Spare a thought or prayer for Afghanistan if you can. History has unfortunately repeated itself yet again. www.npr.org/2021/08/17/1028483700/help-afghanistan-refugees
@@saratmodugu2721 Unfortunately the original editing files were on my old computer so I can't pin point which music I used for which moment, but I reuse a lot of the same audio so if you look at the credits of either my Owl House or Amphibia video you'll be able to find some names.
One thing I’ve appreciated about Cartoon Saloon movies is that sometimes characters will just...say things. Like, the apology in Song of the Sea, the admission of fear in Wolfwalkers...things that a lot of animated and even live action movies never seem to address. I was expecting the fear Robyn’s father held to only be strongly implied, and was honestly shocked when the movie had him verbally confirm it. And when was the last time a family member actually acknowledged and apologized for their mistreatment of another, instead of the movie just deciding the changing behavior and dynamic was enough and moving on? I know “show don’t tell” is a big thing but I don’t think it applies everywhere, and Cartoon Saloon seems to be good at discerning when to *tell.*
Song of the sea taught me so much. Really. It showed little me that a parent can mess up, but that sometimes, the Bullshits they make are the best choices they have. The dad had to give the kids to the grandma. The dad had to throw away the jacket. He didn't know how much he was hurting his kid, because he was too hurt himself to see it. And then he saw it. He saw that his children would be happy with what they found in their journey. Ben found the importance of the communication, especially with his mute sister, and the little girl (I don't remember her name I'm a fucking idiot) found what she needed : Her brother. As a half-mute person, I love the fact that even if the grandma wanted to force the little girl to talk, her dad kinda stood up against it. At the end of the movie, she found her voice, but for me it's more a metaphor. She didn't learn to talk. She didn't learn to SPEAK. She learnt to communicate, because her brother finally listened. This movie taught me that I wasn't able to talk with people because I didn't find my voice yet, and that sometimes, my parents mess up, but they always do their best, even if for me, they could have done better. The dad wasn't able to take care of his children anymore, and deeply thought it would be better for them to leave, even if for them, it was not a good thing.
@@windcrystal1349 Yes, watching Song of the Sea as a kid, having the kids move away felt so unfair. Rewatching it recently, it's clear that it was the only responsible option given the information the adults had at the time.
I think Wolfwalkers was better than Disney Pixar’s Soul (the movie that won the Oscars.) I usually like Disney/Pixar, but I just didn’t connect with that movie, unlike with Wolfwalkers In fact Wolfwalkers is my favorite Cartoon Saloon movie yet.
I love this video so so much, I rarely see anyone talk about Cartoon Saloon, not least in the length and detail that you have. As an Irish person it’s genuinely delightful seeing my culture, my history and hell even my accent shown on the big screen. We’re surrounded by the media giants of America and Britain, so it’s genuinely heartwarming seeing an Irish studio be celebrated for its work. Keep up the great videos!
Secret Of Kells made me quiver slightly, but relax at the veeery end. Song Of The Sea made me cry halfway through. The Breadwinner left me shaking, and muttering "Please let them all be okay." as the credits started rolling. And then WolfWalkers grabbed me by the eyes, dragged them across beautiful imagery, lovely characters, incredible story, and sandpaper, making me cry halfway into the view. I just. Man. Even their short movies, be it the ethereal From Darkness, the adorable Late Afternoon, and the horrifying Old Fangs- MAN. It's all so wonderful!
A problem I often have with online reviews on Cartoon Saloon's movies (outside of being almost always overlooked; damn you, Disney and Hollywood's grip on Western theatrical animation) is that to me they seem somewhat shallow. Sure, the majority praise them and talk about how wonderful they are, but they tend to focus on the (admitedly outstanding) animation, with stuff like the score, the characterization or even the story being more of an afterthought. And even then, quite often they don't really go beyond that. "Very pretty movie, 10/10, I recommend it". I am happy to see this video is an exception. Every review hits all the points that affect any animated movie neatly, from the usual things like the animation, the story or the characters to the more overlooked stuff like the music and especially the voice acting (I'm convinced Moore has an eldritch pact with some pagan god to help him find children VAs of that quality), all in a thorough and comprehensive manner. The particularities of each movie are also explained in a great way (from Samurai Jack's influence on Secret of Kells or the Breadwinner's handling of Afghan culture to the LGBTQ reading of Wolfwalkers), and the added bonuses of exploring the studio's past and future, explaining xerography, dunking on the Oscars, actually saying where they can be watched, etc., make this a fun, well-rounded and informative video. I *wish* just a 10% of movie reviews (animated or live-action) on TH-cam were this good, and I *wish* I had spare money to donate to your Patreon. Do you mind if I post this video on the Cartoon Saloon subreddit (yes, that's a thing), with the proper credit ofc? Also, I don't want to continue rambling, but I had to say it: RDR2, Goldeneye, and The Hobbit? You, sir, truly are a man of culture.
Not all of the movies needs a complex story. A simple, but well made story with incredible animation is still a very good movie and much better than a complex story but executed worse imo.
I’m Afghan so breadwinner was incredible for me to watch especially since it discussed topics from my home country. I was in awe at how well and detailed it was. Even the names were very exact. So I could tell the production company and even the writer of the series put a lot of effort and time into such a masterpiece. The ending was sad but realistic too. There are many stories where in every Afghan household families have lost a child, husband, wife, sister etc to the war. I’m a huge fan of Animated movies so thank you for breadwinner. Literature, poetry and stories have always been the heart and soul of the Afghan people and I grew up with that. I cried when I watched breadwinner. Every time I rewatch it I feel this immense sadness. The folklore music the writing and even the family life and food make me feel nostalgic and just ... empty. So I cannot stress enough as to how much I appreciate breadwinner and I’m glad lots of people have too :)
its just disappointing that people think 3d is an upgrade... like its not any better or worse than 2d, its just different. edit: diffidently subbing after this, I love this studio and the thing they create and can only hope to one day be able to make things like that or make this with them! never before have I heard someone talk about it in depth with as much love as I harbour for this craft, you really put words to things I cant express, thankyou for caring about this studio!
I think the reason people thought of 3D as an upgrade is, because for a long time it sure was. You had to upgrade your computers or rent computers to render and animate 3D works. It was an 'upgrade' in the sense you had to upgrade your hardware to be able to use it.
I think it has also to do with the generations. For example I absolutely hate what they did to my favorite tv series (nils holgersson, heidi, wickie) these old anime-european productions that are now turned into cheap 3d (with modernized weird stories without depth for the energetic audience) BUT when I complained about them to my granny she said on the other hand she likes 3D way more than 2d, because it's like "cartoons become alive" (she especially loves all the animal 3d manipulations in real movies like talking dogs etc) she says it's amazing that something that would never happen in reality can be made into something that looks real. so it's really maybe just generations
@@calumarter Ah, I just saw that I never replied!! I no longer work at CS, but I was a Background artist for My father's dragon, yes! Also worked on Silly Sundays as a BG artist and later as a Layout artist ✌🏻 It was wonderful working with so many talented people
God, Secret of Kells was one of the first animated movies I genuinely enjoyed as a kid. My adopted dad wasn't a good man by any means and hated the concept of "fun" in any capacity so if I did watch something it was his documentaries. When I moved out with my biological mom the first movie I watched with my mom was "The Secret of Kells" Thanks for covering these guys man, I needed it.
When I saw Wolfwalkers I immediately thought it's basically required watching. Like, if you are an animation fan, and you have not yet seen Wolfwalkers, I'd consider that a serious gap in your education. And really this could probably be said for all of their movies. They are absolutely brilliant with amazing consistency.
Robyn's character arc is so well done. It reminded me of how Samurai Jack focused on visuals over dialogue to tell the story of the characters. The part where Robyn sees herself with free-flowing hair in her dream puts her scenes after that in a whole new light, especially upon rewatch. The writers are basically telling a story about Robyn being more brave and mature without her and the audience being told so.
I have always adored Cartoon Saloon, and I so hope they only continue to gain recognition. I'm sure Soul will win the Oscar over Wolfwalkers, but I hope people still watch it. I am SO stoked for My Father's Dragon, and to see how they approach a more Afro-Caribbean vibe through their distinct style. The fact that they're getting deals with streaming services makes me hold out hope that they'll continue to grow and flourish as an independent studio. Thanks for this vid!!! It's nice to find other people who seem as in love with this small studio from Kilkenny as I am
@@joshuajoe1419 I respect your opinion, but I personally disagree. I haven't watched either movie, but I'm only interested in one of them in spite of having watched both trailers.
@@anonymouslesbian1282 I would respect you opinion but you can’t say that without watching either of them. Also the trailers for Soul are pretty bad as they shoehorned kiddy jokes that don’t even appear in the movie.
My roommate in college had a period of Gaelic obsession and listened the soundtrack to Secret of Kells nonstop. She later learned to sing the song in their native tongue as it reminded her of her grandmother's singing during her childhood. I never actually watched the movie with her but i recognized the illuminated manuscript art style when I started studying art history years later. Cartoon Saloon's unique style made it easy to latch onto Song of the Sea when it came out, along with its tear jerking story. Now, with my own interest in Middle Eastern art and culture, The Breadwinner stands as one of my favorite movies on Netflix right now. I sincerely look forward to anything Cartoon Saloon will put out in the future. Thank you for such a thorough review of this amazing studio.
I was in a blow off art class back in highschool when I first watched Secret of Kells and it blew me away. Years later I’ve just finished Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers. Never been a fan of animation, but Cartoon Saloon sure turned me into one!
I find it hilarious that I have seen all of Cartoon Saloon's movies without knowing they were made by the same studio. I guess it makes sense in hindsight
I watched that scene with Idrees going after the girls over and over and over again and it took me a while to figure out why. But honestly I think that that was some of the best character acting animation I've seen. It's the moment before he actually gets called away and he's sitting there with himself and you can see him thinking "Why am I so angry? Why am I trying to kill these people?" It's so real. It's a moment that I'm sure many people have experiences as they're coming down from some intense emotions. And then he gets called away and that's when the fear hits him and the realization that he's woefully unprepared for what's coming. He's scared of the enemy, scared of dying, and scared of himself. All that without any dialogue. Brilliant.
Just like what this guy said: deep down, Idrees was just a kid who was basically conceived under the Taliban’s ideologies and though he was Unlikable, we could see what was going on in that moment
When you were talking about the characterization in "The Secret of Kells", I couldn't help but think about how my favorite moments from Brother Aiden are the quieter ones. I love him as a character so much, and I love his energy and enthusiasm for his work, but he's also the sole survivor of a terrible massacre who clings to his work partially to honor the memories of his fallen brothers. His conversation with Abbot Cellach at the beginning is probably my favorite scene in the movie--you get this beautiful contrast between Cellach's fierce determination that his wall will keep the Vikings out and Aiden's gentle resignation to the fact that it definitely won't. There's a specific line he says--"If the Northmen come, all we can do is run and hope that we are fast enough"--that Mick Lally just knocks out of the park with his delivery. I even love Aiden's little musing to himself about Cellach's artistic skills and how he's turned them to working on the wall--something that should bring joy has been turned to something grim and purely practical. It's such a fantastic scene, and we do so more of that melancholy aspect to Aiden's character in other scenes, but I kind of wish it had been more present. And maybe it could serve as a catalyst to develop the brothers of the Kells abbey--this is the kind of community Aiden had once and lost, and now he has the chance, however brief, to forge a new one among them.
I compare Cartoon Saloon to other animation studios like that one episode where Spongebob and Neptune had a cook-off. Disney and others are like Neptune, churning out products as fast as possible to keep at the top, even though the stuff they make sometimes is utter crap. Cartoon Saloon is more like Spongebob, where they may take a little longer to make something, but you know it's been made with love and care and will be utterly wonderful.
Likewise mate. After I watched WolfWalkers this is exactly the same question I asked myself. "Who in the world are these people and how come I've never had a glimpse of their existence?" After watching WolfWalkers, like many people, i binged their other featured films in no time. I have to say they have become one of my favorite animation studios, especially doing all of this relying solely on 2D.
The breadwinner is what helped me learn how things changed for the country and people when the taliban took over. Its crazy to think how different the country and culture was before :(
I found out about Cartoon Saloon's films through my dad. My family comes from a mainly Irish and Scottish background and my dad has a lot of appreciation for Keltic mythology so he'd sometimes put these movies on and I loved all of them. I was also surprised that there weren't a lot of videos talking about them and yet there's also hundreds of videos talking about how traditional animation is dead. This is the only video that I could find that seems to go Into detail about the films and I really appreciate it.
The Secret of Kells has been a favorite of mine since the first time I saw it as a 7 year old, though it feels like I’ve been watching it since I was far younger. When my sister was going into her terrible twos and threes I started spending a lot more time with my maternal grandparents, and watching movies together was our favorite thing to do, it kept me focused on not making a mess as a kid and it inspired my creativity in a way no other thing in my life has. The Secret of Kells, among other animated film that I adore like The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Nine, How to Train Your Dragon, and Coraline, was one of the many films my grandmother pirated off her old Mac and burned onto a stack of CDs she bought for clearance in an effort to get me to watch something other than Matilda and Pinocchio for the entirety of our time together. This movie was probably the first movie that I can remember having a deep connection to. I just couldn’t help but see myself in Brendan and Aisling and the inspiring demeanor of Brother Ayden reminds me still to this day of my grandmother who loved these movies just as much as I did, and even after I grew older and the disk was long lost, I still thought about this movie. Up until recently, the title and details of the plot were long lost to time and poor memory but the character designs and beautiful scenes, backgrounds, and imagery (especially Brendan’s fight with Crom) still stuck with me and impacted the way I perceived other forms of animated storytelling, but coming back to it, rediscovering it, has been exciting to say the least, and it lead to the discovery of Cartoon Saloons other great films as well as leading me to rewatch the old films I had with my grandparents all those years ago. To say that this movies is my favorite, or that I admire the animation, or even that it holds some of my best memories, would just not do this film justice. This movie is one of the reasons I aim to pursue animation and special effects in film, it’s raised the bar for new animated movies that I take interest in, and it reminds me of the sleepy days watching this movie with my grandfather even years after he passed. Now I think about this movie at least 3 times a week and the way I can still relate to these characters in terms of both my blooming creativity and my dive into self discovery in terms of my attraction and representation. I can still see myself in the way Brendan perseveres through his uncles expectations and choosing to take up Aydens legacy the way he still maintains his childish demeanor in the face of so much trauma and expectation that could give a kid like him, or me for that matter, such intense burnout that it would strip that childish wonder from anyone. It’s fair to say that cartoon saloon has left a larger impact on me and my perception of the world more than I could imagine a few animations ever could. It’s reminiscent of my moments of childhood with my grandparents and reminds me of the cartoons I loved so dearly before discovering this amazing movie. It’s helped me grow as a person and has allowed me to see the potential of creativity and wonder in a world where I was told that neither would be favorable or consequential in a way that matters. I have never been able to put to words how much this movie means to me as a person, as a child, but this video really did just that (I even found myself tearing up at some moments) so thank you Film Freak for being able to depict the love I have to this film, and this company, in a way that does it justice.
If anyone's trying to leave a comment on here relating your own experiences as an LGBTQ+ person, TH-cam is deleting your comments automatically because they suck and I don't know how to resolve it. I love receiving new comments on different perspectives and how they impact the way you view media, so please don't stop sending me comments like that even if TH-cam is the worst.
I'm half wondering if youtube is somehow linking one's LGBTQ+ experiences with something a little less favorable. Don't get me wrong this is just a wild guess, but the characters in wolfwalkers are children. Maybe whatever automated program they're running in YT is scanning for anything relating to the sexualization of minors, and is instead finding talk of issues surrounding sexual orientation arising from parallels in a movie where two children are the main focus?
@@substellar3301 It wouldn't be the first time TH-cam used their shitty automated systems to make things "safer" for kids rather than take accountability themselves.
I was about to comment one lmao so here's an unrelated one instead I clicked on this video because I love Cartoon Saloon but I wasn't expecting a video with such high quality and good humour Finding out about your channel made my day, thank you :)
"Keep out, feic off, no humans" 29:11 lmaoo Yea despite Irish the language being borderline dead you can see it a lot in our slang like Craic and the Feic there
I recently got apple TV's free trial to watch wolfwalkers, and I've become obsessed with it. As you mentioned, as someone on the LGBTQ spectrum I relate a lot with Robyn's feeling of being caged by society and more specifically by her misguided father. This movie has helped me process those emotions, and I'll forever love it for that.
0:00 Intro 1:25 Cartoon Saloon: A Brief History 5:35 How I Discovered Them 7:54 The Secret of Kells 23:16 It's Been 84 Years... 25:05 Song of the Sea 39:15 The Academy Awards Suck 42:29 The Breadwinner 59:34 The Cycle Continues 1:01:24 Wolfwalkers 1:18:13 My Father's Dragon and Beyond
Cartoon Saloon makes me very proud to be Irish, I remember an animator of the company coming to my secondary school to talk about the animation process, show us student films and sketch pads, I like art and drawing, but has no interest in animation, but it was amazing hearing about the process, I also got to miss PE which is a plus. A few weeks ago, my art teacher told the class to watch My Father's Dragon, as we will be going to speak to the animators of it and to ask questions on it, I liked what I saw and I wanted more.
Hey Film Freak, I know you’re probably not going to be see this but I feel the same way about Cartoon Saloon with your channel. Sure, it’s not as mainstream or well-known as other productions, but that doesn’t mean that the quality mirrors that. In fact, in my opinion, all of your video essays are phenomenal and really easy to understand and connect with. I really appreciate how you still posting shorter videos and clips on your channel because while they’re not as popular, they’re what you like to do. I really hope you keep on making videos on TH-cam even though you’re not getting that much money from them, like Cartoon Saloon, because they’re really entertaining and moving and funny and intriguing all at the same time. Thanks for improving my year.
I ran into a Secret of Kells clip here on TH-cam. Then I found Song of The Sea, and when it was released on Netflix I watched it. The animation blew my mind and gave me a deep respect for the company right off the bat. When Wolfwalkers was announced, I was beyond excited! Sadly I only got to watch the movie through a playlist here on TH-cam(It got copyrighted the next day). I didn't want to download Apple TV just to watch a single movie. They have merch on their website, so I want to buy something off the store to support them. Hopefully though I will be able to buy a copy of each movie someday. Then I could watch them again and again and again. I haven't watched the Breadwinner or Secret of Kells, so I really want to see those next. Can't wait for what this company does next. Edit: NOW I REMEMBER WHERE I HEARD BREADWINNER BEFORE!!!! I read that book in my english class!! It broke my heart. I had forgotten the name of the book but when I saw the cover on your video my mind exploded!! I can't believe it was made into a movie!!!!
Cartoon Saloon's movies are incredibly underrated man. Im disappointed more people dont know about them, they put such beautiful work and care into what they put out!
When recounting The Breadwinner and the hindsight you mentioned being this ever present dread on the situation of these characters, I hope the takeaway here is that the kind of people depicted in this fiction are still alive. The people, the places, the love and the suffering they all go through still happens to this day. It's not just some fable of a time long past. Something that's been a growing issue regarding the conflicts that happened in the early 2000s is how swift people are to try and forget the global effect it has had while trying to wipe away the cultural identity of those that were invaded. This is not just a movie describing the experiences of one family in Afghanistan, but a story about how that sort of life endures, even when (at the time) 16 years apart. That still holds true to this very day. Afghanistan in the story is described as a land where empires die. Well, that just tells me that the systems that bring people down always crumble away, even if it means a new one will come to pass. That's still a life worth living, and as an Afghan, it relates well to how we receive continuously worse news regarding Afghanistan. And yet still after the fact, there is a love to be found in the land, its people and the stories they hold.
Thank you spot lighting the filmography of this Little known but Wonderfully talented Animation studio. Your analysis is insightful and entertaining. Bravo
I'm loving these videos. I wanted to watch WolfWalkers because I saw it on Apple TV+ and I was like, 'that looks cool,' but I never did. Thank you for making me realize that it was by the same guys as Kells and Breadwinner, and that I needed to watch it. It's incredible. So thank you!
I remember watching The Song of The Sea and how it pulled at my heart and I was amazed at the simple yet gorgeous style while the backgrounds were more detailed, but still looking simple and easy on the eyes it looks as if they were animated from old manuscripts and tapestries, which I love!
I loved both The Bread Winner and Wolf Walkers but I had no idea they were made by the same studio! I haven’t seen the other two movies but I’ll definitely watch them now. Great video!
I'm writing my semester's final paper for my animation bachelor on Cartoon Saloon, and this video has been so incredibly helpful. This is my favorite animation studio, and I'm glad to see so much love poured into it. Thank you for your work! :D
NO WAY I HAVENT HEARD THE WORDS “MY FATHERS DRAGON” IN SOOOOO LONG THOSE WHERE MY FAVORITE AS A KID. AND NOW ITS BEING ADAPTED BY THE BEST ANIMATION STUDIO????
I still remember how I discovered the Book of Kells. It was the height of torrenting, and as an avid animation lover (growing up with Persepolis and Les Triplets de Belleville) I saw the cover of Kells as a suggestion to download. One look at the cover was enough to convince me, and I rarely base my choices on the cover art. The style and secretiveness of the that cover was so tantalising, so simply beautiful. Book of Kells remains one of my favourite movies of all time. I'm so glad other people see this genius
I was pretty late to the party with Cartoon Saloon. The first thing I really saw from them was the Wolfwalkers trailer in September 2020, since then they have become one of my favourite animation studios working today. Watching Wolfwalkers in November was the moment I realised I wanted to pursue animation as a living. It and Song of the Sea are two of my favourite movies of all time, the affect they’ve had on my in such a short time is immense.
I think I discoverd Cartoon Saloon around 2020. For two reasons: The first was by hearing the upcoming release of Wolfwalkers. I didn't know anything about the film or the history of the company. But many said it was a comeback to traditional animation, after films like Titan A.E. and Treasure Planet being box office bombs and almost destroying the popularity of the medium.The second was by watching The Breadwinner on Netflix that very same year. I was blown away by how well done the story was told and how relateable the characters were. With these two factors coming to play, and that I was interested in 2D animation, I decided to watch The Secret of Kells in early 2021 by purchasing the Blu Ray. And let me tell you, from start to finish, I adored it. In fact, I loved it so much I have ever since called this to be one of my favorite animated films, alongside The Iron Giant, Spirited Away, Persepolis and Shrek.
I first discovered cartoon saloon when i was about 6, it was when netflix was still older and had a lot more of a random selection. And when I lived in a large house with a ton of ny family me and my cousins would all do a movie night together pretty often. So we got netflix and scrolled around to find something to watch and found the secret of the kells. We thought it looked intresting so we watched it and stayed up super late, we loved it and it kind of has a place in my heart because it reminds me of when my family was happier and closer.
Wolf walkers has been my comfort film ever since somebody leaked it on a google doc. i’ve watched it so many times now i think i have the lines down in my head!! i also got the art book!! that movie has my entire heart at this point, i connected with it so much growing up as a wolf-loving kid. Cartoon saloon creates such beautiful movies, i’ve seen them all except for secret of kells so far. and i can say, they deserve way more recognition.
I am a huge animation fan, particularly hand-drawn 2d and stop motion 3d animation. Cartoon Saloon and Laika are my two rays of hope for the next generation of animated films. Thank you so much for posting this!! I saw Kells a few years after it came out, having been disappointed I missed it in the theater. A few more years later I stumbled on Song of the Sea (I was overjoyed-- a feature-length animated film about selkies!!) And I knew I needed to keep up with this studio. Loved Wolfwalkers-- my initial complaint might have been how heavy handed the "fearful fundamentalist Christian" vibe on Cromwell came across, but even a few months after seeing it in theatres it makes perfect sense now. I had no idea they did Breadwinner! It's been on my watch list for years and now I why I need to sit down and watch it already 😂 I enjoyed this hour tremendously, keep doing what you do!
I think Breadwinner and now Wolfwalkers are one of my all time fav movies, but tbh like you said all of cartoon saloon movies are just on another level. Amazing video
The Secret Of Kells was always my favorite movie as a child but recently I had forgotten the name and haven’t been able to find it. Thank you for helping me find it again!
Thank you for making this! it's rare to see cartoon saloon talked about much, even though they deserve it. I'm from Kilkenny and had the pleasure of taking my work experience for secondary school in their studio while they were making song of the sea. And it's crazy to see the amount of effort that was put into it, and all the amazing animator behind it. They were all so lovely and inviting to me, so it's lovely to see them being appreciated.
Yea, I just watched Wolfwalkers last night and here I am watching a feature-length "rave" video because it was that good haha. I NEED MORE! Thanks for making this video! None of my friends or family have seen it yet, nor are many of my friends as into animation as me so it felt good to share a heart-to-heart and geek out over these films with you! I needed to watch this to process my feelings haha
i’m so happy to finally be watching a cartoon saloon video essay, and an hour long one at that! i fell in love with with studio when i saw song of the sea in 2014 in an arthouse theater my aunt used to volunteer at. looking back, i’m so thankful my first viewing of the film was on the big screen. i was 11 at the time and there was something about it that blew me away. i remember staggering out of the theater in a daze, mesmerized by what i had just witnessed. since then, every time i rewatch the movie on a pretty regular basis, i’m always in this calm, dream-like trance by the time the credits start rolling. listening to the soundtrack constantly helps, too. about 2 months ago, i watched the film with the sound of rain from outside and it was the most magical experience i had in quarantine, and even since my first time in the theater. anyway, i adore this movie to pieces and it’s one of my favorite films of all time :) also, LOVE the titanic and MST3k references :D
Thank you very much. I really needed this video. I love Cartoon Saloon but I never knew their history. And, of course, thank you for putting all my thoughts into words, a way I can finally express my love for this studio without meaningless excited screaming))) the editing was fantastic btw
Cartoon Saloon, in my opinion, is one of the best animated studios out there. Especially the foreign kind! Their movies that have been produced by them have been great storytelling and really hooks me into the world of Irish culture. Hopefully they’ll continue onto make many more amazing movies we’ll all come to love and appreciate😁
Kay, so: Love this, love these movies, only seen two of them. So, I'm gonna leave a like and a comment, go watch the other two movies, then come back and finish this. Great work.
The choice to make moments of danger "true" perspective rather than "forced" was so profound. It was metaphoric for the way the vickings (who became the English through marriage later) destroyed Irish culture and forcefully replaced it with their own. If you are Irish or of Irish descent those perspective shifts have such an impact when they happen. To explain, the forced perspective art style fits well for Irish styles of storytelling. Irish oral tradition is open to multiple interpretations and perspectives. It enjoys painting the world through a lense and leaves the listeners mind to peice things together in new and fantastic ways. It thrives on contradictions. It is open to encoporation of new elements so long as those elements dont threaten the existing fabric of the story. We even see that in the film in the way that the Bible and forest spirits are both able to coexist without warring with each other. As well as the ways our perspective plays tricks on us; Such as when the little boy is running through the trees then changes direction behind some moss, and we see him re-emerge in a way that doesn't make logical sense. That is such a classic Irish storytelling move. To force the listener to think "Oh, that's not what I understood to be true. But look how delightful it is to be slightly off". When we see the shift to the sterile "true" perspective of outsiders, the world falls startlingly into a harsher reality forced by invaders. No longer do we see a world were things can change or appear different as though viewed through a looking stone. Instead we have the film forcing us to view the world in one specific way, which the vicking invaders view as the only "true" perspective. It at once feels more restrictive and threatening. The perfect way to show ideologic differences between a traumatized nation and those who sought to forcefully bend that nation until it only resembles the invader's culture. An invading force that sought to remove the heart, soul, and whimsy from the shores of Ireland. In this way, we see "true" perspective being forced upon us, and "forced" perspectives looser structure being ripped away from us. Absolutely masterful.
I will never be able to thank Cartoon Saloon enough for releasing Song of the Sea with an official Irish language version with, to my knowledge, the majority of the voice actors being the same voicing the English language version. That's huge. Me and my sister went to see the film for the first time at a local screening and even the hosts didn't realise it was the Irish version but after some confusion continued playing it anyway. We have grown up speaking irish at home but even we had never seen a feature film intended to be released completely in the language. The fact that this version exists at all is amazing to me. It blew me away.
On rewatch for My Father's Dragon, these movies truly do fit well with other studio works like Pixar's or Henry Selick's stuff in terms of essentially creating fables through animation. All of these films benefit from a subtextual read, with The Breadwinner being the most "open" in terms of getting its subtext across. Thanks for the vid, been loving more and more people approaching these films with less emphasis for their beautiful animation and more for what they are communicating through their medium.
so glad that im from where cartoon saloon is based. their office is near aran, one of my favorite restaurants, so walking past it is a weekly thing for me.
Song of the Sea and Breadwinner are probably some of my favorite animated films, especially Song of the Sea for its beautiful visuals and exploration of Irish mythology and Breadwinner for being downright gorgeous.
and OH MY GOD wolfwalkers is exactly the film my 10 year old self would have died for. i wish it had come out a decade ago i wouldve been obsessed
3 ปีที่แล้ว +5
Not that in the Breadwinner, the girl has green eyes and looks very similar to an Afghan girl who was photographed by Steve McCurry years ago. The picture went to National Geographic cover and became famous. So much so, that 10 years later McCurry got to find her again, now a woman, and took her a picture again. I don't think the similarity is fortuitous.
This video only having ~76,000 views is a travesty. This was brilliant and very well made, and about one of my favorite studios. Can’t wait to see what else you do
So I have dyslexia, which impacts my memory of names. Some letters will stay in my memory while others won't, and my brain will fill in the gaps with often wrong words. So, every time this company comes out with another film, I think "OMG CARTMAN SOLAR PANEL MADE ANOTHER MOVIE"
@@filmfreak1994 for sure I know about Laika. I know some staff went from cartoon saloon and back too. I have a love for Cartoon saloon because like yourself I love animation but never studied it but grew up in Ballyfermot where the animation college is
Great video! Cartoon Saloon is such a wonderful studio, it makes me happy to see more and more people getting acquainted with their craft as time goes by. It's never enough, though! Hopefully they'll keep getting more and more recognition with time, and videos like this one definitely help that!
Kells and Song etc are at heart, fairytales, which endure because they're short simple stories. Such stories allow for artistic memes, like LoTR was remade so many times until the final "fleshed out" version pretty much clinched it forever. Nobody can apply their artistic interpretation to LoTR any more because everyone knows and believes how those characters should appear and act.
Wow, I dreamed one day someone would make a big video talking about Cartoon Saloon! I can't believe it actually happend! This showed up on my recomended and I just went ''Nearly an hour and a half of talking about my favourite studio? Hell yeah''. I could talk about all their movies all day. Out of all their movies, I think I went back the most to Song of the Sea (which made me click on how to draw hands, by cleary dividing them into three parts. I'm forever thankfull for that) and the Breadwinner. One of the things I love about that last one, is that I don't think it would work as confirmation bias. Throughout the movie we see so much beauty in Kabul, side by side with ruined buildings and armed soldiers (and it's beauty comes from the people and the things they make, just like Nuralah said). Above all, we still see kindness. It really stuck with me how the man who told Parvana and her mother the way to the prision also advised them to go through a more quiet place so they wouldn't get caught. How one of the sellers looks at her in regret and saying that maybe she should come back later, after Parvana desperately tells him her father has been arrested and that's why he can't buy food for them (and he seems so happy when she is negotiating with him later. Maybe he knew who she was?). The contagious cheery nature of the shopkeeper she goes to after starting to disguise herself as a boy. It just makes the city seem like it's filled with people, who live their lives the best they can, instead of evil two-dimensional men. There's just... so much love put into these movies, it's incredible
This was an AMAZING video! Deserves so much more attention than it has. I love all your video essays, I binged them a couple nights ago, and you are one of the most coherent and engaging video essay creators I've seen. Keep it up :)
I hope so so so much that I can get to do work experience at cartoon saloon next year when I'm in TY (an optional year of secondary school that we have here in Ireland that you can do if you want to). I would absolutely love to do work experience there and I feel so lucky to live so close to the studio, now I just have to hope that the virus goes away soon so work experience doesnt get cancelled!!
Stellar video sir! I only just became a fan of Cartoon Saloon after watching Wolfwalkers, and going through their movies has been an absolute blast, even if Wolfwalkers remains my definite favorite. Everything from the music, to the characters, to the visuals is such a pure delight. Really appreciated you going through the history of what is now my favorite animation studio.
THANK YOU! Recently Ive vaguely recalled this movie I watched in school (I was in 3rd grade or so). The only things I remembered were small tidbits of scrambled information, like the mystical vibes, seals and unique artstyle. As soon as I saw the thumbnail I recognized it - Thank you so much for solving this mystery! I will definetly be rewatching "Song of the sea" soon!
Spare a thought or prayer for Afghanistan if you can. History has unfortunately repeated itself yet again.
www.npr.org/2021/08/17/1028483700/help-afghanistan-refugees
What soundtrack did you use. It’s nice to listen to
@@saratmodugu2721 Its all free use stuff from TH-cam's audio library
@@filmfreak1994 do you know the names for each?
@@saratmodugu2721 Unfortunately the original editing files were on my old computer so I can't pin point which music I used for which moment, but I reuse a lot of the same audio so if you look at the credits of either my Owl House or Amphibia video you'll be able to find some names.
@@filmfreak1994 will you believe me if i tell you that there is a prominent yet underrated filmmaker and animation studio in SPANISH ANIMATION?
One thing I’ve appreciated about Cartoon Saloon movies is that sometimes characters will just...say things. Like, the apology in Song of the Sea, the admission of fear in Wolfwalkers...things that a lot of animated and even live action movies never seem to address. I was expecting the fear Robyn’s father held to only be strongly implied, and was honestly shocked when the movie had him verbally confirm it. And when was the last time a family member actually acknowledged and apologized for their mistreatment of another, instead of the movie just deciding the changing behavior and dynamic was enough and moving on? I know “show don’t tell” is a big thing but I don’t think it applies everywhere, and Cartoon Saloon seems to be good at discerning when to *tell.*
It's not just show don't tell, it's show AND tell
Show don't tell works in storytelling but not real life. That's why it seems so honest and realistic
Song of the sea taught me so much. Really. It showed little me that a parent can mess up, but that sometimes, the Bullshits they make are the best choices they have. The dad had to give the kids to the grandma. The dad had to throw away the jacket. He didn't know how much he was hurting his kid, because he was too hurt himself to see it. And then he saw it. He saw that his children would be happy with what they found in their journey. Ben found the importance of the communication, especially with his mute sister, and the little girl (I don't remember her name I'm a fucking idiot) found what she needed : Her brother.
As a half-mute person, I love the fact that even if the grandma wanted to force the little girl to talk, her dad kinda stood up against it. At the end of the movie, she found her voice, but for me it's more a metaphor. She didn't learn to talk. She didn't learn to SPEAK. She learnt to communicate, because her brother finally listened.
This movie taught me that I wasn't able to talk with people because I didn't find my voice yet, and that sometimes, my parents mess up, but they always do their best, even if for me, they could have done better. The dad wasn't able to take care of his children anymore, and deeply thought it would be better for them to leave, even if for them, it was not a good thing.
This is legit
@@windcrystal1349 Yes, watching Song of the Sea as a kid, having the kids move away felt so unfair. Rewatching it recently, it's clear that it was the only responsible option given the information the adults had at the time.
Wolfwalkers just got an Oscar nomination, Cartoon Saloon's fourth nomination. I know its probably not gonna win, but still, a great achievement!
That movie deserve it
Who knows maybe Having a big name Actor like Sean Bean in the cast and Apple's promotion of the film might give them a chance
The Oscar's is a scam anyways, no trophy would be capable of defining the greatness of these films.
Yeah, PAIN.
I think Wolfwalkers was better than Disney Pixar’s Soul (the movie that won the Oscars.) I usually like Disney/Pixar, but I just didn’t connect with that movie, unlike with Wolfwalkers In fact Wolfwalkers is my favorite Cartoon Saloon movie yet.
I love this video so so much, I rarely see anyone talk about Cartoon Saloon, not least in the length and detail that you have. As an Irish person it’s genuinely delightful seeing my culture, my history and hell even my accent shown on the big screen. We’re surrounded by the media giants of America and Britain, so it’s genuinely heartwarming seeing an Irish studio be celebrated for its work. Keep up the great videos!
This is is exactly what I was going to comment, who are you you cryptic mindreader?
This was worth the hour
Congratulations! Together with the Czech Republic and France, Ireland is one of the animation giants of Europe.
SONG OF THE SEA WAS MY FAVORITE FUCKING MOVIE FOR SO LOMG
@Stefano Contardi because The Breadwinner is much more depressing
ME TO
Song of the sea was the first movie from this studio i watched so it has a special place in my heart!
@Stefano Contardi uhh i think there is a playlist if you search full movie!
@Stefano Contardi found it th-cam.com/play/PLjv3-_x98_4G8FqE1tgvIT9nIoVNv2C5n.html
Secret Of Kells made me quiver slightly, but relax at the veeery end. Song Of The Sea made me cry halfway through. The Breadwinner left me shaking, and muttering "Please let them all be okay." as the credits started rolling. And then WolfWalkers grabbed me by the eyes, dragged them across beautiful imagery, lovely characters, incredible story, and sandpaper, making me cry halfway into the view. I just. Man.
Even their short movies, be it the ethereal From Darkness, the adorable Late Afternoon, and the horrifying Old Fangs- MAN. It's all so wonderful!
I swear, 30 years from now Cartoon Saloon's movies will be studied at film schools.
A problem I often have with online reviews on Cartoon Saloon's movies (outside of being almost always overlooked; damn you, Disney and Hollywood's grip on Western theatrical animation) is that to me they seem somewhat shallow. Sure, the majority praise them and talk about how wonderful they are, but they tend to focus on the (admitedly outstanding) animation, with stuff like the score, the characterization or even the story being more of an afterthought. And even then, quite often they don't really go beyond that. "Very pretty movie, 10/10, I recommend it".
I am happy to see this video is an exception. Every review hits all the points that affect any animated movie neatly, from the usual things like the animation, the story or the characters to the more overlooked stuff like the music and especially the voice acting (I'm convinced Moore has an eldritch pact with some pagan god to help him find children VAs of that quality), all in a thorough and comprehensive manner. The particularities of each movie are also explained in a great way (from Samurai Jack's influence on Secret of Kells or the Breadwinner's handling of Afghan culture to the LGBTQ reading of Wolfwalkers), and the added bonuses of exploring the studio's past and future, explaining xerography, dunking on the Oscars, actually saying where they can be watched, etc., make this a fun, well-rounded and informative video. I *wish* just a 10% of movie reviews (animated or live-action) on TH-cam were this good, and I *wish* I had spare money to donate to your Patreon.
Do you mind if I post this video on the Cartoon Saloon subreddit (yes, that's a thing), with the proper credit ofc?
Also, I don't want to continue rambling, but I had to say it: RDR2, Goldeneye, and The Hobbit? You, sir, truly are a man of culture.
Thank you! And by all means, share away!
@@theleavesblow8 Not explicitly, but the themes still resonate with LGBTQ people so it was worth mentioning.
@@theleavesblow8 Queercoding is a thing, you know
Not all of the movies needs a complex story. A simple, but well made story with incredible animation is still a very good movie and much better than a complex story but executed worse imo.
@@celestesimulator6539 That's true. Pardon my ignorance.
omg the breadwinner part is making me cry
it was such a powerfully moving movie
Yea im in love with it
It's a book.
Same here, helped me understand the issues with Muslim women, since one of my Congresswomen is Ilhan Omar
Both me and my mom cried ugly tears when we watched that movie together when I was a kid.
I’m Afghan so breadwinner was incredible for me to watch especially since it discussed topics from my home country. I was in awe at how well and detailed it was. Even the names were very exact. So I could tell the production company and even the writer of the series put a lot of effort and time into such a masterpiece. The ending was sad but realistic too. There are many stories where in every Afghan household families have lost a child, husband, wife, sister etc to the war.
I’m a huge fan of Animated movies so thank you for breadwinner.
Literature, poetry and stories have always been the heart and soul of the Afghan people and I grew up with that.
I cried when I watched breadwinner. Every time I rewatch it I feel this immense sadness. The folklore music the writing and even the family life and food make me feel nostalgic and just ... empty. So I cannot stress enough as to how much I appreciate breadwinner and I’m glad lots of people have too :)
its just disappointing that people think 3d is an upgrade... like its not any better or worse than 2d, its just different.
edit: diffidently subbing after this, I love this studio and the thing they create and can only hope to one day be able to make things like that or make this with them! never before have I heard someone talk about it in depth with as much love as I harbour for this craft, you really put words to things I cant express, thankyou for caring about this studio!
Thanks! A friend of mine is gonna go even more in depth on Wolfwalkers, I look forward to sharing that as soon as she does it.
I think the reason people thought of 3D as an upgrade is, because for a long time it sure was. You had to upgrade your computers or rent computers to render and animate 3D works. It was an 'upgrade' in the sense you had to upgrade your hardware to be able to use it.
@@ZentaBon true just like the 60fps thing I guess
But isnt neccessarilly better
I think it has also to do with the generations. For example I absolutely hate what they did to my favorite tv series (nils holgersson, heidi, wickie) these old anime-european productions that are now turned into cheap 3d (with modernized weird stories without depth for the energetic audience) BUT when I complained about them to my granny she said on the other hand she likes 3D way more than 2d, because it's like "cartoons become alive" (she especially loves all the animal 3d manipulations in real movies like talking dogs etc) she says it's amazing that something that would never happen in reality can be made into something that looks real.
so it's really maybe just generations
As someone who started working at Cartoon Saloon not so long ago (and a 2D animation lover), I'm immensely grateful for this video
Marina de bustos, that must be exciting for you are you working on my fathers dragon ?
i respect anybody that works with/for cartoon saloon, ya'll are making dreams come true
@@calumarter Ah, I just saw that I never replied!! I no longer work at CS, but I was a Background artist for My father's dragon, yes! Also worked on Silly Sundays as a BG artist and later as a Layout artist ✌🏻 It was wonderful working with so many talented people
@@neddea thank you for replying, I'm glad you enjoyed your time there.
God, Secret of Kells was one of the first animated movies I genuinely enjoyed as a kid.
My adopted dad wasn't a good man by any means and hated the concept of "fun" in any capacity so if I did watch something it was his documentaries. When I moved out with my biological mom the first movie I watched with my mom was "The Secret of Kells"
Thanks for covering these guys man, I needed it.
When I saw Wolfwalkers I immediately thought it's basically required watching. Like, if you are an animation fan, and you have not yet seen Wolfwalkers, I'd consider that a serious gap in your education.
And really this could probably be said for all of their movies. They are absolutely brilliant with amazing consistency.
Robyn's character arc is so well done. It reminded me of how Samurai Jack focused on visuals over dialogue to tell the story of the characters. The part where Robyn sees herself with free-flowing hair in her dream puts her scenes after that in a whole new light, especially upon rewatch. The writers are basically telling a story about Robyn being more brave and mature without her and the audience being told so.
I have always adored Cartoon Saloon, and I so hope they only continue to gain recognition. I'm sure Soul will win the Oscar over Wolfwalkers, but I hope people still watch it. I am SO stoked for My Father's Dragon, and to see how they approach a more Afro-Caribbean vibe through their distinct style. The fact that they're getting deals with streaming services makes me hold out hope that they'll continue to grow and flourish as an independent studio. Thanks for this vid!!! It's nice to find other people who seem as in love with this small studio from Kilkenny as I am
Good thing the oscars are a joke, eh?
@@anonymouslesbian1282 Honestly Soul and Wolfwalkers are equals.
@@joshuajoe1419 I respect your opinion, but I personally disagree. I haven't watched either movie, but I'm only interested in one of them in spite of having watched both trailers.
@@anonymouslesbian1282 I would respect you opinion but you can’t say that without watching either of them. Also the trailers for Soul are pretty bad as they shoehorned kiddy jokes that don’t even appear in the movie.
@@joshuajoe1419 I didn't pay much attention to the jokes, I paid attention to the concept. It didn't interest me personally.
My roommate in college had a period of Gaelic obsession and listened the soundtrack to Secret of Kells nonstop. She later learned to sing the song in their native tongue as it reminded her of her grandmother's singing during her childhood. I never actually watched the movie with her but i recognized the illuminated manuscript art style when I started studying art history years later. Cartoon Saloon's unique style made it easy to latch onto Song of the Sea when it came out, along with its tear jerking story. Now, with my own interest in Middle Eastern art and culture, The Breadwinner stands as one of my favorite movies on Netflix right now. I sincerely look forward to anything Cartoon Saloon will put out in the future. Thank you for such a thorough review of this amazing studio.
I was in a blow off art class back in highschool when I first watched Secret of Kells and it blew me away. Years later I’ve just finished Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers. Never been a fan of animation, but Cartoon Saloon sure turned me into one!
I find it hilarious that I have seen all of Cartoon Saloon's movies without knowing they were made by the same studio. I guess it makes sense in hindsight
Same😊
I'm all set for an hour it seems thanks for this!
I watched that scene with Idrees going after the girls over and over and over again and it took me a while to figure out why. But honestly I think that that was some of the best character acting animation I've seen. It's the moment before he actually gets called away and he's sitting there with himself and you can see him thinking "Why am I so angry? Why am I trying to kill these people?" It's so real. It's a moment that I'm sure many people have experiences as they're coming down from some intense emotions. And then he gets called away and that's when the fear hits him and the realization that he's woefully unprepared for what's coming. He's scared of the enemy, scared of dying, and scared of himself. All that without any dialogue. Brilliant.
Just like what this guy said: deep down, Idrees was just a kid who was basically conceived under the Taliban’s ideologies and though he was Unlikable, we could see what was going on in that moment
Wolf walkers is just... do you ever watch a movie so beautiful you wish the real world looked like this?
When you were talking about the characterization in "The Secret of Kells", I couldn't help but think about how my favorite moments from Brother Aiden are the quieter ones. I love him as a character so much, and I love his energy and enthusiasm for his work, but he's also the sole survivor of a terrible massacre who clings to his work partially to honor the memories of his fallen brothers. His conversation with Abbot Cellach at the beginning is probably my favorite scene in the movie--you get this beautiful contrast between Cellach's fierce determination that his wall will keep the Vikings out and Aiden's gentle resignation to the fact that it definitely won't. There's a specific line he says--"If the Northmen come, all we can do is run and hope that we are fast enough"--that Mick Lally just knocks out of the park with his delivery. I even love Aiden's little musing to himself about Cellach's artistic skills and how he's turned them to working on the wall--something that should bring joy has been turned to something grim and purely practical. It's such a fantastic scene, and we do so more of that melancholy aspect to Aiden's character in other scenes, but I kind of wish it had been more present. And maybe it could serve as a catalyst to develop the brothers of the Kells abbey--this is the kind of community Aiden had once and lost, and now he has the chance, however brief, to forge a new one among them.
I compare Cartoon Saloon to other animation studios like that one episode where Spongebob and Neptune had a cook-off. Disney and others are like Neptune, churning out products as fast as possible to keep at the top, even though the stuff they make sometimes is utter crap. Cartoon Saloon is more like Spongebob, where they may take a little longer to make something, but you know it's been made with love and care and will be utterly wonderful.
this is the best analogy i've read about the animation industry, hands down 👏
Likewise mate. After I watched WolfWalkers this is exactly the same question I asked myself. "Who in the world are these people and how come I've never had a glimpse of their existence?" After watching WolfWalkers, like many people, i binged their other featured films in no time. I have to say they have become one of my favorite animation studios, especially doing all of this relying solely on 2D.
The wolf vision is like this scene th-cam.com/video/Jtc-PP2GWPo/w-d-xo.html
The breadwinner is what helped me learn how things changed for the country and people when the taliban took over. Its crazy to think how different the country and culture was before :(
I found out about Cartoon Saloon's films through my dad. My family comes from a mainly Irish and Scottish background and my dad has a lot of appreciation for Keltic mythology so he'd sometimes put these movies on and I loved all of them. I was also surprised that there weren't a lot of videos talking about them and yet there's also hundreds of videos talking about how traditional animation is dead. This is the only video that I could find that seems to go Into detail about the films and I really appreciate it.
The Secret of Kells has been a favorite of mine since the first time I saw it as a 7 year old, though it feels like I’ve been watching it since I was far younger. When my sister was going into her terrible twos and threes I started spending a lot more time with my maternal grandparents, and watching movies together was our favorite thing to do, it kept me focused on not making a mess as a kid and it inspired my creativity in a way no other thing in my life has.
The Secret of Kells, among other animated film that I adore like The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Nine, How to Train Your Dragon, and Coraline, was one of the many films my grandmother pirated off her old Mac and burned onto a stack of CDs she bought for clearance in an effort to get me to watch something other than Matilda and Pinocchio for the entirety of our time together. This movie was probably the first movie that I can remember having a deep connection to. I just couldn’t help but see myself in Brendan and Aisling and the inspiring demeanor of Brother Ayden reminds me still to this day of my grandmother who loved these movies just as much as I did, and even after I grew older and the disk was long lost, I still thought about this movie.
Up until recently, the title and details of the plot were long lost to time and poor memory but the character designs and beautiful scenes, backgrounds, and imagery (especially Brendan’s fight with Crom) still stuck with me and impacted the way I perceived other forms of animated storytelling, but coming back to it, rediscovering it, has been exciting to say the least, and it lead to the discovery of Cartoon Saloons other great films as well as leading me to rewatch the old films I had with my grandparents all those years ago.
To say that this movies is my favorite, or that I admire the animation, or even that it holds some of my best memories, would just not do this film justice. This movie is one of the reasons I aim to pursue animation and special effects in film, it’s raised the bar for new animated movies that I take interest in, and it reminds me of the sleepy days watching this movie with my grandfather even years after he passed.
Now I think about this movie at least 3 times a week and the way I can still relate to these characters in terms of both my blooming creativity and my dive into self discovery in terms of my attraction and representation. I can still see myself in the way Brendan perseveres through his uncles expectations and choosing to take up Aydens legacy the way he still maintains his childish demeanor in the face of so much trauma and expectation that could give a kid like him, or me for that matter, such intense burnout that it would strip that childish wonder from anyone.
It’s fair to say that cartoon saloon has left a larger impact on me and my perception of the world more than I could imagine a few animations ever could. It’s reminiscent of my moments of childhood with my grandparents and reminds me of the cartoons I loved so dearly before discovering this amazing movie. It’s helped me grow as a person and has allowed me to see the potential of creativity and wonder in a world where I was told that neither would be favorable or consequential in a way that matters.
I have never been able to put to words how much this movie means to me as a person, as a child, but this video really did just that (I even found myself tearing up at some moments) so thank you Film Freak for being able to depict the love I have to this film, and this company, in a way that does it justice.
"Oh yeah, and there's Pangu ban. She's a cat" Is the best line in this whole video.
I'll always thank The Secret of Kells for helping me find my passion for animation
If anyone's trying to leave a comment on here relating your own experiences as an LGBTQ+ person, TH-cam is deleting your comments automatically because they suck and I don't know how to resolve it. I love receiving new comments on different perspectives and how they impact the way you view media, so please don't stop sending me comments like that even if TH-cam is the worst.
That sucks
You have to pin this comment or it won't be on top
I'm half wondering if youtube is somehow linking one's LGBTQ+ experiences with something a little less favorable. Don't get me wrong this is just a wild guess, but the characters in wolfwalkers are children. Maybe whatever automated program they're running in YT is scanning for anything relating to the sexualization of minors, and is instead finding talk of issues surrounding sexual orientation arising from parallels in a movie where two children are the main focus?
@@substellar3301 It wouldn't be the first time TH-cam used their shitty automated systems to make things "safer" for kids rather than take accountability themselves.
I was about to comment one lmao so here's an unrelated one instead
I clicked on this video because I love Cartoon Saloon but I wasn't expecting a video with such high quality and good humour
Finding out about your channel made my day, thank you :)
"Keep out, feic off, no humans" 29:11 lmaoo
Yea despite Irish the language being borderline dead you can see it a lot in our slang like Craic and the Feic there
I recently got apple TV's free trial to watch wolfwalkers, and I've become obsessed with it. As you mentioned, as someone on the LGBTQ spectrum I relate a lot with Robyn's feeling of being caged by society and more specifically by her misguided father. This movie has helped me process those emotions, and I'll forever love it for that.
Sometimes, it takes an animated movie about animals to find out more about yourself 🙂
15:21 “We’re Vikings! What do you know, the sharers of the sea!”
"Wherever we go, pillaging happily!"
I absolutely ADORE Cartoon Saloon's art style! Each film looks like a moving tapestry!
0:00 Intro
1:25 Cartoon Saloon: A Brief History
5:35 How I Discovered Them
7:54 The Secret of Kells
23:16 It's Been 84 Years...
25:05 Song of the Sea
39:15 The Academy Awards Suck
42:29 The Breadwinner
59:34 The Cycle Continues
1:01:24 Wolfwalkers
1:18:13 My Father's Dragon and Beyond
My father's dragon and beyond is cgi right 🤨🤨❓❓
@@mig0171 The only concrete info I can find on it is a Variety article that says it's 2D
@@filmfreak1994 oh that's how it is along with the other films 🌺🌸🌺🌸❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖💗💕🌈🐞🦋🦄🦋🦄🐞🦄🦄😍😍❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💕💖💗💖💖💖
Let cartoon saloon win the oscars 😫😫🙏🙏😫😫 because they didn't win an oscar all cause Pixar win 😡😡💢💥🔥☠️💀💥💢💥🔥🔥🔥🔥💢😡😡
39:15 Fuck the Academy
40:22 Fuck the academy harder
Cartoon Saloon makes me very proud to be Irish, I remember an animator of the company coming to my secondary school to talk about the animation process, show us student films and sketch pads, I like art and drawing, but has no interest in animation, but it was amazing hearing about the process, I also got to miss PE which is a plus.
A few weeks ago, my art teacher told the class to watch My Father's Dragon, as we will be going to speak to the animators of it and to ask questions on it, I liked what I saw and I wanted more.
Hey Film Freak, I know you’re probably not going to be see this but I feel the same way about Cartoon Saloon with your channel. Sure, it’s not as mainstream or well-known as other productions, but that doesn’t mean that the quality mirrors that. In fact, in my opinion, all of your video essays are phenomenal and really easy to understand and connect with. I really appreciate how you still posting shorter videos and clips on your channel because while they’re not as popular, they’re what you like to do. I really hope you keep on making videos on TH-cam even though you’re not getting that much money from them, like Cartoon Saloon, because they’re really entertaining and moving and funny and intriguing all at the same time. Thanks for improving my year.
I ran into a Secret of Kells clip here on TH-cam. Then I found Song of The Sea, and when it was released on Netflix I watched it. The animation blew my mind and gave me a deep respect for the company right off the bat. When Wolfwalkers was announced, I was beyond excited! Sadly I only got to watch the movie through a playlist here on TH-cam(It got copyrighted the next day). I didn't want to download Apple TV just to watch a single movie.
They have merch on their website, so I want to buy something off the store to support them. Hopefully though I will be able to buy a copy of each movie someday. Then I could watch them again and again and again. I haven't watched the Breadwinner or Secret of Kells, so I really want to see those next. Can't wait for what this company does next.
Edit: NOW I REMEMBER WHERE I HEARD BREADWINNER BEFORE!!!! I read that book in my english class!! It broke my heart. I had forgotten the name of the book but when I saw the cover on your video my mind exploded!! I can't believe it was made into a movie!!!!
In what country is Song of the Sea available on Netflix? I have a VPN but all I can see are Breadwinner and My Father's Dragon
Cartoon Saloon's movies are incredibly underrated man. Im disappointed more people dont know about them, they put such beautiful work and care into what they put out!
When recounting The Breadwinner and the hindsight you mentioned being this ever present dread on the situation of these characters, I hope the takeaway here is that the kind of people depicted in this fiction are still alive. The people, the places, the love and the suffering they all go through still happens to this day. It's not just some fable of a time long past.
Something that's been a growing issue regarding the conflicts that happened in the early 2000s is how swift people are to try and forget the global effect it has had while trying to wipe away the cultural identity of those that were invaded.
This is not just a movie describing the experiences of one family in Afghanistan, but a story about how that sort of life endures, even when (at the time) 16 years apart. That still holds true to this very day. Afghanistan in the story is described as a land where empires die.
Well, that just tells me that the systems that bring people down always crumble away, even if it means a new one will come to pass. That's still a life worth living, and as an Afghan, it relates well to how we receive continuously worse news regarding Afghanistan. And yet still after the fact, there is a love to be found in the land, its people and the stories they hold.
Thank you spot lighting the filmography of this Little known but Wonderfully talented Animation studio. Your analysis is insightful and entertaining. Bravo
I'm loving these videos. I wanted to watch WolfWalkers because I saw it on Apple TV+ and I was like, 'that looks cool,' but I never did. Thank you for making me realize that it was by the same guys as Kells and Breadwinner, and that I needed to watch it. It's incredible. So thank you!
"Calaugh, you are the Abbott of Kells, you must get up."
Calagh's face is amazing in the movie. So me! 🤣
I remember going to see song of the sea in school, but i was it in Gaelic (im irish myself), it was absolutely enchanting
"Japan: Come for the food, stay for the friendly forest demons!" -Darned near choked on my tea, thank you kindly for that!!!
I remember watching The Song of The Sea and how it pulled at my heart and I was amazed at the simple yet gorgeous style while the backgrounds were more detailed, but still looking simple and easy on the eyes
it looks as if they were animated from old manuscripts and tapestries, which I love!
I loved both The Bread Winner and Wolf Walkers but I had no idea they were made by the same studio! I haven’t seen the other two movies but I’ll definitely watch them now. Great video!
tell us what you think:D
I'm writing my semester's final paper for my animation bachelor on Cartoon Saloon, and this video has been so incredibly helpful. This is my favorite animation studio, and I'm glad to see so much love poured into it. Thank you for your work! :D
Cartoon Saloon have got an Irish folklore box set releasing in December 2021
NO WAY I HAVENT HEARD THE WORDS “MY FATHERS DRAGON” IN SOOOOO LONG THOSE WHERE MY FAVORITE AS A KID. AND NOW ITS BEING ADAPTED BY THE BEST ANIMATION STUDIO????
Hey, that’s the name of a weird obscure book I have!
I still remember how I discovered the Book of Kells. It was the height of torrenting, and as an avid animation lover (growing up with Persepolis and Les Triplets de Belleville) I saw the cover of Kells as a suggestion to download. One look at the cover was enough to convince me, and I rarely base my choices on the cover art.
The style and secretiveness of the that cover was so tantalising, so simply beautiful. Book of Kells remains one of my favourite movies of all time. I'm so glad other people see this genius
I was pretty late to the party with Cartoon Saloon. The first thing I really saw from them was the Wolfwalkers trailer in September 2020, since then they have become one of my favourite animation studios working today. Watching Wolfwalkers in November was the moment I realised I wanted to pursue animation as a living. It and Song of the Sea are two of my favourite movies of all time, the affect they’ve had on my in such a short time is immense.
I think I discoverd Cartoon Saloon around 2020. For two reasons:
The first was by hearing the upcoming release of Wolfwalkers. I didn't know anything about the film or the history of the company. But many said it was a comeback to traditional animation, after films like Titan A.E. and Treasure Planet being box office bombs and almost destroying the popularity of the medium.The second was by watching The Breadwinner on Netflix that very same year. I was blown away by how well done the story was told and how relateable the characters were.
With these two factors coming to play, and that I was interested in 2D animation, I decided to watch The Secret of Kells in early 2021 by purchasing the Blu Ray. And let me tell you, from start to finish, I adored it. In fact, I loved it so much I have ever since called this to be one of my favorite animated films, alongside The Iron Giant, Spirited Away, Persepolis and Shrek.
I first discovered cartoon saloon when i was about 6, it was when netflix was still older and had a lot more of a random selection. And when I lived in a large house with a ton of ny family me and my cousins would all do a movie night together pretty often. So we got netflix and scrolled around to find something to watch and found the secret of the kells. We thought it looked intresting so we watched it and stayed up super late, we loved it and it kind of has a place in my heart because it reminds me of when my family was happier and closer.
Sorry I didnt realize how many grammar errors I made in that, I wrote it at like 5 am when I watched this video.
An HOUR TWENTY?!
Now this is a respectable documentary!
Wolf walkers has been my comfort film ever since somebody leaked it on a google doc. i’ve watched it so many times now i think i have the lines down in my head!! i also got the art book!! that movie has my entire heart at this point, i connected with it so much growing up as a wolf-loving kid. Cartoon saloon creates such beautiful movies, i’ve seen them all except for secret of kells so far. and i can say, they deserve way more recognition.
Oh my god how does that podcast have only like 28 subscribers ? I'll just go there now and listen to all of it.
Cartoon Saloon is my favorite studio and it was so nice to hear someone speak so passionately and fondly about their work!
I am a huge animation fan, particularly hand-drawn 2d and stop motion 3d animation. Cartoon Saloon and Laika are my two rays of hope for the next generation of animated films. Thank you so much for posting this!! I saw Kells a few years after it came out, having been disappointed I missed it in the theater. A few more years later I stumbled on Song of the Sea (I was overjoyed-- a feature-length animated film about selkies!!) And I knew I needed to keep up with this studio. Loved Wolfwalkers-- my initial complaint might have been how heavy handed the "fearful fundamentalist Christian" vibe on Cromwell came across, but even a few months after seeing it in theatres it makes perfect sense now. I had no idea they did Breadwinner! It's been on my watch list for years and now I why I need to sit down and watch it already 😂 I enjoyed this hour tremendously, keep doing what you do!
I think Breadwinner and now Wolfwalkers are one of my all time fav movies, but tbh like you said all of cartoon saloon movies are just on another level. Amazing video
I find it odd that Wolfwalkers is one of those lucky movies where Sean Bean DOESN'T die.
Right next to National Treasure
@@filmfreak1994 And The Martian.
@@realar I forgot he was in that, lol
The Secret Of Kells was always my favorite movie as a child but recently I had forgotten the name and haven’t been able to find it. Thank you for helping me find it again!
Song of the Sea makes me cry everytime its one of my favorite pieces of art of all time
Same
Thank you for making this! it's rare to see cartoon saloon talked about much, even though they deserve it. I'm from Kilkenny and had the pleasure of taking my work experience for secondary school in their studio while they were making song of the sea. And it's crazy to see the amount of effort that was put into it, and all the amazing animator behind it. They were all so lovely and inviting to me, so it's lovely to see them being appreciated.
Yea, I just watched Wolfwalkers last night and here I am watching a feature-length "rave" video because it was that good haha. I NEED MORE!
Thanks for making this video! None of my friends or family have seen it yet, nor are many of my friends as into animation as me so it felt good to share a heart-to-heart and geek out over these films with you! I needed to watch this to process my feelings haha
i’m so happy to finally be watching a cartoon saloon video essay, and an hour long one at that! i fell in love with with studio when i saw song of the sea in 2014 in an arthouse theater my aunt used to volunteer at. looking back, i’m so thankful my first viewing of the film was on the big screen. i was 11 at the time and there was something about it that blew me away. i remember staggering out of the theater in a daze, mesmerized by what i had just witnessed. since then, every time i rewatch the movie on a pretty regular basis, i’m always in this calm, dream-like trance by the time the credits start rolling. listening to the soundtrack constantly helps, too. about 2 months ago, i watched the film with the sound of rain from outside and it was the most magical experience i had in quarantine, and even since my first time in the theater.
anyway, i adore this movie to pieces and it’s one of my favorite films of all time :)
also, LOVE the titanic and MST3k references :D
Cartoon Saloon literally made my entire childhood, it’s a crime that I’ve never watched The Secret of Kells.
Thank you very much. I really needed this video. I love Cartoon Saloon but I never knew their history. And, of course, thank you for putting all my thoughts into words, a way I can finally express my love for this studio without meaningless excited screaming))) the editing was fantastic btw
I've been in love with this company since I saw Kells on Netflix, thank you for bringing more attention to it!
Cartoon Saloon, in my opinion, is one of the best animated studios out there. Especially the foreign kind! Their movies that have been produced by them have been great storytelling and really hooks me into the world of Irish culture.
Hopefully they’ll continue onto make many more amazing movies we’ll all come to love and appreciate😁
What I enjoy about the Breadwinner is that it treats the incoming US invasion as some force of nature since we never see American soldiers
This video made me finally take the decision of studying animation, thank you, i revisite it once in a while because it gives me a lot of motivation
Wolfwalkers was one of the very few things in recent years i was hyped af for and which delivered over expectations
Kay, so: Love this, love these movies, only seen two of them. So, I'm gonna leave a like and a comment, go watch the other two movies, then come back and finish this. Great work.
The choice to make moments of danger "true" perspective rather than "forced" was so profound. It was metaphoric for the way the vickings (who became the English through marriage later) destroyed Irish culture and forcefully replaced it with their own. If you are Irish or of Irish descent those perspective shifts have such an impact when they happen.
To explain, the forced perspective art style fits well for Irish styles of storytelling. Irish oral tradition is open to multiple interpretations and perspectives. It enjoys painting the world through a lense and leaves the listeners mind to peice things together in new and fantastic ways. It thrives on contradictions. It is open to encoporation of new elements so long as those elements dont threaten the existing fabric of the story. We even see that in the film in the way that the Bible and forest spirits are both able to coexist without warring with each other. As well as the ways our perspective plays tricks on us; Such as when the little boy is running through the trees then changes direction behind some moss, and we see him re-emerge in a way that doesn't make logical sense. That is such a classic Irish storytelling move. To force the listener to think "Oh, that's not what I understood to be true. But look how delightful it is to be slightly off".
When we see the shift to the sterile "true" perspective of outsiders, the world falls startlingly into a harsher reality forced by invaders. No longer do we see a world were things can change or appear different as though viewed through a looking stone. Instead we have the film forcing us to view the world in one specific way, which the vicking invaders view as the only "true" perspective. It at once feels more restrictive and threatening. The perfect way to show ideologic differences between a traumatized nation and those who sought to forcefully bend that nation until it only resembles the invader's culture. An invading force that sought to remove the heart, soul, and whimsy from the shores of Ireland.
In this way, we see "true" perspective being forced upon us, and "forced" perspectives looser structure being ripped away from us.
Absolutely masterful.
I will never be able to thank Cartoon Saloon enough for releasing Song of the Sea with an official Irish language version with, to my knowledge, the majority of the voice actors being the same voicing the English language version. That's huge. Me and my sister went to see the film for the first time at a local screening and even the hosts didn't realise it was the Irish version but after some confusion continued playing it anyway. We have grown up speaking irish at home but even we had never seen a feature film intended to be released completely in the language. The fact that this version exists at all is amazing to me. It blew me away.
Every time I remember green book wining I lose another clump of hair from my male pattern bald head
I'm a simple man. I see a 1 hour video with Breadwinner in the image, I click.
On rewatch for My Father's Dragon, these movies truly do fit well with other studio works like Pixar's or Henry Selick's stuff in terms of essentially creating fables through animation. All of these films benefit from a subtextual read, with The Breadwinner being the most "open" in terms of getting its subtext across. Thanks for the vid, been loving more and more people approaching these films with less emphasis for their beautiful animation and more for what they are communicating through their medium.
so glad that im from where cartoon saloon is based. their office is near aran, one of my favorite restaurants, so walking past it is a weekly thing for me.
Song of the Sea and Breadwinner are probably some of my favorite animated films, especially Song of the Sea for its beautiful visuals and exploration of Irish mythology and Breadwinner for being downright gorgeous.
and OH MY GOD wolfwalkers is exactly the film my 10 year old self would have died for. i wish it had come out a decade ago i wouldve been obsessed
Not that in the Breadwinner, the girl has green eyes and looks very similar to an Afghan girl who was photographed by Steve McCurry years ago. The picture went to National Geographic cover and became famous. So much so, that 10 years later McCurry got to find her again, now a woman, and took her a picture again. I don't think the similarity is fortuitous.
This video only having ~76,000 views is a travesty. This was brilliant and very well made, and about one of my favorite studios. Can’t wait to see what else you do
So I have dyslexia, which impacts my memory of names. Some letters will stay in my memory while others won't, and my brain will fill in the gaps with often wrong words. So, every time this company comes out with another film, I think "OMG CARTMAN SOLAR PANEL MADE ANOTHER MOVIE"
This is a beautiful exploration of Cartoon Saloon, excellent work!
What a fantastic video. Thank you so much for making something as epic as this
Not sure if you're familiar with the studio, but I plan on making a similar one about LAIKA very soon.
@@filmfreak1994 for sure I know about Laika. I know some staff went from cartoon saloon and back too. I have a love for Cartoon saloon because like yourself I love animation but never studied it but grew up in Ballyfermot where the animation college is
This studio maaade such good movies I didn’t even realise some where from this
Great video! Cartoon Saloon is such a wonderful studio, it makes me happy to see more and more people getting acquainted with their craft as time goes by. It's never enough, though! Hopefully they'll keep getting more and more recognition with time, and videos like this one definitely help that!
Kells and Song etc are at heart, fairytales, which endure because they're short simple stories. Such stories allow for artistic memes, like LoTR was remade so many times until the final "fleshed out" version pretty much clinched it forever. Nobody can apply their artistic interpretation to LoTR any more because everyone knows and believes how those characters should appear and act.
Wow, I dreamed one day someone would make a big video talking about Cartoon Saloon! I can't believe it actually happend! This showed up on my recomended and I just went ''Nearly an hour and a half of talking about my favourite studio? Hell yeah''. I could talk about all their movies all day.
Out of all their movies, I think I went back the most to Song of the Sea (which made me click on how to draw hands, by cleary dividing them into three parts. I'm forever thankfull for that) and the Breadwinner. One of the things I love about that last one, is that I don't think it would work as confirmation bias. Throughout the movie we see so much beauty in Kabul, side by side with ruined buildings and armed soldiers (and it's beauty comes from the people and the things they make, just like Nuralah said). Above all, we still see kindness. It really stuck with me how the man who told Parvana and her mother the way to the prision also advised them to go through a more quiet place so they wouldn't get caught. How one of the sellers looks at her in regret and saying that maybe she should come back later, after Parvana desperately tells him her father has been arrested and that's why he can't buy food for them (and he seems so happy when she is negotiating with him later. Maybe he knew who she was?). The contagious cheery nature of the shopkeeper she goes to after starting to disguise herself as a boy. It just makes the city seem like it's filled with people, who live their lives the best they can, instead of evil two-dimensional men. There's just... so much love put into these movies, it's incredible
This was an AMAZING video! Deserves so much more attention than it has. I love all your video essays, I binged them a couple nights ago, and you are one of the most coherent and engaging video essay creators I've seen. Keep it up :)
Oh Man, I'm so glad that someone else feels the same way about this set of movies!! I'm just in adoration of them. Thank you.
If I had to be perfectly honest, The breadwinner is probably my favorite animated movie to be based off a book.
I hope so so so much that I can get to do work experience at cartoon saloon next year when I'm in TY (an optional year of secondary school that we have here in Ireland that you can do if you want to). I would absolutely love to do work experience there and I feel so lucky to live so close to the studio, now I just have to hope that the virus goes away soon so work experience doesnt get cancelled!!
Good luck!
@@filmfreak1994 thank you! 😁
wait... how did i discover them?
some ad: *THE BIG MEETING*
I'm always curious which ads end up in these videos (I wish I had some control of that but if it leads to unintentional hilarity then what the hey)
"Wait...how did I discover them?" *advert of Raid Shadow Legends pops up*
Really great documentary!
Delighted to see Skunk Fu! in there. Everyone forgets about Skunk Fu
Stellar video sir! I only just became a fan of Cartoon Saloon after watching Wolfwalkers, and going through their movies has been an absolute blast, even if Wolfwalkers remains my definite favorite. Everything from the music, to the characters, to the visuals is such a pure delight. Really appreciated you going through the history of what is now my favorite animation studio.
THANK YOU! Recently Ive vaguely recalled this movie I watched in school (I was in 3rd grade or so). The only things I remembered were small tidbits of scrambled information, like the mystical vibes, seals and unique artstyle. As soon as I saw the thumbnail I recognized it - Thank you so much for solving this mystery! I will definetly be rewatching "Song of the sea" soon!
Ever since I first saw this video I've been DESPERATE To see ANY Cartoon saloon movie Any way I can.(Seriously there movies are gorgeous!)
First I was "Wait, he said he's a small channel, no way. He's gotta have at least 300k followe- WHAT?! ONLY 4k?!"
So I subbed. Amazing video.