The Great Cognito

This short, nominated for an Academy Award, is a marvelous example of just how far one can take stop-motion Claymation. The visuals come at you quite fast and furious over what is a very brief cartoon and it's one of Will Vinton's best efforts. Fortunately, it's available (along with quite a few other shorts) on the World's Greatest Animation and is most certainly worth having. Now, if only someone would come along and put together a similar compilation of animated shorts released since 1991, the year after the release date of the most recent release on WGA, that would be most welcome. Most recommended.

On one level, I can understand why the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated this animated short for the Oscar. It certainly was creative and interesting. Before this film, you certainly didn't see claymation like this!! But, unfortunately, it's also very painful to watch and is like an assault on your eyes. Imagine giving clay to an immensely gifted person and tell them to make a cartoon...then give them about 30 doses of speed or make them drink the equivalent of 900 cups of coffee and see what they will produce--this is THE GREAT COGNITO.

Sure, I can admire the technical aspects of all this but it was just too frenetic and loud--making me wanting it all to end and end very, very quickly!!! If you have the patience, perhaps you'd like this short, but as for me it just gave me a migraine. Thank goodness Will Vinton at least slowed down those annoying dancing raisins!!

One of Will Vinton's numerous clever shorts features a monologist talking about war and assuming the faces of notable names from WWII. Naturally he makes Hitler talk like character in "The Great Dictator". I noticed that he omitted Mussolini, though.

"The Great Cognito" might seem less funny since war continues, but I liked it. It would be hard to make a version of this focusing on everything that's happened since 9/11. Heck, I can't imagine one representing the Cold War or the Vietnam War. Even so, this is a pretty funny, rapid-fire short.

It's too bad that Phil Knight fired Will Vinton from his own company. Vinton made some cool stuff.

I enjoyed this visually. The faces morphing back and forth, presenting World War II figures, were very nicely done. The problem for me was the frantic, manic voice of the Great Cognito. Enjoy this for the graphics and it will make you happy.