Jiri Trnka, The Hand compared with The beach

The hand - (1965) - (Jiri Trnka) from Roberto Pernas on Vimeo.

I want to start this comparison with a link to an archived article on Trnka, http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/49844, that is a beautiful summary of his career, that brings context and knowledge to his work.This particular animation (The Hand) is completely different to any other pieces of his work, it has a subtle melancholy about it, and even the colours seem more sombre. I really like how the BFI article names Trnka and other eastern european (Dušan Vukotić is a prime example, maker of Ersatz(English for The Beach), which is Yugoslavian) as a refreshing alternative to Disney. The first ever film I saw at the Cinema was Fantasia but I wish I had, more access to films like this at an early stage, because they really are so well done. They tales they depict have such deeper meanings and more context behind them, than the mainstream Disney. Even today neither of these shorts have aged very much, they are still cutting edge and beyond being ahead of the times.

Regarding Trnka's, The Hand, I never really payed much attention to History, especially that of Eastern Europe, If you showed me a picture of Stallin I probably couldn't name him. I can't even describe the regime he stood for, I think it was communism, just double checked to find out the Soviet Union were Communists. It's not that I have been purposefully insolent about the subject, I have just never had need to know about it. The first time I watched this animation was back in Foundation last year and I knew nothing about the subject I just thought it was a sweet, humorous possibly slightly dark animation. And then I discovered the context and how Trnka uses the Hand to portray the Czech government of the time, to make a social commentary about how oppressive it was and how they paid artists to make what they wanted them to make and there was now way they could make what they wanted (the little artist has to make models of the hand rather than his plant pots and dies trying to escape the system). I think it took a lot of guts to speak out against the government especially considering the trials and tribulation he faced afterwards. He was practically shunned from the government, I also found it really interesting in the article how BFI say he didn't get a state funeral, but the puppet in his animation did. He has since later been acknowledge and in Czechoslovakia there is a statue and memorial in his honour.

In comparison Ersatz touches a more common theme of how woman are portrayed on screen, more importantly how the male figure have created the definition of what a woman looks like, and how men have the right to fight over them. It also touches on consumerism and people's affliction with things. And how we need things to show off to get a partner and in the end none of it really matters. Again it's a social commentary on how people were living in Yugoslavia at the time. Which again felt the power of communism and the Soviet Union.

Most importantly there is a difference in techniques between these two shorts, Trnka's Hand is a combination of stop motion and live film, where as Ersatz is traditional cell animation. I think the sound is more successful on Ersatz, but the technical animation ability is far better on Trnka's. You can see how works like a Midsummer's Night Dream, with pixie Character inspired the movements of the little artist puppet, who is practically a dancer, especially when potting his little feet move in such a perfect Rhythm. I think the difference in live film and puppetry, makes a bold statement about the relationship of the government and the people in the creative industry, perhaps another bold statement is being made here. The main thing that is so successful about the potter is it's delicate silhouette. And the ability Trnka has is convey the happiness of making pots and the heaviness and sadness of being caged up in a gold cage. Another way the sadness is captured is through the painted facial features, that changes so easily with lighting, it is made more sombre with a darker lighting. These are skills that have been cultivated that are much different to Ersatz's. In Ersatz there is skill in the background they are very textured and very beautiful and the movements of the characters are perfectly exaggerated to be instantly recognisable, again there is a rhythm which is emphasised by the sound.

The one I personally prefer is Trnka's the Hand, this is because he stood up for what he believed and paid the consequences and technically I think it is more complex and has a lot more to say, which is more understandable than Ersatz. Also I was a little disappointed when I found out that the animator hadn't written the beach and there was no one person really involved.