Saturday, July 29, 2023

Hundreds of Beavers (2023) Fantasia 2023


HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS is the sort of film that Hollywood would never make. A black and white live action silent cartoon with synchronized sound and people in animal suits is not anything that any rational person in Hollywood would touch. Never mind that that THE ARTIST won, Hollywood doesn’t want to see this sort of thing.

On the other had  fans of Looney Tunes, Tex Avery, Bill Plympton, the Umbilical Brothers and other deranged animators and comedians are going to eat this up.

The plot of the film has a man named Jean --- who grows apples having his livelihood destroyed by beavers. Seeking revenge he decides them hunt them down for their fur. There is more to it of course, but it’s all told with a cartoon dream logic that is only possible in the movies.

This film is a blast.

This is the sort of hidden gem of a film that true film lovers search out. This is one of those films that end up being whispered about during it’s festival run as people stumble in and stagger out gob smacked at the marvelous thing they have just seen. They then go out and start telling anyone who will listen about this wondrous thing. In the old days this was the sort of thing that you’d have to hope a repertory theater would run, now we wait for the VOD drop. Though frankly you’ll want to catch this in a theater because… well trust me you will understand why when you see it.

What I love about the film is that it leans hard into everything, jokes, plot, men in beaver suits. It is a film that is full of joy, not to mention love of cinema and a good time. It is as if the filmmakers had the attitude that if they were going to do it they would do it big.

And they did.

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS is an unclassifiable cinematic joy bomb. It’s a film that explodes on the screen and makes you laugh and smile in ways that major Hollywood films can only dream. It is brilliantly smart in it’s low brow humor.

I can not explain what a magical experience this film is.

I highly recommend it

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