Undescribable Perfection

Simply A Masterpiece

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

In 1973, French animator/filmmaker Rene Laloux released his film adaptation of the book Oms en série by Stefan Wul. While it did undergo a troublesome production due to the film being coproduced in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) during the time of Russia invading said country, the final product went on to win the Grand Prix special jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Nowadays, the film is regarded as a cult classic by film and animation aficionados alike, and while I don't regard it as a great film, I do admire it nonetheless.The film centers around the planet Ygam where humans, referred to as Oms, are an inferior species to the large blue android like Draags. However, one Om named Terr learns of the Draag's knowledge through a bracelet, and uses it to teach other Oms to rise up against the superior species. With this in mind, the film displays an allegorical message about taking other species for granted, but the story is carried through surrealism. The world of Ygam is harsh and cruel by how the Draag's treat the Oms as animals, some of whom dress them up in prissy attire and use them for fights once they're domesticated. Not to mention, the Draags learn their language through meditation, displaying psychedelic fantasies for all to question. In addition to the bizarre story, the animation is a visual splendor, mainly by how it looks like a series of moving illustrations. Throughout the planet of Ygam exist a variety of exotic creatures and dreamlike scenarios, complete with an avant-garde soundtrack. The character animation is pretty limited, but the unique visual style really helps the film stick out from any other, so it fits well enough in this environment. These surrealistic visuals help emulate the analogies alluding to the film's themes of fascism and war, mainly by showcasing the scary truth of the Draags and how they run their society.That being said, as much as I admire the film's method of visual storytelling, I do think the plot drags on in some points. Roughly half of the film is Terr growing up around his owner Draag named Tiwa, but up until he finally runs away from her, most of the scenes with them could have been edited out to add more momentum. Also, Terr and most of the other characters aren't really that memorable outside of their essential goals to trump the Draags, making them come off as two-dimensional. I know this film is meant to focus more on the allegories of racism and the trippy visuals, but a little more character development would be nice.Nevertheless, Fantastic Planet is a very distinct and worthwhile experience that you only see once in a blue moon. Sure, the characters aren't all that interesting and the plot can get a little slow sometimes, but the way the film tells its story of prejudice through bizarre animation and psychedelic ideologies makes the film quite a unique feature that is worthy of its cult status. If you're looking for an animated feature that embraces surrealism to get its themes across or you're into cult sci-fi films of the 1970s, then this is just the film to check out. Considering that this is one of the few animated features on the Criterion Collection, it's about time we got more of them on said collection to give underrated gems like this the attention they deserve.

I remember watching this movie when I was about nine or ten. I recall being struck by how beautiful the artwork and the animation was then although being so young, I did not really understand the story.I was lucky to be able to find an old VHS copy. It was a double feature with An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.(Also a beautiful film.) I have re-watched it many times since and I am always struck with how simple, yet complex both the artwork and the story are.On the planet Ygam huge blue Draags keep humans called Oms as pets. An Om mother is teased and chased until dying of exhaustion, her orphaned infant is found by Master Sinh, a key Draag leader and his daughter Tiva and she takes him as her pet.As Tiva grows older, so does her pet that she named Terr. Tiva uses headphones to gain knowledge and that knowledge is transmitted to Terr through a fault in a collar that he wears. He escapes and takes the headphones with him in order to teach other Oms. I will not give away anymore of the storyline as I do not want to spoil it for anyone. In my opinion, it is a movie that needs to be experienced without any spoilers.This film is one of the finest examples of science fiction or speculative fiction if you prefer. Made in 1973, it is a Franco-Czech production and it was directed by René Laloux and also written by Laloux and Roland Topor. It really is a classic of both animated and science fiction movies. A must-see for anyone who loves either genre.

This film is bizarre. That is not a bad thing. I don't know that I've ever seen a science fiction film set on a world which feels so completely alien. There was never a point while I was watching Fantastic Planet where I felt, "Yeah, I think I've got the gist of it now." Laloux seems to take great pleasure in filling every frame of this film with some new strange creation. The titular Fantastic Planet revealed to the viewer is not some sort of parallel Earth whose only discernible difference from our own world is the presence of some blue fauna. The Fantastic Planet doesn't seem to be a place one could fathom ever existing in the universe. Of course that in no way impedes the story. It only really compliments it. The urgency and curiosity created by such a setting acts as a pretty strong hook to keep you watching. While you're completely invested in the plight of the characters, you will also find yourself constantly wondering what new weird creature might make itself known in the next scene. What higher compliment could there be for a science fiction animation?To speak of the animation. It's wonderful stop motion that I could see turning some people off to this film. Admittedly, I found it totally jarring for the first couple of minutes. I found though that I got used to it after not very long, and it in no way kept me from totally being completely hypnotized. After having completed the film, I can't really imagine it any other way. It isn't smooth and graceful. Some times it can feel more like a subtly shifting painting rather than a traditional cartoon. Really though, it only makes sense for the story. It's not natural. It's off. So is the Fantastic Planet.

The tiny human-like Oms are treated as pets and totally at the mercy of intellectual blue giants the Draags. However, domesticated Om Terr manages to escape from his Draag master Tiwa and joins up with a tribe of wild Oms who Terr encourages to learn all about the Oms and their culture with the help of a special learning device.Director/co-writer Rene Laloux and co-writer Roland Topor use the quirky and compelling premise as a means to state a powerful message not only on the intrinsic evil and cruelty of one race totally subjugating another race (the de-Om sequence with numerous Oms being slaughtered in mass volume is genuinely nightmarish and disturbing), but also on how enlightenment and liberation go hand in hand. The Draags register well as a convincingly odd extraterrestrial race. Moreover, the vivid and fascinating depiction of a hostile planet populated by all kinds of dangerous and predatory creatures rates as this film's key triumph. The nifty stylized animation offers a wealth of striking and surreal images. Alain Goraguer's funky-digging score hits the right-on groovy spot. Although slightly marred by an annoying abrupt conclusion, this film still overall deserves its cult status.