Mary and Max

I have chosen to look at this clay animated, stop motion film because when I watched it for the first time one of the things that really grabbed my attention was the attention to detail when it came to the backgrounds. The film is set in Australia and New York, one of the things that I found so impressive was the detail incorporated around Max's home, in New York.

I found the detail in Max's apartment and the streets of New York really helped with putting across the melancholic aspects of his life. The fact that it is in black and white could definitely effect the mood of the viewer to fit the mood of Max's surrounding environment. For example, litter has been added to the streets which makes it look more believable. His apartment has been deliberately made to look dingy and simple. I think the smaller details like the wallpaper, and the scruffiness of the rug on the floor bring the environment to life and it suits the character. Max's side of the story is shown in black and white and I think this contrast is good at representing the dark side of Max's life.