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Reviews
Mythic Journeys (2009)
Truly, the power of myth.
It's impossible to overstate just how important this documentary is. Especially now when we've lost our understanding of the necessity of myth in daily life.
Every story is perfectly selected and the animated sequences are enough to keep even impatient viewers interested. Tim Curry was (as always) a superb presence, even with his voice alone, and my eternal gratitude to Mark Hamill for showcasing his vocal talent.
Brian and Wendy Froud contributing with the character design and animation only made this better. And the documentary aspect, pointing out just how mythology has been intrinsic to cultures worldwide for thousands of years...
I can't simply put this on for background noise while I write or game. It demands my full attention, and I can't provide it with greater praise other than my feeling that Joseph Campbell would be proud of this.
Extraordinary Tales (2013)
Perfection.
Edgar Allen Poe's stories have endured for decades, and with showings like this--demonstrating how his work continues to fire the imagination--they'll continue to do so for years to come.
Each animation style is uniquely suited to the story. The choice of a stark black-and-white stylistic animation combined with the incredible sound of Bela Lugosi reading "The Tell-Tale Heart" was sheer perfection. Sir Christopher Lee and Julian Sands matched 'Dracula's' prowess in reading with fully immersive and emotional narration.
And Guillermo del Toro... My gods. He was absolutely the PERFECT choice for reading "The Pit and the Pendulum." The inflection, the emotion and the intensity of his narration was completely profound. Although I was a little disappointed that the final piece--"Masque of the Red Death"--wasn't narrated, that changed in seconds with how incredibly effective the purely visual storytelling was.
The score was amazing. So completely suited to this absolutely overwhelming piece. Everything about this was mind-blowing and I will be purchasing a hard copy as soon as I possibly can.