TALES OF THE NIGHT – SLIFF Review

The art of the silhouette has been around for several centuries as an alternative to the detailed painted portraits. Masters of the craft would cut and trim dark paper to create a quick profile of a seated subject. With the creation of motion pictures several early animators moved these cut-outs underneath the camera to simulate movement. Now the creators of TALES OF THE NIGHT have taken this art several steps further by combing silhouetted people and animals with brightly colored CGI backgrounds. The film begins with a shot of an old theatre in the middle of a bustling modern city. Inside a trio plot out new shows to present. The older playwright whips up a script while a young man and women design the sets and costumes (and usually play the romantic leads). Their short plays are set in different cultures around the globe. In 15th century France a young princess is in love with a cursed werewolf. In the Caribbean a young man challenges the land of the dead’s king. There’s the disruption of an Aztec sacrifice ritual, a Tibetan talking horse, and a magic African tom-tom drum. The figures are fully animated (in the front view closeups we only see the eyes) and move gracefully across the beautifully vivid backdrops. This is a gorgeous, charming anthology that should delight all ages.

TALES OF THE NIGHT screens as part of the 21st Annual Whitaker Saint Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 10 at 2PM at the Hi-Pointe Theatre in 3D and on Sunday November 11 at 2 PM at Washington University’s Brown Hall in 2D