GB © 1995 Channel Four. PC: Bare Boards. D: Barry J. C. Purves. 11'. Clay animation. E-subtitles in Finnish. Viewed at Plevna 6, Tampere Film Festival 12 March 2005. The homosexual aspect of the Homeric tale of Achilles and Patroclus during the Trojan war.
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Barry J C Purves (A Bare Boards Production)
1995, UK, 11'
The stress of the Trojan War puts the already complex relationship between the Greek warrior Achilles and his lover Patroclus under further strain.
Recommended for children under 14 years old: No
Technique: Puppet film
Language: English
ACHILLES A Bare Boards Production for Channel Four television 1995
Directed, written and animated by Barry J C Purves
Dialogue - Jo Cameron brown
Photography: Paul Smith
Editing: Flix Facilties
Music: Nigel Hess
Voice: Sir Derek Jacobi, with David Holt, Simon Green
Puppets and Costumes by Mackinnon Saunders
Props by Liz Scrine and Barbara Biddulph
Producer – Glenn Holberton
Barry J C Purves
Barry’s theatrical and often controversial films have won more than sixty international awards. His work is known for its innovation, passion, elegance, lush visuals and fresh interpretation of familiar subjects. Barry’s animated films: Next – the complete works of Shakespeare in five minutes; Screen Play – the Willow Pattern story told through Kabuki; Rigoletto – a version of Verdi’s opera; Achilles – a very adult retelling of the Iliad; Gilbert and Sullivan – their words and music used to retell the story of their stormy relationship; Hamilton Mattress – a film about an aardvark’s attempt to survive in the corrupt world of showbiz; Plume – With little more than a puppet and a pool of light, this unsettling film questions how one copes and moves on after a trauma; Tchaikovsky – an Elegy Using Tchaikovsky’s music and pieces from his diary and letters, this reflective and melancholy film sees Tchaikovsky wondering if he has achieved enough in his life. The first six of his films have been released on a compilation DVD: Barry Purves – his intimate lives. Feature films: Barry has worked in significant roles on Mars Attacks! directed by Tim Burton and King Kong, directed by Peter Jackson. TV Series: Barry has been involved with many well known and beloved series for television as animator or director. These include: Rainbow, Chorlton and the Wheelies, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Wind in the Willows, Rupert Bear, Postman Pat and Bob the Builder. Barry directed 52 episodes of the children’s series Toby’s Travelling Circus, screened on Channel Five. He was supervising director on 100 episodes of Ragdoll’s hugely successful production ‘Twirlywoos’ for the BBC. Commercials and other work. Since 1986, Barry has directed and animated some 70 commercials, title sequences and animation inserts for films and pop promos, through Aardman Animation, Redwing, overseas agencies, the BBC, and through his own company, Bare Boards. He has also made a film with the animators at Staffordshire University based on Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
(source: https://barrypurves.com/)
Film reviews excerpts:
Barry Purves’ latest animated commission follows Achilles, the Greek Warrior and champion, and his impetuous lover, Patrolcus, in their struggle to overrun Troy. The splendidly visual film uses ten puppets modelled on classical Greek sculputres acting against large fragments of specially commisssioned ceramics. The light and shadow, combined with Derek Jacobi’s narration and Nigel Hess’s evocative score ensure that this an atmospheric account of an enduring myth. (The Observer)
But the best program of all is ’Puppetoons; Dolls and Animation’. I’ve never seen such meticulously crafted work. Particularly dazzling is Achilles, which moves familiar myth into epic romance. ’What makes a leader of men, the armour or the heart?’ You go Greek girl! (New York Time Out)
Barry Purves is a creative expert of stop frame animation, but don’t expect this to be the sort of cosy yarn you’d see during Children’s hour. His commission for Channel Four’s gay season is definitely adult drama, Set during the seige of Troy, it charts Achilles’ passionate relationship with his greek comrade, Patrolcus, as told in Homer’s Iliad and includes scenes of remarkably animated rumpy pumpy. However Purves’ puppets tackle these grown up themes with balletic grace and operatic gravity. Jason and the Argonauts was nver like this. (Daily Mail)
Awards
Brazil - Melhor Animacao - Best film - 1998
Carolina Film festival - Prize for technical Excellence - 1998
Animexpo, Korea - Special Jury Prize - 1997
Barcelona Film Festival - Audience Prize - 1996
Florida Film festival - Animation Prize - 1996
Hiroshima - special Jury Prize - 1996
Dresden - Second Prize - 1996
Turin gay and Lesbian festival - Audience Prize - 1996
BAFTA - Short animation nomination - 1996
Leipzig - Golden Dove Award - 1995
Anima Tereul - Best traditional Film - 1995
Bilbao - Silver Medal for Animation – 1995
Pekarna Magdalenske mreže Maribor
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