Cartoons and Film

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As a filmmaker, I've made it a conscious effort to base my style around one of my oldest and dearest pasttimes: comic books and newspaper comic strips (particularly the editorial cartoons of David Horsey).

In the past, filmmakers as diverse as David Lynch, Joe Dante, Terry Gilliam, Stanley Kubrick, Luis Bunuel, and Sergio Leone have successfully incorporated caricature into their unique styles.

I've been wondering, what are the benefits/downsides of caricature? Do the same rules apply to film as they do to cartoons? What strategies must a filmmaker use to convince the audience that what they're looking at is an exaggeration, not "reality?"

― Anthony (Anthony F), Monday, 3 May 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"What strategies must a filmmaker use to convince the audience that what they're looking at is an exaggeration, not "reality?" "

Formalistic ones, of course: high saturation images, fisheye lens, any exaggerated imagery is helpful.

You mentioned Gilliam, and I think "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a perfect example of caricature. FLLV manages to hold that fine line between reality and hallucination through its special effects, bizarre angles, over-the-top dialogue and locations (of course, you really don't have to change much in Vegas to make it a locale caricature!!).

It may be of interest that Jem Cohen lists Ben Katchor as one of his biggest influences, and even co-dedicated his wonderful film "Lost Book Found" to him (along with Walter Benjamin).

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Monday, 3 May 2004 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

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