Movies, Short Films, and Other Works of Cinema

Coming in for a Spell: The Good Witch

3/28/2019

2008, Ages 9 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of how the luck of a small town’s citizens changes for the better after the arrival of a lovely and mysterious young woman.
(11/4/16)

Now, I know this movie may seem more suited to be in honor of last month’s signature holiday, but it has such a pleasant autumn vibe that I feel it’s a good pick for any post-Halloween blues out there. If there is one magical being that has adapted and evolved fairly well in the modern world—both in fiction and in real life—it is the witch. “Witchcraft”, for lack of a better word, is widely practiced in many forms by people all over the world today. Of course, it goes without saying that there are those who shun and disapprove of these practices, claiming them to be “nonsense” at best and “devil-worshiping” at worst. As for me, I’ve always been fascinated by the more god-like powers witches are said to possess and that have been presented in rather colorful fashion, from the “Wizards’ Duel” in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone; to the evil child-hunters in Roald Dahl’s The Witches; to any fairytale and piece of folklore involving flight, potion-making, and transformation. In my older years, however, while I am by no means an expert on the subject, I feel that I’ve come to better understand, or at least appreciate, the subtleties of a true witch, good or evil, supernatural or otherwise. And if you recall my LIMBO episode, you already know my stance on subtlety.

Police chief Jake Russel divides his time between protecting the citizens of the small town of Middleton and trying to stay connected with his family, who are each struggling in their own way to cope with the loss of Jenny, Jake’s late wife and the mother of his children. His older son, Brandon, is bullied at school and buries himself in video games; his younger daughter, Lori, suffers from frequent night terrors; and his father-in-law, George, wants to help all of them but just doesn’t know how. But one day, while investigating reports of strange activity at Grey House, a local mansion said to be haunted, Jake is surprised by the appearance of Cassandra Nightingale, the secretive raven-haired new owner of Grey House. Soon after, unusual—and unusually good—things begin to happen, as Cassie utterly fascinates those she meets with her knowledge of herbs and folklore, while offering them much more than simply a hot meal, a kind word, and a listening ear. But there are some residents who take umbrage to Cassie’s eccentricity, like the mayor’s bossy and meddlesome wife, Mrs. Martha Tinsdale. Whichever side the people take regarding their opinion of Cassie and her spiritual ways, one question ultimately remains: is Cassie a real witch?

In the spirit of stories like Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s A Little Princess, this is a special tale that strives to inspire its audiences with the belief of true magic without a single use of the supernatural. But this is not achieved only by the presence of the traditional but otherwise ordinary witch-like paraphernalia that the title protagonist surrounds herself with—a spooky house, a black cat, an old-fashioned broom, and the like. (And even these elements, thankfully, are never overplayed to the point of corniness.)

Cassie exudes a sort of down-to-earth motherliness and a childlike love and trust in the world around her that many of us often lose as the duties and hardships of real life take over our minds and hearts. One of her greatest charms (no pun intended) is that she is sensible without being . . . well, sensible. For one, she almost never gives commonplace answers to questions or comments that we all typically take for granted; her words are always refreshingly sage, whether for their kind of truthfulness that we’ve come to forget:

JAKE: Yeah, uh, yesterday, downtown; was that you that I saw walking into the alley?
CASSIE: (Gently reproaching.) Chief Russel, how would I know what you saw yesterday? Only you know what you saw yesterday.

[. . .]

MARTHA: (Proudly.) We hold tight to our traditions here in Middleton.
CASSIE: (Thoughtfully.) Sometimes if you hold on too tight to what you have, you end up choking it.

Or for the way they do more than exceed expectations and kindle the imagination.

CASSIE: (Whispering to Attila, a Doberman, to calm him.) Hey, listen. Now, I know you’re a good dog, it’s your master that’s the beast.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Amazed.) How did you do that?
CASSIE: Oh, I’ve always had a way with the fur people.

[. . .]

CASSIE: (Announcing to a tour group that’s come by Grey House.) And if you’d like, you can stop by my new shop on Main: The Bell, Book, and Candle.
[. . .]
NANCY: What do you sell?
CASSIE: (Smiling.) Infinite possibilities.

More than that, she doesn’t just help others in need, she gently gives them direction so that they can help themselves. We tend to focus so much on finding practical reasons for doing or not doing something, due to some kind of inner fear. But Cassie seems to know exactly what everyone needs and how to put them at ease enough to utilize it, whether it’s to help a child with her bad dreams:

CASSIE: (To Lori.) Well, after you put this [dreamcatcher] over your bed, I need you do something very important. You mustn’t, under any circumstances, dream of bunnies tonight.
LORI: Bunnies?
CASSIE: (Seriously.) That’s right. [. . .] You must not dream about soft, furry, cute little bunny rabbits.

An old man yearning for his homeland:

CASSIE: (Holding out to George a beautiful pendent with a four-leaf clover/shamrock inside.) A shamrock, from the Emerald Isle. [. . .] Now do yourself a favor. Hide this away. (Places the pendent in George’s breast pocket.) Bring it out again when there’s a full moon.
GEORGE: A full moon?
CASSIE: Yes. That’s the time to reconsider your impossible dream.

A woman whose love life wants a “boost” (if you know what I mean):

CASSIE: (To Nancy as she’s smelling a fragrant oil.) Yeah, that’s an, um, aphrodisiac. It’s my own little mixture. [. . .] Yeah, you put a few drops on your husband’s collar before dinner time, and by desert he’s primed and, ready to go, shall we say.
Nancy: (Stammering.) Does, uh—I mean . . . does it really work?
CASSIE: Why don’t you give it a shot? [. . .] Just consider it a fun little experiment.

And a boy troubled by a nasty bully:

CASSIE: (To Brandon.) So, then, uh, this goat/frog thing is flexible, so long as [Kyle’s] turned into something less threatening.
BRANDON: Yeah, I guess.
CASSIE: Well, it’s not going to be easy. I’m going to need your help.
BRANDON: My help?
CASSIE: Yeah, in order for this to work, I need you to do four things.
[. . .]
BRANDON: (Confused.) What—How am I supposed to do all that?
CASSIE: (Sympathetic.) I don’t know, I don’t make the rules. I realize it’s going to take some courage.

Now, of course, it can be argued that, realistically, Cassie’s methods are only plausible at best, as they and their outcomes are highly romanticized for storytelling purposes and could have each gone in myriad directions, if not failed entirely; this is especially true in the sequences involving Brandon facing the boy who bullies him. That said, though, I don’t think that knowledge should deter our attention from the fact that this is meant to teach compassion and empathy for others, as they may be quietly struggling with their own personal demons.

And then, there is Martha. You know those people who preach what sound like noble intentions on paper, but who are so darn self-righteous about it that it makes you want to do the exact opposite? Martha is one of those people. Annoyingly paranoid and the epitome of the nosy neighbor, Martha disapproves of anything she believes doesn’t follow the traditions and moral standards of Middleton and will do virtually anything to stamp it out as if it were a disease.

MARTHA: (To the Citizens’ League.) She is scaring away every last hope this community has of attracting investors! Her black magic shop is a dagger through the heart of our lovely business district. [. . .] These are the dark arts that she’s practicing and selling right under our noses! [. . .] My own two sons, Dylan and Michael, tell me that at school they call her the “witch woman”—and for very good reason. She makes strange potions, she converses with animals, and she has that drunken Walter Cobb living under the same roof with her! Now, is this really the sort of thing that we want here in Middleton?

One of the best technical ways the film accentuates the differences between these two women is through its soundtrack. Whenever Cassie is on screen, viewers hear an elegant theme set in Minor, of soothing pipes and gentle harp and violin strings, and adorned with the sound of chimes blowing in a soft wind, all of which create an atmosphere of comfort as well as natural beauty. The sound of Martha’s presence, on the other hand, is almost laughable in its banality: a pretentious Staccato piece punctuated by deep blasts from the tuba, with a clarinet and flute that swirl in and out of earshot as though they themselves feel awkward in her presence. The second it begins playing, you know she’s coming, on the prowl for something to pounce on and nit-pick about.

And stuck in the center of the debate is Jake. I think, in a way, the character of Jake is meant to represent viewers: a reasonable person with sometimes unreasonable problems who nonetheless always strives to do what is right for those around him. In the case of Cassie, however, this unfortunately leaves him torn between pacifying the deeply suspicious citizens, including even the mayor:

MAYOR TINSDALE: (To Jake.) I want you to find out everything you can about this Cassandra Nightingale. The ownership of Grey House has always been . . . murky. Now that developers are interested in the property she arrives one day, out of the blue, with the deed. You don’t find that a little suspicious?
JAKE: (Conceding reluctantly.) It-It’s unusual.
MAYOR TINSDALE: Jake [. . .] All I’m asking is that you do a little digging. Aren’t you a little curious about her? (Firmly.) I am.

And spending time with Cassie, toward whom he grows increasingly attracted, for her beauty, kindness, and acceptance of others for themselves, no matter what their background, their mistakes, or their past:

JAKE: (Pointing to a bottle of wine on Cassie’s kitchen counter.) I’d hide that wine with Walter around.
CASSIE: Oh, I’m not worried about Walter.
JAKE: (In wonder.) You are very trusting.
CASSIE: (Smiling.) I’ll take that as a compliment.

But in spite of all that, though serious and strict when the situation calls for it, Jake’s mind and heart are open to new people, new things, and, most importantly, new ways of thinking, allowing him to realize—and showing the audience in turn—that if something, however unusual, heals and inspires people in the end, why does it need to be questioned or destroyed just for the sake of our own conventional comfort zone?

MAYOR TINSDALE: (Trying to keep things calm.) Now, Jake. Stop a minute and think. You know and I know what it means if you go through with this.
JAKE: (Resolutely.) Yeah, I know what this means, I know exactly what it means. Ms. Nightingale didn’t do anything wrong, your boys did. Because someone put in their heads that everyone in this town needs to act the same, and look the same. But Cassie’s different . . . and we’re all the better for it.

Since its debut, The Good Witch has become so popular on Hallmark that it has spawned numerous sequels, my personal favorite being the third film: The Good Witch’s Gift, which features Cassie working her positive “magic” during the Christmas holidays. There is now also a spin-off T.V. series simply entitled Good Witch. But I really don’t want to spoil any of them here when I’m only talking about the first movie ;)

The Good Witch is less about witch stereotypes and more about ordinary people given new ways to see the extraordinary in the world around them. The true strength of this gorgeous film is its humble yet transcendent moments meant to revive the desire for new adventures and new chances to change one’s life, its primary message being that with enough faith, both in oneself and in others, anyone is capable of working miracles. And who knows? You might be amazed—and enchanted—by what you find in return.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison

EPISODE SONG:
“Anomalous Peace” - The Curellis

https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic

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The Morons of Our Dreams: Twice Upon a Time

3/28/2019

1 Comment

1983, Rated PG
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of two dimwits from a land of dreams who must save the human world from eternal waking nightmares.
(8/5/16)

Many, MANY years passed between when I first heard of this film and when I actually got to see it. Those who grew up in the 90’s may remember Cartoon Network’s Cartoon Theater block, when every Saturday night and/or Sunday morning, it would air an animated feature film, like Balto, The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, The Land Before Time, and the like. Classic. Then, in late 1998, a Cartoon Theater promo aired for this movie. I’m not going to lie: it was, at the time, the strangest-looking movie I had ever been exposed to in my young life! Unfortunately, I missed it . . . and—of course—I never saw it on that or any other station again. But thank heaven for both time and the internet! I was at last able to watch it in full (not to mention make sense of that long-ago promo), and later, to finally buy the official DVD. For a while, I was beginning to think that it would never reach that point due to its history and consequent obscurity—more on that later—but hey, better late than never, right?

In between two polar opposite dream worlds rests the earthly land known as Din, inhabited by people called Rushers, so named because they are always literally rushing at whatever they are doing. The only time they don’t rush is when they sleep. Which is where the dreams—and their respective dream-makers—come in. On one side is Frivoli, where sweet and happy dreams are made to be delivered to the Rushers of Din by the gruff and pirate-like Greensleeves and his helpers, the Figmen of Imagination—get it? At the other end of the spectrum is The Murkworks, home of the dark and dingy factory in which the sinister Synonamess Botch creates missile-like “nightmare bombs” to be dropped upon the Rushers by his giant vultures. It comes to pass that Botch, tired of competing against Frivoli, seeks the power of the Cosmic Clock—which controls the universal flow of time—as part of his dastardly plot to bring eternal nightmares to the Rushers of Din. The only ones standing in his way are two foolish but lovable misfits of Frivoli: Ralph, the All-Purpose Animal (so-called because of his [somewhat faulty] shape-shifting ability), and Mumford, his squeaky, honking, Chaplin-esque companion. The two must stop Botch and save the Rushers of Din while proving to the many skeptics they meet along the way that they are in fact capable of doing something right.

As I touched on before, this is a film with a very unusual history, and not just due to The Ladd Company, the studio that distributed it, going bankrupt after both this film and The Right Stuff failed at the box office. There were actually two versions of Twice Upon a Time made. Though identical to each other, with no added or omitted segments to visually set one apart from the other, each featured various scenes with lines that differed from those of the other. One of these was far more adult than the other, thanks in large part to voice actor Marshall Efron, who supplied his character, Botch, with some lines that were pretty raunchy. On both opening night and years later on HBO, the adult version, favored over the more family-friendly cut by both Efron and producer Bill Couturié, was shown. This, however, enraged director John Korty, who disapproved of the adult version and even threatened HBO with legal action if they ever aired it again. Just to give an example, compare the scene where Botch is trying to summon his henchman and Head “Scream Writer”—again, get it?—Scuzzbopper:

Director’s Original (Family) Version:

BOTCH: (Yelling over his intercom.) SCUZZ!!!
SCUZZBOPPER: (Shouting back, annoyed.) Just a minute, boss! I’m trying to finish a page!
BOTCH: Right, you finish the page . . . (takes a drag on his cigarette) . . . and I’ll have Rudy and his friends finish you.

Theatrical PG (Adult) Version:

BOTCH: (Yelling over his intercom.) SCUZZ!!!
SCUZZBOPPER: (Shouting back, annoyed.) Just a minute, boss! I’m trying to finish a page!
BOTCH: Right, you finish the page . . . (takes a drag on his cigarette) . . . and I’ll have your face ripped off and hurt you, too.

And that’s one of the few differing scenes without curse words.

Based on the research I had done on Twice Upon a Time, another reason behind its erratic release history, especially by the late 90’s and early 2000’s, is its datedness. Take the soundtrack for instance. The songs featured in the film are performed by artists whose names very few of the younger generation are likely to recognize, except for maybe, MAYBE, Bruce Hornsby; the ones whose names I hadn’t even heard of prior to seeing this film include Maureen McDonald, sister of Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers member, Micheal McDonald, and early 20th century bandleader and T.V. host, Lawrence Welk.

A little piece of trivia: in spite of this datedness, the movie did help to launch the careers of many now-famous cinematic artists, such as sequence director Henry Selick (who went on to direct stop-motion films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Coraline), visual effects producer, David Fincher (who went on to direct thrillers like Se7en, Fight Club, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, among others), and character designer Harley Jessup (who went on to be production designer for Pixar films like Ratatouille and Monsters Inc.)

Animation-wise, this is by far one of the most innovative films I’ve ever seen, utilizing an old stop-motion technique called “Lumage”. It was first developed for some animated sketches of Sesame Street back in the 70’s and involves placing and moving bits of colored paper, plastic, and other materials over a light table. The film is presented in both Lumage and live action: the characters and the dream worlds are animated in the former—vibrant, colorful, and outlandish, much like dreams tend to be—while the Rushers and Din are live people in a black and white “real” world, sometimes moving, other times in photographic still shots. To give you a basic idea of the film’s overall aesthetic, the cut-out appearance and jerky movements of Lumage I believe are comparable to the signature design of the T.V series South Park, while some of more photorealistic scenery is reminiscent of the animated segments of the Monty Python franchise. Moreover, the juxtaposition of cartoon animation to the live-action scenes may bring to mind that of the 1968 Beatles’ film, Yellow Submarine—for the best example of this, check out the “Eleanor Rigby” segment; you’ll see what I mean.

The two main protagonists are the type that you just want to go up and give a great big hug to, especially whenever they are being verbally abused by others—which occurs quite often by villain and good guy alike. The flat, drawling voice provided by Lorenzo Music (yes, Lorenzo “Garfield” Music) gives Ralph the quality of a stereotypical middle-aged drip—constantly rambling, rarely eloquent, and ever clumsy—but still as pleasant and adorably innocent as his teddy-bear face. His mute and mime-ish best friend, Mumford, though “flaky”, easily distracted, and curious to a fault, is also wonderfully expressive, energetic, and always there for his pal:

BALIFF: Hear ye, hear ye! The high court of Frivoli, the Pantry of Pomp, is now in session! Ralph, the All-Purpose Animal and Mumford, the No-Purpose Nothing: how do you plead?
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: (Running around, shouting in hysterical excitement.) Guilty! I’ll tell you how they plead! Guilty! That’s how they plead! Guility, guilty, guilty, guilty!
JUDGES: (In unison.) Guilty!
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: They’re misfits and dumb, too!
JUDGES: Dummies!
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: They look reeeal funny!
JUDGES: Obviously!
RALPH: (Pleading unconvincingly.) No, we aren’t. We tried to--
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: They can’t do anything right!
MUMFORD: (Swishes his moustache, staring blankly.)
JUDGES: They’re impossible!
RALPH: Well, nobody told us that--
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: I bet they can’t even take out the garbage!
RALPH: (Frowning, with determination in his voice.) I’ll bet we can!
JUDGES: They can’t!
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: Can’t!
RALPH: Can too!
MUMFORD: (Also frowning in determination.) HONK!
JUDGES: They can?
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: They can?
RALPH: Of course!
MUMFORD: (Nods vigorously.)
JUDGES: To the Garbagerie!
FRIVOLI FOREMAN: (As RALPH and MUMFORD cross their arms in satisfaction) Well, that’s it! The Garbagerie!
RALPH: (With some confusion.) The Garbagerie?

Besides the appearance, it is the zany cast of characters that really make this film. Among others, there is the snarky, no-nonsense, Broolyn-accented Fairy Godmother:

RALPH: (Sees a lone pair of fluttering wings.) Who are you?
FGM: I’m your fairy godmother. What did you expect, the Avon Lady?
RALPH: (Confused.) Avon . . .
FGM: You guys have screwed up in a rather royal way!
RALPH: We made a mistake?
FGM: Trust me, I’m your fairy godmother.
RALPH: Ours?
FGM: Everybody’s. . . . Good grief, you’re small in the hat size. . . . Just call me FGM. I hate excess verbiage.

Flora Fauna, a compassionate, albeit showy, anthropomorphic flower who longs to be a famous actress:

FLORA FAUNA: (While plummeting toward the earth.) Help, help me, help, help, help! (Singing in an opera tone.) HEEELLLLL-LLLL-LLP! . . . (Theatrically, still falling.) How shall I hit the ground? Let me count the ways! (Clutches her stomach and covers her eyes in disgust.) Ugh, if I weren’t already, I’d feel green.

Rod Rescueman, a jock-like superhero-in-training whose stupidity is as boundless as his physical strength:

ROD RESCUEMAN: (Sees FLORA FAUNA falling.) Uh-oh, she’s falling! (Thinking stupidly.) I should do something . . . Ah-ha! I’ll rescue her again, that’s TWO kisses! I’ll drop her again, I’ll rescue her THREE times! (Sprays deodorant under his armpits.) THREE kisses! A whole weekend, that’s what it looks like to me! (Rummaging through his closet.) Now where’s my cape?

The aforementioned Scuzzbopper, a Grover-ish-voiced, jester-like character who’d rather be a respectable author than a “scream writer” the rest of his life:

SCUZZBOPPER: (Mumbling to himself as he writes on his giant typewriter using mallets.) I'm through with nightmare scripts! Ha! I'm starting work on The Great Amurkian Novel! Pulitzer Prize, here I come! Steinback, Hemingway, Scuzzbopper!

And easily one of the most creative characters in any film: Ibor, a gorilla-haired, T.V.-like robot that communicates through actual classic T.V./film clips, from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Muppet Show (fitting, by the way, considering that George Lucas executive-produced this movie) to Happy Days, Looney Tunes, and Abbott and Costello:

(IBOR shows BOTCH an image of [an unconscious] FLORA FAUNA being “rescued” by ROD RESCUEMAN and taken from the Murkworks)
BOTCH: (Growling with rage) How did this happen?! Where were you, watching reruns again?
IBOR: (Showing a scene from Abbott and Costello in which Costello says to Abbot . . .): “I was workin’! I was readin’ a comic book!”

Needless to say, the disputes surrounding this film, as well as certain presentation choices, all but guaranteed that it would seldom see the light of day for the next 30 years, even in the era of internet-streaming. That said, though, this is the kind of movie I could certainly see being shown in a college film course. With its unique animation style, unusual conception, and woefully underrated status, Twice Upon a Time is one of those experiences I think that anyone, but especially those with a passion for film, would be much the poorer for missing out on: a delightfully offbeat comedy with underdogs to root for and a story that could only a dream could yield.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison

EPISODE SONG:
“Scuzz Bop” - Sean Zarn

https://www.facebook.com/sean.zarn

All other music and sound clips are from Twice Upon a Time (directed by John Korty and Charles Swenson; production by Korty Films, Lucasfilm, and The Ladd Company; distributed by Warner Bros.)

OST SONGS:
“Heartbreak Town” - Bruce Hornsby
“I’m On My Own” - Maureen McDonald (Film Version)
“Champagne Time” - Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra (Film Version)

Download the full 15-minute episode here!

Twice Upon a Time on Wikipedia

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Twice Upon a Time on Rotten Tomatoes

Twice Upon a Time on Lucasfilm

IndieWire's review of Twice Upon a Time

Twice Upon a Time on Cartoon Brew

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Illustrated Illumination: The Secret of Kells

3/25/2019

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2009, Ages 9 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of an Abbot’s young nephew who plays an important role in the creation of what will eventually be known, in real life, as Ireland’s National Treasure.
(11/19/15)

In the summer of 2005—just after I graduated my senior year of high school, in fact—I joined their travel club and took a twelve-day trip to the United Kingdom. Our first stop was Dublin, Ireland. While that portion of the trip only lasted two days, unfortunately, I still got to see and experience a great deal. For me, the highlight of Ireland was the chance to see the legendary Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript written in Latin that contains, among other texts, the four Gospels of the New Testament. It is believed to have been made around 800 A.D. and it is now kept on display within the Trinity College Library in Dublin. It is not only the exquisitely elaborate art within the Book and its illustrious and often mysterious history that have made it unique to this day. The Book and its creation are an example of aesthetic beauty taking precedence over educational practicality. This concept, as well as the Book that inspired it, are the main focus of today’s episode.

This French-Belgian-Irish film is a fictionalized account of the creation of the Book of Kells. The protagonist is Brendan, a bright and curious, though shy twelve-year-old boy living within the medieval abbey of Kells. He has a passion for art and illumination, which he shares with the scholarly monks to whom is apprenticed. But his uncle and guardian, Abbot Cellach, disapproves of this as he is obsessed with the construction of the massive wall that surrounds the abbey for protection against the Vikings that have been ravaging the populated regions of Ireland in their relentless search for gold. With the help of the eccentric but fatherly master illuminator Brother Aiden and the plucky forest fairy Aisling, Brendan must not only learn to perfect his artistic talents and show his uncle how much his art means to him and others, but also to conquer his fears and embrace the world with both its beauty and its dangers. Only then will he be able to complete the magical Book of Iona, later to be famously known as the Book of Kells.

The Secret of Kells took many movie-goers by surprise when it was chosen, seemingly out of nowhere, as a nominee for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, though it ultimately lost to Disney’s Up. The director, Tomm Moore, and his friends and fellow animators were inspired to create the film after watching films like Disney’s Mulan, Richard Williams’ The Thief and the Cobbler, and the anime films of Hayao Miyazaki, namely Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Seeing how those films were heavily influenced by the art and visual aesthetics of the countries in which the films’ stories take place (Chinese, Persian/Arabian, and Japanese, respectively), Moore and his team decided to do the same with ancient Celtic and Gaelic art, with its rounded curves and swirls blended with straight lines and perfect symmetry, while at the same time using that art to illustrate (pun intended) some of the rich history, mythos, and culture of its native country.

The characters and settings were created with very specific design choices in mind, not only with regards to the Celtic art style of the real Book of Kells, but also to the imaginative mindset that the practicing illuminators hold. With a few exceptions, many of the monks of Kells are almost quite literally built with—and like—basic shapes; their shoulders and hunched backs may be angular like squares with the folds of the robes being triangles so that the monks resemble stained glass figures, or curved in near-perfect half-circles, so they look almost like small simply-drawn “hills” with heads and limbs. Moreover, each monk is from a country outside of Ireland, come together to create manuscripts of beauty and inspiration. Here is an excerpt from the film’s art book, Designing The Secret of Kells, in which Moore explains:

“We discovered that the Book of Kells has artistic influence, and ink, from all over the medieval world and so we decided to represent this with monks who have travelled from as far away as Asia and Africa to work in the Scriptorium. Brother Tang was named after an Asian market in Paris called Frère Tang, located close to where our screenwriter Fabrice Ziolkowski lived. [. . .] Brother Square originally represented the Coptic church [. . .] However, during voice recording, he became an English gentleman! Brother Leonardo is of course an Italian monk, with Brother Sergei a tribute to the great Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein.” (Pg. 62-64)

I was particularly fascinated by the design of the Vikings. Two white dots that serve as eyes seem to be a part of the horned helmets that cover their heads, making them seem as inhuman as the atrocities they commit against the helpless Irish villagers. Here is what Moore had to say regarding the Viking designs:

“I asked [Jean Baptist, one of the character designers,] to create these designs to contrast with [head character designer Barry Reynold’s] more fluid and organic approach to the main characters. [. . .] [In] the end we settled on these blocky horned demon-like designs. They were meant to be cold, impersonal and frightening as if imagined by a child in medieval times. They were based only on scant descriptions rather than actual Vikings of the period. They represent darkness and as such are more a force of nature that human characters.” (Pg. 187)

Similarly, some of the main characters are based on Irish history and lore, whether by name, trait, or personality. One of my favorites is Pangur Ban, the white cat belonging to Brother Aiden. The name and character come from an ancient poem also called “Pangur Ban”, supposedly written by an anonymous monk in the 9th century about the titular cat living with a scholar who “hunts” words the way it hunts mice. In fact, during the end credits, a condensed modern Irish version is recited by Aiden’s voice actor, Mick Lally. (There is an extra spoken line added that is featured only on the official soundtrack):

Mise agus Pangur Bán,
Beirt ar bhreá linn bearta dán,
Mise ag dréam le deacair theacht,
Pangur sleamhain ag súil le creach,
Clú nó cáill ní iarraim fhéin,
Ag iompú dúch go solas glé,
Beag le Pangur friotail fáidh,
B'fhearr leis luch nó leabhar a fáil,

(Speaking) Pangur, bhfeiceann tú ansin sa gcúinne? (Laughter)

Here is a rough English translation:

Me and White Pangur,
Two who relish bundles of art,
Me pursuing that which does not come easy,
Slippery Pangur hunts prey,
Fame or repute I seek not,
As I turn ink into glowing light,
Little does Pangur value the words of a prophet,
He would much prefer a mouse to a book.

(Speaking) Pangur, do you see that in the corner? (Laughter)

Aiden himself is an elderly man, but like his namesake which translates to “fiery” or “bringer of fire,” his passion for art and book-making are as infectious as his wisdom, and he lets nothing dissuade him from passing his skills and benefits on to future generations.

AIDEN: Do you want to see the most beautiful page? The one that will turn darkness into light? (Flips through the pages of the book) It is to be the Chi-Rho page.
BRENDAN: (Looks confused at the blank page, then at Aiden, who is grinning.) But it hasn’t been made yet.
AIDEN: No, but it will become the most glorious page of the entire book.

Aisling’s name loosely translated in English means “vision” or “dream.” She is a fairy child with very pale skin, long, flowing hair, and the ability to change herself into a white wolf at will, emphasizing her mystical, care-free nature, characteristic of the wild ambiance of Ireland. Though hostile toward Brendan at first for trespassing in her forest, she later forgives him and acts as his guide to the natural world and its miracles.

AISLING: Saved your life, second time today. I thought you knew how to climb trees.
BRENDAN: I do. Smaller ones.
AISLING: Yeah, like bushes. (Laughs) Don’t look down. Come on! . . . Look! (Points to two beetles on a leaf.) Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.
BRENDAN: (Translating as the beetles fly away) One beetle recognizes another!

Brendan himself, as well as his relationship with his stern uncle Cellach, I believe is complex but still relatable. As much as he wishes to please Callach and follow in his footsteps by eventually taking responsibility of the abbey, it is obvious that Brendan has a vivid and artistic imagination fueled by his visits to the abbey’s scriptorium and the stories told to him by the other monks. Callach forbids Brendan from ever leaving the abbey because of the dangers of the outside world, but this does not make him a villain by any means. Beneath his cold, calculating demeanor, Callach has a loving heart, caring deeply for both his nephew and his charges, which, ironically, has blinded him to the wants and happiness of his loved ones even as it drives him fiercely to protect:

CALLACH: You’ve been forbidden to leave the abbey. Now you are also forbidden to enter the scriptorium.
BRENDAN: Please, Uncle, you don’t understand.
CALLACH: Oh, I understand perfectly well! No more excursions, no more scriptorium, and no more Brother Aiden.
Brendan: (Softely.) No.
CALLACH: (Pauses in disbelief.) What did you say?
BRENDAN: I can’t do that. I can’t give up the book, Uncle. If you looked at just one page, you’d see why. You’ve forgotten how important it is. All you want for us is this wall.

One aspect of The Secret of Kells that I found particularly interesting was its portrayal of religion. Brendan lives in a place and time that is predominantly Christian. And yet, just as Brendan becomes increasingly open to other facets of faith, the film also gives nod to other beliefs that were common then as well. Brendan learns throughout the film about the dreaded pre-Christian worm-like deity, Crom Cruach; Callach tells him it’s just “pagan nonsense”, Aisling tells him it’s very real and dangerous and that it “takes everything” around it, and Aiden tells him about Crom Cruach’s special “eye”, which Brendan must obtain in order to create the intricate detail so desperately needed to give the Book of Kells its divine splendor. I believe that, partially because this is a children’s film, both cultural systems are touched on in a way that is tasteful without being uncomfortable or forceful.

Overall, I think what I enjoy most about this film is its message: while art may not necessarily be practical for physical needs, nor can it protect against real and dangerous forces, it’s what makes us human and what gives us the hope and reason to keep on living, and the strength and faith to withstand the worst that life can throw at us.

CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.

MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund

https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison

EPISODE SONG:
“Sruth” - The Curellis

https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic

All other music and sound clips are from The Secret of Kells (directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey; produced by Les Armateurs, Vivi Film, Cartoon Saloon, and France 2 Cinéma; distributed by Gébéka Films, Kinepolis Film Distribution, and Buena Vista International)

OST SONGS:
“The Book of Kells”
“The Eye”

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