The Big Story

The Big Story is an animated piece, using claymation. It's a parody on Kirk Douglas, placing him in a newspaper office. It was nominated for an Academy Award. Need I say more? You can find it on a phenomenal disc entitled SHORT 1: Invention. I've become an avid fan of the entire series. Check it out... You can find it at Amazon.com or any on-line retailer.

This is a very frustrating film. While it this film has been nominated for some big awards for animated films, I couldn't get so excited about it or give it a higher score because it was so short. At just a little under two minutes, it not only seemed too short for the nominations but also made me want so much more. What I saw, I really liked...but the film sure would have been better if hashed out more.

The film begins with an animated Kirk Douglas as a newspaper reporter--complaining that he never gets to cover the big stories. Then, another Kirk Douglas enters and they start arguing. Then, as the film ends, a third Kirk enters the scene.

Frank Gorshin's impersonation of Douglas was about as good as you can find--maybe even better than Kirk himself! Plus, combined with the animation, it was amazing.

By the way, the title THE BIG STORY and the setting are highly reminiscent of a Douglas film where he plays a reporter wanting a big scoop in THE BIG CARNIVAL (also called ACE IN THE HOLE).

They have even managed to include the dimple on his chin as this brief film shows us three iterations of an instantly recognisable Kirk Douglas bemoaning to his newspaper editor the fact that he never gets anywhere near the big stories. The editor (also him) irately tells him to wait his turn just as one of the more experiences journalists (him) turns up with the Marciano story he wanted to do! Frustrated, again. It's a simple but active pencil-drawn animation that I quite enjoyed as it captured his room pacing, facial expressions and general demeanour quite accurately. Maybe there could be a sequel?

This short won the BAFTA for Animated Short and was nominated for the Academy Award as well (losing out to Bob's Birthday, if I'm not mistaken) and was well deserving of both nominations, though I think two of the other BAFTA nominees were probably better than this and Monk and the Fish should have won. This is very brief (about two minutes long or so), but it's awfully funny and Frank Gorshin still does an excellent Kirk Douglas impression. Well worth seeing and if I write much more, reading my comment will take longer than watching the short will. Recommended.

Not much to comment on other than a really nicely done collection of faces based on Douglas and his idiosyncrasies. The voicings are good. Little plot other than some loud complaining. I needed to see more.