Monkey-post
I’ve decided to hop on board the monkey train this month, just because.
Generally, if I cry or get a little misty at a movie, it’s because a favorite character has died. cf. Bambi’s mother, ET, Yoda, Boromir. (You’ll note that Boromir is the only character in that list played by an actual human and not a puppet. He gets tears in the film adaptation because Sean Bean fuckin’ 0wn3d that role. Such subtlety!)
However, I did get bliss-tears at the end of Fantasia 2000‘s “Firebird” segment. Hell, I’m getting misty just thinking about it. Stravinsky’s work is moving, and beautifully performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the animation is elegant in both its concept (3 characters, classic death/rebirth tale) and its implementation (a sweeping Art Nouveau style, complex and subtle shadings, excellent timing).
But it’s the end of that segment that really gets me.
After the Firebird comes down from the volcano and burns the forest to ashes, the Elk finds the Sprite cowering, too weak and depressed to stand or fly or make pretty things come alive. The Elk prods the Sprite into riding with him, and as they survey the damage, a single tear falls from the Sprite’s face onto the lifeless ground.
[music is a sad, diminished-key variation on the original theme, slowly crescendo]
A slender vine appears at the spot watered by her tear.
[first few notes of major-key, from the violins]
Seeing this, the Sprite regains hope, and transforms herself into a raincloud.
[strings pianissimo on an ostinato rain-type arpeggio; horns pianissississimo and crescendo to fortissimo]
The forest comes alive again!
[triumphal, horn-laden variation on main theme]
And it’s BETTER THAN EVER!
Now that I’ve gotten this far, I’m not sure I can do the ending itself any justice with mere words – you must see it for yourself to understand what brings me to tears. (Go. Now. Rent movie. Watch. Understand.)
Stay tuned in mid-May for the next monkey.
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