Rating: /5
Criterion Challenge 2022 | 40/52 | Animation Before the 2000s
Lord Bluebeard, with that beard and mustache, freaks folks out. But that’s not the reason they despise him. They all suspect Bluebeard is killing his wives.
Two messengers come before the queen with a pronouncement from Bluebeard: that his six wives are dead, and he asks to evaluate and marry one of the queen’s two daughters. The announcement horrifies the queen and her two daughters. More horrifying still is the arrival of Bluebeard, who adorns the women with jewelry, dresses, and other gifts. Their backs turned, Bluebeard makes his choice of a new bride.
When a war calls, Bluebeard leaves keys with his new bride, allowing her to open any door she wishes. Bluebeard asks that she not open the forbidden room—otherwise, all doors are on the table.
So, of course, she’s gonna open that door.
1930s claymation is so wild! I kind of love it! The film makes regular use of the clay as clay, allowing characters to roll up as balls of clay before unspooling to a character. It seems that Bluebeard can decapitate without consequence because they’re all clay? Or maybe I misread that.
The zoom-ins are jarring, but I imagine it was difficult to rig the camera to move forward without using rails in the scene.
Oh, did I mention this is a musical? Yeah, it’s got songs.
The moral of this is supposed to be, “Curiosity killed the cat?” Like, the bride shouldn’t have opened the door??