Analysis of La Planete Sauvage and Les Triplettes des Belleville

La Planete Sauvage

Despite the our classes’ commonly negative opinion towards La Planete Sauvage, which critiques the lack of story structure and quality of animation, I saw value in the film.  Initially, the film’s strange setting put me off, but as the film developed and more of the visual style was exposed, I appreciated its striking originality.  Additionally, I think the film successfully created an alternate world that was intriguing and strange enough to completely deviate from the world as we know it.  In other words, many artists attempt to envision alternate worlds but fail because their worlds are too fundamentally similar to the ordinary world.

However, objectively, I agree that the film fell short in multiple avenues.  The story deviated from traditional format in how the main character, Terr, remained undeveloped.  He had no underlying flaw to overcome, leading to a lack of character arc.  In effect, I felt little emotional connection and therefore cared less if he survived.  Though, the story centered on the story of the “Om” people and not solely Terr.  I certainly involved myself emotionally in the struggle of the people to survive amidst the opposition from “Draag” and other tribes of their own race.  In that regard, I think the story is more whole.

The animation style contained movement of an extremely minimal degree, which on the surface suggests a lack of quality or effort.  However, I think the consequential eeriness enhances the tone of the film, which presents a strange, unfamiliar planet with unnerving humanlike inhabitants.  The Draag characters animate with little discernable emotional intent, appearing emotionless and therefore strange and inhuman.  Such creatures dominate over the human Oms, who express a great amount of emotional depth.  The dynamism of the Oms indicates that Laloux intentionally decided to minimize animation with the Draags, a choice I view as effectual.

Les Triplettes des Belleville

In additional opposition to the consensus, I despised Les Triplettes des Belleville!  Perhaps my opinion stems from the film’s insincere tone, but I viewed the film as being superficial and quite stereotypical.  A great deal of scenes in the film held little to no importance to the story, highlighting an undesirable sense of randomness.  Perhaps I have exaggerated, but I sense the story could be condensed much further.  I felt much confusion when I had to switch my thinking to believing not the cyclist grandson, but the grandmother was the main character.  Clarification of this story element would have enhanced the story, in at least my opinion.  One of Les Triplettes des Belleville’s redeeming qualities lied in the character design, which augmented the personality of each character.  The slender cyclist grandson’s budging legs, the stocky square shape of the unmoving henchmen, and the dopey round dog on stilt legs each contributed to an immaculate visual style.