Last week, a good friend introduced me to the work of Norman McLaren, an innovative Scottish animator who spent most of his career in Canada. Lucky me. After watching a few of McLaren’s short movies I thought, Where has this guy been all my life? Or, Where have I been?
McLaren was a man ahead of his time–he created sounds by painting on the actual film–and made trippy–not to mention sophisticated–material in the Thirties and Forties.
I have only viewed a small sampling of his stuff but dig this here and see if it doesn’t leave you say, “Huh, well, I’ll be…”
(The picture quality isn’t the greatest–it is like looking at a reproduction of a painting in an art book. My pal has a McLaren box set, and it’s worth getting if you are into this sort of thing.)
I enjoyed this much more than the stupor bowl. None of the commercials, Megan and Betty included, were worthy of comment, unless you want to draw some comaparisons between the bruhahahs over Janet Jackson's nipple and the suggestion that people went further watching Megan touch her machine.
Regularly go to Montreal. Movie,music and art scene quite vibrant and democratic. Were it not for Canada, I might even miss NY, but I doubt it. If only the Expos hadn't moved. People are a lot less stuck up about creativity there.