A René Laloux Animated DOUBLE FEATURE — 1973’s Fantastic Planet along with 1982’s The Time Masters – at the Guild Cinema Tuesday-Thursday, December 17-19 – See times below!
FANTASTIC PLANET: Directed by René Laloux – 1973 – 72m – France – In French with English Subtitles. 3:30 and 7:00 pm each day
Nothing else has ever looked or felt like director René Laloux’s animated marvel Fantastic Planet, a politically minded and visually inventive work of science fiction. The film is set on a distant planet called Ygam, where enslaved humans (Oms) are the playthings of giant blue native inhabitants (Draags). After Terr, kept as a pet since infancy, escapes from his gigantic child captor, he is swept up by a band of radical fellow Oms who are resisting the Draags’ oppression and violence. With its eerie, coolly surreal cut-out animation by Roland Topor; brilliant psychedelic jazz score by Alain Goraguer; and wondrous creatures and landscapes, this Cannes-awarded 1973 counterculture classic is a perennially compelling statement against conformity and violence.
– “A beautiful work of art which combines serious sci-fi with fanciful designs, a distinct style and a big message. A classic which is very highly recommended.” – Ard Vijn, ScreenAnarchy
– “Surreal and wonderful in a way not often seen from Europe.” – Alan Morrison, Empire Magazine
THE TIME MASTERS: Directed by René Laloux – 1982 – 79m – France – In French with English Subtitles. 5:15 and 8:45 pm each day
Directed by visionary science-fiction animator René Laloux (Fantastic Planet) and designed by the legendary Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Mœbius) The Time Masters is a visually fantastic foray into existentialist space adventure. After his parents are killed on the dangerous planet Perdide, young Piel (voiced by Frédéric Legros) survives by maintaining radio contact with Jaffar (Jean Valmont), a pilot transporting the exiled Prince Matton (Yves-Marie Maurin) and Princess Belle (Monique Thierry) from their former kingdom. Jaffar seeks the help of Silbad (Michel Elias), a cheerful old-timer who knows how to circumvent Perdide’s hazards, including brain-devouring insects and watery graves. Along the way, Jaffar and company encounter a pair of impish homunculi stowaways, identity-less angels controlled by an amorphous hive mind, and the Masters of Time, mysterious beings who can bend reality and perhaps reveal to the heroes their secret origins and destinies.
– “René Laloux’s conformity-challenging animated sci-fi The Time Masters resonates with Hayao Miyazaki films and Jack Vance novels.” – Michael Barrett, PopMatters
– “Heady with an unforgettable twist.” – Diana Tuova, Spotlight on Film
The Guild Cinema is located at 3405 Central Ave NE in the Nob Hill area.
Website: GuildCinema.com