Special Delivery

For what seems like the one millionth time, the National Film Board of Canada produced a cartoon that was either nominated for or won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. It seems like this government agency long sponsored and encouraged short films and I only recently discovered these gems. While I am sure there are some losers among them, I have been rather consistently impressed by the work--particularly the ultra-strange film THE BIG SNIT.

Here with SPECIAL DELIVERY is another ultra-strange and dark film. A man accidentally kills a postal worker and this oddly sets off a series of very unusual events--many of which are way too depressing to be seen in traditional animation. This, combined with the irreverent sense of humor make for a very enjoyable film.

By the way, there is a NAKED ANIMATION ALERT!! You'll see a tad of male frontal nudity here, but since the animation isn't the most realistic style, most probably will not be particularly offended.

This is a good story.

It is, however, entirely told by a narrator; rather blandly indeed, but it still makes for a pleasant listening.

The art is classically quite good, yet I have one issue with the entire thing: it doesn't add anything to the narration. In a way, it misses the point of being an animated film. To me, the pictures should come first, and if possible be self-sufficient.

I don't think that the opposite is true, that Special Delivery can tell its story without the narrator. To verify, I'd have to wait until I forget the events, and watch it without the sound, which is not going to happen.

Anyway, there's this flaw in the execution, but it doesn't make it bad in the least. It's a good tale, told with an average delivery instead of the expected special one.

Poor Ralph fails to clear his snow obstructed porch. He leaves the house, comes back and finds the mailman dead at his door. The poor fellow fell on the ice. What to do with the body? But his wife has a secret of her own. This short film may be just 7 minutes long, but there's a lot happening! If Hitchcock had ventured into cartoons, he might have made one like this. Oh! and there's actually nudity in this one! Can't go wrong with this short film. Another great product from the National Film Board of Canada.

Seen at home, in Toronto, on January 1st, 2005.

82/100 (***)

This short, which won a well deserved Academy Award, has got to be one of the most delightfully twisted cartoons I have seen in my life! Through a series of twists and turns so odd that it seems like a combination of Kafka and Hitchcock, we follow three people-a husband, his wife and the mailman-through a most eventful day for them all. It changes their lives most completely. Black humor runs throughout this absolute gem and it is delightfully funny! Though I wonder if the Canadian Postal union feels the same about this one! Most recommended!

This is a convoluted story of the dominos falling when a man refuses to shovel his walkway and the mailman falls and breaks his neck. The clever series of events are fantastic when viewed in the world presented here. It shows how people can jump to conclusions when they fail investigate what is presented to them. Good animation and a neat story.