¡Viva Calaca!

Enjoy ¡Viva Calaca! - an animation project by the Spanish art director and designer Ritxi Ostáriz, and based on today's Mexican celebration, Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead).  The soundtrack is from Day of the Dead by American singer and composer Voltaire.

all hallow's eve

Happy Halloween!  Enjoy this animation short from Nocturnaloner who says it was completed in time for Christmas.



Also see some of the world's creepiest attractions, including a Museum of Death in Hollywood.

dimensions of dialogue

Another selection from surrealist Jan Svakmajer -- his 1982 animation, Dimensions of Dialogue.

jabberwocky

Jan Svankmajer's 1971 animation, Jabberwocky.

 

merry frolics

Enjoy a 1906 feature - The 400 Tricks of the Devil - from French illusionist and filmmaker Georges Méliès (who also stars in).



According to wiki, this enchanting short has also been known as The Merry Frolics of Satan, Les quatre cents farces du diable, Les 400 farces du diable, and Les quatre cents coups du diable.

dr mermaid

Via Expanded Animation, the glassmation work of Mark Elliot and Jack McGrath.  Created in collaboration with Vanessa White, Dr Mermaid and the Abovemarine is the tale of a marine biologist who can speak to fish.  Blog In A Bottle says the 6 minute film took a year to make, with glassblower Mark Elliot making the figurines and then heating them up to create the small movements.

quay brothers

From the Brothers Quay, their 1986 Street Of Crocodiles.  MOMA had a retrospective last year reviewed by Roberta Smith.  Also a slideshow here from that exhibit, a MOMA video interview with the artist/filmmakers, and a video overview with MOMA curators from ThirteenWNET.

 

the cameraman's revenge

L'hôtel d'amour and beetle sin from director Ladislaw Starewicz in his 1912 The Cameraman's Revenge.  As mentioned in an earlier post, the director also worked for a Lithuanian natural history museum and is known for his charming insect flicks.

the insects' christmas

The Insects' Christmas, a dreamlike 1913 stop motion animation by director Vladislav Starevich. Interestingly enough, he also worked for a Lithuanian natural history museum and is known for his insect flicks.   XmasFlick added the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack while modifying some rougher elements in the original.  Via boing boing with more weirdly wonderful holiday shorts at this link.
 

birdy

Another animated tale of invention .. (and just coincidentally) .. Birdy from Agnieszka Woznicka.

the maker

An animation now showing ..