Un drame chez les fantoches

Early animated films like this one are fascinating for many reasons. On one hand, we can clearly see the influence of theatrical traditions, which also shaped the storytelling of early silent-era cinema in general. In many ways, this is essentially a stick-figure version of a stage play-simple, direct, and heavily performance-driven.

But on the other hand, it highlights one of the defining traits that separates animation from live-action film: the freedom of imagination. Animated figures can do things real actors simply can't. Take, for example, a scene where one character grabs another by the foot and uses him like a hammer. It's absurd-and brilliant! This kind of exaggerated, surreal humor wouldn't become widespread until decades later, with the rise of iconic slapstick cartoons like Looney Tunes. And it took several more decades-and the development of advanced visual effects-for live-action films to achieve similar feats. These days, it feels like every Marvel superhero movie includes someone being swung around by the leg like a weapon.

The key point is this: humor and visuals like that wouldn't have been possible-at least not effectively-in early live-action film. That's what makes early animation so special: it opened the door to a whole new world of visual storytelling unrestricted by the physical limitations of real life.

A Love Affair in Toyland (1908)

*** (out of 4)

As I go through the animated work of Emile Cohl there's no question that he had a rather dark sense of humor or perhaps just a dark vision. This film, as was the case with most of his work, doesn't have so much of a story but instead there are just various images with weird things going on. I think the lack of a story almost helps because you could watch this film a dozen times and probably see something different each time. There are pretty much four characters who come up and we see various chases and sometimes people are tied up. A love affair gone wrong? I guess that will be up to each viewer but the early animation is quite good.

"A Love Affair in Toyland" (Un drame chez les fantoches ) is impossible to assign a numerical score to, as it's one of the very earliest animated films and it's so unique. After all, to what can you compare it?! Emile Cohl made this film. It is a very simple sort of animation--done in a less than simple manner. It consists of white childish drawings on a black background. But then it gets odd, the drawing CONSTANTLY morphs and changes in a strange stream of consciousness. While it's not something I'd want to watch for a long period of time, it is short as well as an interesting experiment. Worth seeing if you are an art student or an insane fan of animation (like me). Otherwise, it's one you can pass up and still lead a complete and full life! "The Puppet's Nightmare" is another by Cohl and is very, very similar--just a tad less violent.