Kidnapped by
mysterious
square-shouldered henchmen,
a Tour de
France cyclist named Champion is
spirited across the
ocean to the
teeming metropolis
of Belleville. His grandmother and
faithful dog follow
his trail and
are taken
in by a trio of
eccentric jazz-era divas. The motley sleuths follow the clues to
an underground betting parlor and
now the
chase is
on.
CRITIQUE
It's funny, I didn't
think I'd like this film. I won't say I avoided The Triplets of
Belleville when it was in theaters, I think I just didn't care
to see it. Perhaps I didn't trust or much less
care for all the hype from many of the the nation's critics
surrounding the film. Plus, I didn't even request the DVD for
review, but it was sent to me anyway. And for that I'm thankful,
because I actually quite like the film.
The animation tends
to be uncharacteristic in many spots, but as the film moves along
the style in which some characters are portrayed, specifically the
adult Champion and the mafia, tells a different story from what
happens in the script. That is, the animation likes to exaggerate
appearance in the form of making a statement. At first Champion is
young and puffy with a big face, but when he becomes a
professional cyclist his leg muscles are highly enlarged, his
stomach is as thin as spaghetti, and his face is very skinny. I'm
not sure what the message means to say about sports or athletes,
but that's open to discussion and point of view.
Moreover, the two
mafia guys have a square-like appearance and look like conjoined
twins, and the mafia boss seems to exist inside them. Perhaps this
comments on the way they exist, the boss is closely guarded at all
times and he doesn't leave anywhere without bodyguards. Well,
figure that out for yourself. There are other styles to the
animation where director Sylvain Chomet could be meaning to say
something. The overall style of the animation is pretty unique and
works well for the film.
Despite moving
slowly for the first hour or so, The Triplets of Belleville
tells an enchanting and neat story about a mother who crosses an
ocean to rescue her son from a kidnapping. Probably the most
interesting aspect about the film are the unique characters.
Madame Souza is a lovely character portrayed very realistically,
and she's got tics like everyone. But most importantly is the way
she goes about things, a great indication would be the dinner
scene with Champion eating enough off his plate, or her renting a
paddle boat to follow the kidnappers. The other characters,
including the triplets, are fun to watch, yet I didn't know frogs
are edible.
Another thing very
good about this film is the sense of humor that is achieved simply
by way of character actions. When Madame Souza arrives at the port
of Belleville, a large city in the veins of Paris and New York, we
see her dog Bruno towing the paddle boat. Now that was a funny
sight. Bruno himself is kind of a funny character, but what's
really appealing is the realism with which the director portrays
him. There's also a little bit of cool action late in the film
involving the mafia chasing down Madame Souza, the triplets, and
Champion.
Also, there is
hardly any dialogue in the film except for a TV broadcast in
French, or the very beginning and ending of the film. The film
doesn't really need it because the script tells the story with
action and reaction that says more than anything else, it's quite
unique I think. Music is also very important to the film, and the
score sounds really nice. I guess the only negative thing about The Triplets of Belleville
is that it moves a little slow, and that it's not a film for the
everyday viewer.
THE VIDEO
Columbia presents The
Triplets of Belleville in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. I
read the
original
presentation was 1.66:1 but it appears the image has been
cropped a bit on the top and bottom to make 1.78 the
presentation. Video quality is pretty nice without any major
faults. Colors are bright and well-saturated. Definition is
quite good. Compression artifacts do not appear. Solid quality
overall. Optional subtitles
include English and Spanish.
THE AUDIO
Columbia presents The
Triplets of Belleville in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Sound. The film relies heavily on sound effects since there is
almost zero dialogue, and the rear speakers effectively
reinforce the sound effects. A pretty good presentation.
A Spanish 5.1
Dolby dub is also available.
THE EXTRAS
Director Sylvain
Chomet discusses and takes the viewer through various topics in
the 15-minute Making of The Triplets of Belleville.
It's a good featurette with some neat insight. Select Scene
Commentaries are provided for three scenes: the opening
sequence, the Triplets' restaurant performance, and the dinner
scene with Champion, Madame Souza, and Bruno the dog. The track
is in French but English subtitles reveal good insight into
topics such as mood and sound effects. The Cartoon According
to Director Sylvain Chomet is five minutes worth of the
filmmaker describing the process of animation in three steps;
drawing, animation, and inspiration. There's also the
"Belleville Rendez-Vous" music video as well as the
theatrical trailer.
The DVD offers are
nice set of extras overall for an animated film that didn't
break any records but did well in critics circles.
The
84-minute feature is organized into twenty-eight chapters.
The disc come in an Amaray keepcase with a paper insert listing
scene selections.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Triplets of
Belleville is an original and unique animated film. I didn't
think I'd like it, but it's really worth watching for its characters,
animation, and humor. However, it's not really a film for everyone,
but I highly recommend it. The DVD is pretty good with some nice extras. A
recommended rental for most folks, but a purchase is worth it as well.
