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- Also found in Ages 5-12
(Original post date: 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. That portion of the trip only lasted two days, but 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 AD 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, the film known as The Secret of Kells. This was originally the first story I talked about when I first began my Tale Collector blog in November 2014. Plus, while not released in November, this film begins in late summer and goes on through winter almost toward the end, so it seems a happy medium.
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 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 film’s 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. (Not unlike how animators from Ireland, France, and Belgium, came together to make this film, right?) 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.” (p. 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.” (p. 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:
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)
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 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 leave 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: 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 living, and the strength and faith to withstand the worst that life can throw at us.
I’d also recommend the official art book for the film, Designing The Secret of Kells, which includes behind-the-scenes facts and concept art (both deleted and used in the film), as well as stories and words of wisdom from the creators and animators themselves.
Credits: All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
Main Theme:
”Mono No Aware (Opening)” – Amethystium
All other music and sound clips are from The Secret of Kells (produced by Cartoon Saloon; distributed by StudioCanal).
Songs:
“Aisling’s Song”
“Cardinal Knowledge” - Kila
“The Eye”
“The Book of Kells”
Watch the original preview and episode videos here!
Listen to the episode here!
The Secret of Kells on Wikipedia
Cartoon Saloon's Official Website
The Secret of Kells on Cartoon Saloon
The Secret of Kells on IMDb
The Secret of Kells on Rotten Tomatoes
The Secret of Kells on Common Sense Media
The Secret of Kells on tvtropes
Buy The Secret of Kells on Amazon
Buy Designing The Secret of Kells on Amazon
Buy the Secret of Kells Illustrated Storybook on Amazon
Buy The Secret of Kells at Barnes & Noble
Buy The Secret of Kells on eBay
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(Original post date: 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. That portion of the trip only lasted two days, but 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 AD 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, the film known as The Secret of Kells. This was originally the first story I talked about when I first began my Tale Collector blog in November 2014. Plus, while not released in November, this film begins in late summer and goes on through winter almost toward the end, so it seems a happy medium.
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 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 film’s 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. (Not unlike how animators from Ireland, France, and Belgium, came together to make this film, right?) 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.” (p. 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.” (p. 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:
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)
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 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 leave 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: 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 living, and the strength and faith to withstand the worst that life can throw at us.
I’d also recommend the official art book for the film, Designing The Secret of Kells, which includes behind-the-scenes facts and concept art (both deleted and used in the film), as well as stories and words of wisdom from the creators and animators themselves.
Credits: All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
Main Theme:
”Mono No Aware (Opening)” – Amethystium
All other music and sound clips are from The Secret of Kells (produced by Cartoon Saloon; distributed by StudioCanal).
Songs:
“Aisling’s Song”
“Cardinal Knowledge” - Kila
“The Eye”
“The Book of Kells”
Watch the original preview and episode videos here!
Listen to the episode here!
The Secret of Kells on Wikipedia
Cartoon Saloon's Official Website
The Secret of Kells on Cartoon Saloon
The Secret of Kells on IMDb
The Secret of Kells on Rotten Tomatoes
The Secret of Kells on Common Sense Media
The Secret of Kells on tvtropes
Buy The Secret of Kells on Amazon
Buy Designing The Secret of Kells on Amazon
Buy the Secret of Kells Illustrated Storybook on Amazon
Buy The Secret of Kells at Barnes & Noble
Buy The Secret of Kells on eBay
^^ Back to top
^^ Back to list
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