This animated film with fantasy elements was released relatively recently - in 2014. And already managed to collect praise from the audience. It is especially nice to see that most of them agree in the opinion that she is the best of her kind. What is the “Book of life?” The cartoon tells an incredible love story that happened against the backdrop of the annual celebration of the Day of the Dead. Agree, a little unusual. But all the more interesting. And although the action takes place in Mexico, the production of the picture was engaged in Hollywood. What attracted the “Book of Life?” Cartoon, its success and features will be the main theme of our article. We will pay special attention to spectator reviews and reviews of film critics.
Creation Features
After watching the trailer, the first impressions will be born in the minds of each viewer. This cartoon will seem unusual. The drawn characters resemble the characters of Tim Burton from his Frankenvini and Corpse of the Bride. “Carolina in the country of nightmares” and “Secret of Kells” come to mind. But in this case there is nothing to do with these films. And, of course, Russian viewers are practically not familiar with the work of Jorge R. Gutierrez. A great opportunity to express himself was the “Book of Life” for him - a cartoon in the creation of which he participated as a screenwriter and director. It turned out or not, let's see further.
Guillermo del Toro, who does not agree to dubious projects, took up the promotion of the picture. A feature of the “Book” was computer animation, significantly different from the visual solution of most other cartoons. The creators chose exactly the direction in which the "Book of Life" was developed. Reviews from the audience said that the cartoon did not lose at all. On the contrary, watching such characters was fascinating and spectacular.
Plot features
Many viewers watching the cartoon note that they were intrigued by the narrative, which includes two stories. They occur parallel to each other, but are necessarily interconnected. Moreover, this was the link in the final outcome. So what is the “Book of life?” The cartoon tells about the traditions observed in Mexico, where the action takes place. Christianity intersects here with faith in spirits. A group of children listens with interest to the museum guide, lifting the veil of secrets and myths. Two gods, Katrina and Shibalba, rule the Kingdom of the Forgotten and the Kingdom of the Forgotten. Their argument begins on Day of the Dead. Joaquin and Manolo, two best friends, are madly in love with Maria. All responsibility rests on the girl’s fragile shoulders: if she prefers Manolo, Sibalba will leave the world of the living alone, if he chooses Joaquin, then he will get the Kingdom of the Unforgotten. The gods descend to earth, take the guise of men, and give parting words to their wards. In their struggle for the right to own the worlds, each of them uses his own means, inciting a war between Manolo and Joaquin. Will true friends be able to maintain their relationship? Who will succumb to Mary for the happiness of another?
Now the cartoon “Book of Life” in Russian can be found freely available on many online portals. The story of friendship and love was released in world hire on October 3, 2014. Russia saw her a little later, in February 2015.
At the heart of real mythology
Before proceeding to the analysis of impressions gained from viewing, it should be said that the authors turned to a real legend, which they know throughout Mexico. Without this legend, the Book of Life would not have taken place. The cartoon refers to Aztec mythology and the two rulers of the world of the dead, which in this interpretation are represented by Shibalba and Katrina. Their cult, called the Holy Death, has survived in modern Mexico, hence the celebration of the Day of the Dead. Often, both characters appear as one. In the “Book of Life” they rule separately, however, attentive viewers will find evidence that once, many centuries ago, they were together. This, in particular, suggests that Shibalba and Katrina still love each other.
The key to success is good
Working on the project, the creators had high hopes for it. Time will tell how successful the “Book of Life” will turn out. Reviews about it for the most part boil down to two obvious facts that influenced success: musical accompaniment and the play of actors.
The famous Mexican dancer and musician Diego Luna voiced one of the main characters - Manolo. However, he wrote a number of compositions that were included in the soundtrack of the cartoon. This included original songs and folk tunes. A separate disc was released in the fall of 2014.
Despite the fact that Mexico was chosen as the place for the development of the plot, work on the creation of the “Book of Life” was carried out at American film studios. Here, they chose those who will enter the acting ensemble, which will give the heroes their starry voices. All selected artists gladly agreed to participate in the animated film “The Book of Life”. The reviews of American viewers unanimously spoke of a harmonious scoring, which added color to it. The composition of the stars included Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube and other celebrities. In the Russian version, the dubbing turned out to be no less spectacular - Anna Denisova, Sergey Chikhachev and others voiced their foreign colleagues.
Overall rating
According to a common rule, a movie’s rating is tracked on the Rotten Tomatoes website. 82% of the positive votes earned the cartoon “Book of Life”. Most of the reviews and ratings of the audience spoke of him as a kind, warm cartoon that raises eternal questions. This undoubtedly allowed the creators of The Book of Life to judge its apparent success.
Confirmation of this are cash indicators. With a budget of 50 million, fees in the world have doubled the costs.
New Wave of Mexican Cinema
Undoubtedly, this should be rejoicing. Mexican cinema successfully marches theaters around the world. Moreover, spreading its influence on the animation. This story, rooted in the tradition of the Mexican people, has become long-awaited in many ways. She owes this to her successful debut, with which the “Book of Life” started. The cartoon is the anthem of the Day of the Dead, which rarely happens in the animation, with the exception of the same Tim Burton and his “Corpse of the Bride”. The relations of the world of the living and the dead have found their audience recognition. This may not be such a simple topic to study, but it certainly came to taste. The masters of the underworld, the spouses Shibalba and Katrina, are storytellers and key characters such as Maria, Joaquin and Manolo; they argue on the poor girl’s heart. The intrigue and such an expected continuation, according to the viewers, consists in the dishonesty of one of them - in order to get ahead of his wife, Shibalba tricked his ward.
Problem of the living and the dead
The Kingdom of the Forgotten and the Kingdom of the Forgotten are original spheres of the universe that, after watching the cartoon, seem quite obvious. They expand the boundaries of the usual paradise and hell, pointing to the place where dead loved ones can go. Such an unusual combination of such delicate aspects, to the surprise of critics, naturally incorporated the Book of Life. Reviews of the film often call death issues more serious than sexual education, about which pictures are shot more often. Some critics suggest making the viewing of The Book of Life a family one - both children and adults will find what to learn from the film. The main task remains the realization of the fact that the dead are always somewhere near us. Maintaining their memory is an everyday work for living people, which can equally bring disappointment and joy.
Death must be talked about openly
In support of the idea of ​​a common family viewing, it should be added that the on-screen narration directly takes the main character to the world of the dead, where he, armed with the support of his ancestors, does not give up in the battle for the heart of his beloved girl. In order to talk with children about death, the Book of Life will help you in the best possible way. The cartoon, reviews of which many viewers boil down to the opinion that a dramatic and mostly tragic mood better contributes to an understanding of issues relating to the world of the living and the dead. So, next to people in the film there are mystical creatures and essences, animated dead people and animals with which the main characters feel naturally. The cartoon "Book of Life", reviews of this confirmation, managed to show romance and humor, mysticism and philosophy, which are revealed throughout its entirety. All these components are connected in the original plexus, different from the familiar canons of the animation genre, which, for example, are used by Disney tapes.
“Toy" aesthetics help understanding
The questions of life and death themselves seem heavy even in an animated embodiment. Therefore, the creators pay special attention to the visualization of the picture by creating a special style that permeates the entire “Book of Life”. The cartoon (reviews of it is a confirmation of this) invites the viewer to soften the depressing mood with the help of carved wooden puppet toys that tell about their love experiences. Spectators will enjoy the big-eyed Maria, the romantic musician-matador Manolo and the warrior Joaquin, who adorned himself with numerous medals. The world around is created from the same “test” - a silent hand-made pig, which became the prototype of a best friend, as well as bulls that are technically complex and reminiscent of the handicraft of an artisan master.
We are not joking with death, we joke about death
Most of the drawn characters correspond to their usual humor. At one time, each of them, whether it was Shrek, Megamind or Lightning McQueen from “Wheelbarrows”, released jokes by which the audience singled out their favorites. How are things with the cartoon “Book of Life”? Reviews of the film often define the theme of subtle humor as one of the components of the success of the “Book”, given its gloomy noir tint. And although Joaquin, Maria, Manolo, as well as Katrina or Shibalba are unlikely to be called true multheroes, the Book of Life does not consider death as a forbidden or veiled topic. On the contrary, the film is full of jokes about the dead, and Day of the Dead is reckoned with the national holiday, as if proving that mourning should not be shown any respect. A look at things often contains pragmatic or cynical subtext that is not averse to voiced by any of the heroes, such as, for example, the feeble old woman in her recollections of the past.
Key aspects of the study
Having chosen a topic that was far from childish for research, the creators of The Book were simply obliged to prescribe the plot lines as accurately as possible, and completely deprive it of any meaninglessness that could have a chance to frighten them off from watching. The motivated behavior of all characters without exception, for whose deeds lie the postulates that are important for life, was the key point on which the “Book of Life” was based. Reviews of the cartoon unanimously prove that this tape, recommended for any audience, covers a wide range of teachings and instructions, probably addressed to both adults and children. Here you can find respect for the elders and preserve the memory of the dead, meet courage and self-sacrifice, which some characters are willing to share the price of their own well-being. Positive in all respects is Manolo. What helps Mary make a choice in his favor? Strong character traits, kindness, mercy and great love do not fail, not only in the “struggle” with another Joaquin, but also in front of the obstacles made by Shibalba. It remains important that such teachings are presented in an unobtrusive form that does not require any deep thought, and therefore are accessible to understanding even by small viewers without prejudice to their children's psyche.
Happy End Behind Message
Of course, viewers who still have to watch, in the end necessarily awaits a happy ending. Despite the fact that the love triangle of the main characters implies for someone the opposite outcome. And those who have already seen the cartoon, for some time enjoyed the aftertaste, because this interesting story could not leave otherwise.
What is the “Book of Life" remembered for? Reviews of the cartoon are inclined to believe that this is the most accurate and correct example of understanding the issues of life and death. The orientation of the picture boils down to just this, raising the question wisely and colorfully. What are the worlds of the Forgotten and Not Forgotten? In the “Book” this is clearly and correctly explained. As well as the fact that a person who finds himself in the Kingdom of the Forgotten does not have to be a negative character or commit a bad deed. On the contrary, a good person can also get into the gloomy World of the Forgotten. What should be done to avoid this? What needs to be done so that departed people do not feel forgotten? The Book of Life will tell about all this.
All the delights of the Mexican spirit in one bottle
When and where else will such an amazing opportunity to touch the flavor of life in a distant southern country? Juicy colors, musical accompaniment and humor, bullfighting and incendiary dances, semantic load and philosophical tunes - all this was connected by The Book of Life, a cartoon, reviews of which call it one of the brightest animated samples of 2015, worthy of at least a nomination for "Oscar"!
Write your own story
You can endlessly and deservedly praise the film. Given the complexity of the topic being studied and the unusual animation of hand-drawn wooden characters, this project is recommended for those who are ready to step over stories of magical love and magical fairies that save humanity. Only a man can save himself. And also faith, love and the absence of fear for such a thing as death. The “book of life” shows that death is not the end.
Paradoxical, unpredictable, unexpected and charming - this is how the “Book of Life” turned out. The cartoon (photos are attached), which rightfully should be called the creative find of an unremarkable Mexican director, harmoniously balances on the verge between the festive colors of everyday life and the ghostlyness of those places where everyday life is expressed in a more unusual nebula.