Finally — some good news for a change.
Sylvain Chomet, the French animator behind “The Triplets of Belleville,” is back at the ol’ drawing board after 15 years.
“A Magnificent Life,” in U.S. theaters Friday, is an animated biopic concerning Marcel Pagnol, a French playwright, filmmaker and author whose works celebrated the Provence working class, according to The New York Times (gift link).
The film, says Mother Times, showcases Chomet’s fondness for narratives set in the mid-20th century and protagonists who are artists or performers.
Which is all very fine, of course. And we should all dash out to see it at once, if not sooner. But the good good news is that the maestro is hard at work on a spinoff of “Belleville,” based on a story he wrote more than two decades ago, in which the triplets visit their 100-year-old father, who does not know that they spurned traditional employment to become cabaret singers. Says Chomet:
“It has the same feeling as my previous ‘Triplets’ film. It’s completely mad, and it’s quite a baroque movie with brand-new, very cartoony characters.”
Meanwhile, Chomet’s fans will probably not be surprised by his views regarding today’s soulless, cookie-cutter animation. Asked if there were any recent animated films he’s enjoyed, he mentioned Pixar’s “WALL-E” — which was released in 2008.
Mad Blog Media 
Wallace and Gromit “Curse Of The Were-Rabbit” left out? “Ratatouille” also left out? “Tales Of Despereaux” ignored? ‘Despicable Me”, the Minions no less, omitted? I enjoyed “The Triplets of Belleview” once. I own the ones I mentioned above. And, “Wall-E” is in our collection. Triplets, no. Once was enough.
The “Wallace and Gromit” flicks are created via stop-motion animation with an assist from computer animation … not the old-fashioned hand-drawn work our man Chomet favors. I tried both methods in the Seventies, even building a camera stand for my hand-drawn, one Super 8 snap at a time attempts, and Hay Zeus are both ever a yuuuuuge pain in the arse. I went back to static images with all possible haste.
“Ratatouille” I also loved, but that one dates all the way back to 2007. Could’ve been a bridge too far for Chomet. “WALL-E” was top-notch.
For my money, nobody has ever approached the quality and comedy of the old Warner Bros. cartoons I grew up watching, before they were Sanitized for Our Protection. Bugs, Daffy, Tweety, Sylvester, Foghorn, Porky, Yosemite Sam, the Road Runner and Wile E., with Mel Blanc on vocals? Now that’s entertainment.
Didn’t know about the computer assist at Aardman Studios. Breaks my heart a bit. We were introduced to Triplets by a cycling friend, and it seemed to be if you’re a cyclist you must watch this. But, I like American Flyer, so I was kinda a bottom feeder going in. So, this afternoon it’s going to be Jason and The Argonauts to visit the stop motion king.
For W&G I think the computer is a last resort, mostly for stuff that stop-motion makes too pricey, too labor-intensive, or the outcome look lame.
Off to worship at the Shrine of Ray Harryhausen, are ye? I remember “Jason and the Argonauts.” Ol’ Ray did the business there.
I had a bad day too! Out for a ride and I got passed by a guy who said he liked my jersey. I was wearing one of yours. Yellow, old guys who get FAT in winter. Ugh, what a day!
Ah, Jaysis, ’twas discriminated against yis was so. I hate them passers-by with their sharpish comments. Spalpeens and brats to a man.
The jerseys were a nice little sideline until they weren’t. Voler shut down my little cash machine some years back, and while I still do a bit of business with them now and again — I do like their bib shorts, which are comfortable and affordable — I’m not really a fan of their jersey designs.
Haven’t looked at Voler in years. Well, Sir, I hope your next ride is a “Grand Day Out!” “Cheese Gromit, cheese!”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104361/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_4_nm_0_in_0_q_wallace%20and%20gromit%20bad%20day%20out
Speaking of passers-by….A few summers back I was rehabbing after some surgical procedure and was beginning to put some appreciable mileage back into my bike rides. Feeling pretty good about getting back in the saddle again. And then….a bike rider came up behind me on the bike path. I could hear the unmistakable sound of a crankarm hitting the chainguard with every pedal revolution. As she passed me on ancient 3-speed Browning, I noticed she was wearing flip-flops. But she did say hello before she disappeared off in the distance. That was the LAST time I ever wore a bike jersey. No sense in bringing any attention to my old sorry ass-worn out self out there. Let em focus instead on myCygolite 350 flashing light which will sear your retinas if you look at it too long.
I still wear bike jerseys and bibs, but sans logos. Blank kit. As much as my ass gets handed to me by old ladies, young kids, and elderly three-legged dogs, I want it to remain safely anonymous.
I’m getting paid by companies to NOT wear their jersey’s. Great money.