Canon

1964
10m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

448

YOUR RATING

Animation Short

Perhaps the only film whose content is totally based on the musical form known as canon. The first sequence is a simple demonstration of the canon "Frere Jacques" where four cubes dance and ... Read allPerhaps the only film whose content is totally based on the musical form known as canon. The first sequence is a simple demonstration of the canon "Frere Jacques" where four cubes dance and combine with one another on a checkerboard. The second sequence show four little human-lik... Read allPerhaps the only film whose content is totally based on the musical form known as canon. The first sequence is a simple demonstration of the canon "Frere Jacques" where four cubes dance and combine with one another on a checkerboard. The second sequence show four little human-like figures dancing in space. The third and most elaborate sequence shows a human going thro... Read all

Directors
- Norman McLaren
- Grant Munro

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

448

YOUR RATING

Directors
- Norman McLaren
- Grant Munro

4User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Photos2

User reviews4

6.9448

Featured reviews

5pixrox1

At a time when any decent human being would be . . .

. . . campaigning for their countrymen to stop clubbing baby seals to death beside their screaming mothers just so some wealthy foreign guys could seduce ladies with white fur coats, the jokers cavorting around anonymously during CANON are essentially burying their heads in the sand and looking the other way as the seal population is radically decimated. Only in Canada will the government underwrite the sort of nonsense on-screen here, while ignoring the plight of its endangered wildlife and impoverished people. It's as if the Queen's Men are saying "Hat's off!" to mindless mayhem and malicious malarkey.

Kirpianuscus

admirable

For a music teacher - a good didactic tool. for a child - a delight. for an ordinary viewer - support for a trip across his memories. short- a lovely film for the splendid art of a director knowing to seduce. because its simplicity does a beautiful effect. giving a lovely, unique trip in the essence of fascinating pure joy , using characters and simple song.

6emwee609

Melody in motion

Canon is an interesting piece of work in many ways. First, it is built entirely on the musical concept of the canon, synchronizing its visual representation and motion with musical performance in that style. Second, it alternates between animation and live action-the first half being largely animated, while the second shifts to live action-but with several twists along the way. Third, it stands as one of the earliest cinematographic examples of using early modular synthesizers for its music. Here, a simple children's song is performed in a format that would become common in home computer games about twenty years later.

7planktonrules

Music teachers will no doubt adore this film...

...though I am not sure how much others will appreciate the great way that this film illustrates a musical concept without using any words. A canon or a 'round' is a very simple musical style where once a person or group begins singing, soon after another group or person begins the song. This can be repeated many, many times and one of the most common examples in the United States is the old song "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"--which is commonly done in this style. Kids are often taught this type of singing in elementary schools but here with this short film a teacher can actually teach the concept without any words--just letting the stop-motion shapes or animals or creature illustrate visually a canon.

The film is excessively clever and well done. Non-musically inclined folks, however, may not appreciate or care.