The Little Island

Richard Williams died a few days ago. Most cinephiles know him as the man who did the animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". What they probably don't know is that Williams had been working for three decades before that. One of his early efforts was this quirky animated short. "The Little Island" depicts men acting out their fantasies of Good, Truth and Beauty. They put on some impressive performances. I guess that it's up to the viewer to decide what they mean, if anything. It's certainly one of the most amazing pieces of animation that I've ever seen, complete with masterful music by Tristram Cary. I recommend it. Available on YouTube.

In 1959, animation legend Richard Williams debuted in the world of animated cinema with his experimental short film debut, The Little Island. Known as a half hour long philosophical argument without words, the whole film was mainly put together and financed by Williams himself and would be a gateway into him starting up his own animation studio in London, England. This film in many ways can be seen as a triumph for Williams as it would be his first time completing a genuine artistic project after initially failing to find any animation work in the UK. But how does it favor on its own merits nowadays?

The film focuses on three men who each only believe in one thing: one in Good, one in Truth, and one in Beauty. As they sit by each other on a small island, each figure expresses their own individual ideas to varying degrees and responses from one another. Although each man expresses themselves through pantomime methods, a plethora of specific sound and tempo effects carry their ideas as each member shares their own ideas. The film presents each member's disagreeing philosophies through abstract imagery and a large variety of musical accompaniment executed by Tristram Cary. Williams intentionally makes each representation of each man's values vague enough to allow the viewer to interpret what they believe in and why they think those specific ways. What makes their debates more interesting is how they lead to conflict through their passionate expressive mindsets, almost as if we're watching a genuine artistic argument unfold before us. It's easy to question what the point of the film is, but to further ask yourself what it means allows one to think like a true artist.

As stated before, compared to the highly detailed and overtly fluid character animation Williams would become known for in his career, this film is executed through limited motion yet appealing design. The three men all appear to be as basic as standard shapes are concerned, and yet their distinct opinions practically make up their personalities, with routine expressions saying more than any amount of dialogue could even come close to doing so. The film also uses a wide approach to sporadic color palettes to express a scenario, whether it be the neutralized mindscape of the truth believing man or the luscious environments from the one who believes in beauty. That being said, as limited as the actual animation is, one can see how even in his early start, Williams already had a thorough understanding of the general principles in animation. In allowing each man's breakdown and conflicting morals speak for themselves, he only uses the principles when absolutely necessary, thus allowing more to be talked about without the use of unneeded exposition.

They say a picture says a thousand words, and Richard Williams' The Little Island could not be further proof of that sentiment. Although Williams would go on to bigger and arguably better things, it's important to acknowledge where his impeccable career in animation started off. I recommend this film on the basis of it being the starting point for the late animator's life in motion pictures and for those always in favor of experimental filmmaking. Regardless of your own take on the subject matter on hand, there can definitely be a lot to take from this picture both artistically and substantially.

In 1958 when this unique animated film first hit world screens I could imagine many would have wondered what hit them. First time producer/writer/director Richard Williams, created a simultaneously funny and serious, Award winning cartoon film - that invited the audience to examine the inner thought dreams driving three humorously drawn characters - as they sit side by side on a desert island contemplating life. Many ideas are put forth for the viewer to digest - all drawn in an almost abstract style but clearly identifiable.

These images are accompanied by a striking music score composed by multi-talented English/Australian composer, designer, teacher, Tristram Cary. This film should be seen by all lovers of off-beat, thought provoking animations.

Richard Williams did all but make the tea on the visual side of this, with Tristram Cary doing all of the audio (with some help from the Sinfonia of London) and we are presented with a simple but lively line animation that depicts just how three little men must believe in one thing, and one thing only. Truth. Beauty. Good. They journey to a tiny island, shaded by just one large tree, and arrive with just the clothes they stand up in. Energetically exploring for a few seconds they then get shot of their clothes and the sun soon changes their naked skin tone and what appears to be a rather repetitious existence sets in! It reminded me little of one of those coconut shell games at first - I couldn't recall which little creature was meant to be believing in what, but as we muddle along that becomes a little more evident if you remember the symbols! Their characters, one by one, now morph into a series of colourful shapes initially reminiscent of a Norman McLaren animation - lots of swirling, dots, circular and oblong shapes; the odd explosion and what look like paint splurges. Then there is a beautifully choreographed dance with more morphing - this time a floral garden emerges as the orchestra sounds like it's warming up before some stop-start audio accompanying what might be a rather risqué image. Finally, our last man has his moment in the sun with a somewhat Teutonic, or maybe a chivalrous, display that is easily that more interesting of the scenarios for me - dark and rousing. A shrug of the shoulders from them. Nope, I didn't now what was happening either and even despite the arrival of a Greek deity and a sword fencer, I just felt this was taking too long to establish just what it's point was. That each of these three core beliefs had good and bad aspects to them? That they are always destined to compete? You're guess is probably better than mine! It is quite fun to listen too - the music works well, but I started to watch the clock with about ten minutes to go.