Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (1992)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Joan C. Gratz

Release Date:

1992 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Short

Plot:

Two-dimensional clay animations melding and merging the work of 35 famous artists. |

Plot Keywords:

Painting | Mona Lisa | Abstract Art | Surrealism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins

Cast

Jean G. Poulot

...

(voice)

Directed by
Joan C. Gratz

Produced by
Joan C. Gratz	....	producer

Original Music by
Jamie Haggerty

Sound Department
Lance Limbocker	....	sound mixer
Chel White	....	sound designer

Visual Effects by
Sam Longoria	....	camera engineer & rigs
Fred Pack	....	optical printing

Editorial Department
Kathie McCallister	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Jean G. Poulot	....	musician: digeridoo

Other crew
Jim Blashfield	....	title concept
Melissa Masland	....	grant writer
Gary McRobert	....	technical assistant (as Gary McRoberts)
Mike	....	theatrical distribution
Dave Millen	....	processing
Trink Morimitsu	....	grant writer
Spike	....	theatrical distribution
Bob Townsend	....	printing
Marilyn Zornado	....	calligrapher
Marilyn Zornado	....	typographer

Thanks
Bob Zurcher	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Joan C. Gratz Productions

Distributors

• Microcinema International (2009) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Pyramid Film and Video

Other Companies

• Alpha Cine Laboratory  post-production coordination
• American Film Institute (AFI)  Western Regional Media Arts Fellowship awarded in a program sponsored by
• American Film Institute (AFI)  financed in part through a film grant from
• Multnomah County Library  special thanks
• National Endowment for the Arts, The  Western Regional Media Arts Fellowship awarded in a program sponsored by
• National Endowment for the Arts, The  financed in part through a production grant from
• Oregon Arts Commission  financed in part through a film grant from
• Portland State University Library  special thanks
• The Rocky Mountain Film Center, Boulder Colorado  Western Regional Media Arts Fellowship awarded by
• Western Regional Media Arts Fellowship  financed in part through

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Joan C. Gratz Productions

Movie Connections:

Features "The New Price Is Right" (1972)

An unusual animated art survey emphasizing the 20th century

This short film won an Academy Award for best animated short. It consists of a series of animated reproductions of major art works, primarily from the 20th century, and has an unusual technique for moving from one picture to another. I have been to most of the world's major art galleries. While I am certainly not an art historian, I was able to recognize a majority of the artists and the works portrayed. I was not able to recognize all of them, and I wish they had been labeled.

I recommend this film to anyone studying art or art history for a different twist on the subject matter. The movie is available on VHS from pyramid media, and it is overpriced.