Wednesday, June 14, 2000
CHICKEN RUN review
I know that there are a lot of you that have taken a look at the trailers, the images and the reviews you have seen for CHICKEN RUN, and you have still walked away with... “It just doesn’t interest me!”
My energy and fervor for this film has been based upon the history of AARDMAN Animation and the first 15 minutes of film footage that Moriarty and I sneaked a peek at months ago.
I have had faith because... well, I’m simply that type of fool. I’m that person that wants something to be glorious and beautiful. I wanted Aardman to make the transition from shorts to features. Just as I wanted Pixar to years ago. Just like I hope Will Vinton and his crew will succeed as well.
Animation is a favorite art form of mine. This week I bought the DVD collection of VAN BUREN cartoons as well as the two U.B. IWERKS collections. I keep hoping and praying that someone somewhere will do a complete works of GEORGE PAL collection.... with everything he did.
I bought Harryhausen’s DVD of GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD the second it came out. I love animation.
So it’s rather upsetting at first, when I went to the theater tonight to hear the thoughts of most of the audience members as they filed into the theater and took their seats. The other critics that... sincerely believed that they were in for a mediocre film. I couldn’t believe that this was the belief.
I mean... hell, three weeks ago at TOYS R US, I bought the entire line of CHICKEN RUN toys and they are posed next to Jack Skellington and behind Iron Fist and in front of Godzilla and beneath the Beatles.
The last time I bought an entire line of toys before a film came out was THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. And that was because... again... I knew. I knew that this was going to be ‘ONE OF THOSE MOVIES’.
Folks were thinking that this was going to be a cheap subpar knock-off of THE GREAT ESCAPE with Chickens and no Steve McQueen in sight.
After watching this crowd’s tone COMPLETELY CHANGED after the first 3 minutes of the film... I can say with absolute certainty that this film.... will completely enthrall you.... IF YOU SEE IT!
You see.... This is that movie that was made with the idea of being a film that Grandparents took their Grandkids to.... BUT was meant to be the dirty little secret joy to everyone between those ages.
This movie did not make me cry with joy. It left me completely stunned and happy. I could not believe how cinematically glorious this film was.
There is a perfection of artistry to this film that is scary.
Story wise.... structurally, it’s perfect.
Performance wise... it’s dead on.
Score.... again, perfect.
I sat there and watched an audience begin cheering, and watching some geeks in the audience actually do that.... punch the air while yelling, “OH YEAH!” The children were laughing, the two old ladies with walkers sitting below and to my right creaked out of the theater with smiles upon their aged faces.
Now is there a chance that you might not like this movie? Yeah, I suppose. I presume if you go into the film wanting to find similarities to other films.... and then label this film as being redundant and unoriginal.
BUT... I could take apart both STAR WARS and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK for the exact same things.
This is a film that is very much what the medium is about.
There are characters that you care about. The danger and the threat are very very real. You understand and can see why characters make the choices they make. And at the end of the story you are left realizing that you have just seen a spectacularly entertaining, cinematically brilliant live-action in minature work of joy.
Now... if you want to know more about the film and why I think it’s brilliant, continue reading. If you are convinced, and don’t want to read any spoilers and don’t want any of the bits ruined for ya. Then leave now and forever hold your peace. Cause this is where I get beneath the feathers and discuss the r
eal meat and bones of the film.
Like I said, within the first 3 minutes of the film the audience is won.
The film begins with a series of escapes. Ideas and actions moving forward under the command and enacted by chief chicken Ginger. You see the thought of her plans... the brilliance of their cunning... and you see them fail. One after another. Sent into solitary confinement to ponder her mistakes. She never gives up, stays determined.
The audience giggles. ha... this is funny STALAG 17/GREAT ESCAPE/HOGAN’S HEROES stuff. The audience is comfortable. Secure. This is light fare.
Then the titles end. And the movie begins.
There’s a role call signaled and everyone must line up. You see, this is a strictly disciplinary chicken operation. The records show that a chicken has failed to lay an egg for (I believe) 5 days. This chicken is picked up by the neck. Taken to a shed. And is KILLED.
It is absolutely necessary. Because at this point... the audience realized that all those escapes and funny escapades. They were not sooo funny afterall. They were a very real matter of life and death.
At the end of every chicken’s life was a blade of an axe. Produce or die. We see the remains of this chicken upon a plate... and a very full Mr and Mrs Tweedy.
This is to show that to the humans... Chickens are JUST chickens. Nothing more. They lay eggs and die to feed humans. That is the purpose of the chickens.
The life and death weight of the story justifies the passion and frustrations that Ginger has. This isn’t some cheap story... this is a matter of life and death. The ability to die of natural causes and NOT be eaten by man or woman.
Now... don’t get me wrong... the film is very funny, but the dramatic arc of the movie is very important. It is instrumental to the motivation of Ginger’s character. And if we don’t buy her, then we won’t buy Rocky’s love for her. And if we don’t buy Ginger’s passion and Rocky’s love... then we are faced with a beautiful animated film with no center... and we have TITAN AE.
Just as in TOY STORY, the characters are complete creations with in their universe. They are self-aware and intelligent and capable of far more than we humans can conceive.
Also, Like IRON GIANT, there are no singing numbers. There is a dance number, but it takes place logically and is just a tune coming out of the radio and not something being sung by one of the characters.
When I talk about the cinematic perfection of the film, I’m speaking of the photography, the lighting, shot selection, editing, sound mix and yes... even direction in the film.
The nervous back and forth stares, the moments of fear. The rescue scenes, the escape from burning death. The feelings of hopelessness. The joy of success.
These are characters that I began to care for. Those big eyes... those goofy faces... They ruled.
The action. The action in the film is done in that Spielberg, RAIDERS... Truck chase editing manner of count to two and change the shot way. The music thrilling you, the action both ridiculous and thrilling. These are chickens... trying to escape being cooked... and because they built their characters. Because you KNOW these chickens. YOU CARE! The action is thrilling because YOU want THESE specific chickens to LIVE.
And you can’t help but laugh at yourself for that absurdest thought.
Don’t be a stick in the mud, roll the dice, check it out. And who knows... afterwards you might find yourself in a conversation over dinner like mine. Where you hear someone say, “Ya know, have we so beaten the chicken that it no longer has the will to fly? I mean, you know it has wings, it has the musculature. Yet it decides to not fly.”
To which another would say, “Yeah, I mean have any of you heard of WILD CHICKENS”
To which you hear, “So were there wild chickens, I mean, I can’t imagine wild flocks of chickens flying about.”
Sigh.... This movie gives you deep thoughts.