Monday, March 02, 2020

The Quirky Genius of Norman McLaren

The National Film Board of Canada has a streamable collection of some of the works of famed Scots/Canadian animator Norman McLaren. Perhaps most fascinating--or at least most educational--are the five parts of Animated Motion, a series of educational films by McLaren and his often-collaborator Grant Munro. Part 1 is pretty elementary even for those with a passing interest in animation, but the animation principles revealed become more fascinating with each successive section of the course. 

4 comments:

  1. If you have Telus Optik TV service, they have an NFB on demand channel too. Might be more convenient to watch there, if you prefer.

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  2. NFB also has streamable "Project Grizzly" starring Troy Hurtubise. Quentin Tarantino called this his favourite movie ever. Kurt Russell *is* Troy Hurtubise in The Hateful Eight, it's one of Tarantino's direct thefts from other pictures.

    Sadly, Mr. Hurtubise committed suicide not long ago, but the film he left behind is an amazing, heartfelt legacy with more great dialogue than any three Tarantino shows you choose put together.

    The Norman McLaren stuff is good, too. He was the first independent animator to make educational films for the public on the topic of animation. As Earl says, at the start it's just basics and fundamentals, and much of it is really dry viewing until you unlock the mastery of his work and the passion he had for both fine art and education. He was a trailblazer.

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  3. I read that Hurtubise died in a car accident... sad news either way though; he was quite a character.

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  4. He did die in a car wreck, it was one he initiated.

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