click here if you are having troubles navigating on our site |
Lost
Kisses DVD - My Life is Sad & Funny
DVD 2009 | Silber 073 10 cartoons (plus three bonus bits), about an hour $12 ~ Dave Sim, Cerebus/Glamourpuss Well, it's finally here, a collection of cartoon versions of the first ten issues of Lost Kisses. It even includes a special making of thing & cartoons of Worms #1 & XO #1. The DVD includes a psychonautic electro-acoustic drone soundtrack of new music by Small Life Form. Lost Kisses tells snarky stories of life's perils with self -deprecating humor. So check it out & spread the word. |
Crudely drawn comics can
have a charm or even a message. As long as that message makes sense, isn't
an inside joke, and actually makes you think. Using the most simplistic
stick figures possible, Brian John Mitchell--who conviently has the same
initials as Brian Jonestown Massacre--offers 10 self-examining teen angsty
stories involving death, moral issues and relationships while the stick
figures add witty and thought-provoking banter.
Accompanying a slide show-like
DVD of the original 2" x 2" printed versions is dark ambient drone by Silber
artist Small Life Form, which makes the whole thing more original and eerie.
Each story is about 5 minutes long and most frames make a statement within
their own story (stuff like "does it mean i'm old that i watch the news?").
What happens in the stories are definitely plausible, and the question
arises as to whether or not the author actual had that experience or if
it was embellished or just complete fiction. The drawings call out for
repairs in hopes of improving their craftmanship (I would love to see it
more fully realized). At the same time it reflects the repairs needed for
the characters. Extras include a few other, non-related Lost Kisses comics
by BJM with a guest artist.
~ Kenyon Hopkin, Advance
Copy
Lost Kisses can be seen as
a concept that brings different arts together. It all started as a mini-comic
in 2002 in response to a request from the San Jose Museum of Art for a
current publication from zinester/cartoonist Brian John Mitchell. This
cartoonist already received recognition as an experimental music artist
being involved in projects like Remora and Vlor. A kind of soundtrack was
composed for these cartoons. Small Life Form was asked to do this. This
project already released the “One”-album on Silber Records while there
was also a digital release in 2008. I can’t remember to have heard this
project, but the least I can say is that the music they made here is remarkable.
Most of the tracks are quite soundtrack-like, but a few cuts move into
dark ambient territories. The 2nd part from the DVD is musical wise brilliant.
The sound becomes colder and more intriguing. It’s a well-crafted dark
ambient composition with chilling atmospheres. The cartoons are quite simple,
but reflecting with certain sense of humor a rather strong content. It
is all visualized like short stories with questions and answers. The main
themes are dealing with lost and despair. It sometimes looks quite sarcastic
while the music brings are more frightening sensation to the stories. The
cartoons are move slowly giving me the impression of live visuals for a
music performance. The concept seems to be like the contrary, but both
parts together work a sublime way. I have some reservations about this
release, but this was like a wrong bet! According to me, this is one of
the best productions ever released by Silber Records! Original and fascinating!
~ Side-Line
This is a collection of Brian’s
Lost Kisses mini-comic, a semi-autobiographical emotional journey that
submerges the reader into the honest but often inappropriate ramblings
of a heterosexual adult male.
Brian has transformed his
unique mini-comics into videos, resulting in an even more unique format.
This DVD collects first ten issues of the Lost Kisses series along with
some extras. That’s a lot of content, if you ask me!
The best part is the Making
Of video included in the extras, where Brian experiments with a hybrid
illustration / photo style. Seeing his stick figure counterpart narrate
actual photos of himself making the comics is a pretty sweet experience.
Technically speaking, I
hit a few snags, but I also played it using my TV’s built-in DVD player,
which rarely plays anything right. Point is, you’re better off playing
this DVD on your computer. That way you can be assured to avoid any technical
problems.
~ Nick Marino, AudioShocker
The biggest group of comics
in the bunch was the “Lost Kisses” collection, which is a DVD containing
ten issues of the comic as well as a 'making of' issue where Brian describes
the creation process. In going through all of the issues, this title
has actually eme4rged as my favorite, because it's so personal and raw.
Each issue sees Mitchell examining an aspect of himself in a sometimes
humorous, sometimes depressing manner. He talks frankly and openly
about past loves, addiction, and feeling lost and uninspired.
The stick figure drawings are a perfect match for the tone of the comics,
as they leave the focus on the story.
~ Brian LeTendre, Secret
Identity Podcast
The stickmen in these comics
tell a story of drama, love, heartache, pain, suffering, death. The stories
have to be reflected upon real life events. The stories are just too real.
The author shows courage in getting these stories out. He shows sacrifice
and commitment. He shows determination and toughness. The stories come
from his heart. Some of the stories are somewhat shocking, so the author
shows he has guts to lay out the stories to the readers. Of course the
author is talented, because the stories all come together like the pieces
of a puzzle. If you like the following shows: As the World Turns, Beverly
Hills 90210, Dallas, Days of Our Lives, The Edge of Night, General Hospital,
Guiding Light, Knot's Landing, Melrose Place, Peyton Place and Santa Barbara,
well you found a great place to find stories that have a similarity to
these shows. All the drama, humor, excitement, sadness, happiness can be
found in these match size comics. Also, the author now has a SUPERB DVD
and you can easily sit back in your favorite chair and watch the stories
unfold. There is only one word for these mini comics and Lost Kisses DVD:
Majestic!!
~ Paul Dale Roberts, Jazma
Online
"Lost Kisses" is series of
mini-comics transferred to DVD by zinster/cartoonist Brian John Mitchell,
consisting of stories told through drawings of stick figures. Stick figures?
Yes, stick figures. And, surprise, these stick figures come to life not
through animation but by words. And yes, you have to read. And it's well
worth it. Mitchell uses his figures and stories to examine the angst of
life in the 21st century (or anytime for that matter): failed relationships,
love, self-hate, poor life choices, searching for meaning in the universe;
its all about feelings and honesty. These 10 tales made me wish I were
young again so I could relive the tumult of young adulthood. Check this
out at Silbermedia You'll find it well-worth your time.
~ On Video
Intrecci di vita electro
acoustic: si ride (e si legge) amaro, e si respira nebbia. Ci si scalda
al sole dell'autunno mentre le neve estiva brucia, e ci si innamora diventanto
rossi dall'emozione. C'è tanto sarcasmo malato in "My Life Is Sad
& Funny", titolo che spiega molto bene i contenuti dell'opera. Collezione
di coriandoli multicolori, bella e possibile. Dieci cartoons cattivi e
senza morale. La musica in sottofondo la possiamo definire sperimentale
(alternativa?) adatta per fumetti pirotecnici ed alternativi. La verità,
non posso dimenticare la verità. Spremuta di limone per la mente.
I cartoni animanti presenti in questo dvd sono crudeli, e denunciano battute
pesanti. Gli omini disegnati da Brian John Mitchell descrivono il lato
sprezzante ed urticante della vita. Un'esistenza a metà strada fra
il bene ed il male. Amore ed odio sono i lati della stessa medaglia. Il
chiaro e lo scuro. Confusione e stati della mente altamente alterati. La
colonna sonora che ci accompagna (durante questo periglioso viaggio) è
opera di Small Life Form. Dietro questo nome si cela, sempre, l'artista
Brian John Mitchell, il quale stringe il suo fumetto dentro loop esagerati
e caustici. Un sound che ruota davanti alla verità dei cartoni animati.
Un colosso sperimentale molto interessante e geniale, dove la fantasia
scellerata prevarica, almeno per una volta, la preziosa umana ragione.
~ Claudio Baroni, Musica
Popalare