Salvador Dali and Walt Disney collaborated (hat tip to Thersites):
More information below the fold.
The film tells the story of Chronos, the personification of time and the inability to realize his desire to love for a mortal. The scenes blend a series of surreal paintings of Dali with dancing and metamorphosis. The target production began in 1945, 58 years before its completion and was a collaboration between Walt Disney and the Spanish surrealist painter, Salvador DalÃ. Salvador Dali and Walt Disney Destiny was produced by Dali and John Hench for 8 months between 1945 and 1946. Dali, at the time, Hench described as a "ghostly figure" who knew better than Dali or the secrets of the Disney film. For some time, the project remained a secret. The work of painter Salvador Dali was to prepare a six-minute sequence combining animation with live dancers and special effects for a movie in the same format of "Fantasia." Dali in the studio working on The Disney characters are fighting against time, the giant sundial that emerges from the great stone face of Jupiter and that determines the fate of all human novels. Dalà and Hench were creating a new animation technique, the cinematic equivalent of "paranoid critique" of Dali. Method inspired by the work of Freud on the subconscious and the inclusion of hidden and double images.
Dalà said: "Entertainment highlights the art, its possibilities are endless." The plot of the film was described by. Dalà as "A magical display of the problem of life in the labyrinth of time."
Walt Disney said it was "A simple story about a young girl in search of true love."
WOW! What a joy to behold such a work of pure genius!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of ANIMATING Dali would never have occurred to me. It works brilliantly. The endless flowing grace in the constant permutations of the female figure are a great wonder all by themselves. Juxtaposing this image of human beauty in animation with a desert landscape dominated by gigantic stony figures that provoke intense curiosity while emitting an aura of mystery and enchantment evokes a mythic atmosphere pregnant with endless possibilities.
STUNNING! would be my one-word review.
~ FT
Curious that you and I would both choose to present great works of art set in the desert this morning, AOW and Thersites!
ReplyDeleteOver at my place you will find the complete text of Honore de Balzac's exotic love story A Passion in the Desert complete with an illustration by Henri Rousseau which one would swear had to have been drafted as a companion piece to the story.
The story too bears a striking resemblance to important elements in the The Life Pi, recently discussed here. Balzac came first, then Rousseau then The Life of Pi. Frank Stockton's famous tale The Lady or the Tiger seems to fit the theme too to a lesser extent.
The desert is significant in the story of the Nativity too, of course. Mary and Joseph traversing the vast lonely expanses to and from Bethlehem. The Three Wise Men led by a singular Heavenly Light coming from afar on their camels bearing gifts for the nascent Messiah.
The unlikely arrival of Jesus, the Savior, as a defenseless newborn infant born of a Virgin in the humblest circumstances.
ALL of it tinged with mystery and filled with awe-inspiring mythic splendor.
If nothing else, genuine Art has the possibility of jolting us out of the ruts of our habitual patterns of reaction without thought -- patterns that usually keep us going 'round in ever-diminishing circles. This provides a chance to see the ordinary in new and extraordinary ways -- to see new and ever-expanding possibilities everywhere.
What a great Gift!
We long for stability, but sooner or later we must realize that Life is never static -- not for an instant.
The very nature of Life is always to move, to change and to grow.
Stasis is death.
Even though Dali is quoted referring to "the problem of life" in defining this animated wonder, I am still reminded once again of favorite motto I learned from a greeting card received many many years ago:
"Life is mystery to be lived -- not a problem to be solved."
This may seem puzzling to those who have grown to expect endless diatribes on the dismal nature of contemporary world politics, but -- whether you want to believe it or not -- ART provides an ANTIDOTE to rage frustration and despair. We have more to learn and more to gain by an ever increasing appreciation of Art than do from anything else.
What do I mean by "Art?"
Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Literature, Music, Dance, Drama, experiencing the various great Cuisines, and the Cinematic Animation combining these elements we see in this Dali video.
JUST GREAT!
THANKS so MUCH!
~ FT
Regardless of one's thoughts of Dali's personal life, or Disney, for that matter, this was brilliant!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! It occurs to me that simple animation could be used to teach young people about classic art, paintings and sculptures. Showing the actual piece of art then ab animation where the eyes and lips move to tell the story of the artist.
ReplyDeleteThe "personal lives" of great artists are of no importance whatsoever. Only their WORK counts.
ReplyDelete------------> Katharine Heartburn
I might have to go see this one now that you have described it.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Right Truth
http://wwww.righttruth.typepad.com
Thank you, once again, for the h/t! :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteStasis is death.
ReplyDelete... but perhaps only in the same way that change represents the "totality" of life.
Ontology represents the science related to the pursuit of "being" (a form of human "stasis", if you will).
Ontologically speaking then, is manque "life" (the motive for change) itself?
And what do you suppose all those "voids" in the "hearts" of the Dali characters in the video represented as the characters moved between human and stone forms? ;)
Who'da thought?
ReplyDelete