His revolutionary contributions to the world of animation aside, animator Frederic Back made his appearance with charming humility and passion at the Film Society's tribute to him and his work on Friday night.
Back was born in Alsace, France, and moved to Quebec in 1948, where he has lived ever since.
His films deal with the might and majesty of nature, and man's unlimited capacity for destruction. Common themes running through his films are man's fall from grace and his loss of perception of the beauty of the natural world.
While not as well-known an animator as Chuck Jones or Walt Disney, Back has been nominated for four Oscars for best animated film. He received the Oscar for two of these films.
Film Studies Professor David Ehrlich, an experienced animator, introduced Back and explained to the audience that Back did most of the work on his animated films himself.
Ehrlich said most animated films are completed with the employment of hundreds of artists and technicians. He added Back's film took as much as five years of constant work to complete.
Four of Mr. Back's films were shown. The first was "All/Nothing," nominated for the best animated film Oscar in 1978, the story of the first humans, who become complacent and dissatisfied with life in Eden.
They construct for themselves a nightmarish urban environment, forgetting their bond with the creatures of the earth.
The audience was immediately taken by the simple, suggestive style of this film. Children and adults stared at the screen, captivated by Back's beautiful use of color as well as the moral message which he skillfully weaved into the film.
The next film shown was "A Mighty River," which received another Oscar nomination in 1993. It is the story of the St. Lawrence River, from the first signs of microscopic life to modern man's heedless destruction of the countless wildlife habitats in the river.
Drawn in a more representational style, "A Mighty River," narrated by Donald Sutherland, had an effect that no live-action film could hope to achieve.
The painstaking and loving detail lavished on every cell showed Back's intimate love and fascination with wildlife, a passion absorbed by the audience.
"Crac!" was shown next. It is the story of a rocking chair made by a lumberjack in Quebec, which ends up in a museum.
This film, drawn in the style of "All/Nothing," well deserves the Oscar it received in 1981. The animation recalls the artwork of Monet or Van Gogh.
After "Crac!" was viewed by the audience, Hopkins Center director of film Bill Pence presented Back with the Dartmouth Film Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of animated films.
Back then briefly thanked Pence and the audience for their gratitude and for coming to view his works.
The last film, Back's masterpiece "The Man Who Planted Trees," is the story of a poor shepherd in the Alps who, over the course of his life, plants hundreds of thousands of trees, rejuvenating a once barren wasteland.
Each cell of this film could be a work of art in itself, recalling the impressionistic and expressionistic movements in art.
Rather than being sentimental and naively idealistic, "The Man Who Planted Trees" is uplifting and charming. Even the most cynical viewer can not help but take heart in the story of the simple shepherd who changes his world through diligence and love.
The tribute to Back was a fascinating look at the work of a modest and very gifted artist, and an event not to have been missed.
