Harpy
Harpy
| 01 May 1979 (USA)
Harpy Trailers

An unknowing man rescues a rather aggressive and demanding harpy.

Reviews
framptonhollis

I had never heard of this film until less than a half hour ago and now that I've seen it I cannot believe it had ever escaped my knowledge previously! THIS is what filmmaking is all about! It's damn brilliant, and one of the creepiest films I've ever seen, regardless of length. It's a bit confusing as there is likely a bit more context one would need in order to totally understand the overall point of the film (harpies obviously come from mythology, and it feels like this short contains many references to said mythology and may be a parable of sorts); however, regardless of my knowledge on other matters, "Harpya" was one fun ride! It's highly experimental, utilizing a bizarre technique combining animation and live action to eerie effects...basically the definition of the "uncanny valley". It also seemed to have a surreal sense of black humor that recalls the great Jan Svankmajer, an animation genius who I admire above most other filmmakers, so a recollection of him in favorable response to a film is always a good sign from me!

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MartinHafer

This animated film from Canada is very well made but it's also a film that probably most viewers would probably not seek out for themselves. As an art film, you have to respect the time and energy it went into it but commercially it just isn't very satisfying.The film consists of images scratched onto a black background. The film consists of a variety of odd shapes and designs with no anthropomorphic images at all. The images appear and disappear and seem to move to the music. In fact, this is the part that impressed me so much--the animation and music did film perfectly together. However, after initially being impressed, I soon grew tired of this. Even though the film was short, it wasn't short enough for me and a little of this seems to go a very long way.Overall, interesting and you have to respect the effort but also not the average person would watch.

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Foreverisacastironmess

Okay, so this is a short that I can honestly say is unlike any other I've ever seen, and it's about a man who saves a harpy from death and then soon comes to realise that sometimes no good deed goes unpunished and ends up exactly half the man he used to be... It's visually very interesting and different, being a kind of Gothic mix of live-action and strange jerking animation-like motion that gives it an old fashioned spooky tone and style of the 'fantasmagorie' I thought. The design and makeup of the bird woman is quite nightmarish and creepy at points. Very weird mix of sensual and savage. And the ending where it's revealed that everything that's happened has been some manner of cycle between the harpy and her would be saviours is pretty chilling, especially the evil smile she gives the latest soon-to-be victim. That ending really solidly makes it a horror short for me, and it makes me wonder if perhaps Dario Argento used the idea when he made his excellent Masters of Horror episode "Jenifer". Fantastic scary short with bizarre and eerie use of one of the classic mythological monsters. Caw!

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David Vanholsbeeck

I was impressed by this animated short. It had some very clever animation and provided an interesting take on a Greek myth. Can't remember the name, but I think it's about this man who tries to eat fruit from a tree, but every time he reaches for it, it gets eaten away by giant birds. That's his eternal punishment, kinda like Sysiphos, who rolls his rock up a mountain just to see it roll down every time he reaches the top. Finally found a short that I admired, and that had something to say too. 8/10

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