Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: Benny's Bathtub/Bennys Badekar (1971) - A boy's fantasy adventure in Danish animation classic

2/21/2014

Benny's Bathtub/Bennys Badekar (1971) - A boy's fantasy adventure in Danish animation classic

♥♥♥♥♥

Book cover for the novelization of Flemming Quist Møller & Jannik Hastrup's Benny's Bathtub

QUICK REVIEW:

Benny lives in one of the 60s project buildings with his mother, who doesn't understand his fantasies or games. Sent down to play by the marshes, he finds a tadpole that he brings back home and sets free in his bathtub ...
Benny's Bathtub is a classic, Danish animated short film of 41 minutes from another time in the world and in Danish animation; a more idealistic, free-spirited, creative time.
With wonderful, funny voices from among others Jytte Abildstrøm (Hannibal & Jerry (1997)) and Peter Belli (Flying Grandmother/Flyvende Farmor (2001)) as the octopus who gives a jazz performance. The catchy music, - the film features musical numbers, - is by Hans-Henrik Ley (Cirkeline (1967-70)) as well as Kenny Drew and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
The style is anarchistic, - free and brimming with Danish humor and candor.
The film offers a splendid insight into the fantasy universe of a boy, and today also stands as a treasured, well-aging monument of another time in Denmark. A colorful and trippy family adventure that one might only wish was longer.
It is directed by Jannik Hastrup (Samson and Sally/Samson og Sally (1984)) and Flemming Quist Møller (Jungle Jack/Jungledyret (1993)). The veteran directing pair are in post-production at the moment with their second film about The Bicycle Mosquito/Cykelmyggen entitled The Bicycle Mosquito and the Mini-Beetle/Cykelmyggen og Minibillen (2014).

Related post:

Top 10: Best fantasy movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

Benny follows his tadpole on the back of a sea-horse on a fantastic adventure in his own bathtub

In lieu of a trailer, here is one of my favorite scenes from Benny's Bathtub, wherein Benny meets an ornithologist by the marshes. Even if you don't understand the hilarious Danish voices, the animation is pretty great in itself

Budget: Unknown
Box office: Unknown
= Unknown

Any fond memories of Benny's Bathtub?
Or other old animation films?

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Donald Sutherland has passed away

Born in Canada, Sutherland battled polio as a child. His first credit was in Suspense (1963, TV-series) and his first film was The Castle of the Living Dead (1964). Later credits in his remarkable career include The Saint (1965-66), The Dirty Dozen (1967), M*A*S*H (1970), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Klute (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), 1900 (1976), Casanova (1976), The Eagle Has Landed (1976), Ordinary People (1980), A Dry White Season (1989), JFK (1991), Outbreak (1995), Fallen (1998), Virus (1999), Fierce People (2005), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Lord of War (2005), The Hunger Games (2012), The Undoing (2020, miniseries) and many more. He passed away at age 88. R.I.P.

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Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!

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2/21/2014

Benny's Bathtub/Bennys Badekar (1971) - A boy's fantasy adventure in Danish animation classic

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