Raymond Brigg's Ethel and Ernest (2016) is a heartwarming true story that follows the lives of his parents. Right from the point of meeting each other to there end of their life's.
Raymond Brigg's is best known for his animation and story 'The Snowman' (1978). Not only did it become a well-loved classic, it was nominated for an Academy Award for the Best Animated Short Film. It would seem that Raymond Briggs loves christmas and things to do with it. This can be told by the fact that Raymond has released two other animations/stories both based upon Father Christmas. One is called 'Father Christmas' (1973) and then a follow-up called 'Father Christmas goes on Holiday' (1975)
As time moved on less and less was heard of Raymond until he released the charming Ethel and Ernest. The story of Ethel and Ernest takes us back to the late 1920's where Ethel and Ernest meet for the first time. Ethel before Ernest was a maid for a lady and believed that she would end-up in a middle class world and had the demeanour to go with it. Whereas Ernest stole her heart by arriving each day with some new milk for the lady and Ethel. After some visuals of each other, Ernest plucks up the courage and asks Ethel out, this goes well and leads to the marriage of the two. The two then have Raymond and bring him up in a quant little house in the London Suburbs.
The film touches upon several dark topics as we watch Ethel and Ernest live through the troubles of WWII. This includes seeing death, poverty and destruction everywhere. Not only that but they also have to allow Raymond to be evacuated to a safer place. Ethel and Ernest try to remain in good spirits throughout the story.
To be able to make true story seem like a well animated documentary, Raymond Briggs has certainly achieved a timeless piece that addresses more issues than his prior work.
Image Sources
Fig 1. Ethel, Ernest and Raymond [Film Still] At: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-12-28/meet-the-cast-of-ethel-and-ernest Accessed 18/05/2017
Fig 2. Raymond being Evacuated [Film Still] At: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3907080/Christmas-s-TV-hit-Snowman-author-RAYMOND-BRIGGS-moving-tale-parents-marriage.html Accessed 18/05/2017
No comments:
Post a Comment