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Winner of multiple festival awards, Jiří Barta’s bold adaptation of the classic fairy tale stands comparison to expressionist landmarks like THE GOLEM and THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI. In terms of visual design, his medieval village plagued by rats refers directly back to those earlier films' labyrinthine sets. The townsfolk may be graven puppets but Barta gives you plenty of reason to believe in their grotesque corporeality. The rats, meanwhile, are all too real. When the pests disturb the flow of commerce, the pied piper is hired by a sordid aristocrat class to rid the town of its plague. In Barta’s darkened view, the rats only imitate the behavior of the townsfolk. Like a dense woodcut brought to life, this PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN is of a different mettle than your typical cartoon.
GENRES
Cast & Crew
Festivals
- Awards & Accolades
- International Fantasy Film Award Fantasporto 1987
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Reviews
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The magic of kindness, by a pied piper goodness to drive away evil creatures from among the upright creature were magical. But turns out the pied piper end up haven't to use the cruel curse against the drunken viallant. Simply because their were death of a praying young lady who believed in good. So he paid, to the villants evil deeds of vengence for her death.
The town of Hamelin has become the medieval version of Sodom and Gomorrah a place of greed and avarice. In this amazing animated carved objects variation of the Pied Piper tale it is a mysterious Clint Eastwood like character that has come to clean up the town that has no pity.
Stop action animation with wooden dolls, beautifully carved. Like an animated German impressionist woodcut. Like Lionel Feininger directed by Tim Burton
This film's style reminds me of German Expressionism with its highly stylized settings. The characters are simple wooden puppets with ball and socket armatures, but the Piper can convey so much emotion and displeasure with his "bead"y eyes. This film is a great retelling of a classic story.