Adam Elliot’s 'Memoir of a Snail' takes us on a winding journey through the lens of a stop-motion animator. The movie stands apart due to its near obsessive attention to detail-highlighted by a shot of a lazy koala in a tree which defines its unmistakably Australian character- and an assembly of thousands of handcrafted objects.
The narrative showcases a morbid, indeed brashly salty sense of humor. It also goes all the way into the murkier territories of death, depression, human cruelty, loneliness, and nudity. What makes Elliot’s second feature interesting is its unapologetically weird storytelling that lovers of unconventional animation should enjoy. Despite its claymation background, the film draws more parallels to work by Jeunet and Caro rather than Nick Park, underscored by the voice-casting of Dominique Pinon in a minor role.
Elliot won an Oscar for his short film 'Harvie Krumpet' back in 2004, his first feature film came out in 2009 named 'Mary and Max', it explored themes similar to 'Memoir of a Snail'. This film builds a surreal and often grotesque world inspired in part by Elliot’s experience of clearing out the home of his elderly, possessive mother.
The journey begins with the dying Pinky, gently looked after by her young friend Grace, confused by Pinky's last words,“The potatoes!” Despite this, she walks out into the garden to set her beloved snails free and starts telling her life story to her favorite snail, Sylvia.
Grace and her twin brother Gilbert were born in 1972, their mother passed away due to childbirth. Raised by their paraplegic father Percy, a French former animator and street juggler, who fell in love with their mother and followed her from Paris to Australia, their childhood was spent in a grimy Melbourne housing commission apartment block. As their lives progress Grace and Gilbert have to cope with separation, adult experiences, and a connection to the surreal world of Elliot's making in order to reconcile with their own identities.
The film has its emotional highs and lows, accompanied by a striking score by Elena Kats-Chernin, played by the Australian Chamber Orchestra. The vocal accompaniment by soprano Jane Sheldon further adds a layer of depth to the movie.
'Memoir of a Snail' takes its time to locating the pathos beneath the eccentricities, immersing its audience in a vivid world filled with clay, wire, paper, and paint, creating an idiosyncratic yet relatable cinematic experience.
