Harvie Krumpet

Harvie Krumpet is one excellent story. Very dark at times but also a reflection of life. As Harvie's life unfolds you can't help but think, yep life is like that. It's very funny, very sad and also very true.

My family sat down tonight to watch Harvie on SBS (Australian TV station) and we all fell in love with Harvie. Our ages ranging from 29 through to 85, we all all found something we could relate to in Harvie. Excellent storytelling, plenty of dark humour and a character you can't but help love.

The story and the humanity we see in Harvie is what makes Harvie Crumpet so appealing. There is also excellent Claymation that adds many dimensions to the characters. The expressions upon the characters faces truly add to the story that is being told. Each character is expressive and unforgettable. An excellent example of great story telling.

Go Harvie!!!!

What a fantastic 20 minutes!! I watched this on SBS the other night, and I was utterly charmed. Its funny, poignant, touching, sad and has a few life lessons we could all take on board. Adam Elliot deservedly won the Oscar for this one. Its charmingly narrated by Geoffrey Rush who has such a wonderful voice, it shows the entire lifetime of a Polish boy who moves to Australia to start a new life when his parents are killed in a tragic accident.

Bad luck seems to plague the lovable character, he lives alone, endures illness, falls in love, has a family and ends up realising some truths about life. I saw an interview with Elliot on Andrew Denton's Enough Rope programme and he is as utterly charming and humble as his little character, everything from his mum knitting Harvie's costumes to being awestruck at the Oscars. He is destined for big things. Dont miss it!

This little Australian claymation production was an unlikely winner for best animated short at the Oscar ceremony for 2003, beating a pixar production and other anime-bigwigs. Which is ironic, because Adam Elliot's twenty minute short is about an underdog. Elliot has appealed to a popular Australian myth, that of the Aussie battler, and the underdog (who we Australians inevitably root for), as a way to make an Australian audience sympathise with a migrant from poland, and recognise a similarity between themselves an him. What makes this short clever is that it uses the form of a children's story, a fairy tale, to communicate a moving story of hardships and not seem to bash the audience over the head with them. It has the appeal of the wonderful Aussie film The Castle, where great profundity can be found through a story told very simply, about simple people, whose outlook on life is so admirable. The story Harvie Crumpet tells, and the character of Harvey, are, of course, very different. Harvie suffers so much, and so many terrible things happen to him, that you have to wonder what is the redeeming thing about this story that makes it worth watching (leaving to the side its marvellous presentation in the guise of a children's fairy tale, or claymation television program perhaps, which creates, as mentioned, a juxtaposition with its content which is effective in lending it a genuine feel, making the audience want to be touched by Harvie). And, of course, the thing that makes Harvie remarkable is that he survives. He doubts himself, like all of us, and at times wants to give up the game, but at the end of the day, he seizes what precious moments he has.

Geoffery Rush as narrator rivals Anthony Hopkins for his fairy tale narration in The Grinch. Reveals what a wonderful, Australian storytelling voice he has. He should do more work in this vein, not to undermine his appearances onscreen, which are also marvellous (particularly Shakespeare in Love and Shine, but like Cate Blanchett, and unlike every other actor in the Hollywood past and present, he is just fantastic in every role).

In just twenty three minutes we are told, with the help of Rush, the life story of Harvie Krumpet - and at the end, even though he's only made of clay, we really feel like we know him. And he's a little fella that stays with you.

I came upon this film by accident--the Australian production company approached my company to license music for "Harvie Krumpet", and after looking at Adam's earlier films we agreed. When I received a VHS tape of Harvie, I was thrilled, not just because of our music, (we got paid whether it was good or not) but because I felt a sense of discovery for a very unique talent and world view. Harvie's world of deadly boredom mixed with equal parts of magic and joy sets this film apart. It seems that Adam Elliot has a great mix of talent--an eye for clever animation with a mind for the daily collision of ordinary and extraordinary.

Geoffrey Rush is understated yet still expressive in his narration. But the film belongs to Adam Elliott with his sight gags and "what really is the difference between tragedy and comedy" mindset.

Harvie Krumpet is a strange little man and life has never been on his side. This film tells his story and takes you on the journey.

The story is very well written and it mix drama and comedy very good. It is very funny, but still serious. The story is unique and original for a short film and it turns out quite good on the screen. The characters are charming and good. You really have sympathy for them and you get to know them. Especially Harvie. The animation is very good. It's stop motion clay animation in the best Nick Park style. It's very impressive. The narration by Geoffrey Rush is very good. I was skeptical when I saw that this film lasted for 20 minutes, but 20 minutes later I wondered where the time went. The film thrilled me and got me hooked and I was never bored. It turned and twisted and kept the audience interested.

All together a very good and very charming little short film about the outsiders in society. A movie well worth to watch.