While there are always exceptions, one of the great things about short films is that we can trust there will be no excess. Whether by a filmmaker's budget or their vision or both, the smaller the piece, the tighter and more focused it is apt to be. And so it is with 2008's 'Yankee gal,' the creation of Celine Desrumaux, Gary Levesque, Antoine Perez & Francois Pons; clocking in at under five minutes, including credits, the small tale is concise and to the point, with the only artistic embellishment along the way coming in the form of the manner in which the story is imparted. And what a story it is, even in such a short span of time, telling of a pilot in a failing fighter plane. Others have fashioned similar narratives, yes, in full-length features, in anthologies, and on television, but none in a manner that was so succinct, and still so impactful.
Brilliant as it is, I do think the short comes up, well, "short" in terms of its final form. As it presents this is the barest rendition of the concept, stripping away all ornamentation, and that's splendid. At the same time, the editing is so brusque and curt that as the extremely visual story flits back and forth the full weight of the idea is diminished. I don't think it would have been necessary to add to the length at all to add to the experience, only to allow scenes to linger a smidgen longer rather than be chopped up into such tiny fragments.
Be that as it may, the filmmakers concocted something wonderfully smart, with the visuals themselves being terrific in flavoring the brief plot as it unfolds. Personal preferences may very as to the style of animation, but it's smooth, fluid, and generally polished, and the accompanying music is a nice touch. This isn't an all-out must-see, but 'Yankee gal' is a fine credit to all involved, and I'm very pleased with what they put together in so abbreviated a format. Especially for all the longer it takes to watch, this is well worth checking out.
Brilliant as it is, I do think the short comes up, well, "short" in terms of its final form. As it presents this is the barest rendition of the concept, stripping away all ornamentation, and that's splendid. At the same time, the editing is so brusque and curt that as the extremely visual story flits back and forth the full weight of the idea is diminished. I don't think it would have been necessary to add to the length at all to add to the experience, only to allow scenes to linger a smidgen longer rather than be chopped up into such tiny fragments.
Be that as it may, the filmmakers concocted something wonderfully smart, with the visuals themselves being terrific in flavoring the brief plot as it unfolds. Personal preferences may very as to the style of animation, but it's smooth, fluid, and generally polished, and the accompanying music is a nice touch. This isn't an all-out must-see, but 'Yankee gal' is a fine credit to all involved, and I'm very pleased with what they put together in so abbreviated a format. Especially for all the longer it takes to watch, this is well worth checking out.