After being left breathless by Wolfwalkers (2020-also reviewed) I decided to catch the final movie in the Manchester Animation Festival line-up. Curious over this being a French take of a Western, I got set to meet Calamity.
View on the film:
Revealing in the Q & A after the screening of wanting to build on the style of his 2015 feature film debut Long Way North, co-writer/(with Sandra Tosello & Fabrice de Costil) director Remi Chaye goes to the Wild West with a immaculate "Outline-less" style of animation, where the lack of said outline allows Calamity to become fully immersed in the bright blue skyline.
Backed by Jonathan Morali's shimmering score, the oil painting design gives the smooth hand-drawn animation a richness, with colours popping as Calamity rides into town via stealth, getting swept up in grainy browns across the rural outback, when Calamity's true identity is untangled.
Whilst based upon a number of biographies on Jane, the writers brilliantly hold back from doing a quick-draw of the legend, instead taking the cowboy boots off all the men who believe people should know their place. Janes thrillingly kicks back by cutting her hair and rebelling against all the cowboys who attempt to stop her gaining self-confidence and going against the grain in becoming the legendary Calamity Jane.
View on the film:
Revealing in the Q & A after the screening of wanting to build on the style of his 2015 feature film debut Long Way North, co-writer/(with Sandra Tosello & Fabrice de Costil) director Remi Chaye goes to the Wild West with a immaculate "Outline-less" style of animation, where the lack of said outline allows Calamity to become fully immersed in the bright blue skyline.
Backed by Jonathan Morali's shimmering score, the oil painting design gives the smooth hand-drawn animation a richness, with colours popping as Calamity rides into town via stealth, getting swept up in grainy browns across the rural outback, when Calamity's true identity is untangled.
Whilst based upon a number of biographies on Jane, the writers brilliantly hold back from doing a quick-draw of the legend, instead taking the cowboy boots off all the men who believe people should know their place. Janes thrillingly kicks back by cutting her hair and rebelling against all the cowboys who attempt to stop her gaining self-confidence and going against the grain in becoming the legendary Calamity Jane.