Tyger

This short animated film from Brazil is a strange one, like many in the collection of "Animation Show" DVDs. However, that's part of why it is in the collection: it's different, it's original, it gets your attention and offers unique visuals. Many times the story is very short or even non-existent, as I think it is here, unless I missed it.

A big puppet, being walked through a big city area, turns people into insects, fish, birds or animals whenever he passes by them. The tiger is being moved by three shadowy human figures while the people are in animated form. It's different.

What I liked just as much as the visuals was the music of Zeroum, which offers a driving beat to the story..

A large wooden tiger puppet is animated by three people dressed head to toe in black (such as you'd see in some Asian theater). It walks through the streets of a large city and as it passes strangely drawn people, they become bugs or animals. Soon, all of the residents are changed as the tiger mounts a hill overlooking the city. All this is done using the puppet, lots of computer generated animation as well as what looks like hand-drawn animation. All this is set to an infectious pulsing musical beat.

This short film from Brazil is one of the strangest yet more intriguing films I have seen in some time. However, if you try to watch the film and demand a traditional narrative or even something that vaguely makes sense, then you will most likely hate this film. Instead, this is like a piece of art---one you simply look at and don't try to interpret or understand. And, as a work of art, this film is amazing--very, very different and very captivating.

My husband and I DVRed this from IFC, and my one-month old baby was in the room and he was absolutely MESMERIZED by it. Whenever he's cranky, if we put this on, it completely soothes him. It's aesthetically nice to look at, I thought it was interesting how it has such an effect on my baby. I can't say I personally understand it, but perhaps the baby has a better understanding of it than I do. :-) I guess the baby found it aesthetically fascinating!

An interesting short, worth checking out. And if you've got a fussy little baby on your hands, DVR Tyger to see if it works for you, too.

One of the better shorts that I've seen on IFC.