Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

I've heard critiques that the gameplay is a bit wonky and needs fixing so maybe if I did play the actual game, I may have a different opinion of this, but overall, Bye Sweet Carole is a nice blend of fantasy, horror and emotions with a beautiful old fashioned aesthetic that enhances the story.

1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

There are moments when some of the messages can be a little too on the nose. It is important to discuss the topic of feminism and to the game's credit, it handles it well but it can also feel preachy. There are also some glitches in the game itself though they don't hinder the story for me.

1 1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

Her companion Mr. Baisie, a giant animate doll is also quite fun providing some heart as well as a few chuckles (though his Terminator 2 reference feels forced.) Mr. Kyn also makes for a very intense villain becoming more frightening when you realize his overall role in the tale.

1 1

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

Some of the characters are archetypes but Lana Benton is a pretty likable lead. She is written as kind but also imperfect and we do see how some of her decisions effect the overall story. She is excellently voiced by Elsie Lovelock who shows quite a bit of range in her performance.

1 1

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

While the animation is likely what will get people's attention, the story is also important and it's a fairly good one; a mixture of Pan's Labyrinth, Watership Down and The Others with a theme of learning to let go. The mystery is well done with a twist that literally made me gasp.

1 2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

Of course, the animation is going to be the main draw and for the format, it looks quite good. It does capture a bit of that spirit of some of the older films it pays homage to. Sharp eyed animation fans might catch a few little homages that are handled in a subtle way and not too forced.

1 1

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

So, as I've said I don't have any new video game platforms due to space and cost. But I did watch the cutscenes online of a title that caught my eye; Bye Sweet Carole. Of course, I am not too familiar with Chris Darill's other titles but if you know me, you probably can guess why I was interested.

1 1 4

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

It does say how little Disney thought about it when in one of their storybooks that went through most of their films in story form, they skip that one after Mickey's Christmas Carol and go straight to Great Mouse Detective. Weirdly enough, Song of the South was included in this.

4

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

And people say the Tim Burton one was strange.

letterboxd.com/tristan_pett...

A ★★★ review of The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane (1979)

The New Misadventures of Ichabod Crane is indeed an odd little short that is a sequel/alternate version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The latter is especially plausible given that it Ichabod is not ...

letterboxd.com

1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 12h

The Great Escape Theme

youtu.be/J4MPdVMe_Qw?...

Main Title (From "The Great Escape")

YouTube video by Elmer Bernstein - Topic

youtu.be

1

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 13h

Also Pat Buttram and George Lindsay are in it. (Insert Aristocats/Robin Hood joke here)

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 13h

It's a sort of sequel/alternate version of Legend of Sleepy Hollow where Ichabod teams up with Rip Van Winkle and his dog (it's kind of a Washington Irving crossover) and the Horseman...well you'd have to see the special itself.

2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

Now watching this oddity.

1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

Man. If they had done a Black Cauldron level sooner, we may have had John Hurt among greats like Christopher Lee and Billy Zane in the series. Too late now.

1 2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

The clip in question was when Taran, Eillonwy and Fflewddur first escape the castle with Creeper leading the charge against them. And for a while all I knew about the other characters was from this book:

1 5

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

I remember first hearing about this film on a special on Disney animation hosted by Carol Burnett. And for a while I only caught glimpses of it here and there in books not really knowing what the rest of it would be like until its VHS release in 1998.

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

Happy belated 40th you overlooked entertaining mess of a movie you!

letterboxd.com/tristan_pett...

A ★★★ review of The Black Cauldron (1985)

Disney Animation has gone through many ups and downs going through periods of critical and successful hits and films that were not well received and became cult classics or just remained largely forgo...

letterboxd.com

1 1 8

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

Also, noticed Mark Dindal's name in the end credits and realized this wouldn't be the last time he'd be involved in a Disney film with production issues though the one he directed had a relatively happier ending.

Disney The Emperors New Groove GIF

ALT: Disney The Emperors New Groove GIF

media.tenor.com

1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 14h

Happy belated 40th you overlooked entertaining mess of a movie you!

letterboxd.com/tristan_pett...

A ★★★ review of The Black Cauldron (1985)

Disney Animation has gone through many ups and downs going through periods of critical and successful hits and films that were not well received and became cult classics or just remained largely forgo...

letterboxd.com

1 4 12

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

And speaking of actors, I remember in 1998 watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and it didn't hit me that Roland and Creeper share the same actor when Cauldron came out on video.

2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

You should watch the film itself. It is quite beautiful.

1 1

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

That could be it. I did hear Hawthorne originally had desires to be a Disney animator, something the directors of Tarzan mention on the audio commentary. So that could also be a part of it.

1 2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

...

You just blew my mind!

Also he's at odds with a character voiced by John Hurt albeit on the opposite ends (though I hear in the Watership Down book, Campion redeems himself and becomes friendly with the hero rabbits.

1 3

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

Come to think of it. You can definitely hear a bit of the former when he yells "Run for your lives!" as the dog is attacking.

1 2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

Yep. He was Campion. A far cry from the likes of Fflewddur and Professor Porter.

1 2

Tristan Petty @fantasyartist.bsky.social · 15h

That realization that Nigel Hawthorne was in three animated films where the villains met some pretty grisly fates. (Yes. The first one is ambiguous but still...)

2 3 12