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Animator Don Hertzfeldt stops in Chicago on Friday with his latest work!!! Does he hit your town next??
Hey everyone, Capone in Chicago here.
So here's the thing about Don Hertzfeldt: the guy is a certifiable genius. Anyone who has watched his glorious and hilarious hand-drawn animated shorts "Billy's Balloon," "Ah, L'Amour," or "Rejected" knows this already, and you've more than likely watched these shorts more times than you can count, especially the truly inspired "Rejected." But beginning with "The Meaning of Life" and continuing on to the 2006-07 exercise in mental gymnastics "Everything will be ok," the Oscar-nominated Hertzfeldt has gone from being a gifted writer and animator of comic shorts into a more existential realm that faithfully examines the way the human mind works and doesn't work. He's showing us the mental movie that runs inside a fractured mind, while maintaining a level of humor, but adding a blanket of melancholy and despair. One could see these recent works as a portrait of a man trying to fend off a psychological meltdown, or perhaps this is said meltdown in its earliest incarnation. Most importantly, Hertzfeldt has transformed himself from animator and storyteller into a true artist. And his latest work, "I am so proud of you" is heartfelt proof of this.
His longest short to date, this new piece is something of a follow-up to "Everything will be ok," and much like that work, it's impossible to summarize or explain. You just need to see it, and in doing so, you'll understand that behind Hertzfeldt's countless triumphs and accolades over the years is a man with some serious issues in dealing with the everyday world. This is the first of his films that got a genuinely deep emotional response from me, and I think it's accurate to say I was fairly devastated after watching it, which of course forced me to watch it again.
But don't take my word for it. Go see it for yourself in an evening of really special events. On Friday, October 24 Hertzfeldt will be in Chicago as part of his North American tour for an "Evening with Don Hertzfeldt" at the famed Music Box Theatre. A second show has just been added, so advanced tickets are now available for a 8:00pm show (I'll be moderating this particular Q&A) and an 11:30pm show. First off, a selection of Don's classic animated shorts will be screened, concluding with "I am so proud of you." After the shorts, what is sure to be one of the most awkward and uncomfortable Q&As you'll ever see will commence. You do no want to miss this rare event. I've heard from people I trust who have seen Hertzfeldt do Q&As that he's a bit shy and reserved, which surprises me not even a little. But hopefully, great questions and an enthusiastic crowd will lure some excellent responses from him.
And what if you don't live in Chicago or can't make the trip? Perhaps Don is coming to a city near you. He's already hit the Northwest as well as the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin recently. Chicago is about the midway point on this tour, which then takes Hertzfeldt to Omaha, Calgary, Atlanta, Allentown, Rochester, New York City, Denver, and Los Angeles on November 30. Check Bitter Films website for specific dates and locations. I implore you if you live in one of the towns not to miss this evening of classic animation and a chance to spent a little time with this talented artist.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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blech! we never get anything! Hertzfeldt is a genius!
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no one interested in this? this guy is one of the only true animation auteurs out there.
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Guy's been a hero of mine since high school.
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it was great watching a genius talk.
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It's times like this I'm thankful to live near a theater like the Alamo. "I'm So Proud of You" was fuckin' FANTASTIC and Don was surprisingly engaging and funny (not the portrait of some freaked out animator). He was a real down to earth dude, he answered every question and stayed late to say hi to everyone, the genuine article. I'd definitely recommend this if the event's playing anywhere within 2-3 hours of you. Looks like Seattle and Portland are already over with and now he's heading to the east coast.
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at the Grand Illusion
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No doubt. No expectations. No fun!!!
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I saw him at the Grand Illusion almost two weeks ago. It was a one-time thing and they had an article in The Stranger over a week before it played. It's too bad you missed it because they screened a lot of his older cartoons before playing "It Will All Be OK" and "We Are All So Proud of You" back-to-back, follwed by a Q&A session. It was pretty great stuff too, great to see it in front of a crowd (even a small one like the one that turned up). The new films were thoughtful and sort of melancholy, but with plenty of his twisted humor thrown in. He narrated both films himself, which he was embarrassed about (and was originally thinking about approaching a celeb like Walken to do), but i think it adds nicely to the film with his sort of broken cadence over top the visuals.
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I emailed all the AICN people about this like two weeks ago when Hertzfeldt came to Eugene. LAME.
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Every screening. The Lantern's a small theater and I got turned away at the door both times :-(
I'm still cursing myself for forgetting to get advance tix. -
(D'oh, not the Lantern, the Grand Illusion! The Lantern's in Philly.)
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he's a great, engaging speaker. Seen him twice in the last month. (He went to my college and does shows and lectures here fairly often).
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stupid Wonka
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that's all i really have to say about this. it was the first cartoon that made me tear up since fucking dumbo. (shut up, you know you did too.) an absolutely brilliant piece of artistry and storytelling, and i'm so excited to see his next.
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Wait for it on DVD or better yet online. The talkback here is dead wrong. I thought his new cartoon was TERRIBLE!
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