Have you ever seen animation quite like this? I was excited to discuss this fantastic, at times creepy, animated film in a panel from the “virtual” Little Theatre on May 19. I was joined by animators Fred Armstrong and John Vincent, along with moderator Matt DeTurck of The Little Theatre.
In this surrealist docu-horror-fairy tale, Maria, a young woman finds refuge in a house in the south of Chile after escaping from a sect of German religious fanatics. She is welcomed into the home by two pigs, the only inhabitants of the place. Like in a dream, the universe of the house reacts to Maria’s feelings. The animals transform slowly into humans and the house becomes a nightmarish world. Inspired by the actual case of Colonia Dignidad, “The Wolf House” masquerades as an animated fairy tale produced by the leader of the sect in order to indoctrinate its followers.
See our discussion of the film (and stop motion animation in general) in the video below:
Further Strangeness
Can’t get enough art? Here’s a list I put together of strange animation that The Wolf House style reminded me of.
The Bigger Picture / Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees (short, 2014)
In which the characters are animated figures painted on walls of a home.
The Making of The Bigger Picture
MUTO by BLU
Wall-painted animation, much of it outdoors in public spaces.
Jan Svankmajer’s Food series
Svankmajer works often feature human actors who then become clay characters for pivotal moments.
Jan Svankmajer’s Alice
Here’s a segment from his Alice in Wonderland feature film.
The Quay Brothers – Street of Crocodiles
These British animators create surreal, dreamlike worlds.
Tool: Sober
The Quays’ work was undoubtedly an inspiration for this rock video of the mid-nineties.
From Beyond by Michael Granberry
Based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft, this film goes from eerie to downright scary.
Clay Cat’s Evil Dead II by Lee Hardcastle
Hardcastle’s stop-motion films are gory, goofy fun. He also did the freaky “T is for Toilet,” but every Evil Dead fan should see this one.
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