Robert, Nat, and Cody are pleased to have on Michael Lyons of Dis-Order: Every Disney Film and From Pencils to Pixels: The Animation Celebration Podcast to discuss the animation / live action mix Invention for Destruction a.k.a. The Fabulous World of Jules Verne on this episode.
Invention for Destruction is the creation of the Czech animation pioneer Karel Zeman. Zeman wasn’t part of the Czech New Wave, but his influence was just as large as that movement evidenced by the likes of Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, Phil Tippett, and Wes Anderson.
INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION is very loosely based on the Jules Verne book Facing the Flag but clearly draws freely from works like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Mysterious Island, Robur the Conqueror, Master of the World, and The Lighthouse at the End of the World among others.
The plot finds Simon Hart (Lubor Tokoš) and his mentor Professor Roch (Arnošt Navrátil) kidnapped by pirates under the employ of Count Artigas (Miloslav Holub) for the purposes of the Professor finishing his scientific work and creating a great weapon, something akin to an atomic bomb. The Professor absent-mindedly continues with his research, oblivious to Artigas’s intentions of using the weapon for conquest. Simon Hart sees through to the purpose and refuses to cooperate, plotting to escape or to at least alert the powers of the world to put an end to it. Also involved is Jana (Jana Zatloukalová) the lone survivor of an attack by Artigas’s submarine, under the command of the pirate Captain Spade (František Šlégr) and a fellow prisoner like Simon Hart and his erstwhile love interest.
It’s fair to say that the plot is mostly an excuse for Karel Zeman to create imaginative set pieces to fully exploit the possibilities he creates with his not so realistic animation designs. Zeman mixes stop motion and hand drawn animation to create a world that looks like it was ripped from the line engraving illustrations from Verne’s 19th Century novels. Flying machines soar through the air. There are several underwater sequences and larger than life scientific apparatus. And none of it, save perhaps for the message that scientific progress shouldn’t be performed without the consideration of consequences should be taken entirely seriously.
INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION is widely considered the most financially successful film to come out of the former nation of Czechoslovakia. Listen in as we discuss this Behind the Iron Curtain alternative to western animation and convention.
No need to kidnap a professor to invent a device for you to listen to this episode. You can give us a play below or Download the episode. Also, feel free to let us know what you think by commenting on our page at Facebook or you can Email Us at skiespocast@gmail.com as we appreciate feedback.
Time tracks:
0:54:07- INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION Discussion
54:07- Next Movie and Outro
Next month, we bring you the infamous HEARTBEEPS. We hope you’ll join us.
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