Dolls VS Dictators by Danielle Eberhard

 
Title/Year:  Dolls VS Dictators VS Deerhoof VS Evil (2010)
Director/Birth Country/Year Born:  Martha Colburn/United States/1972
Budget:  N/A
Gross:  N/A
Synopsis:  A war between animated Dolls and a Dictator
Narrative and Visual Keywords:  Experimental Art Film, 2D animation, Stop Motion
Characterization/ Dialogue:  Silent Film
Camera/lighting/editing technique:  Stop Motion, Fast Pace
Political/ Social Commentary:  Dictators in History, War
Historical Relevance/ Recognition:  Experimental, New Age
Notable Collaboration:  N/A
Random fact, Etc:  The version of this short available online is with an alternate Deerhoof soundtrack.  The original score is only featured in the Museum of Moving Image.

How would you classify the visual aspects of this film in relationship to theme or mood?The visuals for this short film was very choppy.  It was a stop motion animation done with what appears to be magazine clippings of sorts.  The chaotic way it was filmed makes the mood very clear.  You're made to feel discombobulated and confused but also a bit angered by what is happening.

Does sound play an important role in the piece? If so, what?It's hard to say for this piece.  I think it would stand alone just fine without the score chosen.  That being said, the score it was played too also isn't the score it was intended to have.  I would like to see the original before answering this but right now as it stands I don't see an exact purpose or role for the sound.

What is your subjective take on the piece as a whole? 
It's the story of a Dictator being created.  He seems friendly at first, he waves to his 'people' and then he begins to take over every thing.  The army men come in and they seem cheerful to be working under him but it's all a farce.  He tries to trick them by wearing different masks but they don't fall for it.  They attack him but fail when he casts a web over them.  Then a doll comes in.  Something made to represent innocence and child hood.  The dictator attacks the doll when it shakes it's hand at him.  Upon bleeding, the doll brings out a grenade and blows the dictator up.  The whole piece seems to portray the idea of 'even the smallest and weakest person can do something to change the world'.  It's a new aged version of David and Goliath.  The doll is the teenage boy and the dictator is the giant no one can defeat.