From the makers and the director of Belleville Rendez-Vous, Sylvain Chomet, there was a mention of this new cartoon film on Film 2010 with Jonathan Ross, and it looked like something I should see, so I did. Basically set in the 1950's, Tatischeff The Illusionist (Jean-Claude Donda, when he talks) is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers who performs as a magician with simple tricks involving rabbits, flowers and stuff. His thunder is being stolen from the more popular stage acts such as the emerging pop groups, rock stars and singers, and this means he has to accept any work he can, no matter how small and how many people watching him. He accepts work in the big theatres with only a couple of people in the audience, run down theatres, garden parties, bars and other obscure places. One person who enjoys and admires Tatischeff's illusions is young female fan and cleaning girl Alice (Eilidh Rankin, when she talks), and she follows him all the way while he looks for work in Edinburgh, Scotland. He does enjoy her company and knows that she is not very fortunate with her fortunes, so with the little work he gets he provides her with whatever she wants or needs, including a new shoes and fur coat. Tatischeff finds little odd jobs such as cleaning cars, and he also performs every night in a run down hotel with other fading performers, including a lonely ventriloquist, a depressed and suicidal clown, and a trio of twin acrobats. Over time it is apparent that he may have changed Alice as a person, and not all in the good way, she believes all his tricks are real magic and he can't bring himself to tell her it is all just illusions. In the end Tatischeff moves on back to Europe, leaving a message for Alice saying "Magicians do not exist" but she seems to have moved on at the same time finding a boyfriend, looking longingly at a photo we never get to see. The animation, old-styled but distinctive, has some good highlights, there is minimal dialogue it is almost silent apart from the sound effects, it is an unusual story with both light and dark moments, it is slight but in moments interesting animated drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film. Very good!
Review of The Illusionist
