The Amazing Mister Bickford

If you're somebody who considers animation an art form, this short (about 60 minutes)video is for you (happy hunting finding it, 'tho---it's been out of print for years). The video centers on Bruce Bickford, who originally was tapped to produce some animated sequences for Frank Zappa's TV project, 'A Token Of His Extreme' (1975),and later produced the clay animated footage in Zappa's videos, 'The Dub Room Special' (1981),and 'Baby Snakes' (1978). This video includes footage from all of the above,plus some early animated shorts. What makes this video even more desirable is some orchestral Zappa music that was added special for this video project. Do yourself a favour, and avoid any & all psychedelic drugs before undertaking this video (you'll thank yourself afterward). No MPAA rating here, but contains some pretty intense and downright disturbing claymation sequences (including some graphic violence & sexual themes that border on the pornographic)

This clay animation is violent, sexually explicit and disturbing. No wonder Frank Zappa found it interesting. Some of this animation has been seen before in Zappa's "Baby Snakes" and "Dub Room Special". The rest is previously unreleased. Zappa's music provides an eerie accompaniment to Bickford's images. This tape is currently out of print, let's hope that Gail re-releases it on DVD when the videos start coming out again. At just shy of an hour, any more would be overwhelming.

Imagine what Morph would have been like if Tony Hart had been a crystal meth addict who ingested LSD every once in a while. The result would be similar to this demented Claymation animated movie. It comes from the imagination of some guy called Bruce Bickford and it is an impressive bit of work, which must have taken ages to put together. Often complex and always sinister, with clay men acting appallingly to one and other and all sorts of nightmarish things warping from one thing to another. There is no narrative I could detect - it is best to simply immerse yourself in this one and go with the flow. Frank Zappa supplies the score and it fits the mood, i.e. Its agitated and intense electronic music. Super bizarre.