Wednesday, March 2, 2011

No memory can replace it

While others were complaining about the lack-lustre hosting of the Oscars on Sunday night, or perhaps being either delighted or mortified by the use of the "F-bomb" in an Oscar acceptance speech*, I was doing a little dance of delight in my living room for Australian author-illustrator, Shaun Tan. Tan won the Oscar for best animated short for the film adaptation of his cross-over picture book, The Lost Thing. If you haven't encountered Tan's work before, please make a point of doing so. His wordless novel The Arrival is a masterpiece. Don't believe me? Go have a look at some of the stills from it and then make a point of tracking down a copy. (note: you might have to click on the thumbnail for the book in order to see the full entry for it.)

And if, like me, you're always a bit disappointed that you never get the chance to see Oscar calibre short films, fear not. You can view The Lost Thing in its entirety here. Now if only there was a way to see fellow nominee and children's book adaptation, The Gruffalo, online as well. I guess you'll just have to settle for the trailer--that is if you didn't catch it on TV last week or in the run up to Christmas.

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* I sometimes marvel at television controversy. While the f-bomb may have no place in an acceptance speech, these are the Oscars for pete's sake. Almost all the films being honoured flaunt that word with reckless abandon. Heck, even the King of England got in on the action. So, maybe there is no need for a tempest in a teapot.

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Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss. I hope there is much glee, nonsense and rhyming wherever you may be.

6 comments:

  1. I remember when Jag first came across Shaun Tan years ago, bringing home his book for me to see because it was too amazing not to share. We've eagerly awaited his books since then.

    We were equally thrilled. :)

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  2. I didn't know he was Australian. From the tone of the book I thought he was English. How about that. ----- We love The Lost Thing! We have been reading it since my 9yo was 5, I think. We are rural people so you'd think it would quite speak to us, but of course it does.

    Off to watch the movie!

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  3. WouldN'T quite speak to us. Sorry. It's early.

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  4. got to go check tan out now. thanks!

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  5. THAT was the BEST short EVER. I love the way it integrated pages from the book. Thank you for posting the link!

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  6. I'm glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer.

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