WFAC Report 1: Thursday, Nov. 13

In writing for DVD Verdict, I always feel a sense of obligation for the underdog, for the directors and producers of entertainment that is often overlooked by the general public. The Internet is a great forum for that, because there’s a much higher chance of the information reaching the right people.

I was reminded of that tonight, as I arrived at the first night of this year’s WFAC — Waterloo Festival of Animated Cinema. While it’s a small festival and always has been, the lineup of films represents a valuable and eclectic mix of independent, classic, and international animation. Many of the films deserve the kind of audience this festival could find in Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver, but instead it’s being hosted in a former film theatre in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, and the size of the crowd has been a reminder of the upstream battle the festival needs to face.

Despite the small crowd and a slight initial technical delay, there was an enthusiasm and aura of excitement throughout the theatre. At WFAC, we always get the sense that we are about to get a peek at something special–usually because that’s exactly what’s about to happen. Festival director Joseph Chen makes his selections with a great deal of care, and that’s why I wanted to spend some time reporting on the festival this year–realizing that most of you won’t get a chance to attend. I hope that, at some point, you will also have this kind of opportunity, and there are a number of films shown at the festival that are worth seeking out.

Film Screening: The Adventures of Prince Achmed

The Adventures of Prince Achmed was the opening screening of the festival this year. It is also, suitably, the first feature-length animated film made in Europe. Directed by Lotte Reiniger in 1926, the whole film is made of paper cutouts assembled in stop-motion animation. It is based on the tales of the Arabian Nights, and is presented in five acts. In it, an evil sorcerer sends the young Prince Achmed on a journey so that he can take control of the kingdom. Once on his journey, Achmed runs into all sorts of trouble–usually caused by the very same sorcerer.

Perhaps more importantly, the film was projected in 35mm format, and looked truly stunning. Like many of the films from the silent era, any original film elements were thought to have been lost decades ago. If you have had the fortune to see the DVD version of the film, it was taken from a British third generation print. Recently, though, the original nitrates were discovered, and the new transfer is absolutely stunning. The original color tint instructions were found attached to the nitrate, and this print has been tinted according to those instructions. The original German intertitles have also been restored as closely as possible, making this about as close as possible to the original experience of viewing the film in theatres 80 years ago.

Surprisingly, The Adventures of Prince Achmed has also aged fairly well as a film. The paper cut-out animation creates a surreal picturebook quality, simultaneously feeling flat and giving the illusion of movement. The production team (of three people) used 300,000 of these paper cutouts throughout the production, and demonstrate a high degree of visual ingenuity, especially considering the newness of the medium. As Prince Achmed embarks on his journey to rescue his sister, defeat the evil sorcerer, and get the lovin’ from a beautiful princess, we can never be completely sure of the objects we see. The black silhouettes often shift and transform–trees become monsters, birds become people, and nothing is quite as it seems initially. Reiniger takes great advantage of the outlined nature of her medium, and it keeps the film consistently fascinating to watch. While we’ve become so accustomed to realistic looking animation, this uniquely simple animation still manages to evoke such a sense of scale and adventure.

This is also the first opportunity I’ve had to see a silent film in the theatre with live accompaniment. Recently, Seattle composers Miles and Karina were commissioned to create a new score for The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Their score is vibrant, highly varied, and perfectly suited to the “oral tradition” feel of the storytelling itself. Centered around the accordion and the steel guitar, Miles and Karina’s musical performance created a unique synergy with the action on screen. I think that we lose a lot from the experience of watching silent films with pre-recorded scores, and we often forget that the music from them was once an interactive experience. I often found myself forgetting that the music was being performed live, but at the best moments of the film, I was reminded that there would never be another performance of The Adventures of Prince Achmed exactly like this one. We were sitting down in front of a unique experience, which doesn’t happen often with film anymore.

If I was nitpicky, I could probably complain about the high level of exoticism to be found in The Adventures of Prince Achmed. After all, the film doesn’t offer a very accurate picture of Arabia or China, though this is the same complaint I had with Disney’s Aladdin, and it was made 70 years later. Still, it’s difficult now to watch some of the stereotypes without feeling just a little uncomfortable. Of course, it’s easier to shrug that off from a production made in 1920s Germany, and many people probably wouldn’t even notice the Eurocentric nature of the production. In the end, it’s so magical that almost seems to transcend time and place–it exists as a relic of pure animated artwork.

I really hope that a good home theatre version of The Adventures of Prince Achmed is released, based on this remarkable new print. I also hope that Miles and Karina’s score manages to find its way onto that release. But even more than that, I hope that you have a chance to see this film projected in 35mm, with live accompaniment. I fear that too few of us get opportunities like this has been. Even more sad was the sparseness of the audience, as so many more people could easily have discovered this unique experience.

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