Little Wildcat and Bulldog is a dialogue-free animated short film directed by Rosanna Sullivan that was released in the United States on February 18, 2019. It was nominated for the 92nd Academy Award for Best Short Film and the highest-rated short film nomination on the 6th Douban Film Annual Chart. Although it did not win the best short film in the end, it was deeply loved by the judges and the audience.
The short film mainly tells the heart-warming story of a stray cat and a pit bull, and the extremely independent stray cat carries a fish through the streets to his own nest - an abandoned cardboard box. The man on the other side brought a fierce bulldog and frightened the little wild cat into hiding in a scrap cardboard box. At this time, the cap of an abandoned water bottle becomes a medium for the little wild cat and the pit bull to ease the atmosphere and become a playmate.
One stormy night, the bulldog was beaten and scaled out of the house, and the little wild cat was frightened by the thunder and was stuck in the neck by something. The bulldog helps the little wild cat out of the predicament, but the little wild cat scratches the bulldog. In order to ease the atmosphere, the little wild cat rests with the bulldog at night and plays with the bottle cap together. Eventually the bulldog escapes from this miserable land with the little wild cat.
In the outside world, they become good friends and meet a good family...
"Little WildCat and Bulldog" uses their encounters to convey to the audience that the hearts of the people are not ancient, and the captive you are not necessarily true love, and the ones who take you in halfway may be true love. The film is 8 minutes long, without character dialogue, showing the theme connotation of the short film from an animalistic perspective: If you want to love others, you must first bravely take the step of love, in order to become a person with free love. This article will deeply analyze the ideological connotation of "Little Wild Cat and Bulldog" from three angles: lens language, thing metaphor, and theme thinking.
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > lens language: according to the development node of the plot, the film is presented in different lens languages to express the emotional ups and downs in line with the psychology of the characters and the connotation behind the short film</h1>
The overall lens of the film is gray and dark, in order to create a social indifference, the atmosphere of the film is weak, and warm colors are embellished in order to achieve the theme of love and need
1. The long-shot long-range view shows the loneliness, fear and self-isolation of the little wildcat.
The little wildcat enters the camera in a long shot, holding a fish in its mouth, dodging in the street, showing its agile and timid side. When returning to his home, the abandoned carton, he shot all the way to the distance, the lens picture was gray, bright and mottled, and the little wild cat looked left and right, showing its caution and precaution. After expelling the pigeon, it immediately returned to its discarded carton, showing its vigilance and insecurity about its surroundings.
When the bulldog appears, the vista shows the little wild cat probing the brain in a cardboard box, full of curiosity and uneasiness about the bulldog. The bulldog was kind enough to help the little wild cat out of its predicament, and it scratched the bulldog and fled into the distance. Through the long-shot perspective, we can see that the little wild cat is afraid of the bulldog at heart, and it closes its heart and rejects the kindness of others. It can be seen that it is relatively heavy from the outside world.
When it heard someone opening the door and was going to take the bulldog with it, it immediately ran to the high wall in the distance, away from the humans. This also shows that it is afraid of humans, so it is alone and has no friends. Whether it is a well-intentioned human being or a malicious human being, it is all shut out, showing an image of hurt, loneliness, and self-isolation.
2. Close-ups and close-ups show the animal's desire for love and attention.
Close-ups and close-up shots are used more in short films, which show the actions and psychology of the characters in detail, and express that as the plot advances, the psychology of the characters also changes.
At the beginning of the short film, there is warm sunshine on the street, and a cleaner wants to tease the little wild cat, who hesitates and continues to escape with the fish. This lens tells us that even the warm sunshine and warm acts of kindness, in the eyes of the little wild cat, can not eliminate its inner fear of real humans, which shows that the little wild cat has been hurt by humans.
When the little wild cat finds the bottle cap, it has no intention of kicking the bulldog next to it, and the interaction of the bulldog, the close-up shot of the little wild cat being afraid and wanting to play with it, is very delicately portrayed. For example, its eyes are rolling, probing its brain, showing that it wants to be friends with a pit bull but is afraid of its fierceness. For example, as soon as it sees the bulldog approaching, it will explode and scream, using bluff to intimidate the bulldog to approach, but kicking the bottle cap to "seduce" the bulldog, indicating that it is a lonely person who wants to get close and is afraid of injury.
The most obvious thing about the pit bull is to get the attention of its owner, and when the owner comes out to feed it, it is particularly happy, the close-up of the face is joyful, and it also makes a whining and whining, circling around the owner. When the owner entered the house and closed the door, it sat on the ground disappointed, shrugging its shoulders, and its heart was disappointed. This close-up makes us feel that pit bulls are also lonely and need the love of people and the comfort of friends.
"Little WildCat and Bulldog" is represented through the lens language of these two small animals, the little wild cat avoids humans, is lonely and longs for love, and the bulldog craves human attention, tries to please its owner, and actively seeks friendship.
3. Convey a harmonious hope with warm colors and a beautiful ending worth looking forward to.
At the end of the short film, the hostess's pale yellow clothes give people kindness and warmth, so the little wildcat did not flee after hesitation, and took the initiative to rub her palm and feel the warmth of the long-lost. The hostess touched the bulldog with her palm, and it tilted its head slightly, but did not dodge, and also felt the warmth of the hostess. Little wild cats and pit bulls run on the green grass, while the sky of the city in the distance is a warm purple, and the host and hostess hug each other, conveying a harmonious and friendly atmosphere. This means that the little wild cat and the pit bull eventually gain happiness, and they bravely take the first step of being loved, becoming free and belonging animals.
Therefore, the film rationally uses long-range and close-up shots, with timely picture colors, together to show the character image and psychology, but also to a certain extent, the theme connotation of the short film. Although the real world is too dark and indifferent, we should not lose our yearning for a better life, so that we can become people with freedom and love in the near future.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > metaphor for things: express the true connotation behind it with metaphorical symbols, connect the metaphorical symbols, and construct the theme connotation of the short film</h1>
The film has many symbolic things, and analyzing their hidden meanings can help us understand the plot and theme. At the same time, they also enrich the theme connotation of the film to a certain extent.
1. Barbed wire: Sharp barriers in relationships.
The barbed wire appears several times in the short film, mainly on the wall and in the courtyard where the little wild cat lives. The purpose of the barbed wire fence on the wall was to prevent people with bad intentions from entering the courtyard and doing illegal things. The barbed wire fence in the courtyard, which straddled the little wild cat and the bulldog, first, it divided the safe range between the two, and the little wild cat used it to protect itself. Finally, the bulldog removed the barbed wire that lay between the two of them with its teeth in order to save the little wild cat. It is precisely for this reason that the little wild cat officially changed its attitude and opinion of the pit bull and truly became a good friend.
Barbed wire has the effect of obstruction and protection, it is a metaphor for the tension of human relations in the real world and the weapon of self-protection. Although it can protect itself to a certain extent, it destroys the normal interaction between people to a greater extent, and it has sharp spikes that protect itself and hurt itself and others at the same time. Only by getting rid of the shackles of this wire and taking the first step bravely can we truly become people with freedom and friends.
2. Chains: The kindness of bonding freedom.
The chain also appears several times in the short film, both when the bulldog appears with its owner, and it is used to trap the bulldog. The first time was when a man pulled a bulldog through the compound with heavy chains. Untying the chained bulldog becomes lively and active, wanting to interact with the little wild cat. The second time was when the man came out to feed the pit bull, put it in heavy chains, and lay listlessly on the ground playing a game of bottle caps with the little wild cat. The third time was when the man beat the bulldog and came to the bulldog early the next morning, holding a heavy chain in his hand. The bulldog longs for the love of its owner, but the owner does not understand it, but uses chains to tie it up and does not take it out, and the bulldog that binds freedom is not happy.
In reality, we often think that losing freedom can be exchanged for love, but in the end, losing freedom does not get love. It is a metaphor for the chain that binds freedom, which is seen by people as a good intention to protect you, but the kindness without love is precisely the sharpest weapon that can destroy the freedom of others. In fact, freedom is not given by others, but by self-giving, just like a pit bull dog finally takes the initiative to get rid of the chain and obtains true freedom.
3. Little Wildcat: Wounded Lonely.
From the appearance of a person running away in the street with a fish, to the final escape with a bulldog, it has always been a representative image of a subjective opinion. We don't know why little wild cats wander alone, making their home in discarded cardboard boxes.
It is afraid of everything that disturbs it, so it has a barbed wire fence in front of the discarded cardboard box so that it can protect itself. From its easy to explode behavior, it escapes into the carton as soon as there is a noise, we can see that it is an extremely insecure person inside. Insecurity must have been hurt before, so the inside is closed and a high degree of vigilance against the outside world. It was not until it misunderstood the bulldog's kindness and scratched the bulldog that it realized that the bulldog's kindness could be his friend. In this way, the little wild cat opened its heart and became good friends with the pit bull. The little wild cat finally has the courage to accept the human touch and love, indicating that it has come out of the shadow of the injured, it is no longer a wounded loner, it has a good friend of the bulldog, and it has found a truly loving home.
Therefore, the little wild cat is a metaphor for those lonely people who have been hurt in the real society, their inner world is eager to care, but they are afraid that others will hurt themselves, so they lock themselves in a small space. Only by opening your heart can you get out of the psychological shadow of being hurt, make real friends, and get real love.
4. Bulldog: I don't need you to.
As one of the two main characters in the short film, the bulldog and the little wild cat have important metaphorical connotations. The bulldog is large and looks fierce, but in fact, it lacks care in its heart and longs to be loved by its owner and friends. From the fact that it gave its owner a toy dog and tore it up, it can be seen that it needs the love and companionship of its owner, not the company of the toy dog. From its initiative to approach the little wild cat and the little wild cat to play with the bottle cap, it can also be seen that it is lonely inside and longs to have friends.
The bulldog does not have a cute appearance and a small and exquisite posture, what the owner needs is not its big head and fierce face, what it needs is obedience and obedience at all times, and its warm and kind heart, the owner can not find. That is to say, in the eyes of the owner, the advantage of the bulldog is of no value and is not needed by him. In other words, the bulldog is the same as the wrong owner, metaphorically in reality, because the concept of value is different, a person's advantage is worthless in the eyes of others. That requires re-evaluation and choosing the one that suits you to play your talents.
There are other metaphorical symbols worth paying attention to in the short film, such as the slogan in the opening film, one is related to fish, the same fish, the small wild cat as food, and the store as a marketing tool for advertising. For example, the discarded carton, which says that it is easy to break upwards, but next to it is marked with books, why should books be fragile upwards, which means that the same thing is different in the eyes of different people. For example, the orange bottle cap, which is a metaphor for a warm tone that can ease people's relationships, is a kind of interpersonal relationship regulator. Therefore, the short film uses unique metaphorical symbols to show the rich thematic connotation of the film to be expressed, providing the audience with the possibility of interpreting the film from multiple angles.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > theme idea: from the perspective of animals and animals, it is very critical to take the first step and be brave to accept the first time; from the perspective of animals and humans, both sides need each other</h1>
"Little Wild Cat and Bulldog" expresses the real needs of human society from the perspective and needs of two animals, people are interrelated individuals, will not exist alone, will also need to be concerned, loved, after injury will reject others, closed themselves. But it is unrealistic not to have contact with others in this way, and when freedom takes the first step, we become different. Next, I will share my views on the theme of the film combined with reality:
1. Being loved requires the courage to take the first step, otherwise you will miss the fate that brings happiness.
The little wild cat in the short film is an extremely insecure person, which also reflects that it is a person who is extremely in need of love. It presents a mixture of contradictions, wanting to be loved but afraid of hurt, and afraid to take the first step. So in the beginning of the relationship with the bulldog, it is always on alert, in a state of fried hair, making the bulldog difficult to grasp its psychology. After getting the help of the bulldog, it took the initiative to seek reconciliation, rubbing the bulldog and licking its wounds. Finally, after bravely taking this step, he finally became good friends with the pit bull.
Later, no longer afraid of the kind-hearted human beings, taking the initiative to accept the caresses of the hostess, and feeling the true warmth and love, it quickly integrated into the new human family with the pit bull, without missing the fate and love from the goodwill.
In reality, we can also see such people, who are full of unknowns and fears of the world, full of vigilance against everything around them, especially great distrust of the surrounding crowd. In this way, day after day, they curl up in their own world, afraid to take the first step of contact with the world and the love of others, and become a lonely, unloving person. Only by believing in your own choice and bravely taking the first step of being loved can you harvest the friendship you want. Just like the little wild cat bravely took the first step of being loved, it has gained friendly friends and friendly owners. Everyone's growth hurts, and it's inevitable growing pains that shouldn't be a reason for us to close ourselves off and refuse to grow and care. If so, then you will always live in your own gray, fearful, and lonely world, and you will not feel the beauty, warmth and sunshine of the world. At the same time, they will also miss those who really help themselves to their friends who care for themselves, refuse to be thousands of miles away, and lose not only friends but also themselves.
Therefore, with the help of the silent short film "Little Wild Cat and Bulldog", the director conveys the message that if you want to be loved, you must first take the first step of friendship, in order to win the friendliness of the other party, and then change the situation of self-restraint and become a free and friendly person.
2. The two parties who need each other need to give together, not give and take unequally.
In addition to showing the friendship between animals and animals, "Little Wild Cat and Bulldog" also explains the relationship between people and animals: whether it is people or animals and people, there will be a relationship between need and need.
The bulldog looks fierce and evil, but in fact, the heart is extremely eager for warmth, so every time the owner comes out to bring it food, it is particularly happy, rubbing and barking at the owner, how much it hopes to get the owner's caress and love. However, the owner set a set of chains, and the food was released as soon as it was released, leaving the sad and lonely bulldog sitting on the ground with his head down. Its efforts to please but not to win the favor of the owner, which makes it particularly disappointed.
It tore up the toy dog that the owner sent to it, just to tell the owner that it longed for the owner's love and companionship rather than the companionship of the toy dog, but the owner was still indifferent and turned away from the bulldog. It wasn't until the bulldog was battered and kicked out of the house and limped in the courtyard that it may not realize that its hard work had been bought by beatings and abuses by its missing owner.
We can know that the owner definitely does not like the pit bull, and he may be in some purpose and need, but not an emotional need. In this way, the needs between the bulldog and the owner are not the same, the bulldog needs emotional care, and the owner may need a dog to guard the door, so this unequal need and pay is exchanged for the pain of both sides. Eventually the bulldog fled, gaining freedom and a new owner.
In the real world, there will also be such people, two people together do not know what the other party needs the type of emotion is, one party will blindly pay hard, thinking that the other party will be moved will understand, so that sooner or later they can win the friendship they want. And the other party is either habitually demanding or responding to unequal emotions, and over time, both parties hurt each other, and finally ends in dismal ends. Therefore, in emotions, we must first know what we need and what the other party can give, and whether what is needed and what is given is not what each other needs. If this is not clear, then each other's feelings will certainly not go long, and eventually they will escape from each other to choose the right freedom and love. The second is to distinguish whether emotional giving and receiving are equal, and this reciprocity is relative reciprocity, not absolute reciprocity. That is to say, your efforts must have value, and you cannot blindly pay without value. Only reciprocal giving and gain can make each other's emotional freedom and long-lasting.
Therefore, the film uses the demand relationship between animals and people to map the demand relationship between people, and the story of the failure of the pit bull dog emotional demand type and the final gain of freedom and love, conveying the message that emotional needs are the same type of reciprocal payment to each other, so that everyone's life is the most real, reliable and free.
epilogue:
"Little Wildcat and Pit Bull" scored 8.2 on Douban, which was a good rating in last year's Oscar for Best Short Film. Although it did not win the Academy Award for Best Short Film, it was called the "biggest lost pearl". It uses rich lens language to express the complex social environment and poor interpersonal relationships from the perspective of animals, and expounds the main connotations and ideas of the film through the implicit meaning of specific things. Let the viewers realize that in the world we live in, whether it is between people, animals and animals, or animals and people, they all need to maintain normal reciprocal emotions, and without good emotional maintenance, then our world will become gray, lonely and closed. Only by giving and receiving emotions reasonably can the world we live in become free and loving.