Harvey Krumpet

At home nursing a virus and feeling bored, I came across this delicious short animation.

It won an oscar and its well deserved, i love it. Particularly the Busby Berkeley inspired sequence with knocking wheelchairs.

folly for a flyover

For an hour I was transported to a mystical fairy land with flying horses, princes rescuing princesses and Aladdin's magic lantern. The sounds of the orchestra lifted us onto a floating carpet with bells and horns.

In the final battle scene between the sorcerer and the witch it felt like we were all part of a shamanistic ritual, as we shook our rattles and rang our bells.

 

The contrast with the concrete flyover that was our roof and the murky green canal made it seem all the more magical. 

The audience were all given different percussion instruments to create the different sound effects. It was a clever way of creating an enveloping cocoon and keeping your focus while we all suspended Hackney reality. 

This was a truly magical night out. It was created by the same people that made a beautiful cinema in an abandoned petrol station on Clerkenwell road where I saw Buster Keaton shorts and we drank beer in a transformed petrol shop bar.

notice the shadow orchestra blending into the scene

Apparently this is the oldest surviving animated feature film. I really loved its simplicity and beauty with the silhouette animation. A real work of art. And a great story.

After we enjoyed a beer in the amazing 'house' made of wooden bricks. what a brilliant invention!