Fantastc Planet

Fantastic Planet
1973 - France
Directed by Rene Laloux



SYNOPSIS
On the far-off planet of Ygam, the planet's dominant species, the Traag, keep the OMs as pets. The OMs (humans) are tiny creatures from the planet Terra (Earth.) Many OMs have escaped from their masters and live in the wild. One OM named Terr is raised by a Traag girl named Tiwa. He later escapes. Terr takes a learning tool that helps educate the wild population. After the Traags attempt to exterminate the wild OMs, they rise up and kill a Traag and become a definite threat. Can these two very different species achieve peace?




MY THOUGHTS

The very best science fiction is a reflection of the current time. My head is still swimming from this insanely imaginative animated film and I'm uncertain of the exact reflections and I've likely missed many. Enslavement is handled vaguely reminiscent of 'Planet of the Apes' and the rise of the OMs can be likened to the Ewoks battling the Empire in 'Return of the Jedi.' I couldn't help thinking of 'Gulliver's Travels' during the killing of the Traag man, expecting him to be tied down rather than murdered. I'm not sure if the filmmakers were making any comment on the North Vietnamese overcoming the United States in the Vietnam War, which was raging and nearing its end when the film was released.

The film also seems to recount the history of humans. The wild OMs are very tribal and are led by a 'wizard,' much as early sun-worshiping human were. The common people are leery of latching on to new ideas, like the ones Terr brings. He's like a Galileo or a Martin Luther, thwarted by the people in power, but gains people's trust after awhile and dominates. With that knowledge, the people rise in power and take over control of their world (like the Renaissance through to today.)

The animation is one part Salvador Dali (and other surrealists,) one part 'Yellow Submarine,' and one part Terry Gilliam's cartoon segments on 'Monty Python's Flying Circus.' It's psychedelic and surreal. The bizarre alien imagery is like the creepiest elements of Dali's work alive and moving around. I wonder if this will lead to any creepy dreams and/or nightmares tonight. The animation style is very earthy and different from the CGI garbage we're force-fed today.

The musical score is also out of this world it's trippy acid jazz, with funk and some lounge music mixed in and is so different from the music of today it adds an extra element of the surreal (although it fit in at the time.)

The film is definitely a trip and one you should take soon... maybe with some 'enhancement.'
My real question with the film is... why would an advanced race of beings speak French? Highly logical creatures would learn a different language.