Sztuka spadania

In a long deserted military base a high rickety tower stands high above the ground. At the top is an officer awarding medals to damaged soldiers who survived the war before pushing them to their death on the ground far below. At this point their corpses are photographed by another sinister man and the resulting image sent to his employer far from the site.

This is the whole plot of the short, apart from the detail of the ending which I'll not spoil beyond saying that it is oddly comic and darkly weird. In terms of straight animation the ideas and the creation of them are good as the short looks good but also seems to mix styles and produce animation techniques within other animation techniques. It also is delivered with a real sinister air that works well with the more comic (but still sinister) conclusion. So on this level I liked it as a film, but on the downside I did feel like it left me hanging a little bit.

It plays like a comment on the disposable nature of life to some within the military (this is a Polish film) whereas from a slightly different angle it appears to be commenting on the treatment of soldiers who no longer serve a use on the battlefield. And I could go on – there are a couple of different readings of this film but it doesn't really help the viewer to appreciate them. If there is a serious point here then the comic ending rather detracts from the seriousness of it; conversely if there is only a rather macabre creative theme to the short, the specifics of the start seem very, well, "specific" for there not to be a pointed commentary aspect to it.

Fallen Art still works as a short animation though and it is well created with a dark and sinister air to the comic of the grotesque. I just wish that it had been clearer to the viewer in regards what it was trying to be/do.

After the award-winning Cathedral (Katedra, 2002), Fallen Art (Sztuka Spadania) is Tomasz Baginski second computer-animated short film.

Like The Cathedral, Fallen Art is a breathtaking show of animation, which will undoubtedly please all fans of computer artwork, but not only. Baginski's care for detail and his characteristic style are even more evident than in his first film - it's a real treat.

And let's not forget just a little touch of macabre... well maybe even a bit more than a little this time...

All in all, a great piece of art. If you think you've seen great computer animation in full-length movies like "Sky Captain..." or "Shrek" or whatever, then see "The Cathedral" and "Fallen Art" and think again. Baginski's in a class all of his own.

More than 20 years after the release of this computer-animated short film, I don't think much has changed in how the mighty and powerful send soldiers to their deaths for nonsensical and selfish reasons. In this case, the leader-who, dare I say, reminds me of one of today's more controversial figures-orders his obedient soldiers to their deaths for the sake of his macabre artistic creations.

All the characters are depicted in a caricatured style. The soldiers are thin and small, resembling Mort Walker's comic strip character Beetle Bailey, while the higher-ups are large and heavyset, more like Sarge from Walker's comics. At the same time, the film includes clear nods to real-life figures from the darker side of military history. I suppose it's all about emphasizing the archetypal divide between those in power and those who blindly serve them.

For an early 2000s animated film, the computer animation quality is quite impressive, and its dark comedy will at least make you smile a bit. But the film's most important aspect is undoubtedly its powerful anti-war message-one that should make us stop and reflect on why we continue to carry out these senseless actions, all to serve the selfish interests of a powerful few, even when it ultimately costs us everything.

Set atop a rickety watch-tower with a platform more akin to a diving board, a troop of soldiers routinely keep watch, and just as routinely seem to plummet onto the concrete below - all handily timed for the awaiting photographer below to capture their new-found splatted-ness with his camera. The photographs are rushed indoors where they form the most unlikely source of ... art! Indeed, the larger than life "artist" seems to be able to reinvigorate the corpse's image on screen to mirror his own movements - just like dance! Such athleticism takes it's toll, though, and soon he must rest. Who is this mysterious and sinister puppeteer - or is he, too, just a puppet? They must have a never-ending supply of sentries too! Great stop motion animation with a wee bit of slap-stick and a good dose of the macabre!

After seeing Tomek Baginski's "Katedra" I thought nothing could beat it. "Sztuka spadania" is at least as good as the previous film but impressive in a different manner. "Katedra" is a masterpiece of suspense, climate and superb computer graphics skills. In terms of craftsmanship, "Sztuka spadania" shows huge (I dare say) advancement in some areas of lighting, rendering and animation (here I bow low to the whole team of the film's creators). In terms of script/directing it's a whole different story. Whereas "Katedra" made me shiver in awe (realy!), "Sztuka spadania" made my sensors of wicked humor rage! Although some of the scenes might appear macabre, the whole idea, for me, is totally hilarious. The short story is brilliantly spiced up with the music of a Romanian brass band (Fanfare Ciocarlia I suppose). To cut the long story short, "Sztuka spadania" is a must see! BTW, if I could decide on the Oscars... ehh... Next time!