OK film fans I'm feeling pretty run down today so I'm going to keep this short, literally. Tonight's very brief post is this year's Oscar winner for Animated Short Film. Leave it to the French (writers and directors) to comment satirically on the most visible by-product of capitalism and end up with one of our biggest awards.
Logorama is a clever and somewhat viscous critique of the decidedly American gift to the world. We are obsessed with logos; our culture increasingly defined by those in your possession. We have them plastered everywhere; on signs, TV commercials, print ads, clothing and just about every building you walk into. Logos in American have led kids to kill each other over shoes. They are an instantaneous way to differentiate social status. Are you a Mac or a PC? Coke or Pepsi? Nike or Adidas? Hyundai or Mercedes? Never mind that these items are essentially the same, the brand makes all the difference and your logo tells all.
But it is fun to watch. I imagine this is how our world would look to an alien visitor. On a side note, if you every get a chance to watch the amazing film Crumb, about underground Comix pioneer of the 60s and 70s Robert Crumb, there's a moment in the film where he talks about the differences of logo use in America vs. Europe. It also reminds me of his series of drawings entitled "A Short History of America."
Anyway, Logorama is a mash-up of film noir mood, buddy cops and Tarintino-esque violence with a touch of Bruckheimer destruction. To see how much you can say and do in just 14 minutes, do yourself a favor and check it out in its entirety. But even though it didn't win an Oscar, my favorite short animated film is still this one.
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