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JERRY BECK
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AMID AMIDI
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Gnomes and Trolls: The Secret Chamber
by amid
October 30, 2008 1:14 am


Gnomes and Trolls

How could Sweden, a country that is synonymous with tasteful and elegant design, turn out an animated feature that is so decrepit-looking and painful on the eyes? The trailer for Gnome and Trolls: The Secret Chamber is so pitiful that it almost plays like a parody of a children’s animated movie. A sequel called Gnomes and Trolls: The Forest Trial is already in production.

(Thanks, Tobias Lind)

10/30/08  1:28am
Saturnome says:

I guess it’s not because you’re in the country of Victor Sjöström and Ingmar Bergman that you must follow the same pattern…!

Unappealing stuff is made everyday and everywhere. I got over it, and I simply hope for the best next time.

I’d like to add, what’s great in swedish animation?

I only know one film. I don’t know it’s english name, it could be “Trip to Melonia” or something similar. It’s a feature lenght film made in the 80s, I believe it’s a Sweden-Norway coproduction, but I love this film. It’s gorgeous and unique looking, and got this great ecological theme way before it was the cool thing. Should be a classic, never saw a DVD of it. Either I’m a fool or it’s a hidden gem.

10/30/08  1:42am

Amid Amidi, our resident Sam the Eagle. ;)

Seriously, this trailer looks pretty poor. The music is like something out of a mid-to-late 80s Atari or Commodore computer game. I’d say it’s a really good student film (and that’s an insult to student films).

10/30/08  2:56am
Pete says:

Yeah the main character doesn’t have much/any appeal :/

I wonder if features like these make much money.

10/30/08  3:00am
sbond says:

I will say it doesn’t LOOK as bad as Hoodwinked. Whether or not the story is worth anything is another matter.

10/30/08  3:57am
Zekey says:

this has to be satire.

a karate hedgehog. poser models. a pop song. the main character looking around confused, oblivious, and silent throughout the whole thing. snowboarding gnomes. and “crazy animals” being announced in the most deadpan done by the narrator.

this cant be real.

10/30/08  5:03am

From the writers of Toy Story? What? Did it actually say that?

10/30/08  8:15am
John A says:

What is Chucky doing in this movie?

10/30/08  8:35am
yoob says:

I stopped looking when I saw comic sans

10/30/08  4:05pm
Tom says:

Quoting Letterman, “that’s as ugly as homemade shoes.”

10/30/08  4:33pm
Katella Gate says:

The written teaser finishes up by promising that …

“… Sneaky taps into an innate bravery he never knew he had, Slim battles in identity crisis, and … Svea shatters the preconceived notions of what it means to be a gnome wife.”

Help! Is this a kids’ movie? A psychotherapy tool? Or a Feminist Manifesto? Please. Less agenda. More entertainment.

10/30/08  5:28pm

Ross: I double-taked when I heard that too. I’m used to hearing “from some guy that made coffee for the creators of Shrek” in these kind of trailers but Toy Story? Really? Who wrote that, John Lassenter? He wrote this too? Lol.

10/30/08  6:54pm
Dave says:

Hmm I don’t know. This isn’t as awful as some stuff I’ve seen. Yes the cheesy Euro disco soundtrack is problematic but otherwise it stirs up as much excitement as Madagascar 2.

10/30/08  6:55pm
Esn says:

Hmm. It’s not painful on the eyes (certainly no worse than Hoodwinked), but it’s not really appealing either. Frankly, I’ve seen a lot worse.

The Swedish feature film I’m most looking forward to is “Nim’s Journey” by Ola Schubert, though I am sure it is still many years from completion:

http://www.nimsjourney.com/

Here’s Ola’s main website:

http://www.goober.nu/

10/30/08  6:55pm
Alan says:

LOL! I should have listen to yoob!

I have to admit the animation is allot better then Hoodwinked, but everything else was awful.

…however speaking of tradition, the Czech has a good history in animation… but look what they made this year… Kozi Pribeh. Horrid!
The creators claim it to be Czech’s Shrek. Somehow I just can’t find the similarities!

http://www.kozipribeh.cz/video/trailer2008.html

11/3/08  6:41pm
En Ming Hee says:

This is what happens to Swedish cinema when Bergman dies, see?

11/30/08  2:00pm
Josh says:

Come on guys, it’s not that awful. Let’s face it. Kid’s love it, its a kid movie, not something to show off for your pixar or disney friends.

There is a site on the internet where the movie gets 7.9 out of 10, voted by children and parents, not smart asses like you.

If theese guys made a movie like that for 2.5 million, imagine what they could do for 25.

At least they try, instead of complaining like you. Toy Story, Valiant or Bee Movie, was that great design? no, it was awful.

At least this looks different from those cheezy american “same-looking” - “same-joking” animal-talks movies.

12/15/08  8:57am
killerBeee says:

Josh said “At least this looks different from those cheezy american “same-looking” - “same-joking” animal-talks movies.”

THAT’S FOR SURE!!
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! :D

03/28/09  5:14am
Swede says:

Some background info.

There are quite a few talented animators in Sweden. Non of which, however, are involved with this movie. It´s a second rate commercial production studio that got it´s financing from hyping the stock and selling off shares.

Although it has little to nothing to do with the state of swedish animation, as a swede i’m still embarrassed.

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