Princes & Princesses was interesting, because you don't see that kind of animated fare every day in this time of computer animated movie making all around.

Even if I don't know if this kind of story telling have the biggest fanbase around the world, I can say that I found it charming in the mix of a basic fairy-tale formula used with an outside premise tying the segments together in a funny way.

As an homage to the oldest surviving animated movie, the 1926 shadow puppet animated Adventures Of Prince Achmed, the magic is strong in this one with gorgeous art, atmospheric music and enthusiastic voice work even though the fanbase may be small.

Although IMDb lists the running time as 70 minutes, I saw PRINCES ET PRINCESSES by Ocelot in a running time only a tiny fraction of this time and it seemed complete. I assume this running time is just a mistake, as this was definitely a short film--unless there is, perhaps, an alternate version. Could be.

I really, really liked this sweet fairy tale. Although the art style isn't the most complex, it certainly worked well and was highly reminiscent of Asian shadow puppets. These characters usually were seen at side profile but were certainly fascinating to see. But the best part of this film, by far, is the really wonderful story.

In an unusual and interesting move, the story begins with the three characters from the story sitting around talking about making up a fairy tale. They then use their computers and printers to supposedly put themselves into the story. It's all about a princess who has a curse on her. It seems that her diamond necklace fell apart and she disappeared. It seems that the prince that finds the diamonds--ALL the diamonds--will break the curse. Well, there are two princes working together and one is obviously a bully and a jerk. When the nice one finds a diamond (while the other is busy tormenting ants),the jerk takes the diamond in his hand--at which point the princess appears and announces that he MUST find all 111 (give or take) diamonds before the hourglass runs out to break the curse. BUT, if he doesn't, then he'll be turned into an ant. Well, he only finds 11 and is transformed to a bug. But what about the nice prince? Will he, too, try and if so will it turn out any different? Watch it yourself, Buster, and see! But I can promise that the answer is pretty neat--a lovely and sweet tale from start to finish! The animation gets a 7 and the story a 9 or 10. I really liked this story and hope to see more from the talented folks who made it.

UPDATE: According to an email from chuck-526, there is indeed a much longer version and I somehow got a shortened one after all. I'll have to see if I can find that one--especially since I did like this film a lot.

A French silhouette animated movie.

Don't get fooled by the title. This is not a cheesy corny animation movie for dumb kids or dumb parents. This is old-style storytelling, classic animation, in which the story is what matters the most. The movie is mostly for children, but will also enchant adults, especially if you like fables.

The movie is, in fact, a compilation of a cartoon series special shown in French TV. It contains six stories: The princess of Diamonds, the Boy and the Fig Tree, The witch, The Old Lady's Cape, The Crunch Queen and the Fabulo, and Prince & Princess. There are two 17th-18th century stories, a story set in Old Egypt, another set in Europe in the Middle Ages, another set in Japan in the 19th century, and another set in year 3000. The stories are based in old folk stories, Grimm Bros-like, but revamped, updated, and humourised. The stories are embedded with a "moral" message, so they are perfect for little children, but all them also have a a hint of naughtiness that will keep adults engaged.

The movie is a shadow-puppet show, with black characters. However, the design of the "puppets" is extremely delicate, precise and detailed, and sometimes looks like filigree. The characters are superimposed on backgrounds in different color, in which the landscape and vegetation are superposed in a darker hue but "diluted" or water-colored. As in other Michel Ocelot's movies, the drawing of the vegetation is purposely precise and artistic, with a naïf style inspired in the art and cultural images of the cultures the stories are set on. It looks so cool and artistic!

I watched it in French with English subtitles, but the French is so beautiful and clear that anybody with a little knowledge of the language could understand it without need of the subtitles. The actors in the original are great, and the voices are delightful.

The stories are linked by the conversations of a group of animators in their study, who are trying to make a puppet show and tell a story by using elements of art, dressing and style of the time in which they want to set the story. The linking segments are the part I liked the least in the movie, as the movie would have still been great without that.

It is funny that an "old style" movie had such a contemporary feeling and style. Not everything modern needs to be CGI to succeed in conveying a message, it just needs a good story and imagination.