Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
Mary and Max
October 7th 2009 16:51
Mrs.Vera Dinkle, Mary's mother.
This claymation film, Mary and Max, gives no illusions as to what its target audience is. Using the painstaking skill of stop motion photography, combined with the incredibly difficult animation technique of claymation (the animated art of hand sculptured movement) Oscar winning creative genius Adam Elliot, (the writer, production designer and director of Mary and Max), leads us once again into his darkly humorous claymation world.
It is a production aimed squarely at a mature audience; it delves into the broiling emotional issues of suicidality, depression, bullying, isolation, emotional abuse, alcoholism, death of parent, mental dysfunction and acute mental illness. As dreadful as that all sounds, the characters and situations deliver many amusing and endearing moments, peppered by a very dark wit.
The narrator of this tale is Barry Humphries, whose own comic genius imbues his articulate delivery with phlegmatic tongue, delightfully tinctured with sardonic and sarcastic undertones.
The combination of a deft script with Humphries’ skilful delivery, the brilliant and groundbreaking cinematography and marvellous handmade animation, elevates this small film to a masterpiece.
Under the superficial humour, lurks a brooding, deeper message that quietly reflects upon our social attitudes, our indifference, to the plight of others less fortunate.
Young Mary Dinkle posting a letter to Max.
We first find Mary, (introduced at the beginning of the film when she is 8 years old) living with her dysfunctional parents in Melbourne. The lonely child Mary, blighted by bad parenting and an obvious birthmark, is described in the opening lines of the film thusly;
“Mary Dinkle’s eyes have the colour of muddy puddles, her birthmark, the colour of pooh.” Mary’s world is coloured by hues of drab brown. We then see Mary observe two small dogs, one mounting the other. She thinks they are playing piggy back.
Mary is naďve, bordering on the dull witted. However, this will change.
While at the post office, Mary looks at interesting names in the New York telephone book and tries to imagine what they looked like. It is then she decides, in a quixotic moment, to write to Max Horowitz. Max is a lonely, obese, bored and isolated New Yorker man suffering Asperger’s Syndrome. His world is drab too, all the hues of grey. Initially, his mental condition made it difficult for him to respond to Mary, but once he made that first step, their friendship began to blossom, in an oddball fashion.
Max Jerry Horowitz, wearing Mary's gift, pompom.
Both Mary and Max have their own quirky way of communicating and an even more awkward way of expressing affection. We see their separate lives develop and then watch as unintended offence, by one to the other, kills their friendship. Eventually, after much life experience, forgiveness is attained, and the appreciation for each other’s friendship is properly expressed.
Eight year old Mary is given voice by Bethany Whitmore, who genuinely sounds eight years old, because that was her actual age during production. Mary’s adult voice is by Toni Collette, Max Jerry Horowitz is voiced by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Mary’s one young friend, her neighbour Damian Papadopoulos, is voiced by Eric Bana. All the V.O.s (voice overs) are in perfect harmony with their character and situation; there are very well known stars behind some of these voices, yet their professionalism keeps you from identifying the actor behind the voice.
Damian Papadopolous
Although it is animation, this is not an escapist film, it bites and it makes you think. The seemingly innocuous format of claymation beguiles your mind into considering the plight of the people who are rarely considered; that of the lonely and of the mentally disabled and you leave this film liking them, just as they are, faults and all. Max states, in his last letter to Mary, “I forgive you because you are imperfect. All humans are imperfect.”
Max, embracing his disability
I loved the rough hewing of the figures and their environment. It helped to further imbue this production as a true work of art, one that leaps from the screen and informs, embraces and entertains you.
The toned down hues, the greys of New York and the browns of Melbourne, served to differentiate between the natures of the characters, as much as being a statement about their respective localities. The use of ‘spot red’, (which is to highlight one particular thing in red, midst an otherwise dull tonal environment), creator Adam Elliot said was drawn from Spielberg’s use of the technique in Schindler’s List. It is an intriguing and effective technique.
Max in New York city
The extraordinary work by the photographers, set builders, props makers, costume designers and modellers, is nothing short of incredible. I urge you to watch the special features on the DVD, or Blu-Ray disc, it will make you want to watch this film all over again.
The ending of the film is another huge philosophical moment; it is poignant, dramatic and has a solid ring of truth about it.
The detailed and intricate world of Mary and Max may be daubed with drab browns and greys, with only a few spots of colour, but it is a most satisfying, enveloping and enriching experience, a world I want to visit again.
Directed by Adam Elliot
Produced by Melanie Coombs
Written by Adam Elliot
Narrated by Barry Humphries
Starring
Toni Collette
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Eric Bana
Music by Various Orchestral Music
Distributed by Icon Entertainment International
Release date 9 April 2009
Country Australia
Language English
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Sounds like an absolute treat and has now been relegated to my "must see" category...thanks for the great review.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I LOVE the sound of this, great review! This is at this moment the film I most want to see as soon as I get a moment to watch one.
Glad Elliot attributes his use of red spotlighting to Speilberg - Schindler's List was the first thing I thought of when I saw those pics.
That, and Dame Edna Everage : D
Terrific post, Fog.
Michaelie
Comment by Mountain Fog
thanks mate, I really appreciate you taking the time and trouble to read and comment. I am at an extreme loss today, as I have lost my one true friend, this morning, Stella, who died in my arms. I posted on my infogniot blog, of you or anyone would like to knwo what is going on in my puddled world.
cheers
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
its been far too long since we have posted with each other, so must do more so I can read and chat on.
This film actually breaks new ground in animation, for they used many tricks for a 35mm motion camera to capture the enviroments and use of crane and pan shots etc had not been done with such fantastic results beofre, I should have commente on the DOP...
might add that in another post..
By the way, I suffered a gigantic loss this morning, my baby pugface Stella, she died in my arms, I posted on my infognito blog, if you want the whole story, I am utterly berift and destroyed... I can hardly cope and wish I was dead...really
fog
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
As for Mary & Max: I wasn't totally fussed on this - it had some great moments and some really nice ideas, but the screenplay felt like it was weaved around the gags too much. Humphries' narration is great, as you say, but a little too incessant for my liking. Still, well worth checking out for anybody who's a claymation fan. Great write-up too, dude!
Comment by Mountain Fog
thanks matey, the beer tribute sounds great.
And, yes, there are some faults, but I am a fan of claymation, and I should have dealt with the cinematography more, as they broke new ground with that too.
cheers
fog