a good piece of work. The Eastern Bloc turned out a lot of good cartoons. I also recommend the old Yugoslavian cartoons.

I get the feeling that members of the order Diptera must sometimes feel as if humans are out to get them.

A film who, for long time, remains as one of significant memories. for its admirable simplicity. for impecable drawing. for the sound. for the need to reflect about yourself front to a fly looking a secure place. the last scene is the best option for define a trip far to be usual. "The Fly" has the rare gift to propose questions. to be seductive. to use, in brilliant manner, an idea who becomes significant. in the context of period, it could be perceived as a parable. but it is only an angle to see it. because, in fact, it is just a gem. and it is enough for recommand it to the large public.

This short, an Oscar winner, is an exceptionally detailed effort that can be a bit unsettling at first (particularly for anyone who has problems with depth-perception), but is a fascinatingly drawn and meticulously constructed animation and is a must-see if you like animation. Fortunately, it is currently in-print. Most highly recommended.