FILM / The Resurgence of Stop-Motion Animation / Brendan Brewster
Image © Netflix Animation
Stop-motion animation, arguably one of the oldest genres in film, has seen a resurgence this year with movies such as Mad God, Wendell and Wild, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. While these films share a unique sub-genre, and hold similar aesthetic interests, there is an undeniable allure that extends beyond genre. In an age of hollow CGI studio fare, endless superhero battles, and an increasing loss of artisanal talent in film, stop-motion animation provides a unique place for filmmakers and craftspeople to explore their craft and tell stories that feel earnest and unique.
While there have always been yearly stop-motion releases, it seems as though the past few years have seen an acceleration of the genre. It is tough to say when stop-motion started to trend again, but one might look towards Studio Laika and their work in the genre throughout the 2010’s. Nevertheless, the resurgence is proof of the pervasiveness of stop-motion and the audience's hunger for these worlds that feel at both times real and imaginary. This is especially true when you look at the animation released from major studios over the past decade.
Where at one point almost all animation was hand drawn, this has increasingly become a rarity amongst animated work. Disney and Pixar are almost entirely working within CG animation at this point, and the same can be said across most major studios. As is the natural progression of art and pop culture though, it seems audiences are hungry for something more real.
Authentic Storytelling
What is it about stop-motion animation that captures the collective imagination so vividly? This is something that I have been wondering for some time. There is an indelible quality to stop-motion films that truly sets them apart from their contemporary releases. If we look at the stop-motion films released this year, they all share a common thread of authenticity. Simply by the nature of the type of film that they are, they carry an inherent hand-crafted quality that is undeniably alluring to film-enthusiasts. One significant thing that sets stop-motion animation apart is its broad appeal.
Animation is largely seen as a genre for children, an idea that Guillermo del Toro, writer/director of this year's stop-motion film Pinocchio, has been pushing back on for years. Though what makes stop-motion unique within the larger umbrella of animation is the ability to capture both younger and older audiences. Del Toro’s Pinocchio, while being an adaptation of the classic children's story made popular by the Disney animated movie from 1940, explores themes and ideas around oppression in a fascist regime, the permanence of death, and our place in the natural world. Themes that have carried through many of Del Toro’s previous films, such as Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water.
Similarly, another stop-motion masterwork from this year, Henry Sellick’s Wendell and Wild, is able to strike a balance between accessibility for younger viewers and deeply mature ideas and themes. Co-written by modern horror auteur Jordan Peele, Wendell and Wild explores some similar ideas around oppression as Pinocchio, but takes aim at Catholic institutions and capitalist endeavors that systemically eat away at community and individuality. The art style is immediately engaging and the artisanal quality can be felt through the entire movie. This comes as no surprise from the likes of Henry Sellick, whose previous stop-motion work includes The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Coraline, all of which are held as some of the great stop-motion films made.
This is not to say that other forms of animation this year have not had authentic storytelling, but even Pixar, who is largely lauded as being at the forefront of animated storytelling, released a prequel story for their character Buzz Lightyear, that rarely felt like more than a cash grab and largely failed to explore any themes or ideas on the same level as those mentioned above.
The Return of the King
One of the most significant films released in the last five years is the stop-motion masterpiece Mad God from legendary special effects wizard Phil Tippett. Tippett may or may not be a familiar name to some, but he has undeniably had an impact on anyone who has engaged in film and pop culture over the last forty years. With credits in Star Wars, he was integral in helping to create and bring to life the Tauntaun of Empire Strikes Back, as well as the AT-AT from the same movie, along with his other special effects and production work on the film. He also created the Rancor in Return of the Jedi, undeniably one of the most iconic monsters in movie history. His other credits include working on the dinosaur animatronics in Jurassic Park, as well as his work on Robocop, Starship Troopers, and Willow. Suffice it to say, he is a giant in the special effects community.
Mad God, which was circulated through film festivals in 2021 and released widely on the streaming service Shudder in 2022, serves as Phil Tippett’s magnum opus. The film was a labor of love for Tippett and his team of filmmakers, effects artists, and craftspeople for decades. When it finally released this year, it must have felt like creative exaltation for all involved, both for the sheer fact that they finished it and for the fact that it is a truly groundbreaking and unique piece of filmmaking.
Where Wendell and Wild and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio strike that beautiful balance of accessibility for younger and older viewers, Mad God is set apart by fully embracing a mature audience. It is a grotesque and disturbing descent into the bowels of hell that explores the very nature of imagination and filmmaking. This, alongside other mature stop-motion media from this year, such as Netflix’s film His House and segments from the anthology series Love, Death, and Robots, indicates a hunger for stop-motion animation for adults. 2022 has seen stop-motion animation from a diverse range of creators and for a wide range of audiences. This is all evidence for a genre that is on a healthy and prosperous trajectory.
Brendan Brewster is a writer and teacher from the East Coast of Canada. He studied English Literature and Canadian Studies at Mount Allison University. His work includes poetry, short fiction, and film analysis.