The stop-motion-animated film “A Town Called Panic” is at once nostalgic and modern, evoking a childlike glee in even the most cynical of viewers. As proof, my press screening at New York City’s Film Forum had a group of normally stoic critics dissolving into giggles. This Belgian import employs vintage toys for its characters who undertake everyday tasks such as Internet shopping and then embark on fantastic voyages that would make both Ray Harryhausen and Gumby jealous. It’s giddy in its lack of logic, never questioning or explaining the nature of its three protagonists, the simply named Horse, Indian, and Cowboy. By eschewing common sense and even the laws of physics, directors Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar have created a sublimely silly film for all ages.
Set in a rural village populated equally by people and speaking farm animals, “A Town Called Panic” begins on the morning on the birthday of Horse (voiced by co-director Patar). His housemates–the lazy, easily distracted pair Indian (Bruce Ellison) and Cowboy (co-director Aubier)–have forgotten to get Horse a gift, While they scramble to find a present in time for the party that evening, Horse unwisely leaves them alone. He encounters the object of his affection, Madame Longray (Jeanne Balibar, “The Girl From Monaco”), a fair filly who teaches music at the local school. Meanwhile, Indian and Cowboy have discovered the perils of online commerce as a simple gift turns into a large nuisance. Instead of ordering 50 bricks to build Horse a barbecue, they’ve accidentally bought 50 million bricks, and Horse will be home soon.
As it progresses, “A Town Called Panic” bursts boundaries into unknown territories, turning what could have been a simple rural comedy into an expansive adventure for Horse, Indian, and Cowboy. Aubier and Patar based their film on their popular TV series of the same name, but there’s no need for knowledge of the show–or even of the French language–to comprehend the film’s humor and chaotic spirit. Subtitles help those of us of reading age, but younger viewers can still follow the simple story. The slapstick antics of Cowboy and Indian–and the accompanying squeals and screams of the trouble-making twosome–are universally funny, especially when set to a garage rock soundtrack that enhances the exuberant mood. Though it runs only 75 minutes, “A Town Called Panic” feels a bit long as it nears its conclusion, but that might have been my childlike short attention span kicking in.
Stop-motion animation is receiving a resurgence in 2009, with critical and box-office success for “Coraline” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Though those films featured big-name casts and celebrated directors, “A Town Called Panic” delightedly works on a smaller scale. Only avid European filmgoers will likely recognize the voices of Balibar and costar Benoit Poelvoorde (“Coco Before Chanel”), and the animation is gloriously and intentionally simple. Kids–and adults–don’t always need of-the-moment technology to enjoy a film, and this frenzied, fun film is proof of the enduring merits of old-fashioned techniques. If it’s too unsophisticated for you, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” is opening soon. [B+]
