Welcome to the Show/Intermission in the Third Dimension/The End of the Show

To hear Don Hertzfeldt's little whatever-the-hell fluffy creations answering that question is one of the highlights of this deliriously campy and unhinged act of brilliant stupidity. For a while all I had seen was Intermission in the 3rd Dimension, where lots of wonderful non-sense ensues when a pair of 3-D glasses become involved. And always, in all three parts when finally seen, it becomes one nice bit shot of collective absurdity, where the little furry things go on and on in talk sometimes, the dialog never matches the lips, and its never unmerited. Hertzfeldt jumps on any goofy idea that seems fit for his little demented world of crude drawings, including rainbows, horses, Satan, lollipops, giant killer robots, giant eyeballs, and direct from Hertzfeldt's Rejected flying ticks. There's nothing that isn't worth laughing hysterically from seeing all of this...unless you have no soul. I kid, but really, this is like a litmus test of crazy 'underground' animation that doesn't go avant garde but really just doesn't take anything, at all, seriously ever. It's charming and shockingly funny, and Hertzfeldt- following this and his (oddly enough) Oscar nominated act of advertising bravado Rejected- will be etched in your mind soon afterwards.

This gentleman has such a great track record that it is easy to be disappointed. That said, it is still quite wonderful. It makes fun of the drive in movies we used to go to. It explains the third dimension (never quite thought of it that way). It shows a veritable massacre/war with robots. Otherwise it is just like any other animated film (which is also explained, sort of)>

I really liked this: stick figures explaining to us - and themselves - what animation is, and some of things it can do.....both good and bad. Hey, as they say in here, anything can happen in animation......even those beloved Innocent stick figures can be set on fire. (Yes, the writers here are sick people.) "Welcome To The Show" also parodies those introductions you see at the movie heather about "no smoking" and patronizing the place to buy popcorn and candy. The stick figures dancing to the tune "Let's All Go To The Lobby" can't help but make you laugh.

The second part of this trilogy, "Intermission In The Third Dimension" has its humor, too, and I enjoyed the subtle stuff, such as graphics stating "not all theaters offer 3-D glasses" after the two high-pitched cloud-figures-with stick arms and legs asked, "Do you all have your 3-D Glasses on?" Then one of the "guys" walks back and forward, in case we do have the glasses. The explanation of the meaning of the "third dimension" is pretty stupid and the sight gags from there are very lame.

"End Of The Show" is the finale of "The Animated Show" DVD. I like the speech one of cloud-guys gives about the serious business of animated art and how it isn't just mindless violence for kids and "mentally handicapped" people. (Their words, not mine.)

Of course, after that speech we see nothing but violence and death!

Obviously, these three short segments were originally made for a larger overall project ('The Animation Show'), but I just watched them isolated and on there own, so I cannot really comment upon that which is supposed to surround them. What I can comment on is my own pleasure w/these silly short works from modern animation legend Don Hertzfeldt. Each of the three separate bits employs Hertzfeldt's seemingly limitless imagination to amusing and entertaining and, most of all, hilarious effect. Surreal and absurdly funny, these short pieces are in the vein of other hilarious Hertzfeldt shorts like 'Rejection' and 'Billy's Balloon', this certainly isn't his greatest or most philosophical or human or emotional work by a long long long shot, but it is so much fun and is so genuinely funny that it's a must see for almost anyone w/eight minutes to spare.