Belleville Rendezvous http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 The Many Influences of The Triplets of Belleville http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/04/15/the-many-influences-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/04/15/the-many-influences-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=15 The Triplets of Belleville is a product of a truly international culture of animation. There are antecedents from across the world to be found in the film and the making of the film. Japanese, American, Eastern European, and Korean animation all had contributions to make to the Triplets of Belleville. But the real roots of the film are found close to home. Triplets is a proudly French film, and the legends of French animation are lovingly referenced and reverenced in the film.

The grimy charactners and fanciful, gravity-free designs call to mind prominent animators such as Laloux and amazing designers such as Moebius, but there is one creator who overshadows all the other influences of Triplets of Belleville.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. That man is Paul Grinault.

Grinault, who lived from 1905 to 1944, is one of the seminal figures of French animation. He was known for attention to detail, careful creation of depth and space, and pleasantly skewed characters. His movies were always pleased to slow down and celebrate a moment of everyday life, but the animations would also burst with song when required. Most importantly, Grinault was known for his dedication to his craft. His masterpiece, Le Roi et L’Oiseaux, took more than fifteen years to complete. This sort of discipline was a guiding star for the creators of Triplets of Belleville.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/04/15/the-many-influences-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/feed/ 0 How Belleville SHOULD Have Redefined Animation http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/01/06/how-belleville-should-have-redefined-animation/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/01/06/how-belleville-should-have-redefined-animation/#comments Sun, 06 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=14 The Triplets of Belleville is something truly special. If you haven’t had a chance to see it and you claim to love animation, then you should be hitting up Amazon or, if you get tvbydirect.com movie channels, see if you can find it on demand somewhere.

One of the first things you will notice about this film is the surprising lack of dialogue. Unlike a lot of American movie animations, The Triplets is devoid of any kind of expository dialogue or hand-holding. Rather, you are thrust into the imaginative, colorful and darkly bizarre world of the film.

Some people who are raised on nothing but Disney often make humorous criticisms about the animation style including the fact that it’s ugly or it feels like an acid trip. Let me ask you something though, you ever see an old Felix the Cat cartoon?

I’m talking black and white where the dialogue was text on a screen!

All kinds of ugly and creepy character designs ran rampant back then and it wasn’t any big deal because people were focused on what the characters did instead of how they look. There is a kind of bizarre, superficial trend in animation today and it’s a real shame considering the amount of polish a cartoon gets has taken overwhelming precedence over the actual quality and fluidity of the animation.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2013/01/06/how-belleville-should-have-redefined-animation/feed/ 0 The French Animation New Wave – The Triplets of Belleville http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/21/the-french-animation-new-wave-the-triplets-of-belleville/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/21/the-french-animation-new-wave-the-triplets-of-belleville/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=10 Telling a story through song pantomime may seem a bit unconventional but this unique style allowed The Triplets of Belleville to receive two nominations for Academy Awards. When screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, it got high praise for its uncommon animation style and storyline. This charming story has gorgeous animation that really has something for everyone.

Directed by Sylvain Chomet, this film reveals the tale of Madame Souza that is striving to rescue her grandson that was taken by the French mafia. The Triplets of Belleville, music hall singers, join her along the way. Her dog Bruno also goes with her. Travel along with Madame Souza as she rescues her grandson Champion. The adventures are a pleasure to watch.

This satirical movie reveals the opinions about the entertainment industry, commercial industry, among many other issues. It shows what has been lost in cartoons because of the drive for money and profit. The art of making cartoons has been lost. Having Disney classic cartoon movies and Japanese anime as inspirations, this is a creative endeavor that many will enjoy.

With 82 minutes, this movie may not be for the little ones. With some violence and sexual references parents may want to use some caution when considering allowing their children to view it. Overall, however, it is a beautifully done movie that people of all ages will be drawn to.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/21/the-french-animation-new-wave-the-triplets-of-belleville/feed/ 0 The Triplets of Belleville and the Influences of Jazz http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/19/the-triplets-of-belleville-and-the-influences-of-jazz/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/19/the-triplets-of-belleville-and-the-influences-of-jazz/#comments Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 www.bellevillerendezvous.com http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=6 Jazz is not a conventionally popular form of music anymore. However, many people still listen to and love the smooth sounds of jazz. The Triplets of Belleville revisits the magic of the jazz era and introduces many young audiences to the music for the first time. The movie centers on a grandmother trying to find her kidnapped grandson with the help of a dog and the old singing group called the Triplets of Belleville. The critically acclaimed movie is heavily influenced by the sounds and people associated with jazz. Confused? Here‘s a little help .

Many jazz favorites like Fred Astaire, Josephine Baker and Glenn Gould have characters based off them in the movie. This sets the proper atmosphere and gives the film a unique vibe. The jazz theme is continued as the Triplets of Belleville are an old singing group who play the melodious music and help find the kidnapped grandson.

This movie is great for jazz enthusiasts or anyone who wants to educate their children about the world of jazz. The movie is entertaining and interesting, so children will not notice that they are getting a musical education. Jazz may not be present in mainstream culture often, but there is still a healthy appetite for the music.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/19/the-triplets-of-belleville-and-the-influences-of-jazz/feed/ 0 Jazz and The Triplets of Belleville http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/17/jazz-and-the-triplets-of-belleville/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/17/jazz-and-the-triplets-of-belleville/#comments Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=7 Jazz is the music of life. It has a poppy, bouncy, happy side to it that simply can’t be erased. There is something about good jazz that implies good animation. Benoit Charest, the Quebecois musician who created the score, found his jazz music interwoven with the film at every step. His music was used as one of the primary inspirations for the animation style of the film. Sylvain Chomet, the director of the film, said that, “when we heard this music, it was so inspiring for the animators. There’s a lot of Ben’s own madness in the triplets.”

Audiences obviously agreed, because Charest’s song “Belleville Rendez-vous” gathered an Academy Award nomination, a nomination for a Grammy, the 2004 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music, and a César Award for Best Music Written for a Film. These accolades represent the deep respect audiences have for his music, and for jazz itself. By giving the film its unique, swinging tempo, the principles of jazz are sunk deep into the foundations of the Triplets’ success. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington are alive in the musical world of this film, because the discoveries they made and the traditions they founded are in good hands with the Triplets of Belleville.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/17/jazz-and-the-triplets-of-belleville/feed/ 0 The Wonderful World of The Triplets of Belleville http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/13/the-wonderful-world-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/13/the-wonderful-world-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/#comments Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=8 One of the most wonderful unique animated films ever made is “The Triplets of Belleville.” A simple and well told story with very little dialogue and a few song scattered throughout is magnificently relayed through action and animation. A loving grandmother realizes that her only grandson is obsessed with bicycles so she buys him one and becomes his coach. As an adult, he is contender in the Tour de France and his grandmother is still his biggest fan. In the middle of the race, some of the riders are kidnapped by villains and taken to Belleville. The grandmother along with her enormous pet dog, set off for the city in order to free her grandson. Penniless and in a strange city, grandma soon runs into trouble with no where to sleep and no food to eat. Three old women, the triplets of Belleville, come to their rescue offering them a place to stay and attempt to help the grandmother save with her grandson. Director Sylvain Chomet really outdid himself on the characters in the film. Most are very memorable. The majority are extremely fat, including the Statue of Liberty. The bicyclists have tiny waists and huge legs along with facial features that really stand out such as foot long noses.

]]> http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/13/the-wonderful-world-of-the-triplets-of-belleville/feed/ 0 The Triplets of Belleville and the Rise of French Animation http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/10/the-triplets-of-belleville-and-the-rise-of-french-animation/ http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/2012/06/10/the-triplets-of-belleville-and-the-rise-of-french-animation/#comments Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000 www.bellevillerendezvous.com http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/?p=9 “The Triplets of Belleville” is an animated film released in 2003 by director Sylvain Comet. The storyline follows three elderly sisters who have retired from the vaudeville scene. These musical ladies befriend another elderly lady searching for her kidnapped cyclist grandson. The movie has very little dialogue. Instead, the movie relies on song and dance routines to convey the plotline. The quirky nature and convoluted storyline captured audiences worldwide who fell in love with the jazz music and unique heroines. Professional reviewers were equally charmed, and French Animation suddenly had a wider, more receptive audience.
Past years have seen other Academy Award nominated French animated films such as “The Illusionist”, a melancholy dream of a movie. “A Cat in Paris”, “Arthur 3″ and “Santa’s Apprentice” were received well by critics and audiences alike. In 2011 a slew of French animated films were released. “The Rabbi’s Cat”, “Cinderella 3-D” and “The Boy with The Cuckoo-Clock Heart” are French films to keep an eye out for.
Although the style of French animated movies is more subtle and understated than offerings from Pixar or Disney, the film lover will surely find one or more films to be a new family favorite.

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