By Ryan Cracknell

George Lucas has openly called him an inspiration. He brought François Truffaut to tears. Pablo Picasso paid homage to him. Yet, his name remains virtually unknown to most.

Norman McLaren, the founder of Canada's National Film Board animation division, is deserving of all the accolades and kind words showered upon him. His experimental works are some of the most spectacular ever put on celluloid. But mention his name in the average North American video store or multiplex and you'll probably find few who know who Norman McLaren is, let alone his impact on cinema. But with the NFB's upcoming seven-disc DVD set Norman McLaren: The Master's Edition, that might change - even if only a little bit.

Born in Scotland in 1914, McLaren became deeply interested in music and dance at an early age. It wasn't long before he saw a connection between music and the lyric possibilities in film. Russian filmmakers Eisenstein and Pudokin, as well as German animator Oskar Fischinger, were particular inspirations.

McLaren got his start in film while attending the Glasgow School of Fine Arts before moving to London and joining the General Post Office Film Unit. It was there that McLaren began experimenting with drawing directly on film.

With the world heading to war in 1939, McLaren came to the United States in 1939 where he made several abstract shorts, including Stars and Stripes. A couple years later, he headed north to Canada to work with John Grierson, whom he worked under at the GPOFU. Grierson had been asked by the Canadian government to set up the NFB.

For the next 42 years McLaren pushed innovation at the NFB. He believed in the art of film, taking charge of his works to ensure that his vision was brought to life. McLaren always sought to explore new techniques and possibilities for film. He worked in short format, opting for the experience rather than the feature.

McLaren appears to have never been scared to try something new out. He worked with surrealism, expressionism and apparently whatever other "-ism" he encountered. McLaren animated, choreographed, animated choreography, conducted, wrote, directed and edited.

Watching his Academy Award winning Neighbours (1952), his most famous film, and it's hard not to feel a sense of awe. Employing stop-motion techniques while using two actors, it tells a cautionary tale of war and its ultimate price. Even if you were to separate the thematic from the technical, Neighbours is still brilliant filmmaking. The look of stop-motion with actors is distinct in itself, but it also lends to some creative shots. Without the use of an wires, stunt doubles, let alone computer effects, McLaren gives off the appearance at one point that his actors are flying. He pulled it off through basic techniques and a whole lot of jumping. The actors would leap in the air and McLaren would capture them in midair at just the right point with his camera. Spliced together and the actors had achieved flight.

Begone Dull Care (1949) takes the jazz of Oscar Peterson and makes for some celluloid jazz of its own. The short is a mix of lines, colours, doodles, scratches and everything in between. Even without a narrative, its expressive and lyrical all the same.

In Pas de deux (1968) McLaren takes a pair of ballet dancers shot in black and white and creates an out-of-body experience. Movements are overlapped and broken apart. The end result is the closest I've come to a spiritual moment watching a film.

McLaren passed away in January, 1987.

Norman McLaren: The Master's Series is a monster box set that covers the entire canon of the late filmmaker. Made up of 58 of McLaren's films as well is various tests, unfinished films and 14 documentaries, the seven-disc set will offer unparalleled access into the works of the master filmmaker. Also included will be several McLaren interviews - both audio and video - and extracts from texts in which McLaren critiques his own ideas and work.

Norman McLaren: The Master's Series will be available on DVD October 17. Click here to buy the DVD from Amazon.com.

©Movie Views; September 17, 2006