Periwig Maker
Encyclopedia
Periwig Maker is a short claymation film, 15 minutes, released in 1999 and based on the novel, A Journal of the Plague Year
, written by Daniel Defoe
. The film was produced by Ideal Standard film, directed by Steffen Schäffler and narrated by Kenneth Branagh
.
, England in 1665 during the Great Plague. The protagonist is a wigmaker who locks himself in his shop and isolates himself from society so that he will not contract the plague. He watches from within his shop as the plague ravages the city, taking the lives of the majority of the citizens. He writes down his observations in his journal, through this method, his internal monologue is conveyed to the viewer. He hypothesizes that the infection of the plague is transmitted through fluvia (breath, sweat and the smell of sores), he subscribes to medical theories rather than more widely believed supernatural sources. The film pans through the dark, dilapidated city filled with death. The wigmaker focuses on a newly orphaned girl with striking red-hair who lives across the street. He watches as her mother’s corpse is tossed to the body collectors and the girls disintegration into sickness and death. The night before she dies the girl’s spirit visits the periwig maker and informs him of her imminent death in an effort to get his help. After her death, he goes to the mass grave and harvests her red hair and makes a wig from it. The final scene depicts the wigmaker lying in bed, wearing the red-haired wig, describing the reconstruction of London after the dissipation of the plague.
style. It includes the physical terror that the Periwig Maker experiences as he shuts himself in his house in order to prevent contracting the plague, while also the psychological terror
of observing the sickness and death through his window and being unable to aide the victims and secure his own health. The mystery of the cause of the spread of the plague pervades the short film, the periwig maker rhetorically records in his journal his speculations of the cause but is never able discover the answer. The young orphan
, another common component of the Gothic, takes center stage of the story when we see her mother’s corpse being carried away and her subsequent death inducing contraction of the plague. The supernatural
is incorporated into the story with the apparition of the young redhead, it remains unclear if this is a construct of his psyche or an actual occurrence. Death
dominates and lingers not only with the plague victims but also in the air that transmits the illness and then finally in the wigs that contain the hair of the deceased. Though the Periwig maker has escaped the clutches of the plague, the last scene of him wearing the red-haired wig indicates that he has lost some semblance of sanity. Therefore, far after the plague has dispelled, his psychological degradation and madness
remain.
NOMINATION -Best Animated Short Film: 73rd Academy Awards
, 2001
A Journal of the Plague Year
A Journal of the Plague Year is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in March 1722.The novel is a fictionalised account of one man's experiences of the year 1665, in which the Great Plague struck the city of London...
, written by Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
. The film was produced by Ideal Standard film, directed by Steffen Schäffler and narrated by Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
.
Plot
The setting of the film is in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England in 1665 during the Great Plague. The protagonist is a wigmaker who locks himself in his shop and isolates himself from society so that he will not contract the plague. He watches from within his shop as the plague ravages the city, taking the lives of the majority of the citizens. He writes down his observations in his journal, through this method, his internal monologue is conveyed to the viewer. He hypothesizes that the infection of the plague is transmitted through fluvia (breath, sweat and the smell of sores), he subscribes to medical theories rather than more widely believed supernatural sources. The film pans through the dark, dilapidated city filled with death. The wigmaker focuses on a newly orphaned girl with striking red-hair who lives across the street. He watches as her mother’s corpse is tossed to the body collectors and the girls disintegration into sickness and death. The night before she dies the girl’s spirit visits the periwig maker and informs him of her imminent death in an effort to get his help. After her death, he goes to the mass grave and harvests her red hair and makes a wig from it. The final scene depicts the wigmaker lying in bed, wearing the red-haired wig, describing the reconstruction of London after the dissipation of the plague.
Gothic Influence
The short film utilizes several characteristics of the GothicGothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism's origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled "A Gothic Story"...
style. It includes the physical terror that the Periwig Maker experiences as he shuts himself in his house in order to prevent contracting the plague, while also the psychological terror
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
of observing the sickness and death through his window and being unable to aide the victims and secure his own health. The mystery of the cause of the spread of the plague pervades the short film, the periwig maker rhetorically records in his journal his speculations of the cause but is never able discover the answer. The young orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
, another common component of the Gothic, takes center stage of the story when we see her mother’s corpse being carried away and her subsequent death inducing contraction of the plague. The supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
is incorporated into the story with the apparition of the young redhead, it remains unclear if this is a construct of his psyche or an actual occurrence. Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
dominates and lingers not only with the plague victims but also in the air that transmits the illness and then finally in the wigs that contain the hair of the deceased. Though the Periwig maker has escaped the clutches of the plague, the last scene of him wearing the red-haired wig indicates that he has lost some semblance of sanity. Therefore, far after the plague has dispelled, his psychological degradation and madness
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
remain.
Awards
- 2000 Best Short Fiction Film - Children's Jury: 24th Annecy International Animation Film Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best Animated Short Film: BAFTA Awards, 2000
- 2000 Special Recognition for Excellence: Aspen Shortsfest, 2000
- 2000 Special Distinction: 40th Krakow International Short Film Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best Short Film: 26th Seattle International Film Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best First Film: 14th Animafest Zagreb: World Festival of Animated Film, 2000
- 2000 Grand Prize for Short Film: 4th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, 2000
- 2000 Special International Jury Prize: 8th Hiroshima International Animation Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best First Professional Film: Ottawa International Animation Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best First Film: 7th I Castelli Animati: International Animated Film Festival, 2000
- 2000 Best Animation Film: 4th LA Shorts Fest, 2000
- 2000 Special Mention of the Ecumenical Jury: 43rd DOK Leipzig: International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, 2000
- 2000 Best European Film: 24th Cinanima: International Animated Film Festival, 2000
NOMINATION -Best Animated Short Film: 73rd Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, 2001