The Lost Thing

The Lost Thing is a 15 minute animated short film based on the highly acclaimed picture book by multi award winning author and illustrator, Shaun Tan, that says to have been influenced by Tim Burton, Francis Bacon and Rene Magritte. I will not dare to write a piece about Tan's life and work, but, by these influences, you can have an idea of how this movie will be shown: with subliminal meanings and metaphors. As this short film was adapted from the children's book of same name, you shall watch it through the eyes of a child, that is now knowing the world it lives. I believe the metaphor created successfully by Shaun means to a kid that the world it was born at is a place of bitter people that lost their brightness; they do not care about life and happiness anymore; but you must not care about it. You are special the way you are, and you will find your place in the world some day; not among the others people, but among equal friends who will comprehend your feelings and make you happy. And by its signification, watching this 15 minutes film worth it.

A lad is combing the beach for additions to his bottle top collection when he encounters a great big red metallic object - with tentacles. It looks something akin to an octopus stuck in a diving bell! He says hello and suddenly it comes alive. Armed with two great pincers up front, it just wants to play ball and build sandcastles with it's new human friend. As the day comes to a close, the boy realises that his pal has nowhere to go. No home, no friends, no nothing! He goes to his boffin mate to try and identify his tin friend, but in the end they have to conclude it's lost and so he will just have to take it home to his sceptical parents - dirty feet or not! Then he sees an advert on the telly for the "Federal Dept. For Odds and Ends". That became his plan - surely they'd know? Well they might have done had he not been weighed down by a ton of form-filling and red tape and then been warned off by the cleaner! Maybe the best chance is that it will actually remember where it's supposed to go by itself? Well, let's give that strategy a go... Tim Minchin's understated narration works wonders with this engaging mystery and as the pair spend the day exploring potential homes for "thing" the producers have a free rein to create a range of colourful and vivid scenarios using various styles of animation to create a myriad of creatures - human and otherwise, to enhance this simple story. I did enjoy this, even if it's a bit sad at the end.

This is about someone facing insurmountable odds as he attempts to bring a strange creature back home. One day, the thing just shows up and is so unique that there seems to be nothing to connect it to. He is cut off at every turn, but he perseveres. The interesting thing is that this creature, while being somewhat monstrous in appearance, is kind and gentle, and he continues to deliver those traits. The theme of this film, which is from a children's book, has to do with misfits and their trials and the need for someone to believe in them. Nice work.

Perth Comedy Muso Tim Minchin narrates this charming, if somewhat bizarre animated short. It's only about 30 minutes long and it's based on a children's book by Shaun Tan, also from Perth.

A boy discovers a large and rather strange contraption on the beach. The only way to describe it would be like a 12ft crab-like industrial boiler... with tentacles. It doesn't say much, but it seems to love playing fetch. The boy can't understand why everyone around him is totally oblivious to it. They must have more important things to pay attention to. The boy spends a bit of time with it, they form an instant bond and it soon becomes clear that this inexplicable thing... is lost. The boy tries taking it home with him but his parents are none too pleased to have a large unidentified lodger. What is a boy to do? Surely this thing... belongs somewhere.

The Lost Thing is a cool little toon for all ages. The animation is a bit like Pixar meets Aardman. You can view a low budget, subtitled, Minchin-less version on YouTube, but if I were you, I'd hold out for the real deal. I must admit that I'm from Perth and I'm a huge fan of Tim Minchin so my review is a bit biased, but now I've discovered a new homegrown talent. Shaun Tan has a uniquely brilliant imagination. Let's hope that he makes a full-length feature or at least a collection of shorts soon, because the only problem with Lost Thing... is that it's too short. The DVD contains a few extra features that make up for the short running time and there's also a bonus sketch book that's definitely worth thumbing through. Just consider it to be a preview of things to come. Watch this space!

I have just finished reading The Arrival by Shaun Tan and I am so impressed. Looking for interviews with him, I have found on youtube The Lost Thing and watched it. Amazing. Very well done. Nice story. Nice parable. I come to find out this short took an Oscar. And that Oscar was won against The Gruffalo. I still like The Gruffalo better, but this one is somehow deeper. I guess the old men and women of the Academy Awards Jury went for the old man sadly looking behind to the lost youth instead of the wise youth theme. Still, it was a tough choice and I can name a few years when all the candidates were of lower quality. But that is life!

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