Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar – Upcoming Animated Movies
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar – Upcoming Animated Movies
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews Animated Movies

[REVIEW] ‘The Girl Without Hands’

Rachel Wagner by Rachel Wagner
August 14, 2017
in Animated Movies, Indie-mation, Reviews
3 min read
0
[REVIEW] ‘The Girl Without Hands’
616
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

For the past 10 years, small European studios and animators have produced some of the most innovative and beautiful animation. Films from Song of the Sea to Persepolis to A Cat in Paris are some of the best animation can produce. This year, we have another strong entry called The Girl Without Hands. It is being distributed by GKIDS and is worth hunting down if you can find it anywhere near you.

The Girl Without Hands is based on a lesser-known Grimm Brothers’ tale about a girl who is cursed when her shortsighted father sells her to the Devil for unlimited wealth. As one might expect, the Devil is not kind to her and takes away her hands, meddles with her marriage and tries everything he can to break her spirit. Director Sébastien Laudenbach has created an artistically bold animated fairytale for adults that is like nothing else I’ve ever seen before.

First, we must talk about the animation. It’s so amazing that we still have films made by individuals like Sébastien Laudenbach, Signe Baumane, and Bill Plympton. Laudenbach not only directed The Girl Without Hands but did the writing, editing, and animation. The style of the animation uniquely layers watercolor and a sketchy style for a beautiful flowing effect. It feels like you are swimming with the story. I included the trailer above because I think it is best to witness the way the animation moves rather than see only still images. It’s a stunning use of color and movement, similar to The Tale of Princess Kaguya from Isao Takahata.

The story can be quite violent but you never lose the purity of the lead character, and the line between good and evil never gets muddled. It reminded me of the Old Testament story of Job. The Devil here appears as a raven and a pig, and tries all he can to break the girl, but he cannot. In one particularly moving scene, she plants a garden for her son with her arms bleeding into the soil. In fact, she is such a pure character, the devil can’t take possession of her the way he would like, which frustrates him greatly.

The music by Oliver Mellano is also really surprising for the film. Going into it, I was expecting something like the amazing operatic score we got in The Red Turtle but this has more of an alternative rock feel to it. This works so well with the intensity of the story and the way the images flow together. There is even a cool song called “Wild Girl” sung by Laetitia Shériff.  It’s honestly one of my favorite scores of the year.

Even though it is in French and I had to read subtitles, I really liked all of the voice acting for the characters. It felt like normal people talking which is refreshing in days of unnecessary distracting celebrity voices in most animated films. The sound design is also excellent, which is key in helping immerse you in such an abstract art style. We know she is in water because we hear the water even if it is merely streaks of blue on the screen.

As I said, this is an animated film for mature audiences but none of the adult content is vulgar or unseemly. Most of the nudity and violence is a natural part of life, or at least this life, such as the blood from her arms or the pain of having a baby. She is a character that is very close to nature and the animation moves her through water and trees, and eventually a River Goddess even assists her to safety. The film isn’t preachy about nature. It’s just part of the fiber of the story.

I am sure there are a lot of people who are turned off by this type of “artsy” film but hopefully a few of you will be intrigued and seek it out. I am certainly grateful for artists like Sébastien Laudenbach for reminding me that animation is still art and it can still be made by one man painting a story.

★★★★★

To purchase the Girl Without Hands Soundtrack Click Here

Edited by: Kajsa Rain Forden

Tags: Girl Without HandsGKIDSindie animationindie filmsSébastien Laudenbach
Previous Post

This Week in Animation - Patron-only Feed Teaser

Next Post

Student-Produced Short 'In a Heartbeat' Wins the Internet's Heart

Rachel Wagner

Rachel Wagner

Rachel is a rottentomatoes approved film critic that has loved animation since she was a little girl belting out songs from 'The Little Mermaid'. She reviews as many films as she can each year and loves interviewing actors, directors, and anyone with an interesting story to tell. Rachel is the founder of the popular Hallmarkies Podcast, and the Rachel's Reviews podcast/youtube channel, which covers all things animated including a monthly Talking Disney and Obscure Animation show. Twitter @rachel_reviews

Related Posts

[BOOK REVIEW] Uncle Iroh Spills the Tea in ‘Legacy of the Fire Nation’
Nickelodeon

[BOOK REVIEW] Uncle Iroh Spills the Tea in ‘Legacy of the Fire Nation’

February 9, 2020
[TRAILER] ‘Ride Your Wave’ Surfs to Select Theaters in February
Anime

[TRAILER] ‘Ride Your Wave’ Surfs to Select Theaters in February

February 1, 2020
China’s Successful ‘Ne Zha’ Coming to Select Theaters and DVD
Indie-mation

China’s Successful ‘Ne Zha’ Coming to Select Theaters and DVD

January 25, 2020
[PILOT REVIEW] ‘Harley Quinn’ Starts to Find Herself
Reviews

[PILOT REVIEW] ‘Harley Quinn’ Starts to Find Herself

January 20, 2020
Load More
Next Post
In a Heartbeat character renders

Student-Produced Short 'In a Heartbeat' Wins the Internet's Heart

Discussion about this post

Popular Posts

  • Disney Rebrands Fox as 20th Century Studios 478 views
  • Netflix Scores Big at the 47th Annie Awards 249 views
  • [TRAILER] Mayhem Ensues in New ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Trailer 196 views
  • ‘Frozen II’ Coming to Digital and Blu-ray in February 191 views
  • [PILOT REVIEW] ‘Harley Quinn’ Starts to Find Herself 161 views
  • 11.5k Fans
  • 12.4k Followers
  • 3.6k Followers
  • 5.4k Followers

Recently Added

infinity-train

All Aboard! ‘Infinity Train: Book One’ Chugs to DVD

February 11, 2020
[BOOK REVIEW] Uncle Iroh Spills the Tea in ‘Legacy of the Fire Nation’

[BOOK REVIEW] Uncle Iroh Spills the Tea in ‘Legacy of the Fire Nation’

February 9, 2020
'Minions: The Rise of Gru'

[TRAILER] Mayhem Ensues in New ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Trailer

February 6, 2020
‘Tokyo Godfathers’ Coming to Select Theaters

‘Tokyo Godfathers’ Coming to Select Theaters

February 5, 2020
[TRAILER] ‘Ride Your Wave’ Surfs to Select Theaters in February

[TRAILER] ‘Ride Your Wave’ Surfs to Select Theaters in February

February 1, 2020
Rotoscopers

© 2019 Rotoscopers

Important Links

  • About
  • Support
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy
  • User Posts

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar – Upcoming Animated Movies

© 2019 Rotoscopers

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.