The Secret of Kells
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I really liked it. The animation was 2d, yet something new and fresh (imo of course). And the music in the film was amazing.
The plot is a bit lacklusting, but the animation is one of the most impressive ones I have seen in a while.
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I liked it very much. The story follows the rhythms of a tale told around a campfire rather than an action movie.
It's charming, meant for children, both accurate and, well, completely ahistorical, all at once.
It helps if you know what The Book of Kells is.
And the artistry is quite lovely.
It helps if you know what The Book of Kells is.
And the artistry is quite lovely.
Though I have to admit they earned an 'aw' point with me for naming the cat Pangur Ban. Medieval poetry references for the win! On the other hand, they also earn some points in the evil column for what may be the first soundtrack earworm I've ever encountered in Gaelic. I know only a handful of words in the language, but the song just STICKS IN YOUR HEAD.
For those who haven't heard the evil song in question, or seen what the movie's animation style looks like, I give you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFhd8RfCqVg (That's on the YouTube channel of the studio that made the film, so you can find other examples of the animation style on their channel.)
Pangur Ban Pangur Ban,
Nil sa saol seo ach ceo,
Is ni bheimid beo,
ach seal beag gearr...
The Book of Kells is a Gospel text; that is, it consists of the New Testament books of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, with some special tools, like a table that cross references passages in the books.
It's written in an Uncial hand; the kind of script most people think of as "Irish" or "Celtic"; it's very very bad Latin, with lots of errors, but it's beautifully done art work.
Text and image are not distinct; the text is and becomes an image.
It's written in an Uncial hand; the kind of script most people think of as "Irish" or "Celtic"; it's very very bad Latin, with lots of errors, but it's beautifully done art work.
Text and image are not distinct; the text is and becomes an image.
It looks like The Boy would love the animation style, but we're doing Norse Yule this year (a Very Viking Christmas) and it appears that the Vikings are the bad guys? Are they really bad, or redeemed at all? Can anyone confirm for me? (if it's a spoiler you don't want to post, please PM).
They are really bad; artistically, they are violent, hooded, dark figures. Some kids, at some ages, would find them nightmarish. They are treated as brutes (and they were brutish in the historical context of the raids).
Here's the official site for the film.
Kells the monastary was raided, devastatingly; we have two first hand reports.
The Book of Kells is believed to have been at least partially created there, and transported elsewhere, eventually ending up in hidden "under a sod."
I don't want to drone on about this but this is one of my areas of specialty. I can post links to pictures, and explain what/why if people want.
The Book of Kells, and its sister mss. are one reason I object to this part of the middle ages being called "the dark ages."
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In the film yeah they're bad. REality too I suppose, they plundered and raped.
However (big aside here), if you ever go to Dublin, it's worth taking the Viking Splash Tour. An open-topped bus tour that also plunges into the grand canal as a boat (boats from WWII); We did it this summer. You learn to roar like a viking and scare all the passers-by (celts, no less!). Great fun!
http://www.vikingsplash.ie/
We also visited the book of Kells in Trinity, beautiful.
LOL - just picked this up over the weekend but haven't watched it yet. (Been on a bit of a Sanctuary kick.)