Animation Conundrum ep.4 Valhalla(1986)

Finally a new episode. Took a while to get this up, since I've been very busy lately.
I'll see if I can get more up around christmas time. I'm already planning a riff for the holiday.
Still struggling with the aspect ratio problems that blip.tv is giving me.
I might as well move it all to youtube, but for now, bare with me.

Enjoy!
http://blip.tv/animationconundrum/animation-conundrum-ep-4-valhalla-5675607

Animation Conundrum ep.3 Van Helsing: The London Assignment

New location and longer hair.
This was done months after the last one, since I don't have any proper schedule to this show, so I just
do it once in a while when I have time.
This time I reviewed a relativly unknown animation from the failed Van Helsing movie, which was actually
suppose to be developed into a tv-show. Good thing that project fell off.

http://blip.tv/animationconundrum/animation-conundrum-ep-3-van-helsing-the-london-assignemnt-5097380

Animation Conundrum ep.2 Fire & Ice

My second episode of the Animation Conundrum animation review show.
Here I improved on a lot of things. First: The visually. Now you can actually see the person who is reviewing the films. Second: A lot shorter. I shaved off much more time, since I realised that most viewers probably don't want to spend almost 30 minutes on a review that should have just taken 10 minutes (12 in this case).

http://blip.tv/animationconundrum/animation-conundrum-ep-2-fire-and-ice-4261884

Animation Conundrum ep.1 Street Fighter Alpha

This was my first episode in my review show.
I didn't have acsess to a camera at the time, so this one was made entirely with voice-over.
Which I realised was a bad format with many flaws, so I threw it out at once after this episode.
Another thing was that this episode was over 20 minutes, with bad jokes to boot, so all of that
got improved in later episodes as well.
Later I have planned to make my videoes available on youtube as well, to broaden the prospects of a bigger audience.

Since blogpost doesn't upload blip.tv videoes, you will have to click the following link to see it.
http://blip.tv/animationconundrum/the-animation-conundrum-ep-1-3775632

Ironclad (Bluray, 2011)

Where do I start with this? Brief history lesson maybe?
Between 1212 and 1215 there was a civil war between King John and the Barons in England, which was ended thanks to the Knights Templar that sided with the Barons.What followed was the Magna Carta, a document that the Barons forced Johan to sign, that stated that no monarch could judge a nobel or common man without a trial.A document which would be the basics for the English justice system and the Parliament, and the American democracy during their War of Independence. 

Where this movie takes place is shortly after the signing of the Magna Carta, and King John (Paul Giamatti) decides to take back England under his sovereign rule by the support of the Pope, and the help of a thousand Danish mercenaries.Baron Albany (Brian Cox) and Marshal (James Purefoy) decides to take up the fight against the king and gathers up a ragtag group of men to hold Rochester Castle against him for as long as it takes the French to reinforce them. 

Now that's out of the way... Where this movie initially fails is in its spartan storytelling, meaning that once the opening narration is done, that's about it of exposition you will get.Everyone in the group is gathered together in the typical fashion, where they meet up with them one at the time so that the audience can get a brief look at their vice and virtues before we see them heroicly fight against all odds.Effective way of getting the tedious character development out of the way, considering this is a 2 hour long feature as it is, but it do make me wonder why they would add so many characters to a movie that is about something more important, the Magna Carta, that would suck away so much screentime.The answer is simply that this movie is a action movie, and background story comes second since the audience approvel of the characters are more important then a compelling story about one of the most important document in human history.So make no mistake that this movie is about comradery and fellowship against greater perils, the rest is just filler. 

I do feel often that this movie is not telling me enough, despite its two hour running time, because there are often mention of other events, past and present, that makes you wonder why they are never developed or mentioned again.Like with the Danish Mercanaries, which is mentioned that are fighting for King John so that he can convince the Pope to leave them alone and pull back christan soldiers of their lands.Denmark has been a christian country a long time before this event, so it does make me wonder where these people really comes from and what their troubles are.What's also never really explained is the relations of the Barons followers, who seems to have previous handle with him, but is never told in what fashion they have been in his aid before.
The acting all around is solid, apart from James Purefoy almost sleepy performance.


What is to be noted however, is Paul Giamatti's serious overacting moments.It feels like he's about to burst out of the screen and eat my head.I especially loves the scene where he passionatly talks about his lineage and birthright, and waves his fists and body around in such a manner that I feel tempted to put a voice track of Hitler over his dialog just to see how well it fits.Paul Giamatti is in no way a bad actor, as I loved his performances in John Adams(2008) and Cold Souls (2009), but to me he took the depiction of King John a "bit" too far.

The Bluray version is of a very high quality, making the gushing of blood, dismemberment and dirty faces look even more detailed and lovely. Other then that, it's nothing more to tell other then a few measily interviews as extra. 

In conclusion, its a fine piece of cinema if you like medieval themed movies with a lot of fighting and blood, but don't think it's more then a action movie, as it is in the same theme as King Arthur(2004) and Kingdom of Heaven(2005), so be prepared to be either entertained or bored.
Verdict: 4 out of 6 

Fire & Ice (1983)

Does Ralph Bakshi ring a bell?
I could do a entire Masters paper on him alone, about his life, his works and his dedication to make animation more adult centered.However, I will save that for another time. This I will focus on one of his less/most popular films.Confused about that statement? Well let's start with the history of this film.
Fire and Ice was a collaboration between Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, Ralph being known for his works in animation and Frank being known for his works in comics.


Where Fire and Ice draws his inspiration from is Conan the Barbarian, which is absolutly no surprise. The year before, Conan the Barbarian had its release with Arnold Schwarzenegger, which launched the decade of the "Barbarian flicks" with such instant classics as Yor: Hunter of the Future(1983) and Barbarian Queen(1985).But the bigger supporter of such inspirational form is Frank Frazetta himself, who is outmost well known for his covers and movie posters, making the Conan comics very popular with his "Barbarian and wench" illustrations.
So with Ralph Bakshi, forerunner of the adult centered western animations, and Frank Frazetta, maker of the most inspirational Barbarian covers ever, you have a duo worthy of creating a barbarian themed hack'n slash flick.

Being a very action-oriented movie, Fire and Ice used a technique that was very familiar to Ralph; Rotoscoping. Basicly meaning filming real actors, and draw over them to make fluid motions. Essentially the predecessor to todays Motion Capture.This makes the movie have a very natural fluid movement to their characters, and doesn't even fall into the trap of unnatural "natural" faces on the characters that makes them look distorted and weird. 

All in all it's right up the alley of Ralph and Frank, using Ralphs interests in making the animation industry make films for adults as well, using mature themes and sexualisations of both male and female characters, and Franks own "barbarian" artworks that uses the explicit styling of the hardened ripped barbarian and the voluptous wench that seeks his comfort, or even takes up arms herself.
Despite the combined creative efforts of Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, Fire and Ice never became a block-buster flick with a total gross earning of $760.000 out of a budget of $1.2 million, but has in later time achieved a cult following for fans of Ralph Bakshi's works.
If you are interested in learning more, please watch my video review of it on blip.tv.http://blip.tv/animationconundrum/animation-conundrum-ep-2-fire-and-ice-4261884