IFFR 2021 - Poupelle of Chimney Town
IFFRWith a carefree charm shining through a backdrop of adult misery, it is hard not to note that Poupelle of Chimeny Town has lingering notes of Studio Ghibli influence. Fine animation that hides a darker meaning behind its stunning exterior. This latest animated feature from Studio 4°C shows off how they are adapting their animation to the new generation of audiences and why such a change is crucial. A fixation on animation has steered them well, and this latest piece from debuting director Yusuke Hirota sees that the bond between animation and audience grow ever stronger. While the sights and sounds of Chimney Town are presented with pride and wonder, there is a darker meaning beneath it all that hopes to get out.
Those darker notes do not make themselves quite known. They ferment beneath the surface, hoping for their opportunity. Those few moments that do bring them out are wondrous. Hirota’s direction brings the occasional glimmer of magnificent work. There is much to love; it just needs a kick in the right direction. Poupelle (Masataka Kubota) is a trash monster. A traditional “ugly duckling” story, where an ugly and thoroughly well–animated beast is chastised by a community for being a bit different. Its cell-shaded style is a fascinating choice but gives Poupelle of Chimney Town its stuttering, earnest vision. Busy streets and bustling people, there is life found within Hirota’s work. At times, it looks more like a video game than a feature film, the aesthetic choices and camera shots showing our characters in medium-range, for if we get any closer, the blemishes are bound to be noticeable.
Nevertheless, while the animation keeps the vibrancy high, there is little context to be found. There is a genuine, eerie feeling to Poupelle of Chimney Town. Halloween Party, the opening song, and the characters we observe here are the stuff of nightmares. They have crawled out of some local hellscape. The oversized pumpkin head, the fish-headed freaks, and a sloppy junk monster drip oil and make a disgusting smacking noise. Coupled with a horrid dance routine and lyrics about pie, jelly beans and Halloween, the film really captures the awkward intensity it so frequently wishes to throw its audience into. While it may strike as a tad odd and disconcerting, it adds a character and life to the world around the titular, ramshackle beast. Its creative animation style staggers at times, its light-hearted style and tongue-in-cheek moments never keeping up with the oddball story or leading characters at the heart of it.
While Poupelle of Chimney Town strikes the right chords, it is unclear whom it plays to. Consistent it is not, but at least some moments offer prolific comedy or notes of charm. To desire more would be unfair, but it is necessary considering where Poupelle and his top-hat wearing friend, Lubicchi (Mana Ashida), wish to go. A trip to Chimney Town with Popuelle and Lubicchi is a pleasant enough experience, but there seems little method to the madness on display. Strongly animated, at least, that much is comforting when the onslaught of odd visuals and tense character designs frequent themselves. If Hirota set out to strike fear into hearts and thoughts into minds, then he has surely succeeded with his first feature film.