The Most Amazing Animated Film You'll Never See

[Eutychus]

I don't know what to say; I'm still in shock and just a tad dazzled by the most amazing animated film I have EVER seen.

"Sita Sings the Blues"

This, my friends, is what animation was made for. No more silly talking animals or insipid fairy tales. No, this is a completely sipid fairy tale. The story of Rama and Sita from an old Indian folk tale told against the background of the breakup of a San Francisco based animator and her boyfriend.

Sorry, I have no words. My mind is still in a complete state of wonder. The absolutely amazing animation (I counted at least four different interlocking styles) is even more amazing as the entire film was done virtually by one woman, Nina Paley.

Sadly, you'll probably never see it in theaters. Paley had a bit of trouble getting permission for use of songs by Annette Hanshaw that she wasn't able to finance its distribution. So, in a remarkable move, she gave it our for free.

You have to see it. You HAVE to. I don't wanna hear another word about how lame animated movies are these days until you've seen this.

Here : http://www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13...es-online/347/

[photopat]

Thanks Eut. I don't have time to watch it all now, but it looks great, so I'll definitely find the time.

[Dan Norder]

Originally Posted by Eutychus

Paley had a bit of trouble getting permission for use of songs by Annette Hanshaw that she wasn't able to finance its distribution. So, in a remarkable move, she gave it our for free.

What are you saying here: she couldn't get legal permission to distribute the film with the music? So instead of paying to use it she put it online? If the problem is indeed not having the rights she still doesn't have rights, right? Either your explanation is confused or this is a copyright violation and shouldn't be linked here.

[Superfluous Parentheses]

Originally Posted by Dan Norder

What are you saying here: she couldn't get legal permission to distribute the film with the music? So instead of paying to use it she put it online? If the problem is indeed not having the rights she still doesn't have rights, right? Either your explanation is confused or this is a copyright violation and shouldn't be linked here.

AFAIK, the rules and penalties for distributing content that includes other people's work are different depending on the way you distribute it and/or whether you charge money. For instance, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy original radio episodes have never been released on record because it would have been too expensive to clear all the commercial music they used as the backing track. Also, it's probably easier to make a "fair use" claim if you're not charging money, or at least not get sued into bankruptcy.

I've also heard of more than one movie that was made on a budget with "borrowed" audio tracks that have never seen releases outside of festivals for the same reason, so all in all it doesn't seem like a completely unreasonable strategy.

[Sitnam]

The original Fantasia, I saw the remake and seeing one movie filled with ballerina hippos has filled my lifetime quota.

[MovieMogul]

Originally Posted by Dan Norder

What are you saying here: she couldn't get legal permission to distribute the film with the music? So instead of paying to use it she put it online? If the problem is indeed not having the rights she still doesn't have rights, right? Either your explanation is confused or this is a copyright violation and shouldn't be linked here.

The film's website explains the licensing distinctions (though IANAL so can't vouch for its accuracy).

I've heard of Sita and (the OP's hyperbole aside) look forward to getting the DVD and seeing it for myself.

[Hodge]

It's an awesome piece of art (I highly recommend downloading the gorgeous 1080p HiDef version). And, yes, she does have permission to release the film, just not to collect any money for it. As a result, it has been released on a Creative Commons Share Alike license, free for all to download and distribute for free. There's also a storefront setup selling merchandise (limited at the moment) as well as a donation button. I already donated the approximate price of a DVD. Well worth it, IMHO.

[Argent Towers]

No, the most amazing animated film you'll never see is The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams.

[jackdavinci]

I haven't bothered to watch the whole thing yet, I'm waiting for an ipod version or time to convert it to ipod myself. But I caught the beginning. I actually like the original soundtrack better than the copyright ballads. It's available on the musicians' website.

[MacSpon]

Originally Posted by Superfluous Parentheses

For instance, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy original radio episodes have never been released on record because it would have been too expensive to clear all the commercial music they used as the backing track.

Well, except that they have been released.

[Annie]

I saw this at the VIFF last year and was absolutely charmed; I waited for a DVD release, but since that was not to be, I've been spamming the link to all and sundry. The commentators are my favourite part. That, and Sita's very hourglass figure.

[Cisco]

Sucks. Nah, I'm just kidding. Wouldn't that be funny if someone said that? Seriously, though: TLDW.

[gaffa]

Originally Posted by jackdavinci

I haven't bothered to watch the whole thing yet, I'm waiting for an ipod version or time to convert it to ipod myself. But I caught the beginning. I actually like the original soundtrack better than the copyright ballads. It's available on the musicians' website.

You can find it in any number of different sizes, including some ideal for iPod on the Archive.org project page.

[ianzin]

Well, I just sat through the first six minutes. At no point did the creator feel inclined to tell me what her film is about, or to introduce anything resembling a character, story or plot. There were three sequences, none of which seemed to relate to each other, give me any information or move anything forward. So I stopped bothering to watch.

This may be a great artistic achievement, and I liked some of the music. But I didn't get any sense that there was any structure, or that investing more time in it was going to be very fruitful. Just my ignorant two cents.

[Mojo Pin]

Bookmarked for later.

Originally Posted by ianzin

Well, I just sat through the first six minutes. At no point did the creator feel inclined to tell me what her film is about, or to introduce anything resembling a character, story or plot. There were three sequences, none of which seemed to relate to each other, give me any information or move anything forward. So I stopped bothering to watch.

This may be a great artistic achievement, and I liked some of the music. But I didn't get any sense that there was any structure, or that investing more time in it was going to be very fruitful. Just my ignorant two cents.

You serious? I did watch the first 7-8 minutes, and they couldn't possibly set the story up any more clearly. Big blue letters that say Based on the Ramayana, some of the most recognizable deities in the world floating around, and then three silhouettes with indian accents that explain everything, with labels, even. Short of a trailer with all the highlight explosions and snappy dialogue, I don't know what more you expect.

[Eutychus]

Originally Posted by Sitnam

The original Fantasia, I saw the remake and seeing one movie filled with ballerina hippos has filled my lifetime quota.

Sorry ... no ballerina hippos here. There is a dancing monkey, but he's actually part of the plot and not just a distraction.

[singular1]

Sorry, I agree with ianzin. Six minutes, nothing happens. Since I have no idea what Ramayana is (other than a word that's fun to roll around in your head), that's not really a clue. Once they get locked into scribble mode, they lost me.
I notice even you "bookmarked for later", so it certainly didn't grip you with an irresistible fever to see it, now, did it?

[Frylock]

Up until about the five minute mark, you're basically watching an opening credit sequence without credits. Some movies have plot during the opening credits, but others (what comes to mind is the James Bond films) do not. In the Bond films and many others, what you get for the first few minutes is a series of pictures or animations riffing on themes from the movie. And that's what you have in this film as well. I can understand having been thrown off by the lack of actual credit attributions. But that's what's going on.

As soon as that's over, you start getting explicit and easy-to-follow plot development. There's a mundane, happy couple in San Francisco, the male partner of which just got a job offer in India. That's plot.

[Mojo Pin]

Originally Posted by singular1

Sorry, I agree with ianzin. Six minutes, nothing happens. Since I have no idea what Ramayana is (other than a word that's fun to roll around in your head), that's not really a clue. Once they get locked into scribble mode, they lost me.
I notice even you "bookmarked for later", so it certainly didn't grip you with an irresistible fever to see it, now, did it?

Yea I did, but that's because I had a tutor coming over (just finished). Anyway, I think it's interesting enough (the banter between the silhouettes was pretty funny) I'll download the hifi version and watch it. Does anyone know if I can download the hifi without giving a donation?

edit: If you're stuck at the 6 min mark, just watch for 2 more bloody minutes, more interesting characters appear. I mean come on, we have a fellow doper knocked off his feet here, and you can't give him the benefit of the doubt for 10 minutes of your life? I'm convinced it'll be worth it.

edit: Hmm, Eutychus did say "Best animated film you'll never see"...

[Eutychus]

I should have said "in Theaters" ... although this would be spectacular on a big screen.

You have to give it more than six minutes. And you don't get "locked-down" into that squiggle-vision style. As I said, that's just one style of animation used. Paley uses that style to tell her own story (although I really don't know how autobiographical it is), and at least three others when she is telling the story of Rama and Sita. And the music is to die for.

That's all!

[Terraplane]

I just finished watching this, it was really neat. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Prox]

I watched this a few weeks back, and it is indeed fantastic. I've been talking up since then, and everyone who's watched it has loved it.

[Beware of Doug]

Originally Posted by Eutychus

Sadly, you'll probably never see it in theaters. Paley had a bit of trouble getting permission for use of songs by Annette Hanshaw that she wasn't able to finance its distribution. So, in a remarkable move, she gave it our for free.

The problem here, sadly, is Annette Hanshaw herself, a marvelous 1920s and 30s singer.

Most recorded pop music from the pre-World War II era is too old and obscure to have any mass marketability, but most of it is still owned lock stock and barrel by Big Media. Economies of scale mean they would lose money any time they wrote up a contract for something that might not sell in the millions. Licensing this stuff would cost more than it could ever make back, and giving it away any cheaper would create an ominous legal precedent. So the owners prefer it kept in commercial limbo, not to be available at all.

Here's a look at the situation in Nina Paley's case.

[vdgg81]

I'd like to thank the OP for bringing this movie to my attention. I did not find it amazing, but it was good fun and the soundtrack was spectacular. The original music for the movie was good and the Annette Hanshaw stuff was wonderful. I'm definitely going to start listening to her stuff.

[jackdavinci]

Originally Posted by gaffa

You can find it in any number of different sizes, including some ideal for iPod on the Archive.org project page.

I saw that, but I don't see any specifically listed as ipod compatible.

[AngelSoft]

I enjoyed this film quite a bit. Although I will admit I was a little lost during the first five minutes or so. I loved the alternating art styles, however the modern day "story within the story" seemed to not quite fit with the feel of the rest of the film.

I was also lost a bit during some of the song sequences. Especially during the trial by fire. And...a question in regards to the original myth. Is Rama supposed to be seen as a dickhead? Or was he acting in a culturally acceptable and even admirable way?

[commasense]

As a friend of Nina's who's been watching this project come along for three years, I'm gratified at this thread, and the mostly positive reactions Sita has gotten here. Needless to say, I second Eutychus's (and others') recommendations.

And if our recommendations aren't compelling enough for you, read Roger Ebert's rave review.

jackdavinci: please watch it on something larger than your iPod. It really deserves as large a screen as you can manage.

ianzin and singular1: Your attention spans don't extend beyond five or six minutes?!? Remind me not to go to the movies with you! Maybe this isn't the movie for you, but I think if you give it another try you may find you enjoy it.

Originally Posted by AngelSoft

And...a question in regards to the original myth. Is Rama supposed to be seen as a dickhead? Or was he acting in a culturally acceptable and even admirable way?

I'm not an expert, and haven't even read the Ramayana, but what I gather from my conversations with Nina is that, for most of the myth's life, Rama has been seen as acting properly, even if it's not entirely clear what his motivations are. It's only in more modern times that his behavior is seen as more questionable. And of course, Nina is turning the story around and looking at it from Sita's point of view, paralleled with her own life story. (Her original title was Sitayana.)

[gaffa]

Originally Posted by jackdavinci

I saw that, but I don't see any specifically listed as ipod compatible.

The 3 in the column labeled "h.264 MPEG4" are all iPod compatible and should be able to import into your iTunes and copy to your iPod with no conversion. The different sizes will work on different iPods. Get the small if you have a Nano, the large if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch.

[ñañi]

Originally Posted by AngelSoft

And...a question in regards to the original myth. Is Rama supposed to be seen as a dickhead? Or was he acting in a culturally acceptable and even admirable way?

The Ramayana is FULL of instances of Rama acting just as you describe him. I'm pretty sure the average Hindu (as if that really existed) does not see him in a bad light, but he is just constantly screwing with people throughout that epic for no good reason. Like, his wife, and the Monkey King, and Hanuman, etc. etc.

[Panurge]

Originally Posted by ñañi

The Ramayana is FULL of instances of Rama acting just as you describe him. I'm pretty sure the average Hindu (as if that really existed) does not see him in a bad light, but he is just constantly screwing with people throughout that epic for no good reason. Like, his wife, and the Monkey King, and Hanuman, etc. etc.

True. Even though he is much more of a "good boy" than the protagonists in one of the other great Indian epics, the (vastly more complicated) Mahabharata. Rama always does the right thing (according to scripture) and that makes him a rather boring hero, IMO. The Pandavas (from the Mahabharata) are much more faulty characters (they cheat in warfare, Yudhishtira loses their wife in a game of dice, etc.). I don't know of any animated versions of the Mahabharata, so instead, I'll give you something completely different. It is more limited in scope, but could certainly qualify as "best (obscure) animated film", as per the OP:
Please say something, a wonderful animated short by David O'Reilly. The film won a Golden Bear for "Best Short" at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival. At times it reminds me of an animated version of Chris Ware's stuff - there are definitely stylistic overlaps.

[singular1]

That was gorgeous!
I'm going to set aside some time and watch Sita with Mr. singular this weekend, with no distractions. I do love the music, and I want to give this movie the time and attention it deserves.

[ianzin]

Originally Posted by commasense

ianzin / Your attention spans don't extend beyond five or six minutes?!? Remind me not to go to the movies with you! Maybe this isn't the movie for you, but I think if you give it another try you may find you enjoy it.

Hi Commasense. What I said was that I watched the first six minutes of this particular animated film and didn't feel inclined to watch any more. You have extrapolated from this to a blanket assertion about my having a limited attention span. This is not the case. Thank you for sharing your negative, judgmental nature, but you weren't asked to.

[Bridget Burke]

Originally Posted by ianzin

Hi Commasense. What I said was that I watched the first six minutes of this particular animated film and didn't feel inclined to watch any more. You have extrapolated from this to a blanket assertion about my having a limited attention span. This is not the case. Thank you for sharing your negative, judgmental nature, but you weren't asked to.

Thank me, too! I haven't watched the film yet, but will give it more than six minutes.

[commasense]

Originally Posted by ianzin

Hi Commasense. What I said was that I watched the first six minutes of this particular animated film and didn't feel inclined to watch any more. You have extrapolated from this to a blanket assertion about my having a limited attention span. This is not the case. Thank you for sharing your negative, judgmental nature, but you weren't asked to.

ianzin: If I were you, I wouldn't jump to criticize someone else's "negative, judgmental nature."

I apologize if my comment appeared snarky, but that was not my intent. I hoped it would be read in a much more light-hearted, joshing tone than you apparently gave it. Hence my suggestion that you give the film another chance, as others did.

I have nothing but respect for you as a poster, and for your real-life work, and I regret that you misinterpreted my post.

[CalMeacham]

I've heard many people say that Richard Williams' The Thief and the Cobbler/ Nasruddin is the most amazing animated film you'll never see. I have a copy of the release version, but everyone agrees that it's a very pale imitation of his original vision (and even of extant footage not included in the release). A crying shame -- the animation by Williams I've seen (He did the animation in Who Framed Roger rabbit, for insytance) is gorgeous.

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/A...303/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thief_and_the_Cobbler

http://www.heartbeatthemagazine.com/...31907thief.htm

[Baldwin]

The opening sequence, before we get to San Francisco, is fantastic. I'm about to watch the rest. Eutychus, when I saw the thread title, I thought this was the movie you were talking about (after reading Roger Ebert's article). Thanks for the link!

[Cajun Man]

Originally Posted by Hodge

It's an awesome piece of art (I highly recommend downloading the gorgeous 1080p HiDef version). And, yes, she does have permission to release the film, just not to collect any money for it. As a result, it has been released on a Creative Commons Share Alike license, free for all to download and distribute for free. There's also a storefront setup selling merchandise (limited at the moment) as well as a donation button. I already donated the approximate price of a DVD. Well worth it, IMHO.

The 1080p HiDef version is amazing.

I'm impatiently waiting for the release of the DVD.

This is one of the best animated films I've ever seen.

[AngelSoft]

Ok so upon watching this for a second time, I'd like to recant my comment about the SF scenes not fitting in. They seemed to work for me this time.

Also...the god and goddess in the beginning sequence. Are they...

SPOILER:

supposed to be Sita and Rama? Because I wasn't quite sure exactly what happened to her at the end of the film. Did she become a goddess? And also completely random question...why the hell was he blue?

[Panurge]

Yes, yes they are. And he just is.

[Eutychus]

Originally Posted by AngelSoft

Ok so upon watching this for a second time, I'd like to recant my comment about the SF scenes not fitting in. They seemed to work for me this time.

Also...the god and goddess in the beginning sequence. Are they...

SPOILER:

supposed to be Sita and Rama? Because I wasn't quite sure exactly what happened to her at the end of the film. Did she become a goddess? And also completely random question...why the hell was he blue?

I should point out (unless you noticed it already) watch the opening scene and then watch the closing scene. Compare and contrast.

[Lamia]

I'm unspoilering this part because it isn't a spoiler:

Originally Posted by AngelSoft

And also completely random question...why the hell was he blue?

I'm not Hindu, so I may be mangling this somewhat, but the god depicted as having four arms and being blue is Vishnu. I say "depicted as" because Vishnu is an omnipotent, omnipresent god and so doesn't really have a body. He can manifest himself in whatever form he likes, but he is depicted in Hindu art in a standardized way. Wikipedia tells me the blue color is because the sky and ocean are blue, and Vishnu is vast like the sky and ocean.

Anyway, Rama is an avatar of Vishnu. So is Krishna. Both are often but not always depicted as being blue like Vishnu. I don't think this is meant to be taken literally though, it's just to show their connection to Vishnu. In life they presumably had ordinary complexions.

Vishnu's female companion is the goddess Lakshmi (who isn't blue, but is also depicted with four arms), and Sita is an avatar of Lakshmi.

[Apocalypso]

Originally Posted by MacSpon

Well, except that they have been released.

With the original music and sound? I thought they re-worked some of it because of copyright issues.

[sqweels]

Anyone familiar with Rock and Rule?

[choie]

I saw it just to prove the OP wrong. Seriously, thank you for bringing this link to us. It's a wonderful film and a remarkable achievement. It does take a bit of concentration at first, and you need to divest yourself of the need for strict chronological/linear storytelling (or consistency in animation styles), but if you give over to Ms. Paley's incredible imagination and vision, it's one helluva ride. My favorite parts were the shadow puppet sections with the contemporary Indian perspective on the Sita/Rama story.

At first I found myself distracted by the Annette Hanshaw sections, funnily enough, even though I knew her music was a big inspiration for the filmmaker; I love that genre of music on its own, but I was impatient and just wanted to get back to the modern story or the Sita plot. (And I have to say that her "that's all"s bugged me, for some reason.) But after a while I started digging it. Really astonishing that Ms. Paley accomplished this almost completely by herself.

When we reached the end, I found myself ill-at-ease 'cause I kept wondering what happened to one of the characters who seemed to be unaccounted for.

SPOILER:

Lexi! To my delight, the credits answered that question, and in a happy way. Still, I'm dying to know the real story behind "Dave" and his asshattish behavior. Was he seeing someone else? Was he planning to leave her the whole time? Argh! Still, it was "tactful" (as the NYTimes article calls it) of her to leave his tale untold.

BTW, I was almost turned off from viewing this (I'm contrary like that) by the OP's rather lofty dismissals of other animation, especially Disney-esque/Pixar-style animation, and pooh-poohing it because it often features talking animals or fairy tale elements. Mythology is rife with talking animals -- heck, we've got a half-monkey figure in Sita's tale -- and if a story is well told, I don't care if it uses humans or animals or fairies or Hindu deities or jazz or blues or classical music or a sixties-action-film-inspired score to do it. I don't see why one has to laud one film style by denigrating another. Might wanna try another tactic if you're trying to encourage fans to see a movie they might enjoy.

[Lamia]

Originally Posted by sqweels

Anyone familiar with Rock and Rule?

Yes, but I don't know if "amazing" is quite the word I'd used. Actually, I don't know what adjective best describes that movie! It's really something, though.

I do have to say that Rock & Rule has a truly great supervillain character, one of my favorites.

[Miller]

Originally Posted by gaffa

The 3 in the column labeled "h.264 MPEG4" are all iPod compatible and should be able to import into your iTunes and copy to your iPod with no conversion. The different sizes will work on different iPods. Get the small if you have a Nano, the large if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch.

I've been trying to download one of those so I can put it on my iPhone, but whenever I click on a link, the movie starts playing in my browser, instead of downloading the file onto my computer. How do I just get the file?

[Jeff Lichtman]

Originally Posted by Miller

I've been trying to download one of those so I can put it on my iPhone, but whenever I click on a link, the movie starts playing in my browser, instead of downloading the file onto my computer. How do I just get the file?

If you're using a PC, do a right click and select "save as." On a Mac, click and hold until a menu comes up, then select "save to disk" or "save target as."

[Miller]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lichtman

If you're using a PC, do a right click and select "save as." On a Mac, click and hold until a menu comes up, then select "save to disk" or "save target as."

I tried that, and there's an option to "Save as QuickTime file" or "Save as Source," but neither do anything if I select them. They both have a little "PRO" bubble next to them, so I'm assuming that I can't do that unless I upgrade my version of Quicktime.

[ExTank]

I've watched about 1/2 of it, and am downloading it now.

This rocks. The animation style isn't anything ground-breaking, but it's used to excellent effect, with mild humor. The "narrators" are a hoot.

[zoid]

How old a child would you recommend this for? I'd like to watch it with my daughter.
I'll watch it on my own anyway if it's not appropriate but if it's as good as you all say I'm sure she'd love it (She's 11 BTW).