Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
Studio: Shout! Factory
Directed by Mathias Malzieu and Stéphane Berla
Sep 23, 2014
Web Exclusive
On a night so cold that birds dropped from the sky and teardrops turned into ice pearls, Jack was born with a frozen heart. In order to save him, a cuckoo-clock heart was substituted, complete with a clock face and pop-out bird. There are three rules Jack must abide by in order for his heart not to malfunction, but only one that really matters: not to fall in love. Despite warning that his mechanical organ would not be able to take the toll of romance, Jack falls in love with young Miss Acacia, a lovely singer with severe nearsightedness who spouts lace-like thorns when frightened. Unfortunately, the young lovers lose contact when Jack suffers a minor heart failure from their exciting meeting. In order to find his singer again, Jack journeys through Edinburgh and Paris to Andalusia, despite the chance of her (literally) breaking his heart.
Although the story to Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is operatic, where villains and obstacles appear mostly for the sake of convenience than logic, the animation is rich with imagination and a pure pleasure to watch. The characters look like porcelain dolls, and the rest of the visuals are just as beautiful and creepy. Unending details such as a xylophone spine (that needs oiling), a chase scene through an accordion train, a little, silent, black and white film interlude, and nearly everything seen in the circus town, Extraordinarium, keep the film fresh from beginning to end. Supporting characters – from the witch/inventor/midwife Madeline, and Jack’s magician travel companion, down to a giggly, two-headed lady – are whimsical and easy to like. French rock band Dionysos’ music is fitting for the eccentric film, and the poetic duet between Jack and Miss Acacia is a pleasant change of pace from Disney love songs. The horrific bullying and sad plot-points makes this film more suitable for older kids and adults, but should be a feast for the eyes to all viewers.
www.jackandthecuckooclockheart.com
Author rating: 6/10
Average reader rating: 7/10
Most Recent
- Premiere: Two-Man Giant Squid Shares New Video for “I Was a DJ in 2015” (News) — Two-Man Giant Squid
- Seasons (Review) — Pete Jolly
- WFR Central, Derby, UK, March 23, 2024 (Review) — Altern 8, Maria Uzor, Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan, Cholly
- Premiere: Sofia Bolt Shares New Single “Bus Song” Featuring Stella Donnelly (News) — Sofia Bolt
- St. Vincent Shares New Song “Flea” (Feat. Dave Grohl) and Announces New Tour Dates (News) — St. Vincent, Dave Grohl
Comments
Submit your comment
There are no comments for this entry yet.