Revelation Film Festival – Day Three

Revelation Perth International Film Festival – Day Three

A Town Called Panic 

Three days into the festival, and I’ve only managed a measly one film per day. It’s pretty poor form, I’ll admit. I won’t even use the excuse of having watched screeners for several of the features before the festival in preparation for interviews and reviews and such. I’ve not been pulling my weight, and I apologise.

I intended to catch a couple of films last night, but exhaustion won me over. Having driven home from the petrol station with the petrol cap still wide open, and then later losing control of my glass of Coke during dinner and spilling it all over myself, I called to order an emergency nap, lest I black out and find myself wandering the streets of Mt. Lawley confused and naked. That being said, I risked the prospect of unplanned public nudity to check out Dogtooth. It was worth it.  

Today was the first full day of the festival, with quality films running from morning until night. However, knowing full well that tomorrow would be the day in which I began my hardcore festival attendance, I allowed myself one last day of sleeping in. So, which film enticed me from my slumber on this grey Saturday afternoon? Well, given my penchant for stop-motion animation, I couldn’t resist Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar’s A Town Called Panic, based upon their television show of the same name. It stars a cowboy, an indian and a horse, and seemingly takes place in the over-stimulated mind of a particularly imaginative seven-year-old. A plot synopsis will not be necessary. A Town Called Panic is as close a film has ever come to depicting a child’s toybox come alive (sorry Toy Story – but don’t worry, you’re still the best at dealing with the concept of death and teaching children about the inevitabilities of life).

A Town Called Panic is absolutely nutty and charmingly effervescent. I’ve not seen the television series, but I daresay the manic stop-motion style and relentless energy is better suited to 20 minute bursts. Even though the film is only 75 minutes long, I feared that my own head might have exploded after being exposed to the film for more than 40 minutes. That being said, the children sitting behind me did. not. stop. laughing. And there is the real review.

A Town Called Panic plays one more show at Revelations, on Sunday 11th July.

Over on the Twitter, Perth film buffs shared their thoughts on the day’s slate of movies. @notatuna praised the docos Double Take and Bomb It, as well as the Allen Ginsberg biopic Howl. @cutandpastedvd and @danmarsland also had kind words to say about Howl, although @the_exploder was slightly less enthused. I can’t wait to check out each of these films over the next 8 days.

But in the meantime, allow me to enjoy a little more sleep.

 

Previously: 

Revelation Film Festival – Day One
Revelation Film Festival – Day Two

Discuss: Feel free to share with us your feelings on the films you’ve caught at the festival so far!