23 November 2010

The Moomins

On weekedays in 1983, in five minute slots 'Childrens ITV' broadcast The Moomins. I'm not sure if I enjoyed this meandering tale of felted Hippo/Troll-like snout creatures. There was something odd and gloomy about the whole thing. Maybe it was the animation which in those days on a portable black and white television did seem crude. But something remained. Ambivalence.




A few years later I saw a cartoon version. Even though I enjoyed it, I couldn't stop thinking about the quirky early 80s animation. In the mid 90s I read most, if not all of Tove Jansson's Moomin books. It wasn't just the darkness that came through but the wistful feeling of nostalgia, summer adventures, cosy winter evenings, hibernation. It was about love, loss, friendship and in some respects, death, emptiness, but celebrated the here and now.

The world of the Moomins is not just familiar but slightly odd to those who live in Scandanavia as much as The Wind in The Willows is to the English countryside, but it's perhaps quirkier. It's setting Moominvalley is Tove Jansson's ideal Finland, a childhood Finland, of valleys, lakes and mountains, with little if any, human presence. The characters have something we can all relate to, in much the same way as all great works of literature. (This feature sounds a bit shit, doesn't it). Basically I love the Moomins. I love reading about them, I love the brusque, pompous and pensive Moominpappa who constantly is working on his memoirs and is just as attached to them as he is to his top hat. What's sweet is that you can read some of his memoirs in a couple of Tove Jansson's Moomin novels. Little Moominpappa and his friends, who bare close resemblence to Moomintroll's friends. Snufkin is another favourite, an idler, a hippie perhaps, a bag head, who knows, but full of wisdom.Maybe he's Moomintroll's best friend instead of Sniff, as he breaks Moomintroll's heart when he leaves on his travels, a restless soul.  If Snufkin is comfortable with silence and reflection, Little My, is more at home with noise and chaos, speaking the truth no matter how much it hurts and making her presence felt everywhere.
Then there's Sniff. Dopey, well meaning, silly, kind of like Captain Hastings in Poiriot, but without the pomposity, Moomintrolls's best friend, even if they scrap now and again. The leading roles of course go to Moonmintroll and Snork Maiden. Whilst most portrayals of Snork Maiden present her as an air-headed bimbo, she has a sweet and innocent relationship with Moomintroll, boyfriend and girlfriend, even though you could be forgiven for thinking that they look like brother and sister. What this reveals about Moomintroll is not only his love and loyalty but his compassion. Moomintroll in many ways represents us as children, an explorer, a dreamer, a naive, fragile soul. And his snout. You can stroke it.

There's a Moomin film finally coming to a cinema near you soon if it hasn't already. Based on Comet in Moominland it features the Moomins in the own road movie, under the threat of impending doom. There's probably no bad language in it, and there's even less violence but if it gets under the skin of children everywhere, it can only be for the best. It's in 3D too which might impress many of you, but what pleases me is how close it recreates that early 80s stop animation version and transforms it into a multi-coloured and faceted panoramic spectacle. Bjork has also written a song for it as well. Fitting.
  

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