Rip Van Winkle (short film)

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Movie
Original title Rip Van Winkle
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1978
length 29 minutes
Rod
Director Will Vinton
script Susan Shadburne
production Will Vinton
for Will Vinton Productions
music Paul Jameson
Billy Scream

Rip Van Winkle is an American plasticine animated short directed by Will Vinton from 1978. It is based on the short story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving .

action

Rip Van Winkle lives in a small American village made up of Dutch settlers. Instead of doing regular work, he prefers to play for the residents of the village, sing and help the children with hang-gliding. He is popular even if he is considered naive. Only Peter Vanderdonk rejects Rip Van Winkle's lifestyle: he rented him a house and has been waiting for the rent for months. He therefore gives him a week in which to allow Rip Van Winkle to settle his debts. The next day, Rip Van Winkle goes to the market with harvested corn. However, since he gives away two sacks of corn to a poor farmer on the way and also loses numerous sacks on the way to the market, he has hardly any income. In order to repay the debt, he goes to the forest to hunt squirrels, but is an animal lover and therefore does not shoot a single animal. As he washes his face, his reflection seems to be talking to him. Horrified, Rip Van Winkle escapes and falls. Again he hears someone calling his name and sees a little man who asks him to push him a barrel. Rip Van Winkle takes it to a cave, where numerous other males empty cones and finally the barrel. Rip Van Winkle also receives a glass of the drink.

After the drink, Rip Van Winkle thinks he is floating through the air. He talks to rocks, mountains and trees, walks along a rainbow and finally wakes up on the ground. He goes back to the village, sees a burial site for a Dutchman who delighted the people with his singing, and finally arrives in the village. His house is in ruins and the center of the village has also changed a lot. He thinks he recognizes the farmer to whom he gave corn back then, but the man is the farmer's son. Rip Van Winkle overslept for around 20 years. Only old Vanderdonk still lives from his generation, who initially reacts angrily because Rip Van Winkle did not pay him the rent at the time, but lets himself soften when Rip Van Winkle plays him a new song. Rip Van Winkle is now allowed to live with him. Since he is the only one who has experienced the mysterious Kaatskills and their magical powers first hand, he is once again a popular storyteller for young and old.

production

Rip Van Winkle was created as a clay animation. In addition to Vinton, the animators also included Barry Bruce , Don Merkt and the later Oscar winner Joan C. Gratz . The film partly deviates from the literature. In addition, he has musical character through numerous songs. The narrator of the film is Will Geer ; Rip Van Winkle will be voiced by Tim Conner .

Awards

Rip Van Winkle was nominated in 1979 for an Oscar in the category " Best Animated Short Film ", but could not prevail against Special Delivery .

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