Long Drawn-Out Trip: Sketches from Los Angeles

After a trip to Los Angeles, British animator Gerald Scarfe made this none too subtle attack on American values and society. Drawing on everything from the superficial nature of the society, the war mongering, the "me me me" greed, the make up, the diet and so on, Scarfe brings his own unique animation style into a flowing array of images which compliment the dialogue and noises that cover the soundtrack. The method is not always totally effective in producing a clear meaning but it is relentlessly engaging.

Indeed by the time Mickey mouse becomes a colourful blur after hitting some weed, the audience will be left in little doubt as to why this film has not really been seen since it was first screened in the 1970's. It is very harsh but yet very fair but not un-American (lets not forget that Scarfe is this way with the UK as well) although I doubt many of the flag wavers in the US would be able to sit through this and take anything away from it.

I doubt it will be easy to track down but it is relentlessly interesting with Scarfe's unique humour and animation style. Well worth finding and well worth seeing.