Sorry – didn’t finish saying that Jeremy Irons as the evil uncle almost saved the film.

This does make me wonder about ways in which animation gets pushed towards realism – or not. (One reason I can’t see the point of some of the ‘super-realist’ style animations where you get a sort of computerised-but-not-drawn cartoon Tom Hanks, or whoever.) I think there is a very interesting ‘serious-poetic’ liminal space between ‘cartoons’ and ‘stylised’ or ‘pared-down-poetic-realist’ cinema’ to explore. Were I remotely skilled at actual drawing (I don’t have the courage even to try and sketch my daughter, having been a pathetic ‘conceptual artist’ for too long!) the one film I’d love to have put my name to would be “Grave of the Fireflies”. I kept thinking I was watching what Ken Loach would have made if he’d been a Japanese animator. It was one of the most beautifl but harrowing films – not just animated films- I’d ever seen. Seeing the hyper-literal-fantasy of ‘Return of the King’ the very next day, in comparison, left the sourest taste ever. Mr Sphinx and I emerged slightly sickened from the cinema.

I have a terrible confession to make – I HATED “The Lion King”. I don’t know why it’s considered such a masterpiece. (Um – you didn’t work on it did you – the pics were fine, I just didn’t relate to the whole). The music was especially forgettable compared to golden Disney oldies such as ‘Jungle Book’, and I don’t give a toss about Little Boys learning to be Great Rulers. (By contrast, I’m rather fond of the two ‘Mujin’ -? films, Disney’s stab at feminism, even though, again, the songs just don’t have it the way they did in the 40s).

Jeremy Irons as the effete baddie Uncle Usurper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAa_GvLnQik&feature=related