Paul Grimault
Encyclopedia
Paul Grimault was one of the most important French
animators
. He made many traditionally animated film
s that were delicate in style, satirical
, and lyrical in nature.
His most important work is Le Roi et l'oiseau
, which ultimately took over 30 years to produce. He began it as La Bergère et le Ramoneur (The Shepherdess and the Chimneysweep) in 1948 and it was highly anticipated, but Grimault's partner André Sarrut showed the film unfinished
in 1952, against Grimault's wishes. This caused a rift between partners and a stop in production. In 1967, Grimault got possession of the film and subsequently was able to complete it in 1980 under a new title, Le Roi et l'oiseau
, incorporating some footage from the original and re-hiring the original animators, together with some new, younger ones. There are many names for it in English that have been used in various releases, including: The King and the Bird (literal), The King and the Mockingbird, The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird and The King and Mr. Bird (1980).
He also collected his best shorts in a retrospective compilation movie, La table tourante (1988), which is included in the deluxe edition of Le Roi et l'oiseau. For a detailed bibliography, see this reference.
, which had closed years earlier. During World War II, Les Gémeaux was the only animation studio in occupied Europe (Germany not having an animation industry), and thus, Americans films being unavailable, its films found a captive audience. The studio produced a number of shorts, then closed its doors in 1952 following the expense of making La Bergère et le Ramoneur, which was the first feature-length French animated movie.
group Groupe Octobre. At this group he met Jacques Prévert
, with whom he went on to collaborate on several animated films, most notably Le roi et l'oiseau.
Feature length:
Short:
Other work:
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
animators
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
. He made many traditionally animated film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s that were delicate in style, satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, and lyrical in nature.
His most important work is Le Roi et l'oiseau
Le Roi et l'oiseau
Le Roi et l'oiseau is a 1980 traditionally-animated feature film directed by Paul Grimault...
, which ultimately took over 30 years to produce. He began it as La Bergère et le Ramoneur (The Shepherdess and the Chimneysweep) in 1948 and it was highly anticipated, but Grimault's partner André Sarrut showed the film unfinished
Unfinished work
An unfinished work is creative work that has not been finished. Its creator may have chosen never to finish it or may have been prevented from doing so by circumstances outside of their control such as death. Such pieces are often the subject of speculation as to what the finished piece would have...
in 1952, against Grimault's wishes. This caused a rift between partners and a stop in production. In 1967, Grimault got possession of the film and subsequently was able to complete it in 1980 under a new title, Le Roi et l'oiseau
Le Roi et l'oiseau
Le Roi et l'oiseau is a 1980 traditionally-animated feature film directed by Paul Grimault...
, incorporating some footage from the original and re-hiring the original animators, together with some new, younger ones. There are many names for it in English that have been used in various releases, including: The King and the Bird (literal), The King and the Mockingbird, The Curious Adventures of Mr. Wonderbird and The King and Mr. Bird (1980).
He also collected his best shorts in a retrospective compilation movie, La table tourante (1988), which is included in the deluxe edition of Le Roi et l'oiseau. For a detailed bibliography, see this reference.
Les Gémeaux
In 1936 Grimault founded, with André Sarrut, Les Gémeaux, which was the second significant French animation venture, following the work of Émile CohlÉmile Cohl
Émile Cohl , born Émile Eugène Jean Louis Courtet, was a French caricaturist of the largely forgotten Incoherent Movement, cartoonist, and animator, called "The Father of the Animated Cartoon" and "The Oldest Parisian".-Biography:Émile's father Elie was a rubber salesman, and his mother, Emilie...
, which had closed years earlier. During World War II, Les Gémeaux was the only animation studio in occupied Europe (Germany not having an animation industry), and thus, Americans films being unavailable, its films found a captive audience. The studio produced a number of shorts, then closed its doors in 1952 following the expense of making La Bergère et le Ramoneur, which was the first feature-length French animated movie.
Other work
Grimault was part of the agitpropAgitprop
Agitprop is derived from agitation and propaganda, and describes stage plays, pamphlets, motion pictures and other art forms with an explicitly political message....
group Groupe Octobre. At this group he met Jacques Prévert
Jacques Prévert
Jacques Prévert was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain very popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. Some of the movies he wrote are extremely well regarded, with Les Enfants du Paradis considered one of the greatest films of all time.-Life and...
, with whom he went on to collaborate on several animated films, most notably Le roi et l'oiseau.
Filmography
Grimault's filmography is as follows; those included in the retrospective La table tournante are marked with a star ("*").Feature length:
- 1952/1953 : La Bergère et le Ramoneur, disowned, incorporated into Le Roi et l'Oiseau
- 1980 : Le Roi et l'Oiseau Received 1979 Louis Delluc PrizeLouis Delluc PrizeLe Prix Louis-Delluc is a French film award.For every year It has been awarded since its creation in 1937 , it has been bestowed on the second Thursday of December. The jury is composed of 20 members, made up of a group of film critics and personalities who are cultural significance. Gilles Jacob...
in December 1979, released in theaters on March 19, 1980 - 1988 : La Table tournante, with Jacques Demy, collection of shorts
- Named after the moving table in La séance de spiritisme (1931), which is the short that begins the collection.
Short:
- Monsieur Pipe fait de la peinture, 1936 (unfinished, film school)
- Les phénomènes électriques, 1937
- Le messager de la lumière, 1938 *
- L'enchanteur est enchanté, 1938
- Les passagers de "La Grande Ourse", 1939–1941 (originally Gô chez les oiseaux (Gô among the birds), 1939)*
- Le marchand de notes, 1942 *
- La Machine à explorer le temps, 1942 (unfinished)
- L’épouvantail, 1943 *
- Le voleur de paratonnerres, 1944 *
- Niglo reporter, 1945 (unfinished)
- La flûte magique, 1946 *
- Le petit Soldat, 1947 * (International prize, Venice Biennial 1948, Grand Prix of the Prague and Rio festivals, 1950)
- La Légende de la soie, 1950 * (short for the silk industry)
- Pierres oubliées, 1952
- Enrico cuisinier, 1956 (mixed with live action, with Pierre Prévert)
- La faim du monde (ou La faim dans le monde), 1957/58 (re-edited version for children, Le Monde en raccourci, 1975)
- Le petit Claus et le grand Claus, 1964
- Le diamant, 1970 * with Jacques Prevert, complement to L'Aveu of Costa-GavrasCosta-GavrasCosta-Gavras, is a Greek filmmaker, who lives and works in France, best known for films with overt political themes, most famously the fast-paced thriller, Z...
- Le chien mélomane, 1973 * with Jacques Prevert
- Le fou du Roi, 1987–1988 * (made for La Table Tournante)
Other work:
- La séance de spiritisme (The spiritualist seance) (1931, live action advertisement by Jean Aurenche with stop-action animation by Grimault and Jacques Brunius)
- Two animated TV pilots (Chasseurs pécheurs and Les Sportifs de la Préhistoire), 1970
- Animated sequences projected during the show C'est la guerre, Monsieur Gruber (It’s war, Mister Gruber) by Jacques Sternberg, at the Odeon theater, during the Comédie-Française