Read More: The Best 15 Movies of 2015 According to Indiewire's Film Critic Eric Kohn, Deputy Editor and Chief Film Critic Eric Kohn's Eccentric "Other" Top 10 List of Moving Images in 2015 My top 15 list of movies released this year is a fixed variable, and there are literally dozens of other movies released over the past 12 months worth celebrating as well. These include "Girlhood" (a moving, gritty coming of age story that's also a love letter to the streets of Paris), "Ned Rifle" (Hal Hartley doing what he does best), "Cheatin'" (Bill Plympton, same deal), "'71" (a bracing war drama) and "Magic Mike Xxl" (essentially Minelli in the 21st century). But cinema isn't a world that any of us exclusively reside in. Here's a look at some of the other moving image experiences that left an impact on me this year. 1. Season 2 of "Tales From the Borderland" Even if you haven't warmed to video games,...
- 12/11/2015
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
This weekend, the Austin Film Society is bringing She's Lost Control back to town. Caitlin caught the film on opening night at SXSW 2014. She reported: "An intense and dark slice of life, the film focuses on a woman who works as a sex surrogate while she finishes a Master's degree in psychology in New York City. Often hard-hitting and true but sometimes a little frustrating, I can't fully call this a "must-see" but I know this movie will definitely stick with me..." It plays tonight and again on Sunday afternoon at the Marchesa.
On Sunday evening, Afs will be presenting the work of two master animators. Don Hertzfeldt's award-winning short World Of Tomorrow is being paired with Cheatin', the most recent feature film from Bill Plympton. Richard Linklater's schedule last week didn't allow him to be in attendance for the Sid & Nancy screening, so another screening has been...
On Sunday evening, Afs will be presenting the work of two master animators. Don Hertzfeldt's award-winning short World Of Tomorrow is being paired with Cheatin', the most recent feature film from Bill Plympton. Richard Linklater's schedule last week didn't allow him to be in attendance for the Sid & Nancy screening, so another screening has been...
- 5/8/2015
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
Bill Plympton is not a genius, or so he insists, although none of his thousands of fans would be shocked if a MacArthur "Genius Grant" came his way. This former contributor to Playboy, The New York Times, and MTV has been a cult cartoonist and animator now for over a quarter of century, garnering an Oscar nomination in 1987 for his short "Your Face."
"Your Face" showcases a middle-aged man in a business suit with a pencil moustache singing a love tune as his head constantly metamorphoses. His mouth first travels to his forehead, then all of his facial features somersault before his skull twists up like a corkscrew and breaks apart, then reunites. The Exorcist's Linda Blair would be jealous. These transmutations continue, all in vibrating lines, until the camera steps back and showcases the singer sitting in a chair on a barren Earth that eventually develops a mouth and swallows him up.
"Your Face" showcases a middle-aged man in a business suit with a pencil moustache singing a love tune as his head constantly metamorphoses. His mouth first travels to his forehead, then all of his facial features somersault before his skull twists up like a corkscrew and breaks apart, then reunites. The Exorcist's Linda Blair would be jealous. These transmutations continue, all in vibrating lines, until the camera steps back and showcases the singer sitting in a chair on a barren Earth that eventually develops a mouth and swallows him up.
- 4/15/2015
- by Brandon Judell
- www.culturecatch.com
Independent filmmaking is not only a labor of love, is one of tireless perseverance, devoted collaborations, and unshakable faith on a project that may or may not remunerate anyone involved. Failure is not a vague possibility but a really possible outcome. Now let's take those incredibly challenging stakes and double them when speaking about independent animation. Indoctrinated by a lifetime of impeccably fairy tales and magical adventures, it's difficult for both American audiences and investors to see animation as an art form that shouldn't be bound to easily digestible, children-oriented themes.
Europe and Asia -Japan, in a particular - have a more sophisticated relationship with the medium. They understand its power, beauty and possibilities beyond the happy-ending artificiality we are used to. In the U.S. few voices in animation make waves while working outside of the studios grip, among them Bill Plympton is by far the most celebrated and prolific. His irreverent artistry has refuse to a align with the status quo both stylistically and thematically for the past 30 years.
In Plympton's films the artist is ever-present in the visible handcraft of every frame. Colorful, ironic, sometimes twisted, and others endearing, his characters, even with all the surrealism that coats them, are more human than those which are smoothly crafted digitally. His work feels alive and delves into a wondrous array of emotions, concerns, and tragedies that others avoid. To call it daring and one-of-a-kind would be an understatement.
His latest feature "Cheatin'," is a spellbinding tale that translate all the irrationality of love into an exhilarating animated experience. A man and a woman fall hopelessly in love for each other, but when they suspect the other is being unfaithful, hatred kicks in with the same force as their passion once did. Delightfully racy and visually stunning, this is the most audacious and intelligent animated film you will see this year.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Plympton about "Cheatin'" and the challenges and privileges associated with being an independent animator in a profit-driven world.
Aguilar: Your films, both shorts and features, often take us into extraordinarily imaginative trips, but they also seem to come from everyday issues we can all relate to. Tell me about the origins of “Cheatin’” and about transforming the familiar premise of a relationship in trouble into an animated wonder.
Bill Plympton : It’s taken from a real relationship I had that went very bad and we decided to break up because we were so bad together. I thought this would be a good idea for a film because there would a lot of humor in it. There is always a lot of humor in conflict and there was a lot of conflict in our relationship. Around 2009 I made a list of all the scenes I wanted to include. Once I got that down I started doing a storyboard. This was a tiny storyboard it wasn’t a big one. When I had that figured out then I went and did the finished storyboard, and this is where all the real problems are answered. This is where I design the characters, I design the editing, I design the story, I design the backgrounds. Everything was resolved in that major storyboard. I liked it, I thought it was a great idea and had good potential. Then I went right into animation.
Aguilar: The surreal, dream-like sequences are a highlight of the film. They are inventive metaphors that really showcase a refreshing and uncompromising use of the medium.
Bill Plympton: That’s the magic of animation, you can go on these crazy surreal dream-like sequences. They are really fun to draw and fun to watch. My favorite is the one where Ella is sitting on a park bench and she discovers her heart. She discovers romance. You realize she’s been hiding her love deep inside of her soul. She wants to go inside and discover her heart, bring it out, and revive it. That’s when she falls in love with this guy named Jake. I think that was a very poetic sequence and it was done without dialogue, it’s all visual storytelling. It’s one of my favorite parts.
Aguilar: As you mentioned, the film doesn’t have any dialogue. It’s completely cinematic, yet you are able to convey rather complex ideas. Why did you feel this was the best approach for a film like “Cheatin’”?
Bill Plympton: You use the word cinematic and that’s one of my favorite words. It really is about storytelling with images. I’ve done that before even when I was doing illustration. I would do cartoon strips, sequential comic strips with 10 or 12 panels and not use any dialogue. I always felt that was a very powerful and poetic way to tell a story. Then when I started doing animation I did some of my shorts without dialogue such as all the Guard Dog films. They had no dialogue and they were very successful. Therefore, with “Idiots and Angels” I decided to try to make a feature film without dialogue. Nobody had any problem with it, nobody complaint about it having no dialogue, so I felt pretty sure that I could make “Cheatin’” also without words. Sure enough everybody likes the idea that there’s no dialogue, no one’s complaint about it. But you know, I’m not a very good writer of dialogue [Laughs], so it made sense for me to use this way to tell a story. It’s often times more powerful that way.
Aguilar: Would you say it’s more difficult to devise visual sequences that express what you want to say rather than having the characters say it?
Bill Plympton: Occasionally there might be some places where I wish I could put dialogue, but eventually I’ll find a solution to tell it visually and it’s actually more successful that way. I find it easier to make a film without dialogue simply because doing all the lip-sync, the recording, and the editing of words is really time-consuming and work-intensive, so for me it’s easier to draw without the words.
Aguilar: Tell me about the visual style and how you draw your characters. They have a very peculiar aesthetic with a certain entrancing fluidity. I also love the fact that you can see the handcraft in the lines throughout the film.
Bill Plympton: I started out as an illustrator so I love the act of drawing, and I love drawing people, to me that’s the pleasure. But with this film I really wanted to exaggerate. For example, Jake’s body, his physique with the real tight abdominal muscles, was fun to do. I wanted to really stretch the anatomy, to really push the deformations of muscles in the arms, and the crazy positions a lot more because I just felt that this film needed to be more exaggerated. It’s a very stylized film and it’s kind of an opera in fact. Their passions are so over-the-top that it felt like an opera, so I wanted to stretch the characterization a lot more. That’s why I used Nicole Renaud’s music, because she writes very European, operatic kind of music and I felt that worked really well with the story and with the characters.
Aguilar: Nicole Renaud’s music definitely gives the film a unique feel that is retro but also timeless. However, there are many other elements in the film that make us wonder about where and when it takes place. It all blends beautifully.
Bill Plympton: I love that retro feel. It’s a real mélange of different techniques, styles, and eras. The cars are kind of like 30s or 40s cars, which I think are really fun to draw. The clothes are also from that era. The soul machine is kind of retro from old showbiz - vaudeville kind of shows. The music is European, and the architecture is kind of Southern border town with lots of overhanging balconies, shadows and shade. For me shadows are really a part of the drawing, and I love drawing shadows because it realty fills out the dimensions of the characters, it gives them weight. I love doing shadows, and that’s why I set the story in a desert town, but you’ll see a couple palm tress in there. It’s really a mixture of different eras and locations.
Aguilar: Unfortunately, we, as audiences, have been trained to think of animation as a medium that’s exclusively for children’s content, but your films take a different direction and use the medium to tell stories involving more adult subjects. Films like yours prove that this is much broader storytelling medium.
Bill Plympton: That’s a really important point that you are talking about, and I really appreciate that. I think animation can be a full spectrum of different storytelling techniques and different genres. I think it’s sad that there is only one audience that the studios are aiming for and that’s the kid audience. It’s really tragic that they don’t’ make films for older people. People like me. I know a lot of the Pixar artists and they all have real lives where they have affairs, and they have jealousies, they have divorces, and these are real adult themes that they’ve lived through, but they are not allowed to make films using these themes simply because that would ruin their kiddy market. I feel that I can’t complete with them doing kids films, but I do want to make films that deal with issues that I think about everyday like romance, sex, and serious stuff. I’m not competing with them, I’m showing an alternative, and I’m showing a different road that they can take. I want to make films that are different, films that are unique, I don’t want to make the same old children’s’ fairy tale, I want to make something that’s real and that’s about our dreams, our thoughts, and out passions. That to me is what “Cheatin’” is all about.
Aguilar: In the U.S. 2D animation is scarce. For many years now CG has become the norm, but there is still something incredibly special about hand-drawn projects. Why do you prefer this technique in particular?
Bill Plympton: That’s one of the reasons I couldn’t get distribution, of course one was that it wasn’t a kiddy film, and the other was that it wasn’t computer animation. I like the idea of seeing a film that has the artist’s hand in there,a film where you can see his strokes, you can see his working patterns. It's like going to a museum and seeing a Renoir drawing. You want to see their work and you want to see how they put it together. For me to see that in animation is really fresh, it’s really exciting, it’s really original. That’s why I hope people will come see the film, because it’s a very unique film and it has a very special style and look.
Aguilar: Tell me about financing ”Cheatin’” through Kickstarter and finding a way to make your film when the big studios are not supportive of your ideas.
Bill Plympton: Kickstarter and platforms like it are going to chance the way people make movies in the U.S and all over the world. In the past I’ve had to go begging to the big studios, show my stories, and do a dog and pony show to kind of pitch, and pitch and pitch. This is very frustrating because there is so much rejection involved. But now, I don’t need to go to the studios. If I need money for a project I got to my fans, who are really the people that I should go to anyway. The studios don’t understand what I’m trying to do, they don’t care about what I’m trying to do, but the fans do, the fans love what I do, and the fans support me. They want to see more films from me, so it makes sense that I go straight to them rather than the studios.
Aguilar: You are such a prolific artist, besides “Cheatin’” you also recently released the short “Footprints,” which was shortlisted by the Academy. Where do you search for new ideas that can work as animated films and how do you choose what project to do next?
Bill Plympton: When I was doing illustrations for magazines I built up an “idea file,” which had folders of ideas that I wanted to develop. The file has gotten so big now that I have too many ideas, but not enough time or money to make all the films. I like to draw them all myself, so it’s very important that I select the right film to make next. I select them based on whatever film would give me the most pleasure. The good thing about being independent is that no one is going to say I can’t do that. I don’t have to wait for a big producer to say “Here is your green light go ahead on it.” I can greenlight it myself, and that’s a real luxury that is worth the price of being an independent artist. I have three or four features that I want to do next. They are all lined up. I also have two or three shorts that are ready to go too. They are all storyboarded and ready but I have to use my time wisely.
Aguilar: Which of these projects you are developing are you focused on now? Where can we expect to see them?
Bill Plympton: There are two feature films I’m working on now. One is a mockumentary about Adolf Hitler. It’s crazy. Hitler was a big fan of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and I thought it would be very funny to create an alternative reality where Hitler became the Walt Disney of Europe. The other one is called “Revengeance” and it’s written by Jim Lujan, who is also an animator. He wrote the story, deigned the characters and did the voices. That one is about a third of the way done, so that’ll be about probably next year.
Aguilar: “Cheatin’” is finally opening this week theatrically. Where can people see it? I understand you will be present at some of the screening.
Bill Plympton: Yes, “Cheatin’” opens April 3rd at the Village East in New York. I will be there every night to sign autographs for everybody and to introduce the film. It also opens across the country after April 12th. I’ll be touring for about two weeks making special appearances throughout the U.S. Then it will be available on Vimeo on Demand starting April 21st. Also on iTunes, through Shorts International, you will be able to get all my backlog of shorts. There is almost 15 hours of cartoons that I’ve doing for the last 30 years. People can find out more about where “Cheatin’” is playing and more about the film at http://cheatinmovie.com/...
Europe and Asia -Japan, in a particular - have a more sophisticated relationship with the medium. They understand its power, beauty and possibilities beyond the happy-ending artificiality we are used to. In the U.S. few voices in animation make waves while working outside of the studios grip, among them Bill Plympton is by far the most celebrated and prolific. His irreverent artistry has refuse to a align with the status quo both stylistically and thematically for the past 30 years.
In Plympton's films the artist is ever-present in the visible handcraft of every frame. Colorful, ironic, sometimes twisted, and others endearing, his characters, even with all the surrealism that coats them, are more human than those which are smoothly crafted digitally. His work feels alive and delves into a wondrous array of emotions, concerns, and tragedies that others avoid. To call it daring and one-of-a-kind would be an understatement.
His latest feature "Cheatin'," is a spellbinding tale that translate all the irrationality of love into an exhilarating animated experience. A man and a woman fall hopelessly in love for each other, but when they suspect the other is being unfaithful, hatred kicks in with the same force as their passion once did. Delightfully racy and visually stunning, this is the most audacious and intelligent animated film you will see this year.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Plympton about "Cheatin'" and the challenges and privileges associated with being an independent animator in a profit-driven world.
Aguilar: Your films, both shorts and features, often take us into extraordinarily imaginative trips, but they also seem to come from everyday issues we can all relate to. Tell me about the origins of “Cheatin’” and about transforming the familiar premise of a relationship in trouble into an animated wonder.
Bill Plympton : It’s taken from a real relationship I had that went very bad and we decided to break up because we were so bad together. I thought this would be a good idea for a film because there would a lot of humor in it. There is always a lot of humor in conflict and there was a lot of conflict in our relationship. Around 2009 I made a list of all the scenes I wanted to include. Once I got that down I started doing a storyboard. This was a tiny storyboard it wasn’t a big one. When I had that figured out then I went and did the finished storyboard, and this is where all the real problems are answered. This is where I design the characters, I design the editing, I design the story, I design the backgrounds. Everything was resolved in that major storyboard. I liked it, I thought it was a great idea and had good potential. Then I went right into animation.
Aguilar: The surreal, dream-like sequences are a highlight of the film. They are inventive metaphors that really showcase a refreshing and uncompromising use of the medium.
Bill Plympton: That’s the magic of animation, you can go on these crazy surreal dream-like sequences. They are really fun to draw and fun to watch. My favorite is the one where Ella is sitting on a park bench and she discovers her heart. She discovers romance. You realize she’s been hiding her love deep inside of her soul. She wants to go inside and discover her heart, bring it out, and revive it. That’s when she falls in love with this guy named Jake. I think that was a very poetic sequence and it was done without dialogue, it’s all visual storytelling. It’s one of my favorite parts.
Aguilar: As you mentioned, the film doesn’t have any dialogue. It’s completely cinematic, yet you are able to convey rather complex ideas. Why did you feel this was the best approach for a film like “Cheatin’”?
Bill Plympton: You use the word cinematic and that’s one of my favorite words. It really is about storytelling with images. I’ve done that before even when I was doing illustration. I would do cartoon strips, sequential comic strips with 10 or 12 panels and not use any dialogue. I always felt that was a very powerful and poetic way to tell a story. Then when I started doing animation I did some of my shorts without dialogue such as all the Guard Dog films. They had no dialogue and they were very successful. Therefore, with “Idiots and Angels” I decided to try to make a feature film without dialogue. Nobody had any problem with it, nobody complaint about it having no dialogue, so I felt pretty sure that I could make “Cheatin’” also without words. Sure enough everybody likes the idea that there’s no dialogue, no one’s complaint about it. But you know, I’m not a very good writer of dialogue [Laughs], so it made sense for me to use this way to tell a story. It’s often times more powerful that way.
Aguilar: Would you say it’s more difficult to devise visual sequences that express what you want to say rather than having the characters say it?
Bill Plympton: Occasionally there might be some places where I wish I could put dialogue, but eventually I’ll find a solution to tell it visually and it’s actually more successful that way. I find it easier to make a film without dialogue simply because doing all the lip-sync, the recording, and the editing of words is really time-consuming and work-intensive, so for me it’s easier to draw without the words.
Aguilar: Tell me about the visual style and how you draw your characters. They have a very peculiar aesthetic with a certain entrancing fluidity. I also love the fact that you can see the handcraft in the lines throughout the film.
Bill Plympton: I started out as an illustrator so I love the act of drawing, and I love drawing people, to me that’s the pleasure. But with this film I really wanted to exaggerate. For example, Jake’s body, his physique with the real tight abdominal muscles, was fun to do. I wanted to really stretch the anatomy, to really push the deformations of muscles in the arms, and the crazy positions a lot more because I just felt that this film needed to be more exaggerated. It’s a very stylized film and it’s kind of an opera in fact. Their passions are so over-the-top that it felt like an opera, so I wanted to stretch the characterization a lot more. That’s why I used Nicole Renaud’s music, because she writes very European, operatic kind of music and I felt that worked really well with the story and with the characters.
Aguilar: Nicole Renaud’s music definitely gives the film a unique feel that is retro but also timeless. However, there are many other elements in the film that make us wonder about where and when it takes place. It all blends beautifully.
Bill Plympton: I love that retro feel. It’s a real mélange of different techniques, styles, and eras. The cars are kind of like 30s or 40s cars, which I think are really fun to draw. The clothes are also from that era. The soul machine is kind of retro from old showbiz - vaudeville kind of shows. The music is European, and the architecture is kind of Southern border town with lots of overhanging balconies, shadows and shade. For me shadows are really a part of the drawing, and I love drawing shadows because it realty fills out the dimensions of the characters, it gives them weight. I love doing shadows, and that’s why I set the story in a desert town, but you’ll see a couple palm tress in there. It’s really a mixture of different eras and locations.
Aguilar: Unfortunately, we, as audiences, have been trained to think of animation as a medium that’s exclusively for children’s content, but your films take a different direction and use the medium to tell stories involving more adult subjects. Films like yours prove that this is much broader storytelling medium.
Bill Plympton: That’s a really important point that you are talking about, and I really appreciate that. I think animation can be a full spectrum of different storytelling techniques and different genres. I think it’s sad that there is only one audience that the studios are aiming for and that’s the kid audience. It’s really tragic that they don’t’ make films for older people. People like me. I know a lot of the Pixar artists and they all have real lives where they have affairs, and they have jealousies, they have divorces, and these are real adult themes that they’ve lived through, but they are not allowed to make films using these themes simply because that would ruin their kiddy market. I feel that I can’t complete with them doing kids films, but I do want to make films that deal with issues that I think about everyday like romance, sex, and serious stuff. I’m not competing with them, I’m showing an alternative, and I’m showing a different road that they can take. I want to make films that are different, films that are unique, I don’t want to make the same old children’s’ fairy tale, I want to make something that’s real and that’s about our dreams, our thoughts, and out passions. That to me is what “Cheatin’” is all about.
Aguilar: In the U.S. 2D animation is scarce. For many years now CG has become the norm, but there is still something incredibly special about hand-drawn projects. Why do you prefer this technique in particular?
Bill Plympton: That’s one of the reasons I couldn’t get distribution, of course one was that it wasn’t a kiddy film, and the other was that it wasn’t computer animation. I like the idea of seeing a film that has the artist’s hand in there,a film where you can see his strokes, you can see his working patterns. It's like going to a museum and seeing a Renoir drawing. You want to see their work and you want to see how they put it together. For me to see that in animation is really fresh, it’s really exciting, it’s really original. That’s why I hope people will come see the film, because it’s a very unique film and it has a very special style and look.
Aguilar: Tell me about financing ”Cheatin’” through Kickstarter and finding a way to make your film when the big studios are not supportive of your ideas.
Bill Plympton: Kickstarter and platforms like it are going to chance the way people make movies in the U.S and all over the world. In the past I’ve had to go begging to the big studios, show my stories, and do a dog and pony show to kind of pitch, and pitch and pitch. This is very frustrating because there is so much rejection involved. But now, I don’t need to go to the studios. If I need money for a project I got to my fans, who are really the people that I should go to anyway. The studios don’t understand what I’m trying to do, they don’t care about what I’m trying to do, but the fans do, the fans love what I do, and the fans support me. They want to see more films from me, so it makes sense that I go straight to them rather than the studios.
Aguilar: You are such a prolific artist, besides “Cheatin’” you also recently released the short “Footprints,” which was shortlisted by the Academy. Where do you search for new ideas that can work as animated films and how do you choose what project to do next?
Bill Plympton: When I was doing illustrations for magazines I built up an “idea file,” which had folders of ideas that I wanted to develop. The file has gotten so big now that I have too many ideas, but not enough time or money to make all the films. I like to draw them all myself, so it’s very important that I select the right film to make next. I select them based on whatever film would give me the most pleasure. The good thing about being independent is that no one is going to say I can’t do that. I don’t have to wait for a big producer to say “Here is your green light go ahead on it.” I can greenlight it myself, and that’s a real luxury that is worth the price of being an independent artist. I have three or four features that I want to do next. They are all lined up. I also have two or three shorts that are ready to go too. They are all storyboarded and ready but I have to use my time wisely.
Aguilar: Which of these projects you are developing are you focused on now? Where can we expect to see them?
Bill Plympton: There are two feature films I’m working on now. One is a mockumentary about Adolf Hitler. It’s crazy. Hitler was a big fan of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and I thought it would be very funny to create an alternative reality where Hitler became the Walt Disney of Europe. The other one is called “Revengeance” and it’s written by Jim Lujan, who is also an animator. He wrote the story, deigned the characters and did the voices. That one is about a third of the way done, so that’ll be about probably next year.
Aguilar: “Cheatin’” is finally opening this week theatrically. Where can people see it? I understand you will be present at some of the screening.
Bill Plympton: Yes, “Cheatin’” opens April 3rd at the Village East in New York. I will be there every night to sign autographs for everybody and to introduce the film. It also opens across the country after April 12th. I’ll be touring for about two weeks making special appearances throughout the U.S. Then it will be available on Vimeo on Demand starting April 21st. Also on iTunes, through Shorts International, you will be able to get all my backlog of shorts. There is almost 15 hours of cartoons that I’ve doing for the last 30 years. People can find out more about where “Cheatin’” is playing and more about the film at http://cheatinmovie.com/...
- 4/2/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
In Bill Plympton's book "Independently Animated," the perennial underground animator recalls crashing a party filled with Disney's finest, including Pixar head honcho John Lasseter, and being regarded as a hero. The story has symbolic weight in that it reflects Plympton's ongoing ability to develop a body of work with his distinctive, loopy hand drawn cartoons over the course of a 30-year career without any discernible compromise. But the contrast between Plympton and his more commercially-oriented colleagues has greater resonance in the ongoing vitality of his work, with his latest feature, "Cheatin,'" providing the latest example. Read More: Immersed in Movies: Bill Plympton Talks 'Cheatin'' At this early stage of the year, with the latest Pixar release "Inside Out" still months away, it might seem premature to deem Plympton's scrappy, wordless tale of marital betrayal and body swapping fantasy the finest animated feature of 2015. However, it's hard.
- 4/1/2015
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
If you were a Bill Plympton character, your skull would be riven open by the experience of watching Cheatin', the animator's first feature since '08. It would throb and pulse as the cleft spread, and rather than blood or lumpish gray, it would be your hurts and memories that spill out, the whole ball of head and hair rolling along, like the film, in constant metamorphosis, always folding out of itself into something more. Cheatin' has a narrative, a simple one rendered with boundless invention, and Plympton's signature transformations have never before scored such potent emotions: A ginger beauty, comically voluptuous yet also comically skinny, gets saved from a bumper-car electrocution by a dashing lug of a gas-station attendant — this guy looks li...
- 4/1/2015
- Village Voice
There's a reason Bill Plympton has been dubbed "The King of Indie Animation." His accomplishments are many and varied, from earning an Oscar nomination to directing a video for Kanye West ("Heard 'Em Say"). With an armload of shorts, feature work, and more to his name, chances are you've seen something by Plympton and maybe not even known it. But with a new feature on the way, there's no better time to get reacquainted with the man's work. Inspired by the work of noir great James M. Cain, "Cheatin' " follows Jake and Ella, who find their picture perfect romance spoiled by a scheming “other” woman, who drives a wedge of jealousy into their relationship. With only the help of a disgraced magician and his forbidden “soul machine,” Ella takes the form of Jake's numerous lovers, desperately fighting through malfunction and deceit as they try to reclaim their destiny. In this lovely exclusive clip,...
- 3/25/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Gkids, the American distributor behind 2015 animated Oscar nominees "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and "Song of the Sea," will release "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" in NY and La on August 7 before expanding wide the following week. This animated telling of Gibran's bestselling 1923 book, which premiered at Cannes, unfolds through standalone chapters by ten directors including Tomm Moore ("Song of the Sea"), Nina Paley ("Sita Sings the Blues") and Bill Plympton ("Cheatin'"). Co-producer Salma Hayek fought hard to bring the celebrated Lebanese poet's work to the screen, and helped close this deal. Salma Hayek on Why She's Passionate About "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" The voice cast includes Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella and Alfred Molina. The score is by Oscar winner Gabriel Yared (The English Patient), with additional music by songwriters Damien...
- 3/24/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
It's rare we get to feature some stunning hand-drawn animation, so anytime we get the opportunity it's always an exciting moment. Thanks to a tip from our friends at Fsr, there's a brand new trailer out for Bill Plympton's animated film Cheatin'. It was actually finished back in 2013, but has been taking its sweet time to get released and is finally hitting theaters/VOD starting in April. The film, which runs 76 minutes in total, is about a couple named Jake and Ella who meet in a "fateful bumper car collision", end up married as the most romantic couple ever until another woman gets in the way and causes some "cheatin'". This looks like an emotional take on a story we've all seen before, but the animation is what makes it so special. Enjoy. Here's the newest trailer for Bill Plympton's animated film Cheatin', originally from Vulture (via Fsr): And here's an alternate,...
- 3/9/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Cheatin' is the latest, epic animated movie from the genius mind of Bill Plympton. Check out the trailer here.
"Bill Plympton’s Cheatin’ Trailer is an Animated Odyssey Through the Motel Parking Lot" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.
"Bill Plympton’s Cheatin’ Trailer is an Animated Odyssey Through the Motel Parking Lot" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.
- 3/2/2015
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Oscar-nominated animation wizard Bill Plympton's drew his latest film "Cheatin'" entirely by hand in pencil sketches colored digitally to watercolor-like effect. Plympton's seventh animated feature, this cartoon film for adults was inspired by the work of noir fiction writer James M. Cain ("Double Indemnity," "The Postman Always Rings Twice"). Jake and Ella meet-cute after a bumper car collision, falling wildly in love until a scheming "other woman" drives a wedge of jealousy into their courtship. Aided by a magician and his mysterious and forbidden "soul machine," Ella exacts revenge by assuming the form of Jake's numerous lovers as they try to recapture what they lost. Considered to be the first person to hand draw a feature film, Plympton has worked with Madonna, Kanye West and Weird Al on music videos and book projects.
- 2/27/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
As computer-animated movies continue to become more prevalent, does it ever seem to you like they're all becoming one homogenous cartoon, where the faces and aesthetics all look weirdly similar? At least you'll never mistake the hand-drawn animation of Bill Plympton for anything else. You may recognize Plympton's iconic work from films like I Married a Strange Person and his collaborations with Kanye West and Madonna, and Vulture can exclusively premiere the trailer for the award-winning animator's new film, Cheatin’. Inspired by the works of Double Indemnity author James M. Cain, it's a story about love, lust, and jealousy, but the trailer is also a spellbinding tribute to hand-drawn creativity, and it might be the prettiest, most unusual thing you watch today. Cheatin' is out in theaters April 3.
- 2/26/2015
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
Gkids, the American distributor behind 2015 animated Oscar nominees "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and "Song of the Sea," has picked up North American rights to "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet." This animated telling of Gibran's bestselling 1923 book played the festival circuit, including a Cannes premiere, last year. It has been slated for a summer 2015 release. The film unfolds across standalone chapters by ten directors including Tomm Moore ("Song of the Sea"), Nina Paley ("Sita Sings the Blues") and Bill Plympton ("Cheatin'"). Co-producer Salma Hayek fought hard to bring the celebrated Lebanese poet's work to the screen, and helped close this deal. Watch: Salma Hayek on Why She's Passionate About "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" The voice cast includes Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella and Alfred Molina. The score is by Oscar winner Gabriel Yared (The English...
- 2/5/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
2015 will see two new Pixar animated features come to theaters and win over audiences worldwide. But while this year looks like it’s going to be a profitable one for the studio behind films that have become pillars of computer animation, 2014 was a quiet year for them. As a result, other studios like WB and “The Lego Movie” or Dreamworks and the second installment in the “How to Train Your Dragon” series had much less competition during most of the year.
Another great side effect of this Pixar-less year was the attention given to much smaller features with inventive stories and handcrafted visual artistry. Among these, traditional animation soared with the release of new films from acclaimed animators like Bill Plympton, Cartoon Saloon's Tomm Moore, and Studio Ghibli’s Isao Takahata, as well as Signe Baumane’s mind-bending feature debut. There were also 3D animated alternatives from two pairs of French filmmakers, Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo and Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu.
From the 20 films competing to be nominated as Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, only 6 were created using 2D animation and only one, Laika’s “The Boxtrolls,” represented the stop-motion technique. But despite being outnumbered by works done solely using digital tools, these films prove that intimate storytelling and laborious work can certainly be more rewarding than following the industry’s conventions.
Since these films and their creators often don’t have the resources that major studios do for promotion, several of them might have slipped through the cracks. However, they are worthy of as much, or even more praise as any big budget animated feature released last year. Here is a list of 8 of them that deserve a wider audience. Many of them are visual wonders that challenge our imagination in heartwarming, intelligent, and even provocative ways. Furthermore, two of them managed to become Academy Award nominees against the odds.
"Cheatin'"
Dir: Bill Plympton
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bill Plympton Studios
Where to Watch? Plympton's latest screened at numerous festivals around the world during 2013- 2014 and it had a one-week theatrical run in Los Angeles back in August. For information on future screenings and a possible Blu-ray/DVD release visit the film's official site Here or follow the director on Facebook and on Twitter @plymptoons
"Giovanni's Island"
Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese/Russian
U.S Distribution: Gkids
PC: Production I.G.
Where to Watch? After playing at several festivals the film received a one-week qualifying run in Los Angeles last November. For future information on a broader theatrical or home entertainment release visit Gkids or Production I.G.
"Henry & Me"
Dir: Barrett Esposito
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: Henry & Me Productions
PC: Reveal Animation Studios
Where to Watch? Following a short NYC theatrical run in August, the film became available on DVD and digital platforms on September 30, 2014.
"Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart"
Dir: Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu
Country: France/Belgium
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Shout! Factory
Isa: EuropaCorp
Where to Watch? The film opened theatrically in select cities on September 24, 2014. It's now available on Blu-Ray/DVD and digital platforms.
"Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants"
Dir: Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo
Country: France/Belgium
Language: No Dialogue
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Futurikon
Where to Watch? The film had its qualifying one-week theatrical run in December. For a future opportunities to see the film check the official site Here.
"Rocks in My Pockets"
Dir: Signe Baumane
Country: Latvia
Language: English/Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Where to Watch? Although the film opened back in August, there are still a few theatrical engagements coming up. Find them Here. It will also be released on DVD/Digital Download on January 29, 2015 via the film's official site.
"Song of the Sea" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Tomm Moore
Country: Ireland/Luxembourg/Belgium/France/Denmark
Language: English/ Scottish Gaelic
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: WestEnd Films
Where to Watch? Currently playing in Los Angeles, NYC, and Toronto and expanding to more U.S. cities in upcoming weeks. For exact dates visit Here.
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Isao Takahata
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: Wild Bunch
Where to Watch? Currently playing in several theaters around the country. For exact locations and dates visit Here . The film will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on February 17, 2015.
Another great side effect of this Pixar-less year was the attention given to much smaller features with inventive stories and handcrafted visual artistry. Among these, traditional animation soared with the release of new films from acclaimed animators like Bill Plympton, Cartoon Saloon's Tomm Moore, and Studio Ghibli’s Isao Takahata, as well as Signe Baumane’s mind-bending feature debut. There were also 3D animated alternatives from two pairs of French filmmakers, Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo and Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu.
From the 20 films competing to be nominated as Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, only 6 were created using 2D animation and only one, Laika’s “The Boxtrolls,” represented the stop-motion technique. But despite being outnumbered by works done solely using digital tools, these films prove that intimate storytelling and laborious work can certainly be more rewarding than following the industry’s conventions.
Since these films and their creators often don’t have the resources that major studios do for promotion, several of them might have slipped through the cracks. However, they are worthy of as much, or even more praise as any big budget animated feature released last year. Here is a list of 8 of them that deserve a wider audience. Many of them are visual wonders that challenge our imagination in heartwarming, intelligent, and even provocative ways. Furthermore, two of them managed to become Academy Award nominees against the odds.
"Cheatin'"
Dir: Bill Plympton
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bill Plympton Studios
Where to Watch? Plympton's latest screened at numerous festivals around the world during 2013- 2014 and it had a one-week theatrical run in Los Angeles back in August. For information on future screenings and a possible Blu-ray/DVD release visit the film's official site Here or follow the director on Facebook and on Twitter @plymptoons
"Giovanni's Island"
Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese/Russian
U.S Distribution: Gkids
PC: Production I.G.
Where to Watch? After playing at several festivals the film received a one-week qualifying run in Los Angeles last November. For future information on a broader theatrical or home entertainment release visit Gkids or Production I.G.
"Henry & Me"
Dir: Barrett Esposito
Country: U.S.
Language: English
U.S Distribution: Henry & Me Productions
PC: Reveal Animation Studios
Where to Watch? Following a short NYC theatrical run in August, the film became available on DVD and digital platforms on September 30, 2014.
"Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart"
Dir: Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu
Country: France/Belgium
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Shout! Factory
Isa: EuropaCorp
Where to Watch? The film opened theatrically in select cities on September 24, 2014. It's now available on Blu-Ray/DVD and digital platforms.
"Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants"
Dir: Hélène Giraud & Thomas Szabo
Country: France/Belgium
Language: No Dialogue
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Futurikon
Where to Watch? The film had its qualifying one-week theatrical run in December. For a future opportunities to see the film check the official site Here.
"Rocks in My Pockets"
Dir: Signe Baumane
Country: Latvia
Language: English/Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Where to Watch? Although the film opened back in August, there are still a few theatrical engagements coming up. Find them Here. It will also be released on DVD/Digital Download on January 29, 2015 via the film's official site.
"Song of the Sea" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Tomm Moore
Country: Ireland/Luxembourg/Belgium/France/Denmark
Language: English/ Scottish Gaelic
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: WestEnd Films
Where to Watch? Currently playing in Los Angeles, NYC, and Toronto and expanding to more U.S. cities in upcoming weeks. For exact dates visit Here.
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" - Academy Award Nominee
Dir: Isao Takahata
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: Gkids
Isa: Wild Bunch
Where to Watch? Currently playing in several theaters around the country. For exact locations and dates visit Here . The film will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD on February 17, 2015.
- 1/18/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
We're winding down the year-in-review game here at HitFix as 2014 draws to a close. For whatever reason I took a year off of the ballot/superlatives posts, but I'm back with those personal assessments of the best of the year, beginning today with my top picks across the Academy's 24 categories. Check back in tomorrow for a list of winners from this lot, as well as others in a slew of peripheral categories. And of course, feel free to let us know what your Oscar ballot would look like in the comments section below. (Oh, and naturally it goes without saying this post is living in a parallel reality where I'm not confined to a specific branch for nominations and reign supreme over all categories with selections for each.) We'll find out if the Academy agrees with any of this when the 87th annual Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 15. *** Best...
- 12/30/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Yay! One of my favorite animated films of 2014 topped the recently announced 2014 Annie Awards honoring excellence in the field of animation. Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi's "The Boxtrolls" received 12 nominations including Best Animated Feature. The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at UCLA.s Royce Hall. For more information on the Annie Awards, click here.
Here's the full list of nominees for the 2015 Annie Awards
Production Categories
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
Cheatin' - Plymptoons Studio
How to Train Your Dragon 2 - DreamWorks Animation
Song of the Sea - Gkids/Cartoon Saloon
The Book of Life - Reel FX
The Boxtrolls - Focus Features/Laika
The Lego Movie -Warner Bros. Pictures
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya - Gkids/Studio Ghibli
Best Animated Special Production
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey - Voyager Pictures LLC
Dawn of the...
Here's the full list of nominees for the 2015 Annie Awards
Production Categories
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
Cheatin' - Plymptoons Studio
How to Train Your Dragon 2 - DreamWorks Animation
Song of the Sea - Gkids/Cartoon Saloon
The Book of Life - Reel FX
The Boxtrolls - Focus Features/Laika
The Lego Movie -Warner Bros. Pictures
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya - Gkids/Studio Ghibli
Best Animated Special Production
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey - Voyager Pictures LLC
Dawn of the...
- 12/1/2014
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Monday morning, the International Animated Film Society, Asifa-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 42nd Annual Annie Awards, recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. Leading the pack with 13 nominations, including a nod for Best Animated Feature, is Laika Animation's "The Boxtrolls." Dreamworks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon 2" followed with 10 nominations, joining "Boxtrolls" in the Character Animation, Animation Effects, and Best Feature categories. Rounding out the organization's big prize are "Big Hero 6" (seven nominations), "Cheatin'" (three), "Song of the Sea" (seven), "The Book of Life" (five), "The Lego Movie" (six), and "The Tale of Kaguya" (three). The Annie Awards also announced nominations in TV, video game and short subject categories. “We had a steady increase in submissions this year and I am excited to say it’s going to be a great awards ceremony,” remarked Asifa-Hollywood Executive Director, Frank Gladstone. “We added a new category...
- 12/1/2014
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
The Academy has announced the 10 animated short films that have advanced in this year's Oscar race. Five nominees will be announced along with all other categories on January 15, 2015. Worth noting: Between "Footprints" here and "Cheatin'" in the animated feature race, legend in the field Bill Plympton has two shots at Oscar recognition this year. The biggest absence here is "Lava" from Pixar, which was apparently eligible despite releasing with next year's feature "Inside Out." Disney is represented by "Big Hero 6" tag-along "Feast," however. Check out the full list below. "The Bigger Picture," Daisy Jacobs, director, and Christopher Hees, producer (National Film and Television School) "Coda," Alan Holly, director (And Maps And Plans) "The Dam Keeper," Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, directors (Tonko House) "Duet," Glen Keane, director (Glen Keane Productions & Atap) "Feast," Patrick Osborne, director, and Kristina Reed, producer (Walt Disney Animation Studios) "Footprints," Bill Plympton, director (Bill Plympton Studio) "Me and My Moulton,...
- 11/5/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
The bad thing with anthology films is that the quality can vary from short to short but that also happens to be the good thing about anthology films because if something is really terrible, it'll be over in just a few minutes and a new possible bit of awesome starts. That was certainly the case with the first ABCs of Death and that's likely also going to be true of the follow-up but judging from the opening of the trailer, the sequel is already looking like all sorts of awesome.
The line-up of directors this time around is nothing to scoff about and includes the Twisted Twins (Dead Hooker in a Trunk, American Mary), world renowned animator Bill Plympton (Cheatin'), Vincenzo Natali (Haunter, Splice, Cube), E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills), [Continued ...]...
The line-up of directors this time around is nothing to scoff about and includes the Twisted Twins (Dead Hooker in a Trunk, American Mary), world renowned animator Bill Plympton (Cheatin'), Vincenzo Natali (Haunter, Splice, Cube), E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills), [Continued ...]...
- 9/2/2014
- QuietEarth.us
This is a 2-minute sneak peek at a crazy animated feature film called Cheatin', which comes from animator Bill Plympton. He will be at San Diego Comic-Con to show off his film with some never-before-seen clips. THR premiered the first clip from the film, and it features a terrifyingly muscular character named Jake, who is arming himself with a ridiculous amount of weapons.
Plympton raised $100,000 for the project through Kickstarter, and he created each of the 40,000 illustrations that compose the film by himself.
The story is as "an animated adult tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and murder—full of nudity and violence, but also with my surreal sense of humor." According to the report Jake "falls in love with Ella before a scheming 'other' woman drives a wedge between them."...
Plympton raised $100,000 for the project through Kickstarter, and he created each of the 40,000 illustrations that compose the film by himself.
The story is as "an animated adult tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and murder—full of nudity and violence, but also with my surreal sense of humor." According to the report Jake "falls in love with Ella before a scheming 'other' woman drives a wedge between them."...
- 7/18/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Hey, New York! The Friar's Club Comedy Film Festival kicks off another quality year April first with the world premiere of James Roday's horror comedy Gravy and we've got tickets to give away for opening night plus other screenings throughout the festival!You want to check out Alex van Warmerdam's Borgman? Bill Plympton's Cheatin'? Alex de la Iglesia's Witching And Bitching? Eddie Mullins' indie hit Doomsdays? And, of course the aforementioned Gravy? We've got tickets for all of those to give away and all you need to do to claim a pair is email me here, tell me which film you want to see, and tell me a joke. Preferably a good one. Get to it!...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/27/2014
- Screen Anarchy
The sixth annual Friars Club Comedy Film Festival is back with a bunch of hilarity-centric features, docs and shorts, running April 1-5. This year's opening night film will be the world premiere of James Roday's "Gravy," the "Psych" star's directional debut. The dark comedy follows the Halloween horror-chaos that ensues after odd group of characters order a different kind of dish at a Mexican cantina. "We're excited to bring back the film festival, due to popular demand," said Eric Johnson, executive director of the fest. "For an opening film, we're looking for something unique, daring and funny, with a fresh and original take on the comedy genre, and James Roday¹s film hits all the marks." The Festival's centerpiece will be the premiere of co-director Howie Mandel's documentary "Committed," which follows comedian Vic Cohen on a 13-year quest for success. Closing the event will be the New York...
- 3/25/2014
- by Taylor Lindsay
- Indiewire
The Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled its lineups in the Special Screenings, Beyond and Shorts programs for the 20th edition of the fest. This year's films include alumni filmmakers Bill Plympton and Lise Raven, with Slamdance veterans in front of the camera including Benh Zeitlin, Chris Nolan, Rian Johnson and Marc Forster, as well as the directorial debut of Joe Manganiello ("True Blood"). Plympton’s “Cheatin’” will open the fest, and Lise Raven’s “Kinderwald” closes it out.The expanded short film programs include 62 American and International productions including 24 World, 5 North American and 8 Us Premieres. The 2014 Shorts showcase includes Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Anarchy and a new Experimental Program. Slamdance runs January 17th - 23rd, 2014 in Park City, Utah. Special Screenings Program Features Cheatin' - Director: Bill Plympton(USA) North American PremiereA newlywed wife proves the depth of her love by becoming her cheating...
- 12/9/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Oscar winning independent animator Bill Plympton needs your help. Not your actual help, really, he's got skilled people (himself included) on hand to do all the actual work. He just needs your money. Plympton is plugging away on his 7th feature film, Cheatin', he's messing with a new approach to coloring his work and - not being funded by the monstrosity that is Disney or any other such corporate entity - he's looking for help to get this thing over the finish line in a reasonable length of time.Cheatin' is an animated adult tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and murder - full of nudity and violence, but also with my surreal sense of humor. The story is inspired by the work of James M. Cain...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 12/28/2012
- Screen Anarchy
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