Bill Plympton Sneaks Into Chicago for a "Secret" Premiere

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 7, 2007 2:55PM

Waaaay back when we were still aspiring animators, just getting over our Disney / WB phase and into our Fleischer Studios / Ralph Bakshi / Nelvana phase, Bill Plympton's early MTV cartoon shorts made a really big impact on us. We specifically remember "How to Kiss" and "25 Ways to Quit Smoking," two cartoons filled with dark whimsy and a loose line style allowing a freedom of movement, and a realistic mimicry of the absurd that was completely fresh and new to our eyes.

Plympton has gone on to be one of the great unsung heroes, in our opinion, of the cartoon underground, constantly pushing the boundaries of the medium and delighting viewers with delicious visual oddities.

Tonight Plympton will be appearing in Chicago to present his current film, Idiots & Angels. The movie is an odd Kafka-esque tale of destiny finding the right man, at the right time. To say more would ruin the wonderful surreality of the storyline. The movie is still a work in progress so Plympton will be conducting a conversation with the audience following the film in order to solicit honest feedback. We have to say that we think this is a much better way of getting public feedback; instead of the big studios' reliance on check-boxes on postcards we get to give our impressions directly to the filmmaker. Plympton continues to push the boundaries of his creative process, and we cherish him for that.

Angels & Idiots screens at The Music Box tonight at 10 p.m. Tickets are available in advance for $7 or at the door for $10.