The Idea (1932)

Original title

L'idée

Directed by

Berthold Bartosch

Genre

Expressionism, drama film

Country

France

Runtime

25 min

Rating

6.0 of 10 from 27 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An idea takes the form of a naked woman and travels through the world. The authorities try to hide her, and workers who follow her are crushed by violent repression.

poeticbleaksaddreamlikepoliticalsilentseriousabstract

What happens

The Idea (French: L'Idée) is a 1932 French animated film by Austro-Hungarian filmmaker Berthold Bartosch (1893–1968), based on the 1920 wordless novel of the same name by Flemish artist Frans Masereel (1889–1972). The protagonist is a naked woman who represents a thinker's idea; as she goes out into the world, the frightened authorities unsuccessfully try to cover up her nudity. A man who stands up for her is executed, and violent suppression by big business greets a workers' revolution she inspires. Bartosch spent two years animating the film, initially in collaboration with Masereel. Bartosch used complicated techniques with multiple layers of superimposed animation to create the intricately detailed film. The film features an electronic music score by Swiss composer Arthur Honegger (1892–1955), possibly the earliest in film history. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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