The Mascot is just one entree of an incredible visual feast by Russian/Polish Animator Ladislaw Starewicz. This is especially true when compared to the poverty of digital imagination we are witnessing today. It is a vision of such texture and pure creativity that it could inspire whole new artistic movements. I had to laugh out loud at the unexpectedness and depth of the imagery. This film is made for children. But not "children" as defined by Disney or Hasbro or Sesame Street. Rather for real children who love strange mythologies and flights of unchecked fantasy. The tale follows the quest of a stuffed puppy doll in search of an orange. (!?) It follows the animated puppy through the city streets of Paris into hell (!) to protect the orange. This little film was made by Ladislaw Starewicz who is credited with being the first man to make stop-motion animated stories in 1910. Starewicz is truly an inspiration behind the masterfully weird puppet films of the Brothers Quay and Jan Swankmejer. And in some ways his little films surpass them.... which is hard to believe. But it's true. Starewicz has a taproot inserted deeply into the soil of arcane ancient Europa. It is a world of puppets and gargoyles, of dolls and devils, of fairytales and medieval woodcuts. The silent qualities in this nearly silent film only emphasize the dense textures and old European qualities. There is a deep source of inspiration here for artists, film makers, and humans who still exercise their imagination. This film is featured in a compilation of Starewicz's work entitle THE CAMERAMAN'S REVENGE AND OTHER SHORT FILMS. All of these short films are worth their weight in artist gold.
Review of The Mascot
