Animator Profiles: Lotte Reiniger

Tapping into shadow puppetry, Lotte Reiniger's films demonstrate beautifully, the art of storytelling through shape and silhouette.
Reiniger's film Cinderella, is a take on the fairy tale. The film uses the silent film principles of narration by frames containing written dialogue and storylines.

Fig 1: Lotte Reiniger

 Reiniger was one of the first to create animated films. She was an animator during the facist rule in Germany. The use of papercraft was taken to a new level. As stated by MovieMail.com, "(Lotte Reiniger's films) are highly intricate, yet also opaque, inviting viewers to fill in details with their own imagination, thus creating a captivating aesthetic as commanding today as ever."Cummings, Doug. (2008). Movie Mail: The Quality Film Shop. Lotte Reiniger: The Fairy Tale Films.

Reiniger originally studied acting with director Max Reinhardt. She then collaborated with an experimental animation studio at the age of 20 where she brought to life, her silhouette art that was popular in Indonesia and China.

Fig 2: A Still From Cinderella (1922)

  In 1954, Reiniger created Alladin and The Magic Lamp. Many of her short films were made for the stories from the Arabian Nights. This particular one was made for Primrose Productions which was a company founded by Reiniger's husband.

These fairytales are not the standard Walt Disney stories. Reiniger adopted most of her stories from The Grimm Fairytales. As a result, they have a certain darkness to them and are, in some cases, a bit disturbing and gory.

Fig 3: A Still From Aladin And The Magic Lamp (1954)

  In Alladin and the Magic Lamp (1954), The soothing watercolour backdrops beautifully complements the dark, opaque structures of the characters. It is a wonderful visual experience as well as an entertaining story that is short lived and therefore, enjoyable. As reviewer Sarah Cronin states, "(The silhouettes are) used to a great effect in creating a sense of drama"Cronin, Sarah. (2008). Electric Sheep: A Deviant View of Cinema. Lotte Reiniger's Fairy Tale Films.


This style of animation is unrivaled by anyone else. In the opening scene of Cinderella (1922), the character, Cinderella is created using a pair of scissors out of raw material. This is a great catalyst to the imagination of the audience and shows beautifully, how a character is brought to life via the art of animation. As reviewer Dan North states, "Animated figures provide archetypal rather than definitive renderings of fairytale characters, and particularly in Reiniger’s monochromatic stories, the images allow space for the viewer’s imagination to fill in the gaps"North, Dan. (2009). Spectacular Attractions: Film in All Its Forms.Lotte Reiniger's Cinderella (1922).


Bibliography:

North, Dan. (2009). Spectacular Attractions: Film in All Its Forms.Lotte Reiniger's Cinderella (1922). At: http://drnorth.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/lotte-reinigers-cinderella-1922/

Cronin, Sarah. (2008). Electric Sheep: A Deviant View of Cinema. Lotte Reiniger's Fairy Tale Films. At: http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/reviews/2008/12/02/lotte-reinigers-fairy-tale-films/

Cummings, Doug. (2008). Movie Mail: The Quality Film Shop. Lotte Reiniger: The Fairy Tale Films. At: http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/film/dvd/Lotte-Reiniger-The-Fairy-Tale-Films/

Illustration List:

Fig 1: Reiniger, Lotte. (c Unknown). At: http://lolitasclassics.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/lotte-reiniger-1899-1981.html

Fig 2: Reiniger, Lotte. (1922). Cinderella. At: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danrn/4015363042/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Fig 3: Reiniger, Lotte. (1954). Aladin And The Magic Lamp. At: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30214152@N06/5408461542/sizes/z/in/photostream/