Minotauromaquia (2004) User Reviews

Exceptional plastimation short.

[Mozjoukine · 18 February 2006]

Striking plasticine figure account of Picasso making his way through a maze inhabited by his subjects, leaving arrows on the wall. An animated dove provides resolution. The bull headed minotaur, first seen devouring the naked woman is particularly arresting. Stravinsky's "Firebird" ratchets up the work some distance further from what we expect in animation.

An interesting comparison with MIRROR MASK.

This is another paragraph of unnecessary copy provided with no other purpose than to to bring this observation to up to a length that meets the requirements of the IMDb computer.

my interpretation of this film

[calbrasov · 10/10 · 25 May 2008]

BRILLIANT FILM!!! MY INTERPRETATION OF THE FILM: When old Picasso draws the dove at the end of the film as he did at the end of his career, it flies back to the time of 1907 when young Picasso painted LES DEMOISELLES D'AVIGNON. It is as if the old artist is trying to save the young artist and the entire world from having to go through all the horrors of history such as GUERNICA. The young artist's cynical view of human nature predicted and painted a never ending spiral of evil and minotaurs for the world - this film and the old artist wish us to proceed with more doves than minotaurs; with more hope than cynicism.

BRAVO!!!!

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Minotauromaquia provides a unique depiction of Picasso

[tavm · 9/10 · 27 January 2008]

As with many unique animated shorts that I have reviewed here on IMDb, I discovered Minotauromaquia on Cartoon Brew from Amid. Directed by Spain's Juan Pablo Etcheverry, it is a clay-animated depiction of the great modern artist Pablo Picasso and his dreams and nightmares of his various creations particularly the minotaur after he sees him devour one of his naked women (this scene is very vivid so I definitely wouldn't recommend this short for children). The way scenes go back and forth in recreating many of Picasso's drawings and a dove that provides light provide some of the most fascinating images for such a well done short. This is highly recommended for anyone with a sense of adventure concerning the imagination.

stop-motion animation short about Pablo Picasso

[myriamlenys · 9/10 · 17 June 2024]

In this homage to Greek mythology, an ageing Picasso runs into the various characters that have peopled his work and his world. One of these characters is the Minotaur, seen as an expression of primal passion in both its creative and its destructive aspect. Minotaurs figured largely in Picasso's oeuvre and it is believed by critics that they represented a form of self-portrait and/or an attempt at psychological self-examination.

If there's any truth in this hypothesis, then the ravenous bull-man seen in the animation short might function more as a guide, a muse or an alter ego than as a pursuer. (He might even be some kind of psychopomp, in which case we'd end up with a title like "Psychopompominotauromachia". Try pronouncing THAT after four beers.) By the same token the flight through the labyrinth might represent a voyage of self-discovery or a trip down memory lane, rather than an escape from a threat.

But who knows ? We could just as well be watching an allegory about an old man saying goodbye to the fierce lusts and fears that defined his youth. "Minotauromaquia" can be read in a variety of ways, which constitutes one of its charms.

Beware : while "Minotauromaquia" is undoubtedly beautiful, it contains some shocking scenes, such as the titular monster biting his female model/lover/prey. So this is not a little pre-bedtime treat for kiddies.