Amanda Ondretti: The Thoughts and Meanderings of a Certain Cinephile: Sita Sings the Blues

I've been meaning to see this film since I first heard about it when I was working at the magazine. Then I saw a post on it in Roger Ebert's Journal. As I searched for it on the World Wide Web with no luck, a sparkle of magic happened just recently when my wondrous cousin Jenna somehow found a full version of it on YouTube. So my search was over and I finally got to see it.

WOW. When Ebert says I was enchanted and swept away, I didn't realized just how much I would be too. The best description I've seen so far is the one the Hollywood Report gave. It says:

Being dumped has longed served as a catalyst for artistic inspiration, but rarely has a dumpee turned their heartbreak into an end result as charming as "Sita Sings the Blues." This low-budget animated film was written, directed, animated and edited by Nina Paley, who proves that an army of technicians isn't necessary to produce something as terrific as anything by Pixar.

So trust me it is as wonderful as it's sounding. This film wont disappoint, and if it does then I am sorry but your heart is stone. Nina Paley is a marvel. This film is a revelation. How Paley did so much all on her own with such a wonderful end result without the intervention of the money bags in Hollywood is just something to revel in. Bravo!

So as the Hollywood Reporter has alluded to the inspiration for the film comes from a break-up. So we see the story of the Ramayana-the love, marriage and break-up of the god Rama and his first wife Sita-and, one can only assume, Plaey's own break-up played along side each other throughout the film, with the focus staying mainly on India with Rama and Sita. The wonderful part about this touching break-up story is when Sita sings her blues, it is to 20s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw. It's stunning to say the least. All the different forms and types of animation that are used in this feature is just amazing, you can't imagine what you'll see. I am going to let the film speak for itself (you can watch it here) and I can't stress how much you should watch it. However, I am going to post a bunch of pictures here so you can get a sense of just why I and so many others are so amazed by this film.