9 (2009)

"Rather Marvellous, Actually"

Shane Acker's feature length version of his Oscar-nominated animated short gets a Blu-ray and DVD release from Fabulous Films.

We're in a post-apocalyptic future where humankind has been wiped out by the machines they created. Before he died, a scientist created nine small creatures of cloth and metal, and tasked them with saving the earth's future. To do so they have to overcome their differences and take on giant metal creatures far more powerful than they.

With a plot that sounds like average kiddie matinee animated fare (or maybe I've just made it sound like that) regular readers will be pleased to learn that the animated classic 9 reminded me of most was Martin Rosen's classic 1978 version of WATERSHIP DOWN. Here we have another movie where all the lead characters are not human, where not all of them survive, and where there are plenty of bits to terrify the average five year old and shock the average older kid into sitting up and paying attention. 

The CGI animation is well-rendered, giving a delicious Phil Tippett-style stop motion feel to the mechanical monstrosities, and was that a Kurt Vonnegut reference I spotted about halfway through? 

Voice talents include Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connolly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau and Crispin Glover in the role you'd most expect Glover to take in this. It's all very good, very creative stuff and I'm actually quite surprised this passed me by back in the day.

Extras on Fabulous Films' disc include a commentary track with co-writer and director Acker plus animation director Joe Ksander, Head of Story Ryan O'Loughlin and editor Nick Kenway. All of them turn up again on the making of featurettes. You also get the original ten minute short which is well worth a look after the main feature, and there's a commentary track for that as well. There are seven minutes of deleted scenes (as animatics and storyboards with dialogue) and you even get a tour of the Starz animation studios by an enthusiastic Acker. All good stuff.

Shane Acker's 9 is out on Blu-ray and DVD on Monday 10th July 2023