Idiots and Angels
Directed by Bill Plympton
Screening as part of the Tribeca Film Festival
April 30 & May 3
“It became a morality tale by accident,” Bill Plympton says of his latest animated feature film, Idiots and Angels, which has two more screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 30 and May 3. Regardless of Plympton’s intent, the thematic consequence is right there in the title: Idiots and Angels follows a sadistic gun salesman ignorant to the struggles of those around him—until a pair of angel wings inexplicably grow on his back, and with them comes an emerging sense of responsibility.
Like Plympton’s best works, dialogue is non-existent, replaced by the expressive quirks of his fluid line drawings and abstract comedy. Where quintessential Plympton shorts—such as the Oscar-nominated Guide Dog—express a vivacious, chaotic glee, the new feature contains a relatively contemplative feel.
“I made an overt effort to raise the standard a little bit on this film, go into the personality and not go for the easy joke,” the director explains. “All the films I’ve done until this time were flat-out comedies. For this one, I wanted to do a little more psychology-based storytelling.” Still, it’s not hard to detect the raunchy idiosyncrasies, Plympton’s trademark since the 1980s.
“There’s still some wacky stuff going on, but I think it’s deeper than my usual films,” he says. “Some people say that I’m maturing, I’m growing up, that I’m getting out of that wacky sex and violence.”
Plympton claims the early popularity of Idiots and Angels at Tribeca took him by surprise, since he intended the project to be fairly low key after his ambitious feature, Hair High, failed to connect with a large audience. “I said, ‘Screw big, expensive films,’” he recalls. “When I hear the audience’s response, how much they love it, I don’t believe it.”
There are plenty of stylistic wonders in the movie, from the cartoon-noir shading to the gritty soundtrack (which includes Tom Waits and Pink Martini). Plympton, however, finds comfort in the unevenness of his technique.
“I revel in the imperfections,” he says. “I think the mistakes are what makes art special, really unique. A lot of the digital films—the Pixars, the Shreks—they have to be perfect, and that can be boring.”
Visit idiotsandangels.com for more information.
Directed by Bill Plympton
Screening as part of the Tribeca Film Festival
April 30 & May 3
“It became a morality tale by accident,” Bill Plympton says of his latest animated feature film, Idiots and Angels, which has two more screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 30 and May 3. Regardless of Plympton’s intent, the thematic consequence is right there in the title: Idiots and Angels follows a sadistic gun salesman ignorant to the struggles of those around him—until a pair of angel wings inexplicably grow on his back, and with them comes an emerging sense of responsibility.
Like Plympton’s best works, dialogue is non-existent, replaced by the expressive quirks of his fluid line drawings and abstract comedy. Where quintessential Plympton shorts—such as the Oscar-nominated Guide Dog—express a vivacious, chaotic glee, the new feature contains a relatively contemplative feel.
“I made an overt effort to raise the standard a little bit on this film, go into the personality and not go for the easy joke,” the director explains. “All the films I’ve done until this time were flat-out comedies. For this one, I wanted to do a little more psychology-based storytelling.” Still, it’s not hard to detect the raunchy idiosyncrasies, Plympton’s trademark since the 1980s.
“There’s still some wacky stuff going on, but I think it’s deeper than my usual films,” he says. “Some people say that I’m maturing, I’m growing up, that I’m getting out of that wacky sex and violence.”
Plympton claims the early popularity of Idiots and Angels at Tribeca took him by surprise, since he intended the project to be fairly low key after his ambitious feature, Hair High, failed to connect with a large audience. “I said, ‘Screw big, expensive films,’” he recalls. “When I hear the audience’s response, how much they love it, I don’t believe it.”
There are plenty of stylistic wonders in the movie, from the cartoon-noir shading to the gritty soundtrack (which includes Tom Waits and Pink Martini). Plympton, however, finds comfort in the unevenness of his technique.
“I revel in the imperfections,” he says. “I think the mistakes are what makes art special, really unique. A lot of the digital films—the Pixars, the Shreks—they have to be perfect, and that can be boring.”
Visit idiotsandangels.com for more information.
